April 30, 2009
Wow. I got my feeding tube one year ago today.
I still have it. In fact, I'm not sure I remember ever not having it. But that's OK.
I'm used to wearing a stupid tank top all the time. I'm used to Jenny & James feeding me, giving me medicine, and giving me water through my tube, although I hardly get any food through it any more. I like to eat my kibble on my own, whenever I feel like it. And while I don't drink as much as I should, Jenny & James can give me enough water through my tube so that I don't have to get fluids through a needle any more.
I visit Dr. Forman for a check-up about every other month. My weight and kidney values are stable, so I mostly just get blood drawn and a little cleaning up around my stoma when I'm there.
I feel pretty much back to normal. I like to be petted every time James sits on the loveseat. I scratch my scratching post, watch the birds through the doorwall, sit in the window and look at the neighborhood, and make a fuss whenever Mr. Cat is allowed anywhere near me. I can jump up and down from perches without any trouble, and occasionally I even like to jump up on top of the entertainment center and knock things off (I think it's funny when Jenny hollers).
So it's been a long year, and I wasn't always sure I'd make it. But here I am, and life is good, and Jenny & James plan on keeping me around for as long as possible.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Day 154
Wednesday, October 1
Boy, I haven't written anything for a while now! I've been feeling pretty good, although when James took me to MedVet a few weeks ago my numbers were a little higher than they have been. The lady told James to try to get me to drink more water...well, I don't know if I'm drinking ANY water! I have been eating my kibble, though. I'm down to one feeding of 35 mL's every evening, although most days I get water through my tube in the morning, as well.
I get my sub-q fluids about every other day, although as time goes on I am getting less and less tolerant of them. I think my skin is also developing scar tissue, because James seems to be having a harder time finding a good place to stick the needle. OUCH!
Tomorrow Jenny & James are going to Michigan for Jenny's sister Beth's wedding, so I'll be staying with Dr. Burns at Red Maples. I bet they do a better job of giving me my fluids than James!
Boy, I haven't written anything for a while now! I've been feeling pretty good, although when James took me to MedVet a few weeks ago my numbers were a little higher than they have been. The lady told James to try to get me to drink more water...well, I don't know if I'm drinking ANY water! I have been eating my kibble, though. I'm down to one feeding of 35 mL's every evening, although most days I get water through my tube in the morning, as well.
I get my sub-q fluids about every other day, although as time goes on I am getting less and less tolerant of them. I think my skin is also developing scar tissue, because James seems to be having a harder time finding a good place to stick the needle. OUCH!
Tomorrow Jenny & James are going to Michigan for Jenny's sister Beth's wedding, so I'll be staying with Dr. Burns at Red Maples. I bet they do a better job of giving me my fluids than James!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Day 123
Sunday, August 31
Well, I'm down to two feedings a day, and I'm eating a little kibble, although not enough to maintain my weight on my own. I'm still hovering at 6 lbs., though, so I haven't lost much weight. I don't seem to be the slightest bit interested in drinking anything, though, and Jenny & James are still giving me IV fluids most days. The sub-q fluids are less of a pain than the tube feeding, though, so even if they have to continue the fluids Jenny says that's OK with them.
James is taking me back to Med Vet to see Dr. Forman on Thursday. He'll take blood and run a bunch of tests and look at my numbers to see how I'm doing - wish me luck!
Well, I'm down to two feedings a day, and I'm eating a little kibble, although not enough to maintain my weight on my own. I'm still hovering at 6 lbs., though, so I haven't lost much weight. I don't seem to be the slightest bit interested in drinking anything, though, and Jenny & James are still giving me IV fluids most days. The sub-q fluids are less of a pain than the tube feeding, though, so even if they have to continue the fluids Jenny says that's OK with them.
James is taking me back to Med Vet to see Dr. Forman on Thursday. He'll take blood and run a bunch of tests and look at my numbers to see how I'm doing - wish me luck!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Day 106
Thursday, August 14
On Friday, the 100th day since I got my feeding tube, I saw Dr. Forman for a check-up. My weight at MedVet was 6 lbs., 2 oz.! He's really pleased with how I'm doing. The next step is to see if I'll start to eat on my own if Jenny & James feed me less through my tube. Dr. Forman says that my weight is so good that I can afford to lose a little bit, if that's what it takes to get me eating again.
This week I'm down from 90 mL's three times a day to 70 mL's three times a day. I don't seem to be hungry yet. Tomorrow I'll drop to 50 mL's three times a day. Jenny & James can't wait to get me down to two feedings a day!
Even if I don't start eating on my own again, two feedings would be much more manageable (for me and them). There's also the option of having a different kind of PEG tube inserted, designed for long-term use (the length of tubing would detach when I wasn't being fed, so that I'd just have the plug in my side - no long tube to flop around, and no shirt to keep a long tube out of the way!).
But of course, the ideal scenario would be for me to get hungry and eat my k/d kibble again. I used to eat a little bit now & then right after my tube was inserted, so hopefully I enjoy the taste and sensation and I'll go back to it once I get hungry enough. Jenny bought a new bag so the food is nice & fresh.
The next few weeks are make-it-or-break-it-time, so wish me luck!
