sketchbookfactory

So here is my first ever sketch of Little Neph (son of Little Bro). I did this one in the hospital where Neph was getting surgery to have a feeding tube put in. The sweet little guy has this thing called EoE (eosinophilic esophagitis), which I am just barely starting to understand, but which basically means he has some very serious food allergies so he has to drink this special formula, because regular food will cause major damage to his esophagus. But he can’t drink enough of the formula to get all the calories he needs in a day, which is why he got the feeding tube.

I cannot imagine how stressful and heartbreaking it would be to have a child with EoE. Luckily for Neph, he won the lottery when it comes to parents. His mom is a physician’s assistant, so she is already scientifically minded and has a really good understanding of his disease, AND she knows her way around medical equipment. His dad is an Aries, which means he is not afraid of a little confrontation, and has absolutely no problem going toe-to-toe with evil insurance companies that try to claim they don’t cover things that they actually cover.

After seeing Neph’s parents in action I was beyond impressed by how capable and devoted they are. And I suppose it doesn’t hurt that Neph is just super cute and sweet. Even when he’s cranky and not feeling good he is still adorable.

Here is a picture of Neph with his tubie friend, Bearamy. Are they cute or what?

Tubie Friends is a really neat organization that gives a teddy bear to kids that have feeding tubes. The teddy bear is equipped with a feeding tube, just like the child, to help make the whole thing less frightening.

By the way, this week happens to National Eosinophil Awareness Week. I am still working on my awareness.