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News that's not too bad
Sep. 6th, 2023 01:13 pmI had surgery on my throat last Friday, the thirteenth throat surgery in twenty-one months.
The total so far is two tracheostomies, three ICU stays, one emergency room visit and next-day surgery, and a shit-ton of very unpleasant weeks. I've learned to write notes with my right hand while I'm fully restrained (people who are intubated have a bad habit of trying to rip it out.) I've learned which food at Regions I prefer when I am admitted. I have developed an acquaintanceship with the surgical scheduler. I know how to suction out my trach, as well as replace it. I now know that Etsy has a LOT of medical gear available, made by people who decided they didn't want to look sick all the time. (Most of it is aimed at kids.)
The end of this stage of my body trying to kill me is in sight.
Now starts the process of going in every month, absolutely like clockwork, and checking to see whether and how much my throat is growing closed. Surgeries will be scheduled as-needed, rather than scheduled every six weeks. This last surgery they practiced intubating me normally, and it went absolutely smoothly. So, next month, we will discuss removing and closing the trach.
As my surgeon said, well, if he needs it he can always do it again.
So maybe, maybe, I might have "no tracheostomy" as a nice Halloween present. And if not in October, then some month thereafter.
The end of this phase is in sight.
The total so far is two tracheostomies, three ICU stays, one emergency room visit and next-day surgery, and a shit-ton of very unpleasant weeks. I've learned to write notes with my right hand while I'm fully restrained (people who are intubated have a bad habit of trying to rip it out.) I've learned which food at Regions I prefer when I am admitted. I have developed an acquaintanceship with the surgical scheduler. I know how to suction out my trach, as well as replace it. I now know that Etsy has a LOT of medical gear available, made by people who decided they didn't want to look sick all the time. (Most of it is aimed at kids.)