The trach

Ten years ago today, Mike and I sat in surgery waiting area praying for a miracle.  Evan's ENT was hoping to repair Evan's airway without putting in a trach.  He had been on and off the vent for 6 weeks, unable to maintain a stable airway without it.  We knew that a trach was a possibility but we had prayed that the procedure she told us about would work.  When the ENT came out of the OR about 10 minutes after she went in, we knew the news wasn't good.  She would have to do a tracheotomy. I think I experienced every emotion that I possibly could that day.  I couldn't imagine anything worse happening to me and my baby.

Now, 10 years later, I can't imagine what life would of been like if Evan didn't get the trach.  Yes, it was a long, difficult and scary 2 1/2 years before it came out, but along the way I met so many extraordinary people. The nurses that were sent to my home to care for my son, women who were also caring for a child with a trach (some of which would become lifelong friends), exceptional physicians and therapists who truly cared about my child. As a result of our journey, I've been able to help other moms who are facing the same thing we faced 10 years ago and perhaps calm their fears about taking home a baby with a trach.  Evan's story inspires and encourages them. 

Three long weeks

So, I had my septoplasty on January 21st.  I was very pretty afterwards, wasn't I? The first couple days were bad.  I couldn't breathe thru my nose nor could I lie down.  Mike took me to the doctor's on Monday (surgery was Friday) to get the splints removed.  He told me all along I'd feel much better once they were out.  In my head, I thought the splints were little tiny plastic tubes.  When he pulled them out of my nose (one on either side) I almost died.  I had no idea they were so big.  No wonder I was miserable!  Unfortunately, a few days before my surgery, my herniated disks in my neck flared up and I was and have been in terrible pain.  Usually, I only have neck pain and stiffness for a few days or so.  The pain this time has radiated down into my shoulder and arm.  I was in tears the first week so the recovery from my surgery was made worse by my neck.  I wanted to curl up and die! I'm on my 2nd round of steroids and start physical therapy tomorrow, so I'm hoping that the traction that has helped in the past will help this time and that I don't have to go the next step and that is get injections into my neck by an anesthesiologist. These past three weeks have given me a new appreciation for people that are in chronic pain.  It really takes its toll on you.