G-Tube Graduation Photo Shoot
We are quickly coming up on the one year anniversary of Apollo’s g-tube graduation.
The anniversary of the day he had his g-tube surgically removed.
When Apollo had his g-tube placed in May of 2012 we were told me might always need it. We were told there was no way to fix the compression on his esophagus. We were in the for the long haul.
Just 8 months later the surgeon in Texas in 2012 who repaired his heart estimated he would only need it for another six months.
In the end, it stayed, nourishing Apollo for four and a half long years.
Apollo just weeks after having his g-tube placed.
I both loved and hated his g-tube. I loved that it fed him and helped him to grow.
I hated the infections, the pain, the tubes that got pulled out accidentally, the beeping alarm, always having to carry medical equipment on trips.
Apollo in the summer of 2012. We were all just adjusting to life with a tube-fed toddler.
I planned to do a special photoshoot as soon as Apollo’s surgical site was healed. Unfortunately, due to a nasty staph infection, the healing took months instead of days.
But finally, this fall, the stars aligned and I was able to pull off a very special g-tube graduation photo shoot.
I gave Apollo free reign in the grocery store to pick out some of his favorite foods.
If you know Apollo, you know he loves pizza!
His favorite pizza? Meat Lovers.
Hmm…what do eat first?
See that hunk of lettuce? He loves to snack on romaine hearts.
Whole.
Other favorite foods? Cucumbers and hummus.
Pickles. Guacamole. Whole avocados.
Pretty much any raw veggies or fruits are his favorite.
He loves chips and candy and “meat sticks” (pepperoni or beef jerky).
No, I won’t apologize for all the food photos. Apollo will probably be 35 and I’ll still be obsessed with taking pictures of him eating.
Only the parents of a tube-fed child can truly appreciate just how much these photos mean to me.
Congratulations, Apollo!
We are so proud of your hard work.
Now go eat a taco.
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You might also be interested in reading:
The Ultimate G-Tube Resource Guide
Resources to Help Your Picky Eater
It just makes me happy to see this.
Love this!!!
I’m curious about the chopped hair in the pictures… Did someone decide to give himself a haircut?
Oh, this is funny! I had to come to come look at the photos to see what you were talking about. I get it, it *looks* chopped in these photos but it is actually just uncombed curly hair 🙂
This post makes me also happy and gives me hope for my 7 yr old daughter with ARFID. She got her g-tube placed In May. We have a long road ahead of us.