Category: Newsletter

ENFit* transitions are underway and we want to help you feel as comfortable as possible throughout the process. As new information becomes available, we’ll provide updates via our monthly newsletter, sometimes featuring real questions asked by you! Today, we’re featuring a question from our Facebook page.

Q: Will current catheter tip extensions still be manufactured if ENFit*gets passed or will there be no choice?

A: Halyard Health will continue to offer both our current line of extension set products (to include the catheter tip version), as well as—and beginning as soon as February 2016—an ENFit* capable version of our MIC-KEY* Extension Set codes. You will have a choice, but please work directly with your Home Health/DME provider to ensure that you get the product version that you want and/or need.

Do you have a question about ENFit*? Post it on our Facebook page and we’ll do our best to answer it!

Want more info on ENFit*? Please check out past articles on the topic:

What you should know about ENFit Connectors

ENFit* Tips on Feeding/Giving Sets!

A tube obstruction or blockage is the inability to flush your feeding tube and/or administer liquid nutrition or medication. At one time or another, you might find yourself dealing with a blocked feeding tube. If this does happen, then follow these tips to unclog your feeding tube. Then, read up on how you can prevent future clogs.

Steps to Address Feeding Tube Obstructions as provided by The Oley Foundation:

1. Make sure the clamp on the extension set tubing is open.
2. Try to flush the tube with a syringe filled with warm water. Pull the plunger back on syringe. Try flushing again with warm water.
3. If flushing doesn’t work, call your doctor to discuss alternative options.

As with any other feeding tube-related issue, it is always ideal to avoid the situation. Here are some tips for preventing tube blockage:

• Administer medications properly.
• Flush the tube according to your doctor’s orders.
• Thoroughly blend all foods and powdered formulas before administering through the tube, as liquids that are too thick may cause blockage.
• Do not mix medications and formula together.

Have you ever dealt with a clogged feeding tube before? If you have advice for others on avoiding this issue, then please share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

Yet again, it’s that time of the year—cold and flu season. While we would all prefer to banish this annual event for good, it’s unfortunately a fact of life. That said, there are things that you and your loved ones can do to kick your cold or—ideally—prevent yourself from getting sick altogether. To help, we’ve put together a short list of our favorite resources.

Whether you find yourself with the sniffles or the full-blown flu, these links should come in handy:

1. Halyard Health’s Tips for Managing Cold and Flu for Feeding Tube Users
2. Mayo Clinic’s Guide to Prevention the Common Cold
3. The proper way to wash your hands
4. Administering Medications and MIC-KEY* Feeding Tubes
5. Tubie Reading List (to keep you occupied if you’re cooped up inside)
6. How to stay hydrated when you have a feeding tube

What makes you feel better when you are sick?   Share with us on Facebook!

When a parent is told that his or her child needs a feeding tube, it can be a very scary and overwhelming time for the entire family. That’s why two moms created Tubie Friends™, a non-profit organization focused on making the process a little less frightening.

What is a Tubie Friend™? Simply put, it’s a stuffed animal with a feeding tube and sometimes other medical equipment. They come in all varieties—from traditional bears to monkeys—and are outfitted with the type of medical device you or your loved one has. Tubie Friends™ are a friend, a comfort, a play therapy item, and a demonstration tool.  They can help families practice with tube feeding, as well as demonstrating to others without exposing their own bodies to share.

As much as possible, Tubie Friends™ tries to duplicate the child’s medical interventions in the animal by placing a similar feeding tube, as well as additional medical interventions such as central IV lines, tracheostomy tubes or oxygen cannulas if available. Additionally, each animal comes with a parent letter providing information and listing support groups for feeding tubes.

Tubie Friends™ were initially intended for individuals developmentally under the age of 18 with medical devices on their bodies. Those who match this description can request a Tubie Friend™, which are provided by donation.  Tubie Friends™ does have a suggested donation which are for shipping/handling, if a family is able to contribute in such a way.

As they’ve grown, the organization has come to realize that many others, such as adults, schools, siblings, caregivers and doctors, find value in Tubie Friends™.  To meet this need, they have started a fundraising option that allows anyone to own a Tubie Friend™! To learn about the different ways to purchase a Tubie Friend™, click here or send a message through email or Facebook!

Tubie Friends™ is administered by two individuals with close connections to the feeding tube community. The founder and director’s child, the inspiration for Tubie Friends™, has been tube fed for more than 8 years. Tubie Friends™ Surgeons are volunteers with a connection to tube feeding who donate their time and resources to lovingly create and ship Tubie Friends™ all over the world.

