While I was not emotionally prepared for Emma to lose her tube, in actuality the process was quick and relatively easy. However, there was more to it than I thought.
Yesterday afternoon Emma seemed very emotional, going back and forth on her feelings. Surprisingly, when she did see Scott she proudly told him what had happened. but later, and maybe due to fatigue (she is my daughter after all), everything seemed to upset her. Scott called in the big gun - the person who kids love to see, more than Santa: Kimberly!
Sure enough, as soon as we told Emma who was coming she perked up immediately and was playing with Kim for a long time without issue. At one point, as they played dolls, Emma's doll told Kim's that she her tube was gone. When asked how she felt about that (the doll, not Emma) the doll said "Okay. Come on let's go..."
After I had put Toby to bed (an ordeal to say the least when Kim was still there and Emma still playing!), I told Emma it was bedtime. She got quite upset so I asked her if she wanted Kim to put her to bed. She did, but expressly said that she didn't want her to see her belly.
So I put her nightgown on and brushed her teeth, before Kim read her a story.
I can't fully understand her sense of loss. This morning as we got our shoes on, she said "I just wanted to keep my tube." I asked why and she didn't have a real answer, but I did see her keep putting her hand to her belly. I think maybe she played with it a bit, or it was something that made her special.
I do know it will take a long time to get used to it not being there. Forever I have protected her belly when she slid off the bed or a climbing frame. (I even subconsciously do it for other kids!) We frequently caught her shirt on the tube when we took it off, causing her great discomfort.
But on the other side, it was a security blanket for me. If I should ever need to, I could always give her meds or fluids through the tube - not that I have in a really long time. The epitome of "just in case" I guess!
Scott and I waited until Emma was asleep to try and change the dressing on her belly. The doctors have this stuff called DuoDerm, which sticks to the skin and then you attach the dressing to it. The DuoDerm stays in place as a barrier so you don't have to keep ripping tape off the skin.
I got about half the tape off before Emma really woke up and got upset. Quickly I finished and then we brought her into our room.
There was very little on the gauze that I removed, suggesting the hole is closing up (or she didn't drink enough for it to leak!). We'll see how it looks tonight after a whole day.
Please keep praying for Emma. It would be terrible if this great step forward was a black cloud for her until she is much older and maybe can understand better.
Yesterday afternoon Emma seemed very emotional, going back and forth on her feelings. Surprisingly, when she did see Scott she proudly told him what had happened. but later, and maybe due to fatigue (she is my daughter after all), everything seemed to upset her. Scott called in the big gun - the person who kids love to see, more than Santa: Kimberly!
Sure enough, as soon as we told Emma who was coming she perked up immediately and was playing with Kim for a long time without issue. At one point, as they played dolls, Emma's doll told Kim's that she her tube was gone. When asked how she felt about that (the doll, not Emma) the doll said "Okay. Come on let's go..."
After I had put Toby to bed (an ordeal to say the least when Kim was still there and Emma still playing!), I told Emma it was bedtime. She got quite upset so I asked her if she wanted Kim to put her to bed. She did, but expressly said that she didn't want her to see her belly.
So I put her nightgown on and brushed her teeth, before Kim read her a story.
I can't fully understand her sense of loss. This morning as we got our shoes on, she said "I just wanted to keep my tube." I asked why and she didn't have a real answer, but I did see her keep putting her hand to her belly. I think maybe she played with it a bit, or it was something that made her special.
I do know it will take a long time to get used to it not being there. Forever I have protected her belly when she slid off the bed or a climbing frame. (I even subconsciously do it for other kids!) We frequently caught her shirt on the tube when we took it off, causing her great discomfort.
But on the other side, it was a security blanket for me. If I should ever need to, I could always give her meds or fluids through the tube - not that I have in a really long time. The epitome of "just in case" I guess!
Scott and I waited until Emma was asleep to try and change the dressing on her belly. The doctors have this stuff called DuoDerm, which sticks to the skin and then you attach the dressing to it. The DuoDerm stays in place as a barrier so you don't have to keep ripping tape off the skin.
I got about half the tape off before Emma really woke up and got upset. Quickly I finished and then we brought her into our room.
There was very little on the gauze that I removed, suggesting the hole is closing up (or she didn't drink enough for it to leak!). We'll see how it looks tonight after a whole day.
Please keep praying for Emma. It would be terrible if this great step forward was a black cloud for her until she is much older and maybe can understand better.
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