PEG Tube After TBI: Back in The Womb

Pretty, isn’t it? This clip keeps me from leaking stomach juices.
One year ago today, On June 28th, 2011, I had a PEG tube placed. My NG tube “slipped out” on the 26th, and I had no nutrition for 26 hours! A PEG tube replaced a more temporary NG tube by bypassing everything and going directly into the stomach. It is kinda like an artificial umbilical cord for adults. The PEG tube is a tube that is surgically placed through the abdomen and directly into the stomach. The PEG tube is held in by a hard plastic balloon inside the stomach.
It took about 26 hours until I could eat this time, but it wouldn’t come out easily ever again. It was worth it. I was mean without food for so long. I think I silently yelled “You’re all going to hell… All of you!!!” to my friends that were there for me. I’m sorry about that… You all are definitely NOT going to hell for being there for me… Maybe for other reasons though. Just kidding.
My mother told me this while I was extremely hungry and angry: she told me that “this is just another chapter in your life.” I was so uncomfortable. I remember I said “if I was reading this book, I’d skip this awful chapter.” I take it back. She is totally right… Literally right. But if you think this is an awful chapter like I did, go ahead.
I now had a second umbilical cord where processed food in liquid form (Jevity or Boost) would be channeled directly into my stomach. I never had to miss a “meal” ever again while I was in the hospital. The nurses would clean around the entry point and replace the dressing daily. I became good friends with my second umbilical cord. It wasn’t very pretty, but it fed me. You don’t bite the… tube… that feeds ya!
<p style=”text-align: center;”><a href=”http://adventuresinbraininjury.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Argg.jpg”><img class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-13358″ src=”http://adventuresinbraininjury.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Argg.jpg” alt=”Argg” width=”500″ height=”305″ /></a></p>