Instead of the gravity-based feedings, the nutritionist suggested using the pump. The nurse came by today and helped us set it up. For now, we’ll use a combination of the bolus-based feedings with the pump to maximize the amount of food she consumes in a day. The doctor came by to see her as well. He was concerned with how low her protein readings were, but they were also several days old.…

Mom is responding well to the feedings. For the first time in weeks, she is engaged and active. We are still sorting out the feeding schedule and dosages. Trying to look into gravity feedings as a possible alternative.…

The nurse came by again today. She helped us set up the feeding tube pump so that we wouldn’t have to do the repeated bolus feedings. The bolus feedings are supposed to be convenient, but since she can’t take the full dosage at a time, it ends up being a bolus feed every hour or so. Instead, the pump slowly doles out the formula over the course of the day.…

Well, the checklist is complete, but I’m not sure if it helped very much. The feeding tube itself actually causes me to wake up in the middle of the night occasionally. Mom is generally tolerating the feedings, though. The nutritionist wants her to 1,422mL a day. We’re not coming close to that, but anything is better than what she was consuming before (almost nothing). I also got to meet mom’s new doctor for the first time.…

Today, the nurse came by to help educate us on how to work the feeding tube. I’d love to say that her education made me feel more comfortable, but I am not convinced that’s true. At least three feedings have to happen in a day, and a bunch of water has to be mixed in between. Furthermore, everything has to be done in a sanitary way to help reduce the probability of infection.…