Yesterday was the big day - removal of the PEG feeding tube from my stomach.

Went to the Royal Hallamshire Endoscopy Suite for this to be done, or to give it the full name The Bert McGee Endoscopy Suite.  I knew Bert McGee, he was the former Chairman of Sheffield Wednesday and a fantastic man.  I had no idea he had done so much work with charitable trusts and it felt nice to be sat in a waiting room with a large oil painting of him looking down at us!

I was taken into a room with a few other patients by the nurse who explained to me the choice of procedures i had.  The first option was to cut the pegtube at my stomach and push the grommet holding it in place inside my stomach into the stomach and pass it naturally.  This is totally pain free but explained the nurse carries a 10% risk of creating a bowel infection.  With my impending holiday to Spain I thought 'Thats the last thing I need', so we opted for option 2...

'Basically I just pull it out' said the nurse, 'I wrap the tube around my hand, we count to 3, you take a deep breath and I pull very hard.  Most people say it feels like being kicked in the stomach'... She was absolutely right, and she tricked me by saying she would pull on the 3rd deep breath.  She gave it a sharp pull on my 1st deep breath and said 'Everybody falls for that one'

It took my breath away, but within 20 minutes I was back in my car and on my way home.

She had taped some gauze over the hole telling me that the stomach wound would heal within the hour and that my hole on the outside of the body within 24-48 hours. Incredible.

Im sat here the following day and I can assure you, the pain of removing the micropore holding the gauze in place is far greater than the pain of having the peg removed!! Its sticking to the hairs on my chest and I'm doing that thing that all kids do with plasters, taking it off millimetre by millimetre and saying 'Ow' every time!!

Ah well, if it takes all morning its not a problem...

Last post this one til I get back from Spain, I have never ever looked forward to a holiday so much in my life.  Really looking forward to seeing John, Jill and the kids and obviously Jon Paul and Vanessa.  And I'm really looking forward to chilling out by the pool and relaxing with my Tommy Cooper autobiography, visiting the Spanish lakes, doing some sightseeing in Ronda, extending my food choices.. and maybe having 1 or 3 beers too...

All the best

Nigel xx