Small Steps, Big Progress

Howdy,

Hope 2025 has been kind to you so far and you’re taking good care of yourself. It’s been a while since our last update, and I wanted to take a moment to share how Archer has been doing.

Last time we spoke we were taking Archer to Bangkok back in October as he had three issues that needed to be resolved, being his hickman/feeding device being blocked, an E.coli infection and a fungal growth in his lungs caused by prolonged antibiotic use. We ended up being there around six weeks so I had to put this newsletter (and my career) on hold as I needed to spend extra time taking care of him.

This is how he’s doing these days:

. Thankfully, he’s made significant progress. Here’s where things stand today:

• Physical Growth: Archer has gained weight and is now at 9.5 kg (20 lbs). He’s looking chubbier, especially around his face, and has grown more teeth! The doctors a goal of 10 kg (22 lbs) for his discharge, so we’re eagerly working toward that milestone.

• Eating Habits: He’s developed a strong interest in food, particularly whatever I’m eating. This has allowed him to take short breaks from his 24/7 IV feeding—a small but encouraging step. While some children with short bowel syndrome eventually only need nighttime IV feeding, others can transition off it entirely. We’re hopeful for the best.

• Mobility and Speech: He’s now walking independently, though the doctors have advised us to keep his walks confined to the hospital ward for now. His speech is still delayed, but he’s making some progress. With his mum being an English teacher and me a writer, we’re optimistic about helping him catch up once he’s home.

In preparation for his return, we’ve made some big life changes. We’ve secured a loan, purchased land, and are in the process of building a new home. Our current living situation exposes us to too much dirt and dust, which isn’t ideal for keeping Archer infection-free. The new property is surrounded by jungle, with farmland at the front so it’s a peaceful and healthy environment to raise a young boy.

Since returning from Bangkok, Archer had three more E. coli infections, back-to-back-to-back. However, after reassessing his care with the hospital team, we’ve implemented some changes that seem to be working. His susceptibility to these infections is due to the absence of his ileocecal valve, which normally prevents colon contents from entering the small intestine. Unfortunately they was removed during his third surgery due to the damage from his stomach twisting.

I’ll leave things here for now, but I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has kept Archer in their thoughts and prayers. If I haven’t responded to your messages or comments, please accept my apologies—it’s been an exhausting few months, and time has been in short supply. Now that things are settling down, I’m hoping to reconnect and get back on track.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding.