April 26, 200917 yr This Tuesday will be a very important turning point for me...at least, I hope it will. I've already told some of you about this, and posted it on Facebook, but I honestly believe that prayers are answered, and you all have an excellent track record reaching "The Big Guy." So, I'm going to once again, shamelessly request your prayers for Tuesday, and the days ahead. Here's the story -- with apologies to those who've read this already. As some of you know, I had a tracheostomy performed on me in April of 2000. Since then, I've breathed through a tracheostomy tube drilled through my neck. I have had to hook it to a ventilator machine (life support, basically) to sleep at night. Over the past several months, I've been blessed to lose quite a bit of weight. This has made my ability to breathe 1,000% better. In fact, I took myself off of using the ventilator, back on March 14. It's been over six weeks, and I'm sleeping well. Although I have had some symptoms that worry me a little, but the jury's still out on whether they're significant or not. Well, I went to the throat doctor last week, and he was really impressed with how my health was doing. We talked it over, and he agreed to begin the process of removing my trach permanently. It will be sort of a step-down process that will include sleep studies and evaluations. But if all goes well, this process could happen pretty fast. Tuesday afternoon, he'll put in a smaller, plastic trach that has no inflatable cuff on the end of it. The cuff is blown up inside the throat while you're on the vent at night. But during the day, it makes the airway smaller and the trach harder to breathe around. It also has a long tube (outside) with a little pilot balloon on it that hangs down inside my shirt. That thing drives me nuts all the time, and has a habit of breaking -- requiring surgical replacement. My doctor first suggested this as being possible back in January, but at that time, we were shooting for (maybe) next March. First of all, the suggestion of EVER removing the trach blew me away, and now the fact that it could (start to) happen in just a few days has my head in a spin! After this new one is put in, I'll use it for a short time, while capping it off occasionally, just to see how I do. If that goes well, one more (even smaller) trach will be put in. Then a full blown sleep study will determine if I get it out for good. I may need some throat surgery (tonsils and such) before the process is over, but that's a small price to be rid of this monstrosity. This trach (with God's help) saved my life. But it's a constant aggravation, a burden for travel, and the possibility of it becoming clogged up is a constant danger. Then there's the outpatient surgery, needed every five months, to have it replaced. All in all...loads of laughs! Well, God sure has a way of pulling wonderful little surprises. For the past nine years, I never expected this would ever happen. And now, there's a chance. And that's why I'm requesting your prayers. I know they will work. :thumb:
April 26, 200917 yr BF, you are a true inspiration. I will pray hard for your continued progress my friend. Please keep us updated on how things go. God bless you.
April 26, 200917 yr Sending up prayers!!! Keep us posted and please let me know if there is anything I can do. I am just around the corner from you!
April 26, 200917 yr Author Sending up prayers!!! Keep us posted and please let me know if there is anything I can do. I am just around the corner from you!Could I sleep on your couch until somebody comes to claim me? Thanks all. Your words mean more than you know.
April 27, 200917 yr I will be thinking of you often and I will be sending lots of prayers and angels just for you BF. God bless you my friend.
April 27, 200917 yr Could I sleep on your couch until somebody comes to claim me? Thanks all. Your words mean more than you know. How soon do you think it will be before you can give us an up-date??? After the procedure I mean?
April 27, 200917 yr Author How soon do you think it will be before you can give us an up-date??? After the procedure I mean?This part will be an office procedure, so I'll try to text RM or someone to give the latest, as soon as I get out of the office. That's provided nothing weird happens, or he decides to admit me right from the office. But I think that's extremely unlikely. If you see white smoke, it means it was a success. If you see black smoke...it means the chair blew up on the way home. You guys are the best!
April 27, 200917 yr No better friend could I ever ask for. I know how difficult this has been for you and how long you have wished for this day to come. MrRk and I have already started praying for "Tuesday" to be the best day ever!!!!!!! If you need anything you know where I am.
April 27, 200917 yr Congrats on the weight loss Birdsfan, and you know that I'll be praying for you. :thumb::thumb: I know what this means to you.
April 27, 200917 yr BF, you are a true inspiration. I will pray hard for your continued progress my friend. Please keep us updated on how things go. God bless you. Great post, and I feel the exact same way. Prayers for you BF.
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