NG Tube Mishap Turned Positive

On Sunday, Hannah had a feeding tube incident at her Dad's house, that ended in something pretty nice for Hannah. It seems in her haste to give their dog a treat, she yelled the command too soon. Torque, the dog, quickly turned to get to the spot treats would be coming from and pulled out Hannah's feeding tube.

When I arrived to the ER the tube was almost completely out. I was pretty sure after a few uncomfortable moments, it could be pushed back in. The important thing was that it went to the right place in her body and not, say, her lungs. Unfortunately, getting the tube back in was not going to be easy.

As Hannah was telling the nurse about her doggy, she, unknowingly, caught the tube between her fingers and it ripped all the way out. That was not good. Aside from it being painful, it really destroyed her brave, big girl stance towards the whole thing. Trying to get the tube back in was a nightmare. At one point she was sobbing so hard, that I started welling up.

The doctor came in a suggested giving her an amnesia drug to make her forget the experience. Whaaattt? I didn't know anything about this drug. Questions were swirling my brain. It seemed too rushed. I wanted to slow this train down. Out in the hallway, I begged the nurse to just let us leave and try again with our regular doctor. After getting an ok from the on call, oncologist, they let us leave without the tube.

What I was really hoping for was a chance to present to our regular doctor a case for leaving the feeding tube out. In the last week and half, Hannah has gained so much weight. She has been eating by mouth more than she had in awhile plus getting all the calories she needs by tube. She was well over her original weight. I know they were wanting to keep the tube in for the next phase of treatment that starts Friday. It is going to be the hardest chemo she has had yet. I can understand that. However, since the tube was already out and her weight was already up, why not leave it out until she needs it again? I want to minimize the hardships she has to endure for the next three years.

To our great surprise, her doctor totally agreed with me! It was such a bright spot in what has been a very horrible week. When she got in the car, she shouted "I'm free!"

Today, is our last day before the Delayed Intensification or DI starts. Thanks to the team @ Smacna for their amazing gift to our family, Hannah and I are going to the Point Defiance Zoo this afternoon.



Here is picture from last week of Aiden giving Hannah a helping hand with the IV pole.