Exciting News - No More TPN!!!

Post date: Oct 16, 2009 1:57:36 PM

Yes, that's right. This is the big news I was about to share a month ago, but then Connor ended up with another line infection.

This is HUGE news because if he doesn't need the TPN (nutrition via his IV line) anymore, it means he can process all of his nutritional needs via his digestive tract - a ginormous step forward.

What is equally exciting is that if he doesn't need TPN, he probably doesn't need his central line! And with no central line, there's no line to get infected, so NO MORE LINE INFECTIONS! Can you tell I'm just a wee bit thrilled at this prospect? :-D That's because all of his hospitalizations this year have been due to line infections.

The very same night he was back in hospital in September was the night we were going to discontinue his TPN for the first time. We were concerned that the GI doctor might want to step back from discontinuing the TPN with his hospitalization, but that did not happen. She gave the go ahead as planned to stop the TPN. We nervously watched him over the next several days, but he did just fine.

So far, it's been three weeks since he's been off TPN and he's doing well and gaining weight. He still has his central line and we don't know how long he has to continue to do well without TPN before we get the go ahead to take the line out. I'm hopeful that it will be before the holidays!