I pulled the PEG.

I bet you didn't expect that. I recently explained that neither dementia nor mental confusion are symptoms of ALS.

Let's travel back in time a little. We fixed the tubes of the PEG and bladder catheter at my express wish. Why? Because not a day goes by without someone accidentally pulling on them. Just today, less than an hour ago, the bladder catheter was clamped so tightly that it simply tore off the fixation during storage and then pulled directly on the tail. Anyone who claims in such frequent moments that it didn't pull there at all should put in a bladder catheter and pull gently on it. Then we'll talk more.

Now there are a number of reasons why you don't do that, the fixation. I was allowed to discuss this long and hard with my nursing service until in the end I pulled the patient joker. According to the motto, it's my body, I want the fixation. My health insurance, which I pay, pays your salary. Apart from the several thousand euros of my own contribution, which I pay directly, and the many thousands of euros of your boss's bill, which I even used to pay you twice.

But one Monday (by the way, I publish my contributions +/- 3 months in order to exclude conclusions about who was on duty) I heard for the first time that the fixation attacks and destroys the tube of the PEG. Which is already visible in mine. I don't see that and it's a mystery to me why the adhesive of the bandage should only attack the tube when it's laid on the fly, ... but hey, am I the expert? Okay, my Bavarian A-levels with an advanced course in chemistry are impressive, but adhesives were not my main focus. Back then, I was more interested in topics like ecological waste recycling. I'd have to look up my old documents, some of the presentations are sadly more relevant today - 25 years later - than ever before.

I'm rambling deliciously again. Anyway, I let myself be persuaded to give it another try.

If I had bet on what would happen, I could have made a lot of money. Of course, everyone, and I mean everyone, pulled the PEG hose. Most of the times it's not bad, but I'm always afraid of such things. On this subject, too, I have found that those who most often shake their heads at their own colleagues are no better. It's not entirely clear to me how you manage to keep pulling on the tube even during bolus administration.

And so it took less than 48 hours for a nurse to get stuck on the PEG tube and, as usual, not be able to connect my pain-filled facial expression with it. By the time I had managed to type "PEG tube", there were already crazy ideas about where I supposedly had pain. And the puncture site of my PEG was bleeding. Great. Just six weeks later, we finally have peace from pain, bleeding and festering infectious wounds on the PEG.

Care comment - Quote - "Oops! Did you pull the PEG again?"

Any more questions, Kienzle?

After six days, the wound has still not healed. Despite daily dressing changes and Lavanid application, new purulent exudate comes every day. That suggests an infection. If it's not much better tomorrow, I'll have to call my doctor again. It's getting quite embarrassing...