Another Bump -- But A Fairly Quick One

I want this blog to be an accurate record of what's gone on with me -- the good stuff and the not-so-good stuff. And while I'm not comfortable writing up this entry (because it feels a bit embarrassing), I feel the blog would be incomplete without it.

To begin with, you need to understand how much I want to get rid of this food tube. It has been critically important to my therapy and recovery since its installation in late June, and I am deeply grateful to the people who created such a clever way to deliver high-quality nourishment to people that can't eat the regular way. Some folks my age -- and much younger -- will, as I understand it, spend the rest of their lives dependent on a food tube for nourishment. God bless 'em all!

But I'm trying to move on from this recovery period of my life, and the food tube feels like a major obstacle in that regard.

Okay, I'll say it: I've been impatient to get rid of the tube. And paid a price yesterday and today for the impatience!

As I understand it, my radiation doc (who insisted on the installation of the tube to begin with), needs to give the okay to the surgeon to have the tube removed. And I meet with the rad guy next week. So I've been trying to eat "regular" food the "regular" way and put on a few pounds to convince the doc that it's time to remove the tube and let the body penetrations heal. Tongue is totally fine and swallowing is pretty easy. Most days lately, I don't have any Jevity liquid meal substitute at all. (Earlier this week, Deb and I had steak and potatoes for dinner. And I ate all my food without any difficulties at all! Boy, did that feel good!)

I think the problem I'm about to describe came about by:

-- not chewing my food enough (Chewing adequately is a bit tricky, as my saliva output is limited -- and some food needs to be washed down with water. So I have been guilty of swallowing food chunks that were larger than they should have been.)

-- surprising my digestive system, which has spent six weeks or so dealing with the Jevity liquid -- and hadn't seen a piece of steak or even a spoon of oatmeal in all that time.

So my lower digestive system simply shut down. For several days. And I didn't notice quickly enough.

By the time I realized what was going on with my lower GI tract, it was "sit-on-the-throne-hold-your-ankles-and-whimper" time. And the over-the-counter medications wouldn't cause anything to budge.

Fortunately, I had a prescription liquid called Lactulose -- but the doc suggested I use this only as a last resort. As far as I can tell, it works by tying your lower intestine into a series of knots that would impress most sailors. Especially the "double bowline" knot that showed up today around 1:30 PM and lasted for four hours.

But the awful deed is finally done. A 24-hour ordeal I hope never to repeat. My digestive system has made its point to me (whoever suggested that the brain controls the body has never suffered the way I did today!), and my cheerful demeanor is returning.

So I promise to drink more fluids. Chew my food more carefully. Be more sensitive to what my body is telling me. And keep the Lactulose handy.