Diane, don't sweat it -- Aside from the occasional tug on the sutures, I was really unaware of the NG tube -- The trach was a different problem because it would continue to clog with fluids -- Ask the nurses early on to show you how to use the suction device (and to not hesitate to ask that they clean it because it too will get clogged as junk dries out in it).

After I had my surgical drains removed and could get out of bed, I would clean the suction tube myself, partly to keep it working well and partly to have something to do.

Tell the nurses up front that you might be a bad patient because you have a lot of anxieties, so you would appreciate any suggestions they might have -- Do that for all three nursing shifts, plus when new ones show up.