I just had another trach change on Tuesday. I have two identical trach tubes. Every 4 to 5 weeks one is removed and the other one is put in. Then I clean and sterilize the one that was removed, ready for use next time.
I have been having the trach changes done each time by a Respiratory Therapist (RT). Except when there is a problem and the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialist does it when he examines me, as in my previous post on having a microscope up my nose.
Ky was coming over for supper on Tuesday. I offered that if she came over early she could do my trach change. But she didn't come in time so I went down to the hospital and had the RT do it. Actually one time last year the ENT specialist got Elaine to do the trach change. He wanted her to have the feel for it in case there was an emergency with my trach being blocked. I was proud of how cool and calm she was.
I was experimenting with the web cam and made a little video showing the trach tube. The part of the tube that goes down my trachea is 9.5 cm long. It has a "cuff" at the lower end of the tube, shown as the light blue balloon part. At night I inflate the cuff and the trachea is sealed around the tube to only allow air through the tube. During the day I deflate the cuff and air can go up past my vocal cords and through my nose and mouth. All this is becoming quite routine to me since I have been doing this for over a year now.
2 comments:
Hi Uncle David. It's a real shame I didn't make it to your place in time, isn't it? But maybe it's best trained professionals performed the task.
Daddy, how did you get so cute?
Post a Comment