Tracheotomy Tales

Yes having a trach is life changing. I am glad for the ones that it is not a perminent one, as mine and many others here. For me having the laryngectomy was life saving, as well as life changing, i'm glad to have been given a second chance on life. 

Bill  10/2013

Estelle_H said:

I like that "second chance"

I like that "second chance" feeling. 

Do permanent trachies get less uncomfortable as time goes on?

Permanent trach is a little differant then a temp one. We are total nech breather's and have no voice box. No air goes through your nose or mouth. The nose is just a orniment, or in my case, keeps my glasses on. We had to learn how to eat, swallow, and communinate all over again. Some have no vioce due to radation, others use an EL [electronic larynix] and have a bit of robot sound. Then there are the ones with a TEP, [prosthises] and they sound more normal just a little horse sounding.

Mine is not unconfortable, you just have to get used to putting your hand over your throat in stead of your mounth when you cough. A sneese it differant and takes time to get used to. Never new how much your noise really did for you until it's gone.  Most everyone that have the laryngectomy had no choice. I had it or they would not do the surgery because of my lungs. You get used to the "New You" and that second chance.

Bill

Estelle_H said:

How is your swallowing?

How is your swallowing?

I have very little  problems with swallowing. I have to drink liquids slow or I asperate because of my TEP leaks around the outside and then I cough extreamely hard, which makes me loose what is in my stomach. The doctors are working on the leaking but have not got it fixed as of yet. However with all that I can eat anything I want to, it just takes a little longer to eat then most people.

I also have acid reflex, GURD. hitanal hernia, stage 3 emphysema, Alpha 1 antitrypsin dificency, chronic bronchitis, osteoposis, and bone spurs in my neck that pinch nerevs and also are hitting the back of my esophagus and effect my swallowing. I had all of this before the cancer, and now I am cancer free for 10 months and doing great.

Thanks, Bill In California 10/2013

lornal said:

tracheotomy

I had one before I had the total laryngectomy.  WORST 10 DAYS OF MY LIFE!  I managed to stay home 1.5 days before going to ER by ambulance - it clogged.  Then back that same night - and stayed until my next surgery.

The permanent trachestoma - although I'd rather NOT have it - is so much better.  I need to wear a tube 24/7, else it starts to shrink.  That is my biggest issue.  No pain, mucus under control.   I also can eat.  I couldn't eat before, but they used part of the forearm flap to reconstruct part of my esophagus.  Now I can eat anything.

Sorry that your healing took soo long.  My stoma took the longest because of prior radiation in 2007.  I ended going back in the hospital for cellulitus at the stoma site.  Fortunately is was NOT MRSA.

Lorna

2007 & 2014

 

Something I always wondered about getting a tracheotomy done, can you talk through. I can talk some but continue to have spasms then it take my voice away until the spasm is over then it leaves my tongue numb and makes talking really hard and harder to understand. I was wondering if a tracheotomy would help me to speak better and longer.

Tim Hondo     

wmc said:

My Swallowing is good.

I have very little  problems with swallowing. I have to drink liquids slow or I asperate because of my TEP leaks around the outside and then I cough extreamely hard, which makes me loose what is in my stomach. The doctors are working on the leaking but have not got it fixed as of yet. However with all that I can eat anything I want to, it just takes a little longer to eat then most people.

I also have acid reflex, GURD. hitanal hernia, stage 3 emphysema, Alpha 1 antitrypsin dificency, chronic bronchitis, osteoposis, and bone spurs in my neck that pinch nerevs and also are hitting the back of my esophagus and effect my swallowing. I had all of this before the cancer, and now I am cancer free for 10 months and doing great.

Thanks, Bill In California 10/2013

Hey Bill,

Back in the day when I had a TEP that leaked all the time, my SLP tried an extra-ordinary TEP that had what was the equivalent of washers on both sides of the prosthesis.  That prosthesis worked pretty well for a short time, until my fistula just kept getting bigger and bigger, until TEPs were no longer an option, and the fistula had to be patched.  I'm an EL kinda guy now.  You might want to talk with your SLP about whether or not a prosthesis like I described might help in your situation.  You might also want to put a call out on Webwhispers to find out if there are other larys with suggestions about possible solutions for your leaky prosthesis.  

PATRICK