TPN AND BACTERIAL TRANSLOCATION Lynn had four very difficult surgeries from 1997 to 1999. After the first two surgeries, doctors did not think Lynn was going to live because of how much bowel was removed and how many damaging cuts had been accidentally made in the remaining bowel. They were concerned because Lynn was receiving TPN and her heavily sutured bowel was exposing nutrient-rich blood to gut bacteria. Some doctors indicated that because of this, Lynn may have issues with “bacterial translocation,” which could lead to a higher risk of infections, such as central venous catheter infections, and TPNrelated liver disease. Lynn was given TPN from 1997 to 2003. In 1998, we had our first home TPN experience. Sadly, TPN was not a pleasant experience …show more content…
The home health nurse worked for a separate group from the TPN provider and came with her own supplies. The patient supplies were delivered by a different supplier and turned out to be different from what the nurse expected; the supplies that were provided were not always complete and it was difficult to get consistency. At the time, it was all very confusing and frustrating, verging on the overwhelming. The majority of the responsibility for coordinating future supplies fell on the patient and caregiver, which was very difficult because we were confused and ill-prepared to deal with the complexities involved. Once the home health nurse had connected Lynn to the TPN, she left and we were left to the confines of our home, but to Lynn, it did not feel like our home anymore—it felt like a hospital room, with hospital supplies and a refrigerator full of more hospital supplies. At one point, Lynn had a hospital IV pole and pump, which she had to wheel around her two-story home. Even when more portable pumps became available, it was very scary(can we use another word daunting or something) to leave