Free and clear...for now

The biopsy results are in and Roo is officially a responder!  Following a ten week trial of drinking budesonide respules stirred into a tablespoon of lemon sorbet two times a day, his esophageal tissue is healed up and eosinophil-free, at least for the moment.  Psyched is an understatement.  Apparently, about 70-85 percent of people do respond to the steroid treatment, but can you blame me for not being terribly optimistic?  This is the best news we've had for a while.

He's off the budesonide now until symptoms reappear (not that they've exactly disappeared, but more on that another time).  Plans for a feeding tube are on hold as he's put on a little weight.  In fact, he jumped up slightly on the growth chart.  He's still below first percentile for weight, but he's closing in a bit.  He hit 25 pounds for the first time this week!  After more than eight months of stagnation, he grew almost an inch and his height is back tracking around the 5th percentile.  We're starting to retire the size 12-18 month pants.  And as if that's not enough, one of his two year molars is finally peeking through the gums.  Yes, he's nearly 38 months and just getting his two year molars.  Bean's had hers for about a year now. 

We're keeping dairy in his diet bringing his list of forbidden foods is down to:

• peanuts
• tree nuts
• eggs
• apple
• peach
• beef

Now we wait and see.  His symptoms will probably return as the allergens we haven't yet discovered continue to eat away at his esophagus but we can put him back on the budesonide then.  He's still vomiting sometimes, doesn't have a huge appetite, loathes many various textures in his mouth, probably has some environmental allergies, and obviously still struggles to gain weight but this was a big step.  I'll be enjoying that champagne now.