Surgical Procedure Question?

OK I need some help here real fast. My mother has Alzheimer's and she's been living in a nursing home for the past two years. Her doctors inform us that she is not eating or drinking and they want to perform a surgical procedure which consists of inserting a feeding tube into her. She is 81 years old and very frail. My concern is that she will not come out of it. Has anyone or does anyone know someone who has had this done and their outcome. This is a real tough decision to make on such short notice.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

the problem that the doctor sees with your grandmother is the REFUSAL to eat or drink. this means that supplemental shakes and stuff will not work with her. a feeding tube provides adequate nutrition that she cannot get on her own. it is a relatively simple procedure and does not take much healing time. most of the time, it is basically an incision made right in front of stomach with a tube that directly feeds into it. other feeding tubes such as an NG tube are a little more elaborate. ask the doctor which tube she will be getting. do not worry about the procedure, it is not a serious procedure, the most harm it could do is getting pulled out after surgery and possibly cause infection. can be used for short term use also, so ask the doctor how long he/she plans on keeping her on tube feed. working in a hospital, i feel it is a very beneficial procedure especially when the patients normal bowels and digestive system are not functioning like they should due to lack of nourishment. hope it helps.

Did you discuss this with your Mother prior to her illness? Did she want to be kept alive by tube feedings? What do her Advanced Directives state? God Bless you with this extremely difficult decision!

I would get a second opinion from another doctor. My grandomther is 96 years old and has Alzheimers. She's broken hips, and legs and has been through all kinds of things. She appears very frail but keeps on going! My grandmother drinks Ensure every day and basically nothing else. It doesnt take many calories to keep them going due to low weight and activity. Have they tried this? My grandma survived many surgeries and putting in a pace maker (just in case, but she doesnt use it, lol). I'd go with the doctor's reccomendations after getting a second doctor opinion. Do you have siblings you could talk to about this? I am an only child so I'm not looking forward to when it is my turn to take care of my aging parents. Good luck. If it feels wrong, research and seek professional opinions until you know what to do. Good luck.

The procedure itself, is not a great deal.
Its performed as an endoscopic procedure by a tube inserted to her stomach, with a thick catheter or needle that is inserted from the stomach to the surface, ant a silicon tube is attached to it, passed from the outside to her stomach, and fixed by inflating a baloon (about half an inch wide) inside her stomach....that will receive the food in the for of fluids (gastroclisis) in the same way you use a drip, only that in the case of your mom, its used to pass liquid food to her stomach.(all of that under local anesthesia and mild sedation, it takes minutes literally)

Now, the question is....did your mom commented to you, when she was able to, whether she wanted to have all those treatments performed??
If the Medical Staff is trying to obtain your consent on her behalf, you are acting as the holder of a power of attorney, and you have to base your decision, on how long and how far she told or commented to you, the medical staff should go to keep her alive.
Here the most important thing, is not only to keep her alive, but what lenghts of effort she wanted for her (before she had the deep dementia that affects her now...).....

My grandmother had a feeding tube put in and it helped save her life. Consider it. Im not sure that its a dangerous procedure. Its something to consider