Hey Sarge,

Great advice coming your way from the OCF team. ChristineB and the others are right about getting your weight up now in preparation...and then working back up to those intake levels as soon as you can post-surgery. Plan to have someone with you. My wife and I had a small white board and marker so that I could write her notes and she could explain things to the nurses. The feeding tube sounds worse than it is. A blow to your good looks, but you'll be okay with it. Keep in mind that the trachea tube is only temporary. No fun, but you'll only have it for a limited time. Just as soon as you are fully adjusted to life with it then they will probably start talking about removing it. To keep this time to a minimum, listen to the nurses and get your mobility up as soon as you are allowed. Walking (I pushed my beeping medicine pump all over the hospital) is a great way to help bring the inflammation down and speed up the healing process. Funny, but I received a lot of "thumbs ups" from people in the hospital (as I walked about) because they knew what I was going through and were very encouraging.

Our prayers are with you. Godspeed.

--Bill & Shannon