Please be advised, many of those working to keep the organization running are dealing with their own medically-complex loved ones. For this reason, delivery may be unpredictable as their hard-working team receives many requests. Typically, requests are fulfilled within 3 to 6 weeks. That said, we know it’ll be worth the wait!

Want to show your support? Consider a monetary donation, supply donation or order a Tubie Friends™ t-shirts . The proceeds go directly to helping children receive their own Tubie Friend™. Tubie Friends™ is part of a nonprofit 501(c)(3) group called the Holiday Treasure Chest Charity Foundation and donation receipts are available for tax purposes.

Do you have a Tubie Friend™? Share with us on our Facebook page!

Even though the hot summer days are long gone, staying hydrated is still important. Water is essential for life, no matter the season.

While many of us make the connection between tube feeding and nutrition, feeding tubes are also vital in keeping those who need them, properly hydrated. Just as your health care provider reviews a feeding schedule with you and your loved ones, he/she should also discuss water intake. (Please note that the below information regarding water is just a suggestion and actual volumes and administration times should be discussed with your healthcare provider.)

Flushing your tube with water at key moments throughout your day is one of the easiest ways to contribute to your daily required water intake. You are essentially killing two birds with one stone—cleaning your feeding tube while providing hydration. Here are some common times flushing with water is required:

• Before feeding
• After feeding
• Before medications
• Between medications (if administering multiple)
• After medications

If you are on continuous feeds, it is typical to pump one bag of water through your tube in between bags of formula.

In addition to these hydration opportunities, your physician and/or dietician should review other times to give water and how much to give if flushing alone will not meet your minimum daily requirements.

While keeping to a schedule is key to preventing dehydration, it’s bound to happen from time-to-time. According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, you may be dehydrated if…

1. You feel thirsty
2. Urine is dark yellow in color
3. You are passing urine less than twice a day

Similar to taking medications, we recommend keeping track of water administration through journaling.

How do you make sure you get enough water? Please share on our Facebook page!

An emergency situation is something no one wants to think about. That said, if you find yourself faced with one of these issues, you can save yourself some stress with a little planning and preparation.

If you have to make a quick get-away, have these things packed up and ready to go, so you can get out of the door at a moment’s notice:

• Extra device if using a MIC-KEY* G tube
• Change of clothes
• Various syringes
• Extension set
• Medication (one-day supply)
• A can or two of formula
• Feeding bag, if using a pump
• List of basic instructions, feeding and medication schedule and emergency contact information
• Cleaning supplies like gauze, cotton-tipped applicators and wet wipes
• Medical tape
• Water: distilled or sterile for the balloon and drinking water for hydration and flushing
• Important personal care items, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.

Lastly, leave a note on top of the bag with any reminders or additional things you will need to grab before heading out, like a feeding pump or refrigerated items. Don’t forget to review the plan of action with your family!

Have you prepared yourself and your family for emergency situations? We hope you’ll share your plan on our Facebook page.

*Registered Trademark or Trademark of Halyard Health, Inc. or its affiliates.  ©2015 HYH.  All rights reserved.

The New Year is a time of renewed focus and ambition for many.

If you haven’t set a resolution this year, here are a few ideas for those in the tube-feeding community:

• Making time for self-care—important for both feeding tube consumers and caregivers!
• Creating an organization system for feeding tube and medical supplies that is maintainable.
• Transitioning from canned formula to home-blended meals, provided your doctor approves.
• Having the confidence to get out and about more with your feeding tube—from dining out to traveling.

Whether you chose one of these goals or have another in mind, here are our top 5 tips for accomplishing your resolution:

1. Choose one. While you may have a long list of things you want to achieve this year, pick the one you feel is most important and focus on it.
2. Write it down. Whether a journal or a digital document, put your goal in writing to make it more tangible.
3. Create a plan with action commitments. Now that you’ve written down your goal, think of how you will achieve it and write that down, too. Be sure to highlight milestones throughout your plan that require specific actions. For example, if your goal is to make time for self-care, milestones may range from taking 20 minutes each day to read your favorite book to scheduling a monthly night out with your best friends or significant other.
4. Find an accountability partner. Support from others plays a vital role in keeping us focused and motivated on achieving our goal. Find someone with whom you can share your resolution and can help cheer you on along the way.
5. Reward Yourself. While the feeling of accomplishment is a reward in and of itself, treating yourself with small rewards along the way can help with motivation. For example, if your goal is to make more food at home, perhaps you can treat yourself to a new blender or recipe book, once you have reached a certain milestone. You deserve it!

Whether you started 2016 with a resolution in mind or are considering making one, we hope these ideas will set you up for success.

Have you established a 2016 goal? We’d love to hear them on our Facebook page!