Friday, May 21, 2010

Bound to Happen...




Well I guess it was bound to happen at some point that Conner would pull his feeding tube out! A lot of babies constantly pull out their feeding tubes, but we weren't worried about Conner doing that because he never pulled it out all 2 1/2 months in the hospital. Conner had been SO good about not pulling at his tube or really even getting his fingers up around his nose. Then it happened.

Conner was in his bassinet taking a nap and I made a phone call to order some home health care items. While I was on the phone, Conner woke up and started getting really fussy. So I picked him and swayed with him in my arms as I continued to make my order on the phone. Then I just happened to look down at Conner in my arms just a few moments later, and his tube was pulled out his nose like 10 inches! It freaked me out, and the poor lady on the other end had to hear me start crying and say that I needed to go because my baby just pulled out his feeding tube! I couldn't believe that it had actually happened! We had gone so long without a problem and now he had pulled it out! I don't think that he actually meant to pull it out-I think his long little fingers just happened to get hooked onto the tube and he moved his arm, and it pulled it out! He had no idea what was going on, it was actually pretty funny! He just was looking around, hanging out, just like normal, with this long feeding tube hanging out his nose! Poor little guy! I have to admit, I sort of had to chuckle at how he looked, so nonchalant, while I was crying and panicked. So I called Paul at work to tell him the news. He told me it was ok and reassured me that it would be fine. I called the pediatrician, and she called the hospital for me and set up an appointment to have Conner go in and have it put back in. I also have to admit that I sort of hoped that at some point I would be able to see Conner without a feeding tube because it would be the first time we would see his face with nothing attached- no tubes, i.v.'s, or oxygen stickers since he was born. OF COURSE our camera was MIA for the past several weeks, and so the time his feeding tube actually comes out, I don't even have my camera to take pics of him! But Paul was able to take some on his phone since it takes pretty good pics.

We went up to PCMC at 2pm that same afternoon, and they placed a new feeding tube. The new tube is much bigger than the original tube and takes up almost his whole poor little nostril! They have to place the tube in the radiology department because they have a live xray the whole time the tube is being placed to make sure it goes down into the correct spot (the small intestine). They got the tube all taped back up to his face, and we left, happy to have it done! Phew!


So we get back home and Paul goes outside to do yard work, and I head upstairs to do a little FB and relax from getting myself so stressed out about the whole situation. I thought Conner would be tired from the whole fiasco, but he didn't want to sleep, so I had him on my lap just hanging out while I checked me email, etc. Then after a few minutes I decided to get up and go play with Conner downstairs. So I stood up, gathered up his feeding tube in my hand, picked up his back pack that the food is in, and took a step forward. You wouldn't believe what happened! Conner started crying, I looked down at him, and realized all in the same moment, that I was stepping on his feeding tube, and it had pulled out when I took a step forward with him in my arms!!! Ahhhhhhhh! Are you kidding me??? It was one of those moments that you instantly wish was a nightmare and that you would wake up and it wouldn't be real. But indeed, it had really happened! I just made his feeding tube come out just 2 hours after it had been placed from him pulling it out!! I started BAWLING my eyes out, and went downstairs and called Paul in from outside. He came in, and I start rambling on through my sobs about how I just made Conner's feeding tube come out!!! Paul was so sweet about it. I felt so so so terrible about it, because I knew what he was going to have to go through again to have it placed again. Paul said that accidents happen, and that it was OK, and gave me a big hug. So I quickly called the radiology dept. at PCMC and told them the situation. They told me to come up asap (the dept. was "closing" for normal hours in 10 minutes and we wouldn't get there for 30 mintues) and they would put it back in. I was so thankful that they let us go right back up, instead of making us go through ER and having to pay an ER co-pay and have to be among germs, etc. The nurse and Doctor were so nice about the whole thing- they were the same ones who put it back in just hours earlier. They made us feel better, saying with some babies, they wouldn't even make it out of the room before the baby pulled it out again.

Needless to say, I have been extremely cautious about his feeding tube and where I step!!! I still can't believe Conner went 13 weeks without ever pulling out his feeding tube, and then it came out twice within hours of each other in 1 day!!! So that concluded the excitement for that weekend!

6 comments:

Hollie said...

Okay, I have to giggle a little.... BUT only because I've been there! :) There was one day that I swear Elaina pulled out her NJ 3 times, and then I pulled it twice. The 2nd time I wanted to just go and crawl in a hole! 5 trips to Flouro... And then I remember one time, she sneezed, this great big huge body sneeze and out came the NJ. The nurses couldn't stop laughing, good grief it's in her small intestine...what a powerful sneeze! Anyway, he is so handsome with his bare face! I hope you took advantage and got lots and lots and lots of kisses where the tape usually is!
HUGS!!!
Hollie

Juliana said...

WOW! I can only imagine how your day went ... I am glad all is well ;) You and Paul are great parents!!

Stephanie Ellinger said...

He's a pretty cute little guy without a feeding tube! Hopefully after his repair that he will get stronger and be interested in eating. I've never yanked out an NJ (thank goodness)! But - the first time the g-tube came out we were having dinner in a restaurant 30 minutes from out house without the backup kit. I could have died!

BECKY said...

Oh man!!!! Stay in there from now on Mr. Feeding Tube!

Heather English said...

Oh Annie! You crack me up! I am sure you are doing a fabulous job as a mom. Paul's right. Accidents happen. At least you haven't dropped him on his head yet...:)

Brittany said...

Oh.. my gosh he is sooo stinkin cute! That is a sad but funny story! he has some great parents.