We pulled the plug!

[Guest guest]

Okay, I know I should have waited for the doctor to do it, but I

took the bull by the horns tonight and pulled Max's g-j tube. We

have not used it since October, he has been sick and we have not

used it and the last time we were at the GI, the doctor offered to

pull it for Max so I knew he would not mind.

Why did I choose tonight? Well, Max called me hysterically from the

bathroom. He was about to take a shower and noticed that his site

was bleeding. I don't mean just a little blood, but a good amount

was running down his stomach and had to have pressure put on it to

stop. I had to make a quick decision...Do I take him to the ER to

have it cauterized tonight? Do I just bandage it up and wait until

tomorrow? Or, Do I just pull the darn thing and be done with it.

Max and I opted for the third choice. I let out the water from the

balloon, gave a slow, steady pull, and the whole tubing came right

out. Max was in shock. It happened so fast. Of course, it smelled

terrible and was bleeding a bit, so I quickly bandaged it up with

pressure and had him lie down. (He also had stomach cramps,

probably from the j tube being pulled from his small intestinal

tract.) After a few minutes with the heating pad, Max was ready to

shower and off he went. No more tube!

Max has called everyone who would listen to him and understand. He

is so happy! It is just one less thing for him to deal with now.

As for me, I will call the GI in the morning, but I know he won't

mind. I just have to check to make sure that we are doing the right

thing by bandaging it and putting the Ketalog cream on. I hope he

does not need cauterizing to stop the bleeding.

Another adventure has now passed in our lives. What a relief!

Jodi Z.