UP YOUR NOSE.........

For several days now...Mr. T has made a light-hearted attempt to drink Boost. The 1st day he had 2 bottles which equal to 500 calories and the next day he had only one. Nobody can live on 250 calories. They say a boy his age needs at least 2500 calories. They are trying to build him up for the bone marrow transplant coming up.

After 15 days of fasting...your brain no longer gets the message that you're hungry....you just don't want to eat or drink.

So after many warnings...the Oncology Team and the dietician ordered that the tube be inserted.

To say Mr. T. put up a fight is putting it mildly. He let them know 'loud and clear' that they should all go work in a prison....seeing that they were so good at torturing people....and he was having none of it.

They all took turns pleading their case...the doctor, the nurses., and the dietician. They explained that they didn't want to do this...but they had to...that it was imperative to build up his strength for the bone marrow transplant.

After much pleading....okay bribery....(I promised him a game)...assuring him that the tube was just a temporary measure till his appetite started kicking in....then he agreed!

Of course he had to let them all know that I told him horror stories about the feeding tube...and I admit...I did! I'm ashamed of myself!

After several weeks of begging him to eat...I told him in no uncertain terms....."Listen..you have a small nose...and they have a big hose! You know the saying...up your nose with a rubber hose? Well where do you think they got that saying?"

Yes...I told him that.....in order to get him to eat...and instead it back-fired on me.

I told him I exaggerated as usual...and the nurse brought the tube in and showed him how thin it was...and how exactly it would be inserted...and this would take the stress off of him. We were game to go!

Tube feeding provides nutrition to patients who are unable or unwilling to eat food. Conditions where tube feeding is considered include protein-energy malnutrition, liver or kidney failure, coma, or in patients who cannot chew or swallow (dysphagia) due to stroke, brain tumor, or head injury. Patients who are receiving radiation therapy or chemotherapy treatments for cancer may also be candidates for tube feedings.

I didn't know till later...that the nurses had picked a straw to see who would do it...nobody likes to insert a tube in a child.

The 1st attempt wasn't good. Mr. T was calm...I was ready with the water and straw...as she inserted the tube....he was to drink and swallow enabling the tube to go down his throat to his stomach.

Then the volatile puking started...and with vomit down his chest...on his p.j.'s..and all over the sheets...he continued to sip and swallow...and the nurse continued trying to insert the tube....and still the 'spewing' didn't stop. When the nurse saw this wasn't working...she pulled it out.

This is not what they intended. He can't afford to be throwing up like that. Some kids can accept the tube well....and some can't.

Once the nurse told the doctor what happened....they all came in to apologize to Mr. T....they all felt so bad that he had such a hard time. It was not their intention to cause him pain.

While Mr. T washed and changed into fresh clothes....I changed his bedding.

Finally his dietician came in.......and he promised her that tomorrow he would do his best to start eating properly.

She would like to see him have at least 3 cans of Boost...interspersed with protein or healthy snacks and I'm to write down everything he eats and drinks.

A feeding tube can be a sure-fire incentive to eat. Let's see how he does tomorrow!

Oh...by the way....he did not forget that I promised him a game! Thank Goodness he only wants 'Saints Row' for the xbox 360 which is only $20. at Toys R Us! Yes...I will get it for him....I feel guilty enough scaring him with rubber hose stories! How mature is that??