How fast things can change! Udell left from the hospital early this morning so I got up early at home and drove in. I got here about 6:30 am. The docs had already made rounds but were standing in the hall. They asked for my report (which Udell could have done better with because he spent the afternoon with her)which I gave what I knew. She asked if I thought Shannon was up to having the NJ tube changed to an NG tube. I couldn't see why not...course, I still don't understand all their rationale on why the tube goes where it is even though they have told me numerous times. So for those of us that aren't medically adept, for the record, an NJ tube goes in through the nose, through the stomach and into the small intestines. It is placed with the use of xray. The NG tube is placed in through the nose but goes only into the stomach and does not need xray to determine if it is correctly placed. (I guess they can hear by the sounds in the stomach to know if it is where it needs to be.) With an NJ there is less chance of reflux and stomach upset but the hunger pains are still there. NG is considered not as intrusive and going from an NJ to an NG is a big improvement. But that isn't enough for Shannon! Generally when they pull the NJ to an NG, they start with continuous feeds--the feeding tube runs continuously to be sure the patient can tolerate food in the stomach. After a day or so of that, if all goes well, they begin to do feeds only at the same times you would have breakfast, lunch and dinner. After that, if the patient is taking in enough fluids and enough calories, they pull the tube. Well, for Shan the doc skipped the continuous feed completely and decided to only give her feeds in the tubes if she didn't make her fluid or calorie intake. She certainly, even though it has only been 3 days after major surgery,is taking in enough calories and fluids at this point. When the doc saw how many calories she had yesterday, she talked about getting rid of the tube in the next day or so. The IV will go most likely today and then.....within a day or three (not to be too optimistic) hopefully we will lose the feeding tube--the last one! With all she has been through, it is so miraculous to see this progress.
As I sit here, some of Shannon's music is playing. The song is called "When Someone Cares" and the chorus says, "With God, nothing is impossible, if you just reach and take His Hand." I think that as we have all reached out our hands to God in prayer, we are seeing that "with God, NOTHING IS impossible." Pheobe