The Girls

girls

We have two beautiful daughters, the loves of our lives. These girls are amazingly vibrant.

The lady on the right is our older daughter, Meadow, age 7. She is our serious one. The studious type, like her father, she enjoys reading and has even been caught watching science videos with her father. She loves to laugh, gladly eats fruits and veggies, and may have a small obsession with all things ice cream.

She has come a long way from when she was a baby. Diagnosed with serious GERD as an infant that lasted through being a toddler, you could even say she was our first exposure to how foods, and processed foods, can affect the body. While she has outgrown the medical issues that plagued her as a baby, she was preparation for what lied ahead.

The sweet lady on the left is Olive and is the original inspiration for the blog. She’s our goofy, little joker. She is a delight to be around and can bring a smile to anyone’s face of any age no matter the mood that person may be in. Her smile lights up a room and she will become the center of attention instantly.

She is also our miracle baby.  You can read more about her story here and afterwards you will understand why we have this blog and how it came about. Meadow prepared us for Olive, and Olive inspired us to where we are today. These girls are the reason we get to tell our story and not a day goes by we forget it.

 

13 thoughts to “The Girls”

  1. Hi Melissa! I'm just discovering your site. My oldest daughter who is now 11 was tube fed for her first 5 years. I think its awesome that you are giving her a blenderized diet of real food! We always thought about going that route when my daughter was younger but never did.
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    1. Glad you found my blog. :) The blended diet has been a HUGE life changer for her! No more vomiting and her skin cleared up. Why did your daughter have the tube?
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      1. My daughter was born with a heart defect and initially she couldn't make the whole sick-swallow-breathe. However as a result of having an Ng tube for 9 months she developed severe reflux from vomitting 3-5 times daily. We once she got her G-tube we thought she'd stop throwing up - no such luck. We finally learned just before she turned two that her tube was causing an ulcer on the inside of her stomach. So we switched brands of tubes and doubled her meds. Within a week she stopped throwing up completely. But the damage was already done. She was scared to eat anything because she associated eating with throwing up. So it took another three years to get to transitioned to eating. Its was a long slow road but she got there! Good luck with your little one!!
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        1. Bless her heart. We only had the NG tube for a week. She just kept vomiting it up. She had a nissen done with her G tube placement. She still threw up with the G tube too and finally stopped at around 19 months. Now she is starting to eat and doing great. I know in my heart, she will rid herself of the tube. She just needs to do it at her own pace. :)
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          1. That is exactly right! She started to do well when my husband and I stopped trying to get her to do what we wanted and let her take the lead. That and an absolutely fabulous speech therapist she had lunch with once a week. Glad to hear she is doing well!
  2. Your comments have blessed me tremendously! My daughter will be three years old in July and has had a g-tube for almost a year (July 3rd will make one year). She has a partial deletion on one of her chromosomes, was also diagnosed as "failure to thrive" and was hospitalized for one month last June. She had an NG tube while in the hospital but it kept coming out and was horribly difficulty to replace because of her 100% obstructive adenoids. My sister found this blog yesterday and read your story...and I'm so thankful she did! We just got a Vitamix and the thought of blending her meals (she's 100% g-tube fed) is so exciting!! I know her nutritionist doesn't want us to blend foods because she says there's a risk of clogging, but I'm tired of giving my daughter formula that has sugar as the second ingredient and artificial flavors!! I would love to connect and hear more from both of you ladies and your journey and I'm looking forward to your comments. Oh...also, my daughter is in feeding therapy 2x/week and she starts an intensive 6-week feeding program at Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore on May 20th. She has developed a fear of eating because she has thrown up quite a bit in her short two years. We're praying for a miracle!
    Reply
    1. Bless her heart. You have been through quite a bit! It's so hard when our little ones are suffering. I totally get what you are going through. My older daughter had such food fears. If you ever need to vent or just want to talk, feel free to email me. Things will get better and the blended diet is amazing and so much cheaper too! Melissa@mywholefoodlife.com
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  3. I am so happy I found this site through Tubie Whoobies! My one year old is g-tube fed and was just put on a super high sugar formula. I am not sure if he could do a blended diet because he has a metabolic disorder but it would be worth talking to his doctors about. I am so ready for him to be able to eat REAL food like the rest of us.
    Reply
    1. I'm glad you found me too! I am so happy we decided to do the blended diet. You may want to ask your son's GI doctor to see if it's possible. It gave my daughter her life back!
      Reply

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