[Ruth Cuadra]

Amy,

Patients can be fed through a Hickman during a transplant when they can't eat normally. It's called TPN, for total parenteral nutrition, and it supplies everything needed nutritionally: calories, protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals, and fluid. I had it during my transplant since I couldn't eat for weeks.

TPN can be given at home with proper training but I doubt her doctor would consider that a substitute for regular eating and using her digestive system. You could ask her doctor if it could be considered as a stop-gap measure to avoid re-hospitalization.

Regards,
Ruth