Saturday, July 17, 2010

Frank got the PEG.

At midnight Wednesday night, in anticipation of Frank approving the procedure to put in the PEG, they stopped all of his tube feeding and fluid intake. A PEG (Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube) is a tube placed in the stomach to use for feeding and water until Frank can eat by mouth again. The G.I. doctor was supposed to come in the morning to go over the procedure and a time had already been scheduled on Thursday for the surgery. But by 10AM, no doctor, and the nurse came in and told us that the surgery will likely get bumped and the G.I. doctor doesn’t know when he will come by. We were pretty upset…At 3PM we were told the surgery wouldn’t happen that day. Finally Frank could get water and food through the tube in his nose (NG tube). At 4pm the water and food started!

The G.I. doctor finally came in around 8PM Thursday night. He explained the procedure of how they send a scope down through the mouth and into the stomach with which they can shine a little light through the stomach wall. The light helps them place the position of the PEG so they don’t poke through any intestines. Then they make a small incision and pop the tube in and inflate a little balloon on the inside to keep it in. Frank approved the procedure and the doctor said he would schedule the surgery in the morning. That meant Frank’s food and water would be stopping again at midnight!

Come morning, we learned that Frank was scheduled for surgery at 12:30pm and they came and gurneyed him away at 11AM. He procedure went smoothly and Frank is doing great, especially after some strong pain meds.

It is now Saturday, and we found out this morning that we can go home this afternoon as long as the PEG tube is working well. Yay! So hopefully later today you will be able to watch Frank on the CheroCam http://www.eroplay.com/webcam.html.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Back in the hospital!

Frank is back in the hospital as of yesterday.  He started Tuesday feeling sick, with a fever and thick secretions, and they weren't able to keep his oxygen numbers up.  They were advised to go back to the hospital to identify the source of the infection.  So far, the x-rays have not revealed pneumonia, but they haven't ruled it out.  They put Frank on antibiotics ...   It is a setback, because Frank was due to start the swallow therapy again yesterday to get him on the road to eating again, and now they have to consider how to deal with his eating situation because he can not keep the NG tube in for too much longer.  They are going to be consulting with a GI doctor there today about a PEG, which they have been very hesitant to do because of it being another invasive surgery, and also because of the way another GI surgeon had portrayed it to them earlier in the hospital stay, not very confident that it would work well for Frank.  This morning, Frank is feeling much better, and they are not getting a lot when they suction, and Frank had a good night, was able to sleep, all of which is good news!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Back home ... again

frank was discharged from the icu at alta bates on monday early evening and returned to alta bates' e.r on tuesday early evening on the advice of his doctors. the trach he had in was not working and frank was basically breathing around it and thru his mouth and not getting much oxygen. he was immediately admitted back to the icu and they replaced the trach with a larger one that works.

we returned home again thursday late afternoon and everything has been going smoothly since. frank is doing well.

keep sending frank those good feelings to get him strong again!



From:    mary estes 

hi frank linda and mikee! so glad to hear you're home frank, a much more restful place to RECOVER.. wow talk about uncomfortable zones of fun...recuperation! i'm making a little trip to the east bay  this week and if it's something you would like, i would like to drop in and say hi, bring a smile and anything else you might request.  let me know if this is an idea that works, or if not, i totally understand.  let me know...

GET WELL SOON..
marz

Frank replied:

Marz,

i would love to see you, but we are doing a lot here and we need to focus on that.
maybe in a couple of weeks.