On Friday, the 100th day since I got my feeding tube, I saw Dr. Forman for a check-up. My weight at MedVet was 6 lbs., 2 oz.! He's really pleased with how I'm doing. The next step is to see if I'll start to eat on my own if Jenny & James feed me less through my tube. Dr. Forman says that my weight is so good that I can afford to lose a little bit, if that's what it takes to get me eating again.
This week I'm down from 90 mL's three times a day to 70 mL's three times a day. I don't seem to be hungry yet. Tomorrow I'll drop to 50 mL's three times a day. Jenny & James can't wait to get me down to two feedings a day!
Even if I don't start eating on my own again, two feedings would be much more manageable (for me and them). There's also the option of having a different kind of PEG tube inserted, designed for long-term use (the length of tubing would detach when I wasn't being fed, so that I'd just have the plug in my side - no long tube to flop around, and no shirt to keep a long tube out of the way!).
But of course, the ideal scenario would be for me to get hungry and eat my k/d kibble again. I used to eat a little bit now & then right after my tube was inserted, so hopefully I enjoy the taste and sensation and I'll go back to it once I get hungry enough. Jenny bought a new bag so the food is nice & fresh.
The next few weeks are make-it-or-break-it-time, so wish me luck!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Day 90
Tuesday, July 29
Well, by Jenny & James' scale, I now weigh over 6 lbs. - 1 1/2 oz. over, to be exact. That's pretty exciting news!
The past few days I've been kind of blah, but because they're neglectful & forgetful (and because James was gone most of the day on Saturday), Jenny & James haven't given me any fluids since Friday, so maybe that's why. I got them tonight, but I didn't like it.
Tomorrow, after my morning feeding, Jenny is going up to Michigan for her sister's bridal shower on Saturday, so James will have to take care of me all by himself. Jenny's had to do that, too, over a couple of weekends, but not for such a long stretch at a time - James will have to take care of me on his own until Sunday afternoon. I hope he does OK!
Well, by Jenny & James' scale, I now weigh over 6 lbs. - 1 1/2 oz. over, to be exact. That's pretty exciting news!
The past few days I've been kind of blah, but because they're neglectful & forgetful (and because James was gone most of the day on Saturday), Jenny & James haven't given me any fluids since Friday, so maybe that's why. I got them tonight, but I didn't like it.
Tomorrow, after my morning feeding, Jenny is going up to Michigan for her sister's bridal shower on Saturday, so James will have to take care of me all by himself. Jenny's had to do that, too, over a couple of weekends, but not for such a long stretch at a time - James will have to take care of me on his own until Sunday afternoon. I hope he does OK!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Day 79
Friday, July 18
Hey, wow, I’ve been neglecting my blog for over a month now – yikes! A lot has happened in the past month. On June 19, I went and stayed at Red Maples vet clinic while Jenny & James went to visit their families in
Jenny took me to see Dr. Forman again on July 1. He told her that he’d been reading my blog and was concerned about how I was doing, and they had the dreaded “quality of life” conversation. Dr. Forman said that although I was doing quite well, I probably wasn’t ever going to get any better than I am right now. I could possibly go on like this for a very long time, as long as I was getting good nutrition and care. He asked Jenny what she thought my quality of life was, on a scale of 1 (fabulous) to 10 (unbearable). She thought it was a 6 or 7, depending on the day. Dr. Forman said that wasn’t very good, but that he would support whatever decision she & James made about me.
Later, at home, Jenny asked James what he thought my quality of life was. He thought about 5 or 6, and they decided to put off making any big decisions for a while.
I stayed at Red Maples again over the 4th of July, when Jenny & James went to
I’ve been feeling good in general, which means that now not only do I not want to sit still for my fluids, but I’m getting pretty tired of them feeding me through my tube, too. I’ve taken to hiding under the bed, so now when they’re going to feed me they shut my bedroom door so I can’t do that. Sometimes I do start to walk away while the syringe is in my tube, causing them to crawl around on the floor after me and feel disgruntled. Sometimes food or water spills out of my tube when I do this, and my “tank top” gets pretty grimy after a while.
But I’m enjoying life a lot more. I play with my catnip ravioli every day, I like to look out the window, I lie on Jenny & James’ laps more often, and I’ve started jumping up to my favorite spots again (the end of the banister at the bottom of the stairs, the ledge in the upstairs hallway, and even the top of the TV stand, where there really isn’t any room for me), which I haven’t really done since I got my tube. I also discovered that I like to lie on top of the printer. Jenny thinks my quality of life is now probably a 4 on most days, maybe even a 3. She and James aren’t sure where to go from here, but for now I’m doing pretty good, so…yay!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Days 43-46
June 12-15
Not much to report - I threw up during my dinner feeding tonight, so James slowed my feeding way down and that seemed to help. He weighed me last night and I weighed 5 lbs., 2 1/2 oz., so hopefully I'm gaining a little weight.
Jenny & James have gone back to the 18-gauge needle for my fluids. I think it hurts more than the 20-gauge when they put it in, but the solution gets into me a lot faster, which is important because I really don't like to sit still for my fluids.
Not much to report - I threw up during my dinner feeding tonight, so James slowed my feeding way down and that seemed to help. He weighed me last night and I weighed 5 lbs., 2 1/2 oz., so hopefully I'm gaining a little weight.
Jenny & James have gone back to the 18-gauge needle for my fluids. I think it hurts more than the 20-gauge when they put it in, but the solution gets into me a lot faster, which is important because I really don't like to sit still for my fluids.
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