Diet change

I got Oxbow Critical Care in my feeding tube twice a day for 7.5 months, which is around 450 feedings and involved dozens of syringes and many squirting hay incidents. Here's the recipe: 1 tsp. Oxbow CC (powdered hay, vitamins) mixed with 4 tsp. warm water which made 20 ml of hay mixture. I never even got to taste it as the feeding tube delivered it straight to my stomach. Then they flushed the tube with 10 ml of water. Sometimes it blurped out of my mouth or back out the feeding tube, so then they would give me a little less. I also started eating a little on my own these past few weeks and I even munched on globemallow outside on my walks.

Then last Saturday, Dr. Johnson decided it was time to remove my feeding tube. He took me in the back to work his magic, and I went from this:



To THIS!



So now I'm supposed to feed myself. But I'm not. I did get an antibiotic packed in the incision where my feeding tube went into my neck. My neck looks good and feels so much better to be free of the tube and stitches. But I was really tired after my visit to Dr. Johnson so I slept a lot. Then the weather changed and I always hunker down when cooler air blows in. My tortoise mom has been soaking me in my little blue pan and my tortoise dad has been taking me for walks outside, but I'm still not eating. They even played "SpongeBob Squarepants" to perk me up again. Then Dr. Johnson called to say my blood work is off and my red blood cell count needs to be checked again. Also he wants a fresh sample of poop. Now that's a tall order since I haven't been eating. Stay tuned.....

When good syringes go bad

This is what happens when a sticky syringe encounters a little extra pressure in the feeding tube: Hay "pesto" goes SPLAT! Seriously, there's a lot of washing up involved.

This messy little incident started the day. Then I upped the ante by pushing through the barricade during my outdoor exercises and making a break for the burrow. I thought I was home free, but they caught me just a few feet from the burrow. I can march pretty fast when I know exactly where I'm going. No stopping for snacks or sniffing globemallow, I do not pass "go", just keep making a beeline for the burrow entrance..... RATS, they caught me. But it was great fun while it lasted.

I've been staying outside for more than an hour on most warm days, but my cover is blown now and I'll get more supervision and a stronger barricade to keep me out of trouble.

Only two more weeks until I see Dr. Johnson again. If he says my feeding tube can come out after more than seven months of twice daily feedings, we'll all do a Happy Dance. And then, once my neck heals where the feeding tube is stitched in, I'll get to make a beeline for the burrow with a whole cheering section.