Sunday 24 January 2010

Tubeway Army

That's what it needed to tell me what to do with the feeding tube. (OK, yes, I was toiling for a heading.)

Though I forget all of the names, there was the lady who lives near me that who told me that it was her that arranged to bring the hundred weight of kit that goes with the tube, she also told me that someone else would be along to give me training. Then the usual suspects from the oncologist's team, the registrar and the clinical specialist before the lady from Nutrica who told me the in & outs before giving me details of my Nutricia nurse, the district nurse and the area dietitian. Fancy!

So, to the tube, first thing is to keep it clean. It needs a daily flush. Simply flip the lid, fit your syringe, undo the lock and flush before minerals and stains appear. For little top up feeds, one also needs to flush before and after; the feed is like a high protein milk shake - that goes everywhere if you forget to open the lock and the pressure means the milk shake shoots out of other valves. Sticky.

Top tip was to turn the tube round 360 degrees every day, as "this stop it sticking and makes sure that you form a nice round hole". Have to say that the first couple of days standing with the tube in in my hands and making the required twist called for some - mind over matter*.

Thankfully Anne was on hand to transport the gallons of full overnight feed, pump, syringes and various other accouterments because the staff nurse didn't think I was serious about needing a wheelbarrow.

*The Encyclopedia of Parapsychological and Psychical Research

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