Evie the Extraordinary and Her Mommy: The Journey As We Go

You know you're a mom when your phone rings, and you recognize the number as the one for the school nurse, and promptly hold your breath, imagining the worst.  Usually they say right away "Evie's ok," and then continue on.  Today they didn't say that, and I was having a minor heart attack with every second that passed when someone who WASN'T the school nurse was calling me FOR the school nurse.   Apparently there was a substitute nurse today (and for the next 2 weeks), and she was having trouble getting Evie's g-tube extension connected to her stomach port.  Somehow the whole g-tube button came out of her stomach, and the one other time this happened at school, the school nurse knew exactly how to get it back in and didn't even call me until it was back in.  Not today.  The person calling me said that she was calling for the nurse, and that Evie's g-tube button fell out, and would I like to come and put it in?  I said, well, I'...

Yesterday at the hospital, I practiced changing out the g-tube on a doll who had a hole drilled into her stomach so parents like me could practice on her.  Basically this involves deflating the balloon inside the g tube apparatus sitting inside the stomach, pulling out the whole apparatus, and quickly inserting a new g tube apparatus and inflating the balloon with a certain amount of water. Preferably when her stomach is less full so not as much of the stomach contents spill out.  This is way less scary on a doll! Ah, the glorious life of a tube mom! I hope I don't have to change it anytime soon.  These have to be changed every 3 months or when she grows too big for her current size g tube.  I am also well-versed now with accessories for Evie's tubie life. Who knew there was a market for G-tube accessories--belts, stickers for the food bag, g-tube doll buddies to help kids not to feel alone, bags for the ice packs, etc.  The Feeding Tube Awarene...