Feeding Tube News

Bob continues to impress the hospital staff. His doctor, Dr. Achilles, said he has never seen someone with the same size and severity of stroke improve as much as Bob has improved in such little time. Bob applies himself to all the different types of therapies: physical and speech. Bob is admired by the staff who enjoys having a patient who is so involved and invested in his own recovery.

Bob took more steps forward today. He has done this twice a day for the last two days.

A big new development is that Bob now takes all of his nutrition by mouth, not the feeding tube. He ate six times today. Bob has quite an appetite. His diet is varied and consists of soups, thin smoothies and pudim among other things. He didn't care for the spinach at lunch today...

Bob now needs to relearn how to drink liquids. It is counterintuitive to me, but it is harder to take in liquids than the pureed consistency of certain foods. The phono-audiologist will work on that skill with him tomorrow. Bob's feeding tube is still inserted. He gets his medication through it. I was told it will only be removed once the staff is absolutely certain it is no longer needed. So even after some days of him eating and drinking, the tube will remain in place until the doctor is sure that Bob is getting all the nutrition and sustenance he needs by mouth. The process of inserting the tube is uncomfortable and it requires an x-ray to make sure it is in the correct position inside the body. That is why the tube will stay in place until everyone is certain it doesn't need to be there.

We still don't know for certain when my parents are coming back to the United States. Dr Achilles wasn't very receptive of the friday deadline my mom was hoping for, but he said it wouldn't be too long after that. The day can't come soon enough. Thanks for reading and keep the positive thoughts and prayers coming.