No more tubes!

Sorry about the somewhat-delayed update, but the entire day has been so hectic that I haven't had a chance to post the good news:

No more tubes!

While taking a shower this morning (Monday was the first time that Judy did take an actual shower), Judy's NG tube (the one that goes into the nose and down to the stomach to siphon off fluids) somehow slipped out. I was teaching at TTU this morning, but what our friend Kathy O., who was staying with Judy at the time, told me things were not pretty. The nurses made several attempts to reinsert the tube, but it was apparently very painful and they had to abort the maneuver.

But all this may really have been a blessing in disguise: It turns out that Judy's intestinal system is starting to work again, and before mid-afternoon she had two bowel movements, without any pain. What that means is that the colon resection is working! There is added nausea right now because the "vile bile" as I called it has to be processed by her own system instead of being siphoned off, and she has been kinda puky this afternoon and evening.

Around 5:00 p.m. Dr. Phillips stopped by, in between surgeries. He was extremely happy with her progress and ordered to start a liquid drip diet, the first nourishment since last week Wednesday when she started the prep for the surgery. She is also allowed broth and popsicles, but two spoonfuls was enough. It will take a while to start up the system again after a weeklong shutdown. But I think we may have started that whole nutrition path a little earlier than we would have without the "accident" in the bathroom.

And talking about tubes: The catheter is gone, too!

Dr. Phillips said that Judy quite likely will be discharged on Thursday, although there can always be hickups.

Judy may be a little groggy right now, but she is a happy camper since she knows that things are coming along.

Thank you all for reading and staying involved!

Jürgen