Charm,

LOL. Could you imagine if they shut down the cafeterias and have Ensure vending machines? Someone would be jumping on the bandwagon patenting recipes and the like for tube patients! The medical profession is always touting proper nutrition, why not proper nutrition for people that can not eat orally, temporary or permanent?

I still don't understand why there is so much indifference from the medical sector in regards to feeding tubes. A patient finds out they need one, have it placed....bye, you're on your own.

Using "prescribed only" formula is a cash cow...and many institutions still use the smaller tubes. Making it impossible to get pureed food down without clogging. If they went with larger tubes, ie 18fr, for adults, pureed foods would be practical. Shands-Jax standard size is 18FR, they realize the problems with smaller sizes and understand patients may want to use other foods besides the formulas. That's the sense I get from the Drs. anyway.

Linda