It finally happened. I said it wouldn't happen.. I am too careful.. but it did! Owen's gtube got clogged. I have no idea what piece of food made it's way out of the blender, through the strainer, into the tiny syringe and then through the extension tubing... but it found it's way into the Gtube and refused to budge.
After many backfires of blended food.. in my face, up my nose, in my hair.... those of you that feed your kids through a syringe know exactly what I'm talking about. For those of you that don't....
When you squeeze liquid through a syringe and the exit is clogged.. the syringe is full of pressure and backfires... MESS everywhere!! Good times.
I tried pulling back on the syringe, I tried flushing it with every method I could think of, and then I tried Coke. I have used Coke many times before and it works like a charm. Except this time! I squirted it into his tube, only to have it shoot back out at me. I gave Owen the syringe full of soda to hold for me while I went to the sink and when I came back.. it was GONE! He drank it all!!
He said '"MMMMMMmmmmm" and then "Mooorreee!!"
After I attempted to unclog the tube with 1/2 a can of Coke... I gave up.
It was time to change the tube.
Taking the old one out was painful ... for all of us. Carson held Owen down... Kamryn was in charge of the syringes and water... I did the dirty work. His removed tube was indeed clogged... it was disgusting!!! There was a giant scab surrounding his tube... I was pretty grossed out.
I got the new tube in pretty easily and then got his gauze in place.
He has been happy ever since! Happy and completely out of control with all the caffine and sugar he guzzled in the Coke. Yikes. No soda for that boy!!!!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
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7 comments:
Thankfully we never had issues clogging Logan's Mickey Button tube but we did get his peg tube clogged once with one of his meds. That was NOT fun. Fortunately for us after working it for a while it became unclogged once again. I can't imagine having it clogged with food. I am sure that was a very unpleasant mess. Yikes!!
Here's to hoping that you won't have that happen again anytime soon!
And for the Coke.....it is the wonder cleaner of all things but it sure makes you wonder what it does when you drink it, huh?
I too would be peeling my boys off of the ceiling if I allowed them to have caffeine. I've even had to ban kool-aid from the house. I think it is just as lethal. LOL!!
So...I know it was a mess and a pain to deal with that but your post telling about it is absolutely hysterical!
Owen and the Coke story is classic!
Even at almost 6, Wyatt begs for coke and only gets small sips before 3 or he's wired, too! I bet your little guy thought he had hit the jackpot! :)
That sucks, but the Coke part is pretty funny!!! I hope that wasn't horrible to say!
I know what Owen inherited from Gramma..his love of COKE. It's a fun story to read AFTER the fact--I'd freak out when his nose tube
moved an inch. Glad Buddy is through with THAT experience...and you too!
Oh I am so sorry. We have had to deal with our share of tube clogs and the spraying mess with blended food sounds like an experience I hope you never have to live again!! I am glad this new tube should be better for you all!
I found early on in this blended food diet that some foods like lentils can build up along the inside of the tube sorta like plaque can in the heart. One day some of this plaque can dislodge and form a plug. I have had this happen to me once in two years and ever since I am super careful and flush after each push with plenty of water. I also always use the feeding extention (not the medicine one) to push all feeds. The bigger tube can push with more force. Every week or so I do the coke cleaning just for kicks. Regardless of how careful you are a clog will happen but don't let that deter you from the blended diet. Changing out a clogged g-tube every once in a blue moon is a small price to pay for the benefit of real nutrition. If Owen like fizzy drinks maybe see if he'll drink some sparkling grape juice. Anything to keep our kids interested in eating and drinking :)
Yuck! Rudy's been on the button for almost a year, but we had a couple episodes with tube clogs. We ended up having to go to the doctor where he used a wire to push through the blockage. He marked it so he'd know not to push it too far. Then he gave us the wire but told us not to use it, but bring it and Rudy back if it ever happened again (it would have gotten lost around the office). Only got clogged once after that and we did it the way most heart parents would do it...ourselves. Seemed simple enough watching the doc do it and saved us a trip.
Episodes like this are helpful in keeping us humble. You're doing an amazing job.
Rolf and Trish
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