Cindy was relieved of her PEG
(stomach tube) on Wednesday. She had
disdained the use of it for the past week or so and is pleased that she can
sleep on her stomach again. The removal
involved checking in with the hospital reception, filling out several forms, the
wristlet ID bracelet, the escort to the surgical area, dressing in the typical
hospital johnny gown, confirmation of the correct procedure with several nurses
and then the wait. Then the exceedingly
friendly nurse/PA arrived, released the air out of PEG port that keeps a balloon
inflated inside the stomach (the anchor for the PEG), pulled it out, slapped a
piece of gauze over the incision, put on a six-inch diameter bandage and
pronounced it good. Took about a
minute. Seemed embarrassed that all the
rigmarole was necessary and gave simple care instructions.
Thursday Cindy had her last session
with the PT specialist and added a few more exercises to her to-do list. Thursday evening another dinner on the
Kennedy Center terrace and things seem to be returning to a new mode of
normal.