Hello to all.
Last saturday night/sunday morning at around 0030 hours my peg tube decided to pack up one me and luckily I always keep spares at home in case of any such emergency. I had bought two pegs earlier in the year - on a normal peg yube and another called a low profile peg tube. That all was fine - Ihad the tube but no doctor as my treating doctor was out of station and was returning only on late sunday evening, which meant I would be without any kind of aid to take medication or even have water.
Between my wife Sonya, both my sons, Varun and Arjun and I we went from hospital to hospital and did not find one gastro who could do this three minute procedure. Finally I was so tired and fed up - that I decided to call it quits and went back home to wait for my doctor to get back. I was very thirsty and need to hydrate myself so I took the old peg that had popped itself out and jammed it back into my stomach (I do not recommend this to any one) and managed to "drink" the water I so badly required. The blood was flowing really free and I cleaned the wound first with a towel and then with a lot of betadine and savlon. I then used a lot of gauze and closed shut the socket. I was feeling good for a while with no pain.

My doctor arrived as on schedule and when he heard what had happened, I do not think he even waited to freshen himself after his long drive and rushed to my home and inserted the peg - the new kind also known as the low profile tube. It manafactured by Kimberly and is a boon for all those on pegs (not the temperory types though). I actually now feel good as its tompletely flat against my stomach with no tube dangling around. Whenever I need to use it - I just open the peg opening and screw on the tube for "eating' or "drinking" and then remove it for the time I dont need it. Its almost as if there is nothing on my stomach and at least now I can wear certain clothing which I could not earlier due to the tube. For all those who want to check it out can do so thru google seacrh. Just type gastro products by kimberly and bang you are there. The tube costs about US$ 155/- -a little more then the conventional one - but what the heck. After having spent so much money a few dollars more is not going to hurt very much and especially if it puts one at complete ease - both in terms of satisfaction and utility.
A lesson learnt - never ever try getting a gastro in India on a saturday night as they are all either partying or are sleeping and do not want to be disturbed regardless if the patient is dying and is in desperate need. I guess its the GREENBUCKS effect - where your coffee costs more then other places- but a place where one is willing to pay extra. These doctors love their expensive coffee and of course we pay for it. A small minor procedure like mine would not have fetched them even a small mug of coffee and hence it was not worth their while. However, again I do not say all doctors are alike as my treating Doctor, Ajay Bhalla, is one of the most dedicated doctors I have seen and always rushes to see patients who are not even under his care regardless of the time - night or day. More then often he does not even charge anything for his visit or help. I am sure there are more like them but I still have to come across one.
Well - all take care,
regards to all,
Ananth

PS : I do not recommend one tries and jam in his/her peg tube that has popped out as you may not enter it into the socket where it was. My socket pathway was clearly defined having been on the peg for eight years and could take a chance - but please do not try this on your own.

hiya ananth
crikey things always happen to you dont they sunshine.you were very clever putting that peg back in to get some fluids in you and you would need it living india with the heat.i am glad your good old doc sorted you out though.we have a puppy who has taken a liken to my peg when i am sitting on the sofa watching the t.v i have looked down and little devil is chewing the end of my peg! he does it when people are around too and i have often been sitting down to find max with his head up my skirt chewing the end of it.very embarrassing.oh well mate take care.love your friend shirl xxx

Dear Shirl,
Luck of the devil, I guess. By the way - my sons gifted me a pug. He is so cute and has been trained well. He is six months old and refuses to let me go out anywhere without him and he has to sleep at my feet - come what come may. The moment he sees me having a shower and getting ready to go out - he starts whining and biting at my jeans, my shoes, my belt - just name it. His name is Budo - named him after the smiling Buddha as thats what his facial expression looks like.
Take care ,
lots and lots of love,
Ananth

OHMYGOSH!!Ananth!!??? You did WHAT??!!
Can i just say - to all people new to having a PEG -
PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!!!!!!!

*lol*
Lawdy what are you like? You could have been pumping that water anywhere into your body cavity!

Just another day in the life of Ananth!
*lol*

Hi Chelle,
I have no idea as why all these wierd things happen only to me and have been lucky to get away each time. I needed that "PEG" - now dont you dare ask me a peg of what!!!! As most of our body is in anycase is water I figured adding a little more would not really hurt and I was in pain and a little more would and did not make much of a difference. And you are totally right - its just another day in Ananths' "wierd" life.
However alls well that ends well and I still say - dont try this at home - no amount of pegs will help if things go wrong!!!!
lol
Lots of love,
Ananth.
PS : May I send my pug across for a special grooming session?

Hi Ananth

Mother of god, man, I don't think I could do anything like that (I couldn't even do my own trach care; I think the technical term is "wimp").


Was everything ok once your doctor got your peg installed? You didn't cause any internal injuries, I hope.

Julia

Hello Ananth

..... just another day in the life of Zorro? Keep well and the arrows (that's Robin Hood?)will always miss you.... meanwhile the audience has heart attacks!

Best wishes
Vinod

Dear Julia,
All okay - no injuries. In fact the new peg is a boon as it fits flat against the stomach and the feeding tube is detachable. Its as good as not having a peg as I just have to attach the tube when I am hungry or thirsty. So guess all things happen for the better.
It gave a shock when I did that - but I had no alternatives and then Sonya began feeling sick at seeing the blood. It was very dramatic.
Love,
Ananth.

Dear Dr. Joshi,
I have no doubts anymore about the pact between God and the Devil. Neither want me......

Guess anything I do is safe enough
lots of love,
Ananth

Annath, I guess if it isn't one thing it's another with you, isn't it! Jeez, the trouble you have seen. My friends always say that everything happens to me, but boy oh boy, that sure isn't true when it comes to you!!

What a horrible experience to have to go through but I'm glad you came through it with your courage and optimism intact.

Although it was a tough experience to go through, at least you have a new peg that you seem to like a heck of a lot more.

With my tube, if I stand up and let it dangle down, it hangs to me knees and looks like a third appendage!

Anyway, I'm so glad you're ok now.

Take care of yourself!!!!! My best to you, Cricket

Good Morning Ananth
You so often bring a smile to my face, that was the case this morning.If neither God nor the Devil want you it should help you to achieve your ambition to "live forever" Keep it up my friend
Keep Smiling
John

Good morning both John and kitten,
Life is so boring,just doing the same thing everyday. I am glad though all these wierd things happen to me as they at least keep me upto doing something, spend money to better the economy, get people informed on the latest medical techniques (no jamming peg tubes once they have popped out!!), learning pain management and how to curse people. A lot of learning. Its something I am proud of doing to help the world in every way I can.
I decided as living forever is now an accepted thing - let me change my signature - so here is the new one.....however, before I do show off the lines,
lots of love, hugs and kisses ( for kitten - John!!),
Ananth

Ananth,

Have you talked to Natasha Verma? She's back in India now to help take care of her Dad. If she's unable to post and you're aware of what's going on with them, please let us know.

Thanks!

Mimi

Hi Cricket..........When I had my feeding tube (which was like a thorn in my side) and I had it for over two years. About two months before they removed it (end of May this year) someone finally told me to tape it up...... DUH....... I always pulled it up to the right just at my waist but it was forever opening up and it became my enemy.........well I forget the name of the tape but it made all the difference in the world and just before I had it removed it got to the point that it didn't bother me. Now what was once my enemy I had come to terms with but still I fought to get it removed. I had been down to one can of Nutren a day, well guess what......I've since lost four more pounds and can't seem to put on an once. I eat fairly well but it's not happening. So please to anyone wanting to get rid of the tube PLEASE be patient because I almost thought getting one put in again, althogether I've lost 34 lbs and cannot affore to lose any more. One more thing I also had problems with the smell of the Nutren and even though I was on four antinausa pills a day I was still heaving when they put the Nutrem in the tube and after three weeks I decide to plug up my nose with kleenex and it worked........ funny but true and even funnier is that one the nurses couldn't stand certain smells and she would put mine marshmellows up her nose. I guess whatever works. And you Annath thanks for the info regarding the new tube just in case, you never know.......good luck with it.........Joan

Dear Mimi,
Natasha is an American girl married to an Indian. Her father in law is an ex army officer who lives about five minutes walking from my home. I recieved about ten or more mails between her husband and her and they were all the their dads medical records that they had sent to my then treating doctor with a cc to me. I also received a few phone calls and chats on yahoo messenger.
The way things were portrayed, I had thought that he ( the dad ) must be really in a bad way. All the medical records were those that he (the dad)had sent to them in the US for an opinion there and they in return wanted a third opinion and hence through rdoc they got me. I have no problems in helping anyone and will gladly do so. In this case- I find things very complicated as in the first place the cancer is not yet even in the first stage(0-1). He is eating, drinking, living normally and all the doctors (including mine - who has only seen the records and not met him till date)have said its absolutely curable and there is nothing to worry about. Somehow they have this fixation that (the dad too) that this is the end of the road for him. However, he refuses to go and meet the doctor who reference I gave - though is willing to let her see his records. She found this extremely strange and then they asked me for my ENTs phone number and name, which I flatly refused to give as knowing him (my doctor) he would have flipped if he had to help the father via remote control.
Its totally crazy - that one is trying to cure the father via emails to doctors in India and that too they do not want him to meet the doctors.He too has made it clear that he will not meet any other doctors though is open to getting opinions from all of them. He wants to be treated at the Army Hospital where all treatment is free, which I accept is a good idea.However, if you are not even going to show your self to the other doctors but want their opinion - its a joke. To add to all this - they did not even want to give me his home address (though I knew who he was and where he stayed) or his phone number. Their excat words were that he would be petrified if he met me!... and that they would introduce me to him in due course. That is totally wierd and if an army officer is that scared, I wonder how he served in one of the best armies in the world!Without even being in the first stage he thinhks he is a goner and actually believes it and so do Natasha and her husband - who flew into Delhi last night. I have no idea what they actually want to do or how they want to go about things and if they want to contact me or not. I have enough on my platter to be on call when he(the father) or the kids(natasha and her husband)decide they would like to meet me sometime in
the future. Its pretty demeaning - dont you think?
Do give me your opinion Mimi.... as this is one of the weirdest cases my doctors or I have ever come across - they want opinions from these doctors but do not want him to meet them and even though I stay just five minutes from their residence - they feel its not appropriate I meet the father at this moment because it will scare him even further on his being convinced that he is a (am sorry to put it bluntly) - a dead man already!!!

lots of love,
Ananth

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