Mobile feeding, and a cartography conference
So just over two weeks ago I was reminded of a cartography conference that I had wanted to attend. It’s held in a different location each year and, though I’d heard good things about it, I’d never managed to attend before. I’m not a cartographer, of course, but I’d heard it was particularly welcoming to those working in neighboring fields and those who are simply interested in mapmaking. Since I am working on maps, I’d hoped at some point to attend and learn everything I could.
This year was to be a particularly simple year for me to attend, as the conference is right next door (3½ hours away) in Montréal.
But then I got cancer.
And a feeding tube.
Anyway, I was mulling this over at about 4:00 a.m. (I wasn’t sleeping so well that night), and I realized that I could actually do this. By taking a room in the conference hotel, I could prep my feeding bag with a day’s worth of food and just use the elevator to get down to the conference. These being more understanding times, I’d be able to sit on an aisle and have the pump going while attending each session. Not great, but very do-able.
A couple of nights later, it occurred to me that there was a simpler answer: I could rig up the feeding bag and the pump in a backpack of sufficient height (there needs to be a certain elevation between the formula and the pump), and well, Bob’s your uncle! No pole, no aisle seat.... I set to work the next morning trying to rig such a thing up.
And it worked great. So well, that I began using it at home — which changed everything: I was suddenly almost completely mobile! I was able to start feeding at about 8:00 and finish at about 4:00, and drive myself to radiation therapy mid-day without having to stop! I ran errands, too. And it was so much quieter, that I began using it at night as well — instead of the pole — just so it would be quieter and I could sleep better. Woo-hoo!
I knew Montréal would be fine.
And now I’m here in Montréal, staying at a really nice Airbnb a fifteen-minute walk from the hotel for half the price of a hotel room, typing up this post.
And tomorrow I will go to the conference without my backpack. I’ve been able to put on so much weight over the last couple of weeks that I really don’t need to feed every day now. It’s here with me, because I’ll still feed at night. And I’ll eat real-people food (slowly, in small quantities) during the day, just like real people.
I’m incredibly happy. And grateful.
— Ð
Comments (11)
"He proved that, though the bodily strength decays, the vigour of good men's souls is ageless." - Xenophon, Agesilaus (E. C. Marchant, G. W. Bowersock, tr. Constitution of the Athenians., Ed.) Also, "Necessity is the mother of invention". :-) In any event, have a grand time! Talk to many strangers and learn many things. Most of all, just have some damn fun.
I know you will poo poo this - but YOU are one amazing man. I am so glad your are sharing your experiences here. It is inspirational for me. Thank you.
"Little" medical device improvements like the one you just prototyped actually, as you already observed, have huge effects on quality of life. But even you didn't think of it or attempt to design it until you had a sufficiently difficult scenario coming up to motivat you to make the effort. Having designed it and removed the friction to using it, though, you quickly discovered all the smaller motivators for using it. I think your LLC might have just found another mission.
All great news- your "invention ", your state of mind, and the convention! Next up- more recorder in your life!
Erik, you are an inspiration. I'm so glad to read that you're improving, and feeling up to attending the conference. And I'm inspired by your resilience, optimism, and determination. I will be holding you and your family in the Light (to quote from my Quaker heritage) as you continue this journey.
Erik! You genius! My hat is off to you. No really, that's just bed-head.
Wow. Bravo!
Wow! You guys are great — and when my current project is done, I’ll probably look into designing and marketing such a pack — if it doesn’t already exist. I’ve been *really* tired each day when I get back to the Airbnb, but the conference is excellent — as welcoming to not-strictly-cartographers as I’d heard — and with lots of good information coming my way. (And encouragement to give a presentation on my *big* project (which I don’t post about on-line, sorry) at a future NACIS conference.) Thanks to *you* all for your encouragement and support, too. It’s been just what I’ve most needed when I’ve crawled back “home” each night!
Erik, I'm so glad Karen posted the info about this site on FB. Reading your journal shows your progress so far--how exciting that you made it to the conference and that you don't need the bag & tube hooked up all day! I hope all has continued to progress and that the conference was helpful. I look forward to reading your chapter when the book comes out and am delighted to discover your website. The maps were what made me fall in love with Tolkien's work when I first ran across it in my teens; they've inspired a lifelong love of maps, Tolkien, legends of the north, research, and much more. Wishing you the best with your dual journeys.
Wow Erik--I second Sally--that IS genius. I am unaware of such a setup for ambulatory tube feeding--this could be the next "really big thing"! Thrilled for how this has worked out so well!
This post is now visible on my own blog at https://erikmh.org/post/2017/mobile-feeding-and-cartography-conference/