I am leaving the hospital and going home tomorrow. We're outta here at 12:00 noon. There is a lot of anxiety about what feeding tube/pump we'll have at home. The home-care company that my insurance company contracts with does not supply the same exact pump that we've learned on here. My doctor has prescribed 18 hours on the pump and 6 hours off every day. I'll be receiving 92 ml of food an hour for a total of 2300 calories per day. The Jejunostomy feeding tube is very narrow, I'm guessing about ~3/16" diameter on the outside and at least half of that diameter is tube wall.
We've been getting contact info so if anything goes wrong at home we have people to call. We have to worry about all meds we're getting because nothing can be taken through the mouth for 3-1/2 weeks, everything have to go through the feeding tube. If available, we get elixers (like Children's Tylenol), if not we have to get pills we can grind down into very small powders, then dissolve in water, then manually push it with a big syringe into the tube.
As I said: 3-1/2 weeks. I hope I can make it.
The nurses and the doctors (and Powell) have all said I am doing great. I walk at least 5 or 6 times a day around the loop on this floor. Today I started walking up stairs. The first time I did 1-1/2 flights and was getting winded. My nurse stopped me as she got nervous. The second time I made it up 2 flights of stairs and was definitely panting. We took the elevator down.
Powell has been in every morning this week to visit. Lori came with him yesterday. It is good having visitors. Julia (my niece, Powell and Lori's oldest daughter) came by for a while today. She got here about about 5 min. after her Dad left. Julia was really dressed up because she was going to an interview when she left. Every night my family comes by. Martha's friend Stephanie Quirk came by one night and Caroline's friend Devon came by.
Some Visitors
Martha, Steph, Paul and Amy
Dave and Veda
Visitors are looking good! Did you make it home today as planned?
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