I just had a thought about what is NOT going on at this clinic I am taking my mom to here in Gainesville. I just remembered that I was told that the neurologist was the MDA (?approved?) neurologist in this area. But I bet the neurology clinic there is NOT an MDA/ALS Clinic. And that is why we are not offered all the services right then and there but have to deal with the very slow wheels of Shands instead. I think I will need to contact the new MDA contact person for this area/Jacksonville. Especially if I have more delays in getting mom taken care of appropriately after seeing her gerontologist. It would be very rough on her, but I could certainly take her up to Jax for the day if it would be beneficial to get everything rolling like it should!
Again, I appreciate all your input. It is extremely helpful to hear from all of you.
I remember someone asking about the tube feedings at night. At my previous job I worked as an RN at an inpatient rehab hospital. We always had a few patients on tube feedings. I worked mostly with the stroke and brain injury patients. If you have a G/J combination tube we would give the tube feedings (usually at a slow rate of 60-100 ml per hour) through the J tube for a 12 hour period overnight on the tube feeding pump. Usually 7pm to 7 am. In that way, they would be off the pump all day long to have therapies. This also then didn't interfere with their appetite quite as much for those still safely able to eat by mouth. Course, we had to be certain that the head of the bed was elevated at least 30 degrees while administering the tube feeding. Giving the tube feeding through the J tube portion greatly decreases the chances of reflux/aspiration of the feedings.
Anyway I tried to do this with my mom, but she would get very anxious about the tube feeding running (I think that was what was bothering her?) and didn't sleep but 2 or 3 hours a night. So we went back to doing them during the day 4 times a day.
Thanks again all! Pat
Again, I appreciate all your input. It is extremely helpful to hear from all of you.
I remember someone asking about the tube feedings at night. At my previous job I worked as an RN at an inpatient rehab hospital. We always had a few patients on tube feedings. I worked mostly with the stroke and brain injury patients. If you have a G/J combination tube we would give the tube feedings (usually at a slow rate of 60-100 ml per hour) through the J tube for a 12 hour period overnight on the tube feeding pump. Usually 7pm to 7 am. In that way, they would be off the pump all day long to have therapies. This also then didn't interfere with their appetite quite as much for those still safely able to eat by mouth. Course, we had to be certain that the head of the bed was elevated at least 30 degrees while administering the tube feeding. Giving the tube feeding through the J tube portion greatly decreases the chances of reflux/aspiration of the feedings.
Anyway I tried to do this with my mom, but she would get very anxious about the tube feeding running (I think that was what was bothering her?) and didn't sleep but 2 or 3 hours a night. So we went back to doing them during the day 4 times a day.
Thanks again all! Pat