June 2, 2026 - Some Good News - Hoping for More / Tami Finally Getting Nutrients

Clinical Update

A quick recap: as we shared in the last post, the reason Tami couldn’t keep anything down was an intestinal obstruction. In lay terms, the bloating, pressure, and distention created enough force to pinch off the small intestine, preventing food from moving through. With no real path forward, anything she swallowed simply came back up.

To relieve that pressure, the care team inserted a nasogastric (NG) tube—a thin plastic tube placed through the nose and down into the stomach. Its job is to continuously remove the excess contents that are keeping everything backed up. Until the obstruction clears, the doctor’s orders are that nothing is to be swallowed.

Tami gets Nutirients

Since she hasn’t effectively eaten in weeks—and still can’t safely eat—she’s now receiving IV nutrition. The formal name is Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), a sterile, customized mixture of proteins, fats, sugars, vitamins, and minerals delivered directly into the bloodstream when the digestive system can’t be used.

For the first time in weeks, Tami is finally getting real nutrients, even if it’s through an IV.

Some Good News

Yesterday’s X‑ray showed that the obstruction had partially cleared. Today’s X‑ray didn’t show additional progress, but there was still a bright spot: the doctor approved two small prepackaged ICEEs for her. I can’t overstate how much joy a little flavor brought her. We’ll see how she tolerates it. If the obstruction continues to improve, she’ll be able to slowly resume an oral diet.

Tami the Bag Lady…

On top of the blockage, her admission report showed sepsis and aspiration from vomit entering her lungs. She also has a DVT in her right shin. Each issue comes with its own set of medications, so she’s accumulating quite the collection of bags and lines—hence, Tami the bag lady.

Here’s a picture of her IV stand…





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