Dad out of Sloan ICU. Swallow test tomorrow!

kathyinny
kathyinny Member Posts: 9
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
Hello All. Thanks for your prayers! My Dad is out of the ICU and getting better each day. He had his nasogastric tube removed and one of the drains as well today. Still requires oxygen but is walking great and coughing up alot! He will be 1 week post op tomorrow! Yeah!

I am starting to think about when he comes home. Where did you purchase your sleep wedges? I want to have it at his home ready for him. Any idea if medicare pays for this?

Comments

  • JimsBrother
    JimsBrother Member Posts: 94
    #2
    Fantastic news
    I'm so glad to hear the news. Best wishes for a super speedy recovery.

    Rob
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • cjmac49
    cjmac49 Member Posts: 100
    #4
    Sleep wedge
    Kathy,

    I purchased a small sleep wedge 24 x 24 x 10 at a local pharmacy. This was too short for every day so I now use it when we travel.

    My permanent wedge (bedge) I purchased from www dot bedge dot com . The bedge is 9" high at the head, 30" wide, and 42" long. I am 6' so it fits me better but is too big and heavy to travel with.

    I am also contemplating having a full size wedge (the size of a single bed)made at a local foam and bedding manufacturer.

    Good luck and I hope your Dad continues to recover well.

    Jim
  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    #5
    Hello Kathy
    So glad to hear
    Hello Kathy
    So glad to hear of dad's good news! The power of prayer works every time! Tell him to take it slow. Slow and easy wins the race! Will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
    Tina
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #6
    So glad your dads surgery
    So glad your dads surgery went well. I purchased my 7 in wedge at a hospital supply store. It has worked well for me. I used it right after surgery, but then quit because I wasn't experiencing any reflux. About a month ago I started with nightly reflux again--so the wedge again. I don't know why, my diet hasn't changed. I put my regular pillow on top of the wedge. It works for me and is more comfortable.
    Good that you are preparing for his homecoming.\
    Sandra
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    sandy1943 said:

    So glad your dads surgery
    So glad your dads surgery went well. I purchased my 7 in wedge at a hospital supply store. It has worked well for me. I used it right after surgery, but then quit because I wasn't experiencing any reflux. About a month ago I started with nightly reflux again--so the wedge again. I don't know why, my diet hasn't changed. I put my regular pillow on top of the wedge. It works for me and is more comfortable.
    Good that you are preparing for his homecoming.\
    Sandra

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • mongo_only_pawn
    mongo_only_pawn Member Posts: 1
    #8
    Sleep Wedges alternatives
    I know a fellow named Dan, that just went through this process last year and those wedges were driving him nuts.

    There's a company that does a lot of work for experimental aviation and other unique product development projects that developed a special bed that is designed for back pain, but happens to be at the proper angle for this type of malady. Dan has one of those. It's so comfortable that Dan doesn't like to travel anywhere because he would have to sleep on one of those wedges - I guess he always wakes up in the wrong position with a wedge and with his new bed, he wakes up in the same position as when he went to sleep and he's totally rested.

    There must not be a huge market for that sort of thing, so you don't see much other than the inexpensive wedge pillows at low end and the expensive ($3000) hospital beds at the other end of the spectrum.

    I guess a lot of people do get along fine with the wedges, but some have a hard time with them, if you have problems, keep looking - there's probably something out there that will work and nobody has found it yet!

    I hope everything's goes well for you.

Discussion Boards