Feeding Tube awareness week!
So this coming week (6th-10th) is feeding tube awareness week, so I thought I would do a blog post all about feeding tubes.
So I guess a lot of you will be thinking what is a feeding tube?? A feeding tube is a tube that enters the body and is used when someone cant eat or when there weight is too low and for lots of other reasons. I have a feeding tube as my stomach doesn't work anymore so I'm fed into my small intestine and also my weight is too low and I cant eat to gain that back and my tubes my only source of hydration and nutrition.
Types of Feeding tube:
There are a few different types of tubes. The least invasive are nasal tubes, there are two types NG and NJ, an NG stands for naso-gastric tube which goes through the nose down into the stomach and an NJ stands for Naso-jenunal tube which goes through nose down through the stomach and out into the small intestine (jejunum).
When tubes are needed long term, nasal tubes are replaced for surgically placed tubes which go through the abdominal wall, there are three types, Gastrostomy tubes, Gastrojejunal tubes and jejunostomy tubes. Complicated I know so I'm going to explain the best I can. A Gastrostomy tube goes straight through the abdominal wall into the stomach. A jejunostomy tube goes straight through the abdominal wall into the small intestine (jejunum).And then there's the Gastrojejunal tube which is a Gastrostomy and then has a tube threaded through that goes into the jejunam inside so its one hole in the abdominal wall but goes to two places. Hopefully the pictures help.
My Feeding Tubes:
So I used to have the fabulous nose tubes, I started off getting first feeding tube in the end of January 2016 with one NJ tube which I fed through for a few weeks and then it was taken out and then went back in two weeks later when my weight dropped again, I had this tube in and out on its own till July and then as I got more unwell they added the NG back in, I had had them on and off whilst been in hospital but now had both in whilst been out in public and at home. Having two added to the stares but I guess you might as well go full out. A lot of people asked why two? what's the difference? well one went into my small intestine which I had my feed and medications through and then my other went into my stomach which I had a bag on which drained my stomach acid and bile as my stomach stopped working completely so couldn't even process its own bile.
I lived with both nose tubes for a long time as they wanted to hold of with surgery till I was a little bit stronger and finally went in for surgery on November 14th and obviously that was a right problem in its self but anyway now I have my tubes in my tummy. I have a Gastrostomy which is on free drainage 24/7 and a Jejunostomy which I have my feed and medications through.
I am fed 24/7 so have to carry my pump and feed at all times, so when you see me connected to my purple line and hear my pump buzzing away that's what it is. I am very thankful for my feeding tube as it is literally keeping me alive. Without my feeding tube I would have no source of nutrition and calories and with my already low weight it would not be good, Also with my stomach not working my medications have to go through my j-tube so without things would be very different.
So hopefully this post has helped you understand what feeding tubes are and the differences between them. With it been feeding tube awareness week hopefully this will help raise a bit more awareness along with my other blog post which is going live on Wednesday which is all about how my tubes work and my day to day routines of everything tube related. What people have to remember is anyone can have a feeding tube and not all our visible also they don't hold people back as you can do lots of things even with a tube, but we must not just think off them as feeding tubes as we do have to remember that their are lots of complications which occur if someone didn't have a tube. Hopefully you enjoy Wednesdays blog post and other social media posts this week.
Evie x
