Jack Teeter's Blog

Corresponding with a new friend, I expressed a few thoughts that might be worth sharing here:

>>When I am fishing, or spending time with one of my sons, or driving, or exercising, or working on the computer, or reading, or … you get where I’m going with this … when I am doing all the things that make being alive worthwhile, the LAST thing I am thinking about is eating (or in my case, not eating). My body needs nutrition in order to perform life’s functions. What difference does it really make how I get that nutrition? I stick my tube into my button, wait for the food and water to flow into my stomach, pull out the tube, close off my button, and get back to living.
I try not to let my life (or the life of those who love me) become focused upon how I eat. What do sick people with anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating, etc. have in common? Each has an unhealthy focus upon eating.
The people in my life see that the way I eat is only that: the way I eat. My tube is a utensil, like a cup, or a plate, or a spoon. Life is short. None of us have time to worry about my feeding tube.<<

Thanks for letting me vent!

Haven’t updated for some time… But a new development is worth mentioning.

As you may recall, my disorder prevents me from swallowing. My nutrition/hydration solution is my P.E.G. and I am quite healthy overall: I exercise regularly, volunteer in my community and live an ordinary life ��� except for that part about not being able to swallow.

I’ve mentioned in this space how much I miss eating. Breaking it down, eating is:

smelling food

chewing food

tasting food

swallowing food

digesting food

So, I got to thinking…

my sense of smell still works

I can chew

my sense of taste still works

I digest my Jevity 1.5 food very well

The only conflict? I can do everything involved with eating, except swallowing. Okay, this is the sorta gross part: After smelling, chewing, and tasting what happens to the food (a bite of takeout Zaxby’s chicken fingers tonight, for example)? Simple. Every bit of that bite of Zaxby’s chicken is still in my mouth. I simply spit it out.

That is not something I do in a hoyty-toyty restaurant; it’s absolutely an ‘excuse me a moment please’ activity to be done in private. But in just a moment (after rinsing out my mouth) I can come back to the table and start my P.E.G. feeding while others continue to enjoy their meal. I’m still smelling the food and there’s even a bit of residual taste.

I guess life is what we make of it, huh?

Have a great PEG day!

I spent almost 70 bucks for this gizmo. Seems like a lot, but consider: I use it 5 times every day.

So, as you can see, I put my syringe into the holder… Hands free!

In the morning I can read the paper — nothing as challenging as trying to fold the baseball insert with one hand. Can also play cards with my wife or tear the labels off the Jevity cans for recycling…

What will they think of next? (BTW: Thanks to David Rowland for turning me on to this.)

Have a great P.E.G. day!

Went for a canoe trip with my dog today at Beaver Dam State Park. Great time.

Stopped half way, at the dam, and had brunch (9:30 am feeding). Some hikers came by and said hi in passing. One of them mentioned that her brother is on a feeding tube. Small world…

I found that packing my feeding gear in a waterproof tub worked fine. Living well…

Anyway, life is good. My dog enjoyed it too — I think!

Have a Great PEG day!!

We enjoyed our second travel experience since beginning life on a P.E. G. All went very well indeed!

We drove from Brighton IL to Tupelo MS and on to New Orleans LA — and back the same route – to visit my brother and some wonderful OLEY friends.

At home, I’ve kept a rigid feeding schedule to maintain my weight and make a full recovery from aspiration pneumonia.

On the road, I found that time got away from me a few times — I would look at the clock and find myself an hour past my regular feeding time. I’m glad to say I was able to adjust, just like I would if I were a ‘mouth feeder’. I simply had half a can less of Jevity or even skipped a can if it would make me bloated on my next feeding.

I was careful, though, to always get all of my water — even if I was late! Missing a can of Jevity – here or there — is no different than ‘mouth feeders’ changing their diet to accommodate their travel schedule. But for us PEGgers, never, never, never skip hydration. I may be two hours off schedule but I will get my water and meds!

As long as my day includes the full component of hydration, I can make due in the short term by altering my Jevity intake. Wow, I feel like a ‘regular’ guy — Living (not just surviving) On A P.E.G.!!

Have a great PEG day!

 

Well, time to pack up all my gear…

We’re going on a week-long trip.

Let’s see:  3 cases of Jevity 1.5;  2 gal. of pure water (can buy more anywhere);  extra tubing, syringes,med. cups, throat brushes; meds; spare MIC-KEY button (just in case).

Hope I thought of everything.

No worries. Looking forward to our trip to Louisiana to see Errol, Jo and Duval! With a side stop coming and going to visit brother Ron and his wife Leslie.

 

The value of a Book Signing is not measured in the number of books autographed at the event. Rather, I think, it’s in the ‘who knew’ factor.

“Hey honey, did you see where the library is having a book signing?”

“Our library?”

“Yeah. It’s next Saturday morning.”

“We have an author in Brighton? Who knew?”

Then, when we see that person on the street or read something about him, we think:

“Hey, I’ve heard of him, he’s that author guy.”

Yep, that’s me: Jack, that author guy — maybe you should look me up on Amazon.

Have a great PEG day!

Had a wonderful Saturday morning as the Brighton Memorial Library was kind enough to host an Open House and book signing featuring yours truly.

Best part: we met two new ‘peggers’. Bob and Ken are both active and vibrant members of their communities. Meeting these gentlemen and their families was an inspiration to me… here are two fellas that could be excused for being depressed or downbeat about the trials they face. Instead, Bob and Barb are out “among ‘em” working and meeting people as they pursue their jewelry hobby. And Ken and Laura have faced adversity together but rather than give up they are enjoying life — family and friends.

What a blessing to meet such fine representatives of the community of cancer survivors.

Thanks Alan, John, and Sally for being a part of it, and Karen, for being our gracious host!

Remember this picture from Cool Hand Luke? Where Paul Newman eats 50 eggs?

It’s been well over a year and I promised my Dr. I’d get tested again for swallowing. I cheated and tried drinking about 5 ml of water the day before and felt like I was drowning — so I had no hope at all.

So, they stood me sideways at the x-ray machine. Then they gave me a plastic spoonful of white pudding. Tasted pretty good. I swallowed… and swallowed… and swallowed…

Nada! Zip! Bupkiss! The pudding got as far as the base of my tongue and just sat there.

The poor x-ray tech kept saying ‘It’s okay, go ahead and swallow now.” As if!

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Life goes on. If at first you don’t succeed try, try again. Add you favorite axiom here:_______

Have a good PEG day!

 

May 3rd is my HAPPY P.E.G. DAY!!!

One full year of unexpected extra life thanks to:

1. My darling wife Karen (and the rest of my wonderful family) – who helped me to choose life!

2. Dr. Kakumani – who insisted I at least try!

3. The people at OLEY and Inspire – who have been a constant inspiration!

4. The people at SW Illinois SCORE (especially David, John, Bob and Joel) and at Bookshare – who helped me find purpose!

5. All the trains that go rushing through Brighton – a constant reminder of how truly down, depression can be!

Happy P.E.G. day!!!