Jen: Take a look!! Re: What are the ABC's of the g-tube?

[Guest guest]

,

What a great list of questions. And great responses.

Jen, I think this type of format " ABCs " of the g-tube might work

really well for the GI section of the Guidebook!

katy

>

> Dear Friends,

>

> Well, next Friday Connor gets the g-tube. Today it just dawned on

> me that I have a lot of specific questions that I hope you all will

> respond to in the next few days. I have to admit that in the past

I

> always skipped the posts that dealt with g-tubes, pyroplasty

surgery

> and the nissen fundoplication. Connor was an " eater " and we didn't

> have to learn that. Well, now, I have to play catch up.

>

> So, in the Spirit of Letterman (Drum Roll Please!!!), Here

are

> my Top 10 Questions on how to rearrange your family's life around a

> g-tube fed child.

>

> 1. Connor is a belly sleeper. Will he have to change this for the g-

> tube to work properly? Will I have to manipulate his crib in any

way

> to assist the feed?

>

> 2. How long does it usually take for the surgery site to heal?

>

> 3. How do you handle infection at the site.

>

> 4. How do you handle tissue granulation at the site?

>

> 5. Is it Prevacid or Prilosec that you can get in a liquid form

that

> can be injected into the tube?

>

> 6. If the slow feeds overnight cause a lot of vomiting, would that

> indicate that Connor needs a Pyroplasty or the NF procedure?

>

> 7. How will the feeds affect his oral feeding? We worked for 2 1/2

> long years to get Connor's mouth desensitized and get him to

> lateralize and chew his food. Even though the malocclusion of his

> jaw is prohibiting full digestion of his food, AT LEAST WE CAN GET

> IT IN HIM! Is he going to lose this function due to a lack of

> hunger?

>

> 8. When do you get to take the tube out? What medical criteria

> determines that your child is thriving enough without it?

>

> 9. What do I tell my son? He's two and a half and very self

aware.

> In a few days he's going through a surgery that's going to change

> his life for the better (we hope). What do I tell him?

>

> 10. As many of you know, Connor lives life at full throtle! He's

> all " boy. " I remember a post from Judith about her son popping out

> the tube while playing at leaping lizards. Besides not sliding on

> your belly, what other things should Connor be careful of. (I.E.

> The playgroud, wrestling with Daddy and brothers, karate,

> gymnastics, etc, etc, etc.) I don't want to put my son in a bubble,

> but I know that I don't want to deal with a popped out g-tube

> either. You know the ole' saying, " An ounce of prevention... "

>

> So, that's all for now. I'm sure as I obsess about this for the

> rest of the day, I'll probably come up with at least another twenty

> questions. I would like to thank Maloy in Norfolk and Alison in

> andria for helping me thus far. Your calmness has been greatly

> appreciated (grin).

>

> Hugs to All!

>

>

> Mom to Graham 8 ADD; Cameron 5; Connor 2 IUGR RSS Kyphosis,

> Asymmetry, Periactin, Prevacid, Zantac Nutropin in two weeks; g-

tube

> in 6 days.