It has been a week today since the peg tube was inserted into Bob’s stomach. He is getting nutrition and may be getting stronger. He is not getting any better mentally. He keeps taking his gown or shirt off and getting out from under his covers. He seems to be hot all the time and occasionally will break out in a sweat. He feels cold to touch. He moves his arms and legs more than before and lets one leg hang off the bedside. I watch him to see what he is doing and I will see him lift his leg with his hands to get it back up on the bed. That indicates to me that he may be gaining some strength. Some times he mumbles incoherently and other times I can hear him very plainly praying. He will call my name from time to time and even pucker up for a kiss.
His blood sugar has run as high as 560. So far he has gotten only the fast acting insulin but the plan is to add a long acting insulin tonight. When its high the feeding flow is dropped to a slower speed. The highest rate of feeding flow was at 72 mls per hour. It has lower and raise several times. Now it has been raised from 30 mls per hour to 40 mls per hour. 30 mls is equal to one ounce so one ounce an hour seem like a small amount to me. Every few hours the nurses check to see if he is digesting the food fast enough and if not the pump is stopped to give him time to digest before more formula is pumped into his stomach.
Days like today when he doesn’t respond to me very much or mumbles a lot I am scared and worried.I think he may be in pain. He can have Tylenol but he may need something stronger. The nurse called the Doctor on call and she prescribed a stronger medicine which is combined with Tylenol. I am constantly on the verge of tears. I am always watching him breath and some times if he is having shallow breathing it scares me. I wish his blood pressure would be checked more often. When Mother’s care was taken over by Hospice I was given a little booklet to read to prepare me for her passing. I can’t help but remember some of those symptoms and think I am seeing them in Bob’s actions and condition. I get the recliner as close to his bed as I can so I can listen to him breath after I go to bed. I think I am going to make my self crazy. I need lots of prayers fo both of us.
Nancy Shoemaker 1/21/2012
You’re both in my prayers; God bless.