transtracheal ordeal

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

Just need to talk. You know on Dec. 5th I had the transtracheall oxygen surgery, main purpose was to get oxygen directly into my lungs and lower the need for such a high flow. Sounded good to me and to not have hose in my nose iswonderful. Well, one week later, I developed an infection, doctor said it was from my body wanting to reject a foreigh object. Gave me Cepro and I took it faithfully. 10 days later, my neck is redder than red and blood coming out of the site and coughing uncontrollablly, mostly blood. Dr. then gave me Levaquin. I took it faithfully and it helped but as soon as I ran out of it...it came again. Gave me more...it worked for a short period....infection and bloody stuff is worse and oxygen flow is now on 15L in order to achieve an 86 sat level. Well....this is the verdict. I am one of so many million who cannot tolerate this trach. Doctor says it was not meant for such a high volume of air and because my trach is now receiving so much oxygen, it becomes infected , bleeds etc. Just like your nose will bleed because of the high flow in your nose. Same kind of tissue. So, the answer......take out the catheter and sew it up...go back to full high flow face mask...or.....use two at a time. 5L in nose and 5L on trach. How we do that is a question to me. But I guess it is possible. Final option....have a full blow tracheotomy. So......there it is. I feel really defeated. I tried so hard. What I am doing starting this morning is this...I have lowered the oxygen level on the tanks and am sitting completely still, not talking etc. Going to see if I can keep my sats at 80 while on lower Oxygen level until infection clears. Then I will decide. I go forward only to get knocked back again. I looked at my picture 14 months ago and dont even recognize me. I look at my picture now and I see an old, sick lady which something stuck in her neck. While I was in a coma, the morphine took the color our of my hair and I can handle that, but it is hard to see what happened to ME. I am inside this sick body somewhere. Just have lost her for a while. I am posting the picture of me now..but it is just a sick old lady. Look at my earlier picture before all of this...that is who I really am.

Thanks for listning. I needed to talk. Now to sit and do nothing.

L

Kathis....you are still coming...right?