Just spoke with TEX!

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:23 pm

Gabes Ryan,
You are SOOOOOO right about self management and thinking ahead about having to go to the hospitals.
That has crossed my mind often about making sure that I would have the right foods brought to me, from outside of the hospital.
Very good reminder!

Love
Dee

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:31 pm

I've been out of town for several days and had no internet. I was shocked to see what has all transpired with Wayne while I've been having fun. I know he is a fighter and will probably do too much too soon. I'll add him to my prayer list tonight.

Thanks Polly for all the updates you were able to give.

Jan

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:35 pm

i was thinking about our discussion about chicken soup. i know in Australia that majority of the pre-prepared and commercial stock solutions have wheat and yeast and various other nasties

there is only one brand of stock that i can use to make risotto / soups etc
i am guessing that most hospitals would cater to the majority and us rare gems could be a headache to them.

i am thinking my emergency kit will have my staples, batch of gooey rice and chicken, chicken soup, make sure there is lots of packets of low joule jelly (only takes 4 hours to set). I could live on that for a week.

I have been making sure i have at least one or two meals in the freezer for when i feel a bit poorly and dont want to cook. I will up the minimum stocks!!!

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:44 pm

Gabes,

I like your suggestion to have some homemade soup on hand. I have a canner and I could can some in jars for those emergency occasions.

It might be a good idea to have a "TV dinner" or two prepared in the freezer, also.

Gloria

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:46 pm

Very Good Ideas!!!!

Dee

bevfromwa · Post by **bevfromwa** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:51 pm

I have not been on this board for a while because I was waiting for my lab results, which I now have, and will post separately. I am so sorry to hear what Tex has been going through. When I grow up I'd like to be just like Tex and the rest of you wonderful people who are so generous with your help and expertise. Of course since I am now 73, when might that be?

My very best wishes for a speedy recovery, and my husband Dave joins me in this!
Best regards, Bev

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:28 pm

Hi Bev

I got a kick out of your comment! I predict it won't be long before you are offering help and support to others here. Many of us stick around long after we get well (9 years for me now) because we want to "pay back" the wonderful advice and support that was so helpful to us when we were initially struggling with this disease.

Love,

Polly

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:34 pm

Hospitals are no place for someone who is sick. If they put the NG tube back in him that really sucks. You can do NOTHING with that in your throat. All it does it to keep your stomach empty because your bowels are frozen from the surgery and they don't want anything passing through and plugging up the works because that's the gold standard for when they will release you "willingly". They usually won't let you leave before you have a BM, but it's really up to you to make that choice - they just don't want you to know that.

So, screw that, I had a roommate who cried and groaned and complained all night and and by day 2 I said take it out or I will take it out and I went home and barfed for 2 days. At least I was at home. I'd go through childbirth 10 times before I went through that again. It is not fun, I just hope he has someone at home who can take care of him. He needs some TLC.

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:04 pm

Thanks Stanz for the biggest laugh of the day..... i have had NG tube twice in my life, but no babies

to hear that someone would go through childbirth 10 times before they would be near someone with a NG tube has made me laugh!
I always thought it was one of the worst things i had to endure but thought maybe i was over reacting
(thank god i was in a private room and did not cause grief on another!!)

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:19 pm

No, Gabes, an NG tube is pretty much the worst thing I've had to deal with in my life and I've had 2 kids and 3 miscarriages, was hit by a car, broken bones, you name it. If you've handled an NG tube twice now - childbirth should be a breeze. You could sleep through it.

Perhaps I am not the pleasantest patient, but by the time you hit surgery for an intestinal problem you've pretty well been through hell already, IMO. I'd been barfing for 2 weeks and when the nurse told me that I had to swallow that thing I said I thought I'd been through enough and they can put it in when I'm under anaesthesia. Never hurts to complain. We are in charge after all, aren't we? It's our body.

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:32 am

Stanz, you will appreciate (NOT!) this story:

During one lab session in medical school, we had to pass NG tubes on each other, keep them down for 3-4 hours, and then withdraw our own stomach acid every 15 mintues to titrate it, measure the pH. It was one of the most awful experiences of my life. I salivated, choked, and gagged the entire time. I must have a hyperreaactive gag reflex, because I could never get used to the tube. It was pure hell.

The good news is that I learned first hand what an NG tube felt like and never again passed one on a patient unless it was really needed and without telling them how uncomfortable it would be.

Love,

Polly

Bifcus16 · Post by **Bifcus16** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:21 pm

Wow Polly,

Nothing beats personal experience!! If only they would do that for a bunch of other situations. Personally I'd love to think docs were only given a license to perform nasty tests like bone marrow biopsies if they'd experienced it themselves first.

Bev,

Loved the "when I grow up" comment! It is an attitude which keeps us young at heart.

Lyn

jodibelle352 · Post by **jodibelle352** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:33 pm

Thank You Polly:

It means so much to us that you have been able to keep us posted on Tex. You're a blessed angel to me and all of us. Any little news on Tex's progress means so much.

Will continue the prayers and will look forward to hearing as he progresses.

Love & God's Blessings:
Jodi

cludwig · Post by **cludwig** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:23 pm

Thanks for keeping us updated Polly and also for passing on to Tex how much he is missed. I hope he is home soon. I know it happens a lot but it is so disturbing when bad things happen to good people. He is in my prayers.

Love,
Cristi

Stanz · Post by **Stanz** » Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:54 am

Polly,

Having MD's and RN's in my family, I know that the whole NG thing is part of training. As hideous as it must be for people who are in good health, it is nothing like it is for someone who has been hugging the porcelain bowel for weeks. Why anyone with a functioning brain would suggest that someone who has been through whatever leads us to need intestinal surgery would even ASK us to swallow that thing is just beyond me.

I just went through over 2 years of D, believing I had cancer, expecting to die, before my new husband told me that it wasn't fair to him that I be expecting death and that's why I had the colonoscopy that showed I had MC. Frankly it was the whole NG thing that made me feel like I'd rather be dead than go through that again.

Tex can be a cheerleader all he wants for all of us here, but he has not been having a good time of late and I feel for him.