Re: HELP HAD EMERGENCY TRACH 4 WEEKS AGO

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Re: HELP HAD EMERGENCY TRACH 4 WEEKS AGO

Posted by Carolyn on July 16, 2001 at 15:18:53:
In Reply to: HELP HAD EMERGENCY TRACH 4 WEEKS AGO posted by LISA on July 16, 2001 at 11:59:59:
Lisa,
I think you will find in the long run that the trach has saved your life. At first it seems like it takes a great deal of care and the coughing is more than you think you can handle. It takes patience and it takes your accepting it is saving your life. If you don't think you have much to live for think again. First and foremost if you didn't want to learn to live with the trach you would not have posted on the forum.
Coughing and suctioning is what happens in the beginning. If you lay flat to sleep try raising your head more. The secretions will subside but no one can tell you when. I coughed my head off 24/7 for 6 months. Suctioning for me was done mostly in the hospital-4 weeks ICU, 2 immediate care. Once I got home I preferred to cough and not suction. The secretions will diminish over time. Find out how long your tube is then before you suction measure that amount plus a little more. That will get what is around the end of the tube but not make your breathless.
As to the size 10 trach tube that was what I had in the hospital. I could not talk around it either. I spent a little over 4 weeks like that. Then was sized down to a size 6, which is what I still have. The larger size is helping you get the oxygen your body has been so deprived of for so long. Two things should happen over the next several months. One you will start to feel better. You will get more energy, which should help you, move around more. While you might not ever get rid of the trach tube all together you probably can get rid of the size 10 by loosing weight. Your ENT also might be letting your stoma, and body heal, and then he/she might try another type of tube that will let you talk.
My trach saved my life. Doctors had written me off that I would not get out of the hospital. I have all the problems that go along with years of undiagnosed OSA and it has shortened my life. When I was released from the hospital they thought I would never make a year that was 4 years ago. I certainly am not ready to give up.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me either on the forum or privately.
Best wishes,
Carolyn

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