Book Love: Complete Tubefeeding, by Eric Aadhaar O'Gorman
Until I read Complete Tubefeeding by Eric Aadhaar O'Gorman, I had never cried while reading a book. And when I say "I cried", I mean blubbering like an idiot. Because before I read the book, I thought I was the only person in the world who was completely bewildered and in shock that a surgeon could just put a plastic tube in my kid and tell me to nourish him with it. Holy hell, it is devastating to have a kid with a g-tube. To prepare me for this blow, I got a 15 minute consult about potential complications, a 15 minute consult about how to change tubes, and advice to consult with a dietitian. And a "good luck". The term horrifying does not even begin to be enough.
In my humble opinion, Complete Tubefeeding should be provided to every person who is receives a g-tube (or his or her carer/parent). It is a comprehensive overview of tubefeeding, the history, how to do it, what to do if you run into problems, the emotional aspects of tubefeeding, and thoughts on various things to "eat" while tubefeeding. I personally have read and re-read Chapter 11 (on the emotional side of things) so frequently at this point that the book is already looking a bit tattered. Eric is the first person I know of who has coherently articulated the nightmare that the transition to a feeding tube from "normal eating" actually is.
A goodly portion of the book is dedicated to blended diet recipes, which are both useful as blueprints and inspirational. Eric spends a good deal of time on nutrition, and his information is so clear and so useful that I find myself referring to it again and again. It has also helped me to build my blended diet "spine" recipe, which I use daily.
Eric eats using a g-tube, and his personal experience just makes the book so invaluable to parents of kids with g-tubes. I have often wondered how Little B is feeling given certain situations, and the anecdotes in Eric's book definitely inform.
Eric has this lovely way of writing that is very conversational and yet impeccably informed. His advice is not heavy-handed, but is so well-presented that I feel almost compelled to follow it.
In any case, Complete Tubefeeding is amazing. I would highly recommend it for any tubefeeder, and have recommended it tirelessly since reading it. You can get the book on Amazon by clicking: here.
*Disclosure: The author of the book provided a copy of Complete Tubefeeding to me, but in the context of working on a different project. He had no input or editorial rights in this post.
In my humble opinion, Complete Tubefeeding should be provided to every person who is receives a g-tube (or his or her carer/parent). It is a comprehensive overview of tubefeeding, the history, how to do it, what to do if you run into problems, the emotional aspects of tubefeeding, and thoughts on various things to "eat" while tubefeeding. I personally have read and re-read Chapter 11 (on the emotional side of things) so frequently at this point that the book is already looking a bit tattered. Eric is the first person I know of who has coherently articulated the nightmare that the transition to a feeding tube from "normal eating" actually is.
A goodly portion of the book is dedicated to blended diet recipes, which are both useful as blueprints and inspirational. Eric spends a good deal of time on nutrition, and his information is so clear and so useful that I find myself referring to it again and again. It has also helped me to build my blended diet "spine" recipe, which I use daily.
Eric eats using a g-tube, and his personal experience just makes the book so invaluable to parents of kids with g-tubes. I have often wondered how Little B is feeling given certain situations, and the anecdotes in Eric's book definitely inform.
Eric has this lovely way of writing that is very conversational and yet impeccably informed. His advice is not heavy-handed, but is so well-presented that I feel almost compelled to follow it.
In any case, Complete Tubefeeding is amazing. I would highly recommend it for any tubefeeder, and have recommended it tirelessly since reading it. You can get the book on Amazon by clicking: here.
*Disclosure: The author of the book provided a copy of Complete Tubefeeding to me, but in the context of working on a different project. He had no input or editorial rights in this post.
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