I took a few days to tend to some items at home, but am ready to give the weekend update.
Jennifer took the swallow test on Friday. She hates barium...I guess the taste buds are working. She was able to swallow liquids, with little effort. However, she had difficulty with thicker consistencies like applesauce and pudding. Couldn't quite locate it in her mouth.
We saw the speech therapist shortly after. He cleared her for liquids, not NOTHING else at this time. I did ask him if she felt she could graduate to something bigger like applesauce if she wanted to try. He said "NO." Jennifer, if you are reading this, I'm holding you to the letter of the law.
The trip home was terrible.....Friday afternoon traffic, thunder showers, and I45 made it a rough trip. Jennifer was sick and nauseous by the time we got home. I gave her medicine and was setting up her feeding tube when she started vomiting. Up comes the pain mess and barium and more pain from the convulsive strains. She tried sipping water, to no avail, it started again. So, I broke out the magic elixir, Coke in a bottle. I drove special to the convenience store to picK it up (oh, the things I do for my wife). She sipped a little and it seemed to settle her stomach. You've seen the lists of the many uses of Coca Cola....add another on to it. It's always worked for Jennifer.
After a couple of hours, she ate a little tomato soup and I tube fed some more....still behind schedule, but better.
Saturday
It's swim meet Saturday. Grace did well.
Jennifer was much stronger today. She's consuming more of the cans of food. She had gone over 14 hours without the pain meds. The swelling's going down. I picked up a lot of very delicious canned soups (all liquid), Boost, and Ensure. She's been eating like a queen. Of course, her mission is to get rid of the tube feeding, so she's trying hard. She gave me sad eyes when I was eating a Whataburger fry in front of her she wanted to put one ine her mouth just "for the flavor." I gave her one as a test and kept a close eye....I saw her jaw move in a chew motion. I KNEW IT! I couldn't trust her not to bite it. Fortunately, the chewed area did not come off the fry and I was able to salvage the embarrassment of NOT FOLLOWING DOCTOR'S ORDERS. Back to liquids.
I changed the dressing on her arm and was concerned about one area on the skin graft that appeared to be puffy, and more red than I liked. We called the reconstructive plastic surgery center at MD Anderson and I shot a pic to the doctor on call. Unfortunately, the cell phone picture doesn't do justice to the integrity of the shot, and the doc could not see anything out of the ordinary. Swelling and puffiness are normal. Jennifer didnt have other symptons like foul smell (the wound), pus, fever, etc. She said we could some in today if we felt it was an emergency, or on Monday for a wound check in the clinic. Bottom line is to keep the arm elevated and look for changes on the wound.
Sunday
Catherine had piano recital today. She was Awesome.
Jennifer is working diligently on tomato soup, Ensure, and Boost to get up to the 2000 calories she needs for the day. As her caregiver, I am hesitant to deviate to alternative diets like puréed cream of potato soup. Since she had difficulty with applesauce, I see her having diffulty with others right now, so I fall back on my previous statement from Friday. We will see the doctor on Wednesday and try to convince him otherwise.
So far today, no need for pain meds (none since Saturday afternoon). Swelling is better. I, being the awesome caregiver that Jennifer proclaims me to be, shampooed her hair, changed the tape on her feeding tube, and encouraged her to eat more by using the threat of feeding her with the tube. I also did a wound check to review the area of concern on her skin graft. I did not see a change to it from yesterday. In fact, it may have gone down a little, so we will wait until Monday.
With the decreased swelling, her tongue is starting to slowly realign. Originally, it was severely twisted with the free flap attached and looked much worse than how the doctor described his procedure. Now, I can see the tip of the tongue (previously not in position). I can now make out the shape and it lines up with what the surgeon said he did. Looking better.
7:10 pm update. What the heck? I put my wife to my 100% tried and true interrogation techniques and learned that she had been LYING to me, and thus herself. When I took Grace to the swim meet Saturday, Cat was put in charge...Jennifer persuaded her to give her a bit of puffy Cheetos. That's child abuse, to put her in that spot. From now on, I have padlocked the pantry and all food orders must come through me. And Cat's getting a spanking.
No comments:
Post a Comment