Failure to Thrive

Maisie has received this diagnosis on and off for years.

She was the size of a 6-8 month old from 10 months to over a year. Failure to thrive.

She had a sudden growth spurt and became a chubby, toddling two-year-old. Thriving.

At three and a half, she developed tetanus again and lost fifteen pounds. She only weighed about thirty-five. Failure to thrive.

By her fourth birthday, she had improved by leaps and bounds. She was eating and growing and learning how to walk and talk again. Thriving.

Once a month she gets weighed and measured. That day was yesterday.

At 30 inches tall and 21 pounds, she's the size of a two-year-old.

A little two year old.

There it was again: failure to thrive.

She's been switched from her blenderized tube feedings to a super-high-calorie prescription formula. It smells gross.

On Friday, she will start receiving growth hormone shots.

The doctors want to see kids her age grow three to four inches a year. In the past two years, she's grown like three inches.

It's time to take action.

She will be having weekly weigh-ins and measurements. The goal is 1/4 inch a month and at least two ounces per week.

She's never grown that much or gained that much weight in her whole life.

(obviously I'm exaggerating.)

But still.