Malnutrition and dehydration are a dangerous combo and can require hospitalization. Every single day the patient needs a minimum of 2500 calories and 48 oz of water. If they throw up, that needs to be put back in so then its even more.

I cant stress how important it is to have proper nutrition and hydration. I ended up feeling so bad I actually was convinced I was dying. Turns out it was dehydration and malnutrition.

If a pump didnt come with the feeding supplies call and ask the doc for a prescription for one. This way you can set it up and the pump can run overnight making it much easier to take in enough. Is your husband able to drink at all? If so push him to drink water right away.

The most common reasons a person isnt tolerating the liquid formlua are as follows in no particular order...
1. speed Its being given too fast. Slow it down! Ask for a pump to keep it going slowing into his stomach. The gravity and push methods can be too much for some patients to handle.
2. thickness The consistency is too heavy and just sits there making his stomach ache. Water down the formula. For a 10-16 oz can, add about 3/4 of the can of water to the formula.
3. sit up The patient needs to be sitting still while being fed. If its with the pump, the patient must sleep propped up on pillows, ideally the head of the bed should be raised several inches. After a feeding the patient should sit still for at least 40 minutes.
4. formula If the above items dont cure the nausea, then it could be he isnt tolerating the formula. There are hundreds of different kinds out there. A dietitian can help find the right one for him. Sometimes they will have samples to send home to try so you dont have to keep buying ones that wont work.

Please call the doctor (they always have someone on call to take calls like this) if your husband isnt taking in enough. This can quickly turn into an emergency situation. Dont rule out a trip to the ER if he is in bad shape. Confusion can be a very bad sign! Its always best to err on the side of caution and get checked out.