Quote:
Originally Posted by Zuljin
Dude's got brain bleeds and almost dies. First thought is brewing. :rocking:
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Is it any wonder the wife thinks I'm a bit tweaked in the head?
Besides, its no more than anyone else on here would do (its a great crowd!).
I think you would like this: AFTER they extubate (take the breathing tube out) you -at least when you've been on the vent- they give you a "swallow study" to determine if you can eat or drink liquids and foods of varying degrees of thickness (ground up stuff with the consistency of paste up to real solids) -if you fail the study entirely, well welcome to tube feeding for another few days or so, then try again. (groan). The test, at its most basic, is to swallow a (very small) amount of water, and then see if you cough (if you do, you will move on to a 'thickened' liquid and try again -if that fails, well, see above). "Thickening" is precisely what it sounds like. And I used to feel very sorry for the patients I had to give this stuff to. Its a powder (extracted from some kind of honey product, I was once told) and you measure out an amount depending on the degree of thickness the orders call for. Sure, the "liquid" LOOKS like water (well, its CLEAR, anyway) but it won't MOVE like water, and while this stuff does not add taste or alter flavors, the consistency is, well, think about it.
Anyway, I definitely coughed when she gave me the sips of water -and believe me I tried not to- so she reaches around and hands me another cup (and doesn't mention thickening -but I've been an RN for years, and on floors where we used this stuff) -first thing I did was tilt the cup on its' side -and the water moved with a syrup-like consistency. I said "I am NOT interested in anything "thickened" -she said, uhuh, know about that stuff, do you? (I think the dour look on my face made it clear because she went into the sales pitch about how it didn't affect flavor etc etc but was far safer to drink due to lower risk of aspiration into the lungs etc) -I said, very clearly, and probably louder than I should have, "Look lady, I am NOT having ANYTHING added to my drinks that I wouldn't feel safe adding to my beer. And I'm NOT adding this crap to my beer. I'd rather be back on tube feeding.
She consented to trying again a little later (kind of rare, but I think she felt bad because I worked in the same hospital) -I did much better later (I only pretended to take a drink) and then asked the doc (who was working my case) later that day, if it would be OK for my wife to bring me a small amount (well, 12oz really isn't much) of homebrew the next day.
You know, he didn't even answer the question.
Well, drink up and enjoy the suds which are the fruits of your labors -we just never really know when we will never be able to enjoy another.
Being a patient sucks big time!
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