Saturday morning Bob had a peg tube inserted into his stomach for feeding. It was a hard decision to make but after hearing Bob talking about wanting to go home, wanting to go home to play with Lilly, wanting to go to the mountain, going to hunt big red apples at an orchard made me think he was not ready to give up on life. I ask Bob in front of Dr. Rinedollar’s PA,if he wanted a peg tube put in his stomach. The PA ask if he wanted to go home and Bob answered yes to both questions. I have been told when a patient wishes to die they refuse food. Bob wants ice cream because he can taste sweet things and ice cream is easy for him to swallow. The only other food he would eat was mash potatoes but only 2 times. He like the ice cream because it is cold and soothes his throa.t He hate to swallow the pills and seems to get strangle on the on the water. If the nurses try to get him to take the pills in apple sauce it make him angry. He always says,”Don’t try to fool me!”
Bob ‘s weight was down to 135 pounds or less. The scale is on the bed so when he is weighed it also weighs the blankets and pillows . His voice was getting faint and he was too weak to sit up. He has not gotten any physical therapy. It took a couple more day before the procedure was scheduled for Saturday. He was sleeping almost all the time so we didn’t talk much those couple of days.
Since the procedure Bob’s voice has gotten stronger but he has not gotten stronger nor has he been awake as much as he had been a couple of weeks ago. I hope he will get some physical therapy. Earlier in the morning he said to get some exercise so I worked his legs by bending his knees and raising his legs up and day. I really want him to go home but until there is no need for an IV he won’t be able to that. He is tolerating the feedings well but his blood sugar is going up higher requiring more insulin,. The Doctors did not expect him to gain much strength with the feedings but I hope he will . Until today he hasn’t acknowledged me since the procedure but a little while ago just a while he was restless so I went to him and he patted me on the shoulder then ask me to scratch his back. I have hopes for more good signs from him. I just wish it had been done eariler before when he was stronger.
Hi,
I just came across your blog via a search about peg tubes. Wanted to say that I recently learned about home-made tube food. Obviously I don’t know whether that would be relevant to your circumstances, but I thought I’d mention it just in case, since I only learned about it too late for my friend.
Sites like youstartwithatube.blogspot.com, lucysrealfood.com or drinkyourmeals.com may be able to help if you’re interested.