133 Days

After 133 days (19 weeks), I have officially had enough with this feeding tube. It is so painful all of the time. It burns and pinches and is oozing and I can’t sit down anymore. This is making it very hard to sit at work all day long. I have maintained my weight for almost 2 weeks and decide that I want the tube taken out today! This means I have to convince Dr. Frech that I can have it out. After several phone calls and some persuasion he says I can have it out.  Yippee!!

I get into Dr. Rasmussen’s office that afternoon. We go over a few things and then it’s time to have the tube taken out. Definitely not a pleasant experience.  The actual pulling of the tube didn't hurt too much, more of a weird sensation and a couple of pinches. Then I have the pleasure of having it closed with silver nitrate again. Oh my. That is so painful! I grit my teeth and make it through. I have to come back in a week and have him check the opening to make sure it closes/heals properly. I also have some granulomas that if they don’t heal, he will have to cut them off. No big deal. We also discuss the weight issue. Right now I am sitting at 127 lbs. with a BMI of 19.9. He said I should maintain where I am at, and not to go below 125 lbs. If I drop to 120 lbs., that will give me a BMI of 18 and we will discuss having another feeding tube placed. I am walking a fine line on the weight issue.

The gauze gives it the full effect

Close-up of the hole left by the tube

I spend the next couple of hours not being able to move too much. The silver nitrate is what kills me every time.

I will see Dr. R in a week…and who knows; maybe it will be my last visit. Kind of weird! I see Dr. Frech in 3 weeks to do a weight check and re-address the pain issue (hopefully it will be gone with the tube being out).