Bye Bye Feeding Tube

Wanted to share a little back story and some exciting news... 

Since December 2012 I have had a feeding tube.  My gastroenterologist decided that it would be best for me to stop doing TPN which is what I was doing for the year before that to get nutrition through a central line and switch to a GJ feeding tube for my nutrition. So I went from being fed through my veins to being fed through the J part of my feeding tube which sends the formula through to my intestines. The G part of the tube I used for venting out my stomach when I was extra nauseous to help prevent vomiting. Once I got the feeding tube placed I kept my hickman (aka central line through my chest) to use for iv fluids at home and iv access since I have a ton of scarring in my veins from being poked and prodded the last several years. I've been doing tube feedings since 2012 because I was unable to eat anything by mouth and needed nutrition some other way to survive. Over the course of having a feeding tube I have had to have it replaced 4-5 times due to infections, having it flip, and getting holes in it. They placed my GJ tube in my abdomen and basically there are two tubes in my tube the G that goes to my stomach to drain out and the J that I use for feeding that send formula to my small intestine. 

Up until May 30, 2013 I went without tolerating anything by mouth so the tube was very helpful. May 30th I had surgery to replace my gastric stimulator battery which is implanted in me. This allowed me to slowly start being able to tolerate things by mouth, mostly liquids. Towards the end of July I was able to start tolerating small amounts of food by mouth. I cannot begin to express how exciting it was to be able to keep some things down finally. I would still get sick with the vomiting but was able to get some nutrition by mouth. 

Fast forward to now... 

I've still on tube feedings and hook up to my formula and machine at night and run it to get extra calories for baby and I. Well about a week ago I started having some pain around my feeding tube site, most likely because with being pregnant my body is stretching.. baby is growing and getting bigger and that means all the organs and things in my body are getting shifted around. 

This past Tuesday I went in to see my GI doctor about my feeding tube. We talked about how well I'm progressing with the pregnancy, with being able to maintain my weight and take in food by mouth. We also talked about the benefits and the risks of keeping the feeding tube in and the risks outweighed the benefits of having it so he decided it would be best to take it out. So Tuesday afternoon I had my feeding tube removed. Right now I have to keep the site bandaged up and put antibiotic ointment on it to make sure it heals properly. This is the first time in a very long time that I am not having to rely on having a PICC line, midline, hickman, NJ tube, NG tube, or GJ feeding tube to help me get nutrition. I'm just relying on my Gastric Stimulator to keep working and helping me tolerate food by mouth! If for some reason I start having trouble tolerating things by mouth throughout the continuation of my pregnancy and am not getting enough nutrition for baby and I then they will go ahead and place an NJ tube which is a feeding tube through your nose (not the most comfortable thing, but it works). It is unlikely that I will have to do that though since I'm doing so well!!

Honestly I didn't think that it would come to a point where I would be able to solely get nutrition by mouth again. I thought I was going to have to rely on being fed through other methods forever with the way things have been the past 5 1/2 years with my health. I know that I won't always be this healthy and that there may be a time where I do have to go back on tube feeds or other methods of nutrition and thats alright. I'm just going to appreciate this time of where I am able to do well and my Gastroparesis is under control. I still get sick from time to time but its not near as bad as its been. It really has taught me through fighting each day to be thankful for everything.. the good, the bad, the big things, and the little things.