Tracheostomy

kimmygarland said:

Permanent?
My husband had surgery in early March and still has his trach. He is going through chemo and radiation and they tell us it should be able to be removed once radiation swelling subsides and he can go a certain amount of time with it capped.

dennis318 said:

I can feel what your going threw...Every Breath!
I too had the tumor on my voice box...I was trached twice the first time was after surgery, I was really surprised, I had some many complications, screwed up surgery from one quack...and, one week later found a Stage 4 on my voice box as yourself, I went threw rads and chemo and nearly died, no peg, lost my weight, and they overrated me, to no good cells, as I then begin to rot, sounds horrible, but I was not getting better, My esaphogus collapsed, and they nearly lost me, I a woke again trached, this nearly took me out to deal with this tube, gagging and couhging. it fell out all the time, people looked like, well lets face it...Being an active male and and a gym rat...it changed my out look on life, Yes I am angry still, I work a few days, take life slowly, no running, no heaving lifting, the heat kills me to breath, The Doctors would love to trach me again, I will fight with all I have to resist this mechanically device, and live like I use to, I have a rough voice, and will never sing again, I wish I could tell you it's going to be better..i gave up a lot to fight the tube and its difficult sometimes..please feel free to contact me. your getting there, I would like to know why our wind pipes can't be stretched..Doctors would love to add more, but do nothing that broke along the way....Take Care...Dennis in TN

George_Baltimore said:

trach
Saw my surgical ENT last week. I told him we may as well make my "temporary" trach permanent. Mine is a result of a surgery to remove half my mandible last June rather than my BOT back in 2004. This is just another "gift" of the radiation treatment. Last June before I was discharged from the hospital, they removed my first trach. That lasted about two and a half months. When the stoma was almost closed, I started having problems breathing. They had to put the trach back in while I was awake. That was an experience I NEVER want to repeat. Anyhow, on Wednesday, they are going to fit me with a Montgomery trach. I will be very glad to get all this stuff off my neck finally.

patricke said:

TRACH
Hey bjw, I have had a trach since last June when a tumor at the entrance of my trachea was removed, along with my larnyx. Thank you very much radiation treatment, the gift that just keeps on giving. I'm still in the process of accepting this last kick in the solar plexis which has, thus far, left me speechless, and no longer able to persue surfing and scuba diving which were my passions. However, this too shall pass, and I will find other outlets, but it is a lot to handle. I guess everyone is affected differently, although never positively, when one has to have a trachestomy, yet it sure beats the alternative. Best of luck with your adjustment.

PATRICK

George_Baltimore said:

Montgomery trach
Hi Briget, I did a little search on the net for the Montgomery. It's supposed to be made of a softer silicone material. It sits more flush with your skin and you don't need all the ties and stuff around your neck to hold it in place. I don't need oxygen. My oxygen saturation is always between 98% and 100% so that is not a problem. My trach is a disposable 4. I change the inner cannula once a day. I have to clean it out very, very often due to mucous. Luckily, after 44 years of smoking, I still have a very strong cough and do not need to be suctioned. It's aggravating though to get the inner piece all cleaned out and end up having to take it back out a couple minutes later because the mucous has built up again. Some days I can get some words out and others no matter how hard I try, I can't. It's a result of the surgery I had on my jawbone last June. Eventually, I hope it will get better. Have to wait and see.

fisrpotpe said:

lifer
i have had my trach now for almost 4 years do to radiation damage. prior to that i did not know i had oxygen problem, when i got it i could feel right away the relief of more air to lungs. there is good and their is bad too it. i really like the good.

john