Monday, January 3 - Day +82

I have realized that I have neglected to mention the fact that Collin doesn't have his feeding tube anymore. On Saturday December 11, I gave Collin his morning meds by mouth instead of through the feeding tube to see if he'd take them willingly. As an infant, he would open his mouth like a little bird when he saw the syringe of reflux medication and swallow it without hesitation, even though it didn't taste very good. Luckily, he was still willing to take his medicine as easily, so I took his feeding tube out that morning in December. I knew that if he didn't cooperate with his medicine, or if he didn't start to eat better, I could always put the tube back in. Thankfully, he continues to take his medicine like it's no big deal (he could teach his sister a thing or two about that!), he is eating normal food, and the amount he eats every day has returned to what it was before he got sick last year. It's really nice to see him without a tube in his nose!

Over the last few weeks, we have noticed Collin moving his tongue on the right side of his mouth, pushing his tongue against the inside of his right cheek. He is also chewing his food on the right side of his mouth more often. I mentioned this to his Speech Therapist, and she wondered if it was possible that he is starting to get back sensation on the right side of his face. He has had no expression on his right side; when he smiles, it's only the left side of his face that moves. But this morning when he smiled, there was a little dimple on his right cheek! I remember when he started to regain movement on the left side of his face, the first change I noticed was a little twitch above the left corner of his mouth. It was exremely subtle at first, but it was there. So after seeing that dimple this morning, I am hopeful that he is starting to regain sensation and movement on the right side of his face! His hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows are also growing in, very quickly actually. He's beginning to look more like himself!