Morning has Broken

There is just nothing like awakening to the sound of the nurse calling my name at 5:30. I could tell from the tone in her voice that it wasn't a dire emergency, but she definitely needed my help. That's a good start. It's much harder when I'm afraid.

 Maggie's feeding tube broke. All right, I'm up and moving. I was glad it was her g-tube and not her trach and very glad she did it at 5:30 and not 2:30. This way I'm just up an hour early instead of missing a nights sleep. We have to find gratitude where we can.

As I headed downstairs I figured  I must have done something wrong when I changed it yesterday. I change it every few months and it's no big deal. The tube is held in place by a small balloon that is inflated with water. Perhaps I didn't put in enough water.

How silly of me to think I made a mistake. The tube was defective, the balloon was popped. In the 19 years I have been changing g-tubes, that is the very first time I've had one break so quickly. Generally the balloon pops after a couple of months and we just change it. Sometimes I change it and the balloon is still intact.

 No big deal, I'll just switch it out. Then I remembered. For the first time ever, we changed the tube before we received a spare. I don't have another one. I've never changed the tube without a spare available and it has never broken in less than 24 hours. Of course both happen this time.

Unbelievable.

This is problematic. Maggie cannot go without it because she cannot get her meds or eat without it. #@$^(%(%$#!!! More immediate than that, though, the surgical hole will close without something in there to keep it opened.  I don't want to have to go to the ER for this. It's stupid and wasteful.  Think think think.

For starters, we can keep the site open by putting the old one in. The nurse chastised me that it would not stay because the balloon was broken. I said, that's why God invented tape.  Maggie now looks like a football player taped up for the game.  One problem averted, now what to do.

Ahhh.  School! She has an extra one at school. I am going to take her straight to school and meet the nurse there. We will get to school around 7:30, do a quick change and Maggie will just go on with her day.  I will get on the phone to the supplier post haste get a couple more. If this happens again, I am all out of ideas.

Ok. It's 6:30. I have done hard thinking and problem solving. Now I have to get dressed to get her to school by 7:30.  But first I need coffee.