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March 29, 2010

Day 41 - Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) Tube

Today was an early morning start and a full day of events. We were up at 5:20 AM all packed and ready to go. Called Kaiser at 6:30 AM and confirmed that a bed was ready and waiting for Michael. Arrived for our early appointment at RPCC to find ourselves locked out for about 5 minutes. After rattling the doors and knocking on the glass, the tech showed up, but we had to wait as her co-worker was stuck in traffic and running late. Yet, we got done quickly and made our scheduled arrival time at the hospital at 7:30 AM

We hung out in the room for a while, had a consult with Nurse M. and Dr. P. At 9:30 AM Michael was taken to the procedure rooom. I was just settling in, getting my knitting out, finishing up a hat for Michael and suddenly Dr. P. was back at 10:30 AM saying it was all done and Michael did amazing (he is amazing, isn't he?). There were no complications despite the mouth/throat sores and inflammation.

The rest of the day, saw me ripping out the completed knitted hat in its entirity and starting over, and enjoying random statements and comments from Michael in his sedated state. I also was studying my "Tube Feeding: A Step By Step Guide" book.

Michael is scheduled to be discharged tomorrow after I get my lessons in wound care and PEG feeding. Michael is comfortable and enjoying his room mate Randy who may not get any sleep tonight due to Michael's snoring and his noisy suction machine. I forewarned Randy to which he laughed and said that he did not mind as he was having a great time on all his pain meds!

Today's thanks go especially to my mother who continues to keep everything running so smoothly so that I can focus full time on Michael. To Tricia for sharing some of her day off with us at the hospital. Huge thanks to Tony and Heidi for dropping off enough dinner to feed our entire street for a week! It was delicious. And of course to the dude for his flexibility and ever calming presence.

I know Michael would want me to say something about Commander Taggert at this stage, but I can't think of anything right now, and besides Commander Taggert never had to deal with a feeding tube!

FOUR DAYS TO GO....

Posted by Claire at March 29, 2010 08:46 PM