Nutrition in the ICU was very elusive for me. It is understandable that nutrition the first week in ICU was non-existent since I was mostly unconscious and had 14 IV bags of different medications plugged into me to keep me alive. Very understandable.
The feeding tube in my nose was necessary because my throat was needed for the ventilator. Understandable.
But here is something you might not have known about feeding tubes. If a tube gets clogged because the formula had a lump in it, then you need a new tube. It is no fun having a feeding tube inserted in your nose. Before the formula can start dripping into the tube again, a chest X-ray has to be taken to make sure the tube is situated correctly. You don’t want the formula fed into your lungs.
Having the tube removed and inserted happened frequently for various reasons.
In order to be allowed to eat food versus a nutrition tube down the nose, I had to take barium swallow tests. This was a huge procedure when I had severe edema and couldn’t be moved to a wheelchair to go down to the MRI machine. Plus I was on the ventilator. Three or four nurses would wheel my bed with the oxygen tank down the hall, into the elevator, and through the hallways to the MRI room. This happened a couple times.
After the first barium swallow test gave the go-ahead for solid foods, I thought, “Great!” But, all liquids had to be thickened to the consistency of pudding. Have you tried eating cereal when the milk isn’t even liquid? No fun!
Even a glass of water had to be thickened! When visitors brought Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, they had to be thickened.
There was one drink I didn’t mind too much when it was thickened and that was the Ensure protein shakes. I still buy it today, but thankfully don’t have to thicken it.
It was really hard to meet my nutrition goals because of the diet I was put on in which all my liquids had to be thickened.
There was a constant “one step forward, two steps back” motion in my nutrition plan.
The oxygen ventilator prevented swallowing food. The tracheostomy was an improvement and allowed for swallowing. But it took some adjusting.
I was always starving! Visitors would bring me Dairy Joy ice cream when I was allowed to eat it. I love the hot fudge sundae with peanut butter ice cream. Sometimes I even got both hot fudge and hot peanut butter sauces!
