The Tube is in!

Okay, after having an afternoon of appointments yesterday, that consisted of consultations with a Dr. of Gastroenterology, Dr. John Dibaise, Registered Nurse Laurie Rentz, Dietician Sherry Tarelton and more lab work, much to my surprise it was decided to implant a feeding tube today at 8:00 a.m.
During my consultation with Dr. Dibaise, I revealed to him that I had previously had a PEG tube, to which he had no knowledge of. Whether this had any bearing on things or not, I don't know, but Dr. Dibaise told me that he probably would not be doing the procedure. By the end of my consultations, not only was the procedure set up for the first thing the following morning, but also that Dr. Dibaise would now be doing the procedure!
During the consultation with R.N. Laurie Rentz, I happened to mention to her the bleeding episode I had experienced the previous day, and she took the info I had given her and went and gave it to Dr. Dibaise. This information lead to a change in not only the type of feeding tube to be used but also the method in which it would be put into place. Originally I was to receive the exact same type of PEG tube I had received in July 2007. This was the one that was inserted down through the throat and pushed outward through the stomach and abdominal wall, and had about 8 to 10 inches of tube hanging out of the mid-section though which the food/liquids could be administered. Effective but very cumbersome and uncomfortable, especially when it came to swinging a golf club!
Because of the swelling in my throat and the bleeding episode, Dr. Dibaise decided instead to use what is called a mini Balloon Button tube. This tube is inserted from the outside in, where an incision is made into the skin and abdominal wall, the tube is pushed into and through the stomach wall, and then a little balloon is filled with water, which is what keeps the tube in place. So, on the outside of the skin, there is only a little valve, probably no bigger than an eraser off a pencil. The feeding tube extension is connected to this valve and locked into place so that food and liquids can be administered, and when finished, removed and the valve capped off until needed next. A weekly check of the balloon is required to make sure that it contains the correct amount of water to prevent the tube from possible slipping out of the stomach, which if that did happen it would have to be reinserted by a nurse. R.N. Laurie Rentz said it was similar to an earring in the ear, where if you were to take the earring out, a hole would still remain and would remain there for quite sometime before closing shut. So this is the same in principle, except I think the hole in the abdomen would close a little more quickly, but not instantaneously. Let's hope I don't have that happen.
So my day began at 5:00 a.m. with a 6:30 a.m. check-in at the Mayo Clinic Hospital. Things went much better this time than last, and surprisingly the 8:00 a.m. procedure was relatively on-time as I was prept and ready to go by 8:05 a.m. and at 8:10 a.m. I received the sedation cocktail, which put me on the dreamland express. The procedure was relatively painless but when I awoke in recovery and for the remainder of the day, I felt like, and even though I never had, I had been shot with a small caliber weapon. R.N. Rentz said that there would be some pain and it would subside over the next 3-4 days, but total healing would take about 8 weeks.
So at least now, I do not have to be concerned about dehydration or not getting enough nutrition, as I now have a secondary way to receive these if I cannot do so orally. That is a huge relief to me!
No more Dr's appointments for the rest of the week except for follow-up with R.N. Rentz or if something else should crop up such as infection, abnormal leakage/oozing. So hopefully my next appointments will be with the Dr's at UPMC back in Pennsylvania.
My last day of work will be this Saturday and then I will go out on FMLA until that is exhausted and then I will continue to stay out on medical leave until fully recovered or the other.
Many "Thanks" once again for the cards, comments in my blog and all the well wishers out there!
I will continue to update as warranted and hopefully my next update will be from my home back in Pa.
Love to all,
Tom