Turning Over a New Leaf

Oral feeding progress has been slower than we'd like. But we're turning over a new leaf. Markus (the tube whisperer) is here- from half-way around the world!!!  Rah Rah Rah...Small world story: aside from the Institute in Berlin, he also has a clinic in Darmstadt, Germany.  Darmstadt is where my father (Babu) was stationed in the army and he worked as a surgeon for the base dispensary. Back to the present, we couldn't find any fairy godmother's for hire, so Markus is bringing his magic wand and I have been quite preoccupied anticipating his visit this week. This visit will be focused on Dr. Markus and LJ getting to know one another and on LJ's team learning what we need to know to prepare him for a tube wean in a few months' time.

Markus Wilken is a child psychologist specializing in the diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of feeding disorders and feeding tube weaning.  Markus holds an M.A. in Psychology and a Ph.D in Pscyhology, both from the University of Osnabrueck, Germany.  He is currently the Co-Director of the Institute for Psychology & Psychosomatics of Early Childhood in Germany.  Markus received specialized training in tube weaning and treatment of early onset feeding disorders at the University Hospital for Children in Graz, Austria.  During his career he has performed extensive scientific research and clinical study in the area of early childhood feeding development.  Markus believes in a team approach to treating weaning tube fed children; this passion has led him to train therapy teams and families (we're blessed to be one of these families) around the globe in his unique methods.

This passion is also what drives him to spend hours on skype with our OT Jeni, or on the phone with me talking about LJ's feeding issues...even when it is 9pm his time, he's worked a full day, and has a family of his own. Markus is truly an inspiration.  We are beyond excited, grateful and ready to learn as much as we can all week long. He gives us much hope and valuable insight that we will one day soon have an oral eater & be able to wean LJ from his feeding tube!

The video is totally unrelated.  But I like it.