[tri-med] Re: Gtube surgery

On Wednesday, September 17, 2003, at 01:51 PM, Megoa22@xxxxxxx wrote:
>   Hope is having surgery soon - on the 29th to have a G-tube put
> in and have her cleft lip repaired.  I am so nervous and feel like all 
> the
> drs involved don't really understand her situation.

Thinking of you at this time!  I know, the nerves definitely like to 
hang out at these times!

>  How does this all work -
> with the anesthesia do they put her on oxygen - we are trying to 
> figure out what
> to do about the current DNR right now - I am so overwhelmed with so 
> many
> decisions to make.

I know with Keren it was a given that she would have oxygen during 
surgery (at least blow-by) because of her obstructive sleep apnea.  I 
think they also intubated her, which is a common procedure.  She 
handled the anesthesia well, and the oxygen was definitely a help.  Not 
sure how any of that would effect a DNR unless there was respiratory 
arrest, but none of those things are ventilators.  Is that what you're 
wondering about?

>  How soon can she feed through the Gtube after the surgery?
> Does it hurt her?

Keren was able to take food through her gtube soon after surgery (once 
anesthesia had worn off--basically they just want to make sure the 
ickyness of that has worn off--you know, you wouldn't want to eat right 
after something like that).  Usually they start off with pedialite, 
then move back  to formula.  In fact, I thought Keren was in pain 
before she started back on food, a number of hours after surgery--she 
was very fussy at one point-- so I asked for some pain meds for her.  
She still fussed, and I FINALLY realized the poor girl was just plain 
starving!  Once we gave her some food she settled right down.  In terms 
of pain, she recouped from surgery very quickly (the surgery was 
laproscopic, so that helped).  Since then, the tube has definitely not 
caused her pain.

I think there was only one key issue I noticed with Keren after each of 
her surgeries (and it's totally understandable).  Every time we came 
home from the hospital after surgery it took Keren about a week before 
we could put her down to sleep without her bawling.  She needed to be 
held, poor kid, until she was completely zonked out, and even then 
she'd often wake up as soon as we let go.  Neither Kraig nor I had any 
qualms about giving her all the extra cuddling she needed--and she did 
get over it within days.  I think it was mostly the fear of falling 
asleep and waking up in pain in the hospital....

If you run into more questions, feel free to ask!  It sure helped us to 
get input!

Loren (wife to Kraig, mom to Keren, T18, 11 mo. and counting! :) )
Southeast Michigan
http://webpages.eng.wayne.edu/~ad6075

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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