My husband became a laryngectomee 12-3-04 He was doing well until he developed these fistula's now he is back on a feeding tube which is making him loose weight. Very depressed

Hi Terry,
Though I still have my larynx - a whole lot of other problems - some related and some unrelated to cancer created three fistulas over five years ago and have never eaten orally since then. I have been on peg feed ever since and as of date have been told that I will never be able to eat normally again. I have accepted it as a part of what was ment to be and ensure that I get all the possible nourishment that is possible through the peg. It has somehow surprised the doctors and in fact they have asked to me mantain my weight at this level and not to increase it any further. I truly recommend feed your husband with all the normal food that you may eat in your daily diet but in pureed form and forget ( though not totally - Ensure and the the other nourishments that are supposed to help the patient ). I do not know how old your husband is but if he is in his late 30s/40s I also suggest regular workouts at the gym and long walks in the morning. You will notice the difference soon enough.
As any doctor would put it ( and I am not one ) - this is only advise and it has worked for me and may or may not work for your husband - but is always worth giving a try.
warm regards from India
Ananth

Hi Again Terry,
I was just thinking about your husband and you as I was reading the various posts that you have put here into the forum. I can see how tense and frustrated you feel seeing your husband feeling down and out. That is very natural. I am not one to say if the fistula/s will heal as they are supposed to heal by themselves or through skin grafting or creating a new passage by using the shin of your hand or a piece of your small intestine. Do speak to your doctor about these altenatives. If the doctor(s) do feel that the fistulas will heal by themselves there is no reason to worry or feel down and out. Even if they dont all is not lost as there are some great surgeons who can do the needful. In my case, I had too many complications which has left my trachea extremely fragile and if they do try any of the above suggestions, the chances are that the entire thing will collapse, creating more problems. As I mentioned in my post the peg tube will be around till the fistulas heal. The doctors even give the option of a Ryles tube - one like the peg but inserted through the nose and thats not a very pretty sight and there a lot of chances of the same getting infected and doing the same to the entire area around as it happened in my case.

The peg tube is a saviour and one can lead a normal life (well I call it normal)even with it being there. As I mentioned you can feed your husband all the goodies he wants through the peg after pureeing the entire thing and thinning it down as my wife and mother do for me. I then to keep my taste buds working have to have my quota of chocolates, icecreams, cakes etc. which I chew or suck upon to get the taste and then just bin it. It gives me the satisfaction of having " eaten" and the peg does it job of filling me and giving me all the nutrition I require. I hate "ensure' and refused to take it right from the begining and I think I did the right thing by getting my wife and mother to give me what they all eat in the form I mentioned but without chillies. I had gone down to 37 kilos and could hardly walk from my bed to the bathroom - let alone have a bath etc. The peg came to the rescue and now it at a stage where the doctors have advised me not to put on any more weight as the amount I put on itself was surprising.
Some great stuff that will help your husband are banana milkshakes, soups of various kinds, rice with curry and anything else that is healthy and can be pureed. Trust me he will find the difference till such time the doctors decide upon the fistulas. He will have to build himself physically for any surgeries that he may require to repair the fistulas and thats why I emphasised on work outs. He need not hit the gym as I do but instead can do all the exercising at home to build his body upto a great level and a shape.
Terry try it - you and he have nothing to loose and everything to gain.

With warm regards,
Ananth