The Worst Part is…

…the nasogastric (NG) tube. This tube enters my nose, goes to the back of the nasal cavity, above the soft palate, down the back of the oral cavity and into my esophagus ending where it now connects to the jejunem. The tube helps keep my empty small intestine from collapsing. It is also hooked to suction so remove puss and other secretions while it heals. If my intestines accidentally start pumping in the wrong direction this will suction the content rather than passing back up the esophagus. The problem is swallowing.i still make saliva and have mucus from my airway, so swallowing is constant. When we swallow the soft palate tenses and rises to seal off the back of our pharynx. ”Tis is to prevent the food we swallow from going up our nose. I remember trying to tell one line jokes at dinner to see if I could get milk to shoot out my brothers nose. This is what we did before internet. Now people do it to post videos on the internet. Each time I swallow my soft palate presses against the NG tube. The level of pain or discomfort depends on my position. I need to pass gas before they will take the tube out.