BRITTANY'S CECOSTOMY TUBE INFO
 The Cecostomy Tube, or C-Tube, is a wonderful innovation of this decade. It enables children who once, may have had to live thier whole lives in diapers, absolute freedom to do what they please. Swim, play, join sports, even horse back ride. Before this wonderful invention, many children missed out on what others would deem "normal" activities, because they had no, or little bowel control. Life was a little harder, or more embarrassing, because they would have accidents at inoppourtune times. Now, they don't have to worry about it.
It works very simply...a tube is inserted into the top of the cecum, or first part of the bowels. It is held in place because it springs itself into a tight little piggy tail inside. Depending on the child, he or she needs to be "flushed" once daily, every other day or every third day. Brittany is on a once a day schedule, after supper, and before bed. We simply open her "trapdoor", or hinged cap, to the tube, and using a flexibottle attached to a gravity line(very similar to an IV line), we run 65 ml of enema solution, and 65 ml of water through it. The water is only needed because we found that she cramped a lot with just the enema running through. She then sits on the potty for 15 minutes so the enema can do it's dirty deed! At that time, we have to run 350 ml of warm salt water through her, to flush the bowels clean. We are very pleased with the procedure and find it's working very well for her. She's only had a couple of tiny accidents, that may have been diet related. Diet is very important with a C-tube. Luckily, she has always been a healthy eater. She must eat plenty of fruits and veggies, and drink 8 glasses of water a day...we are working on the water part! 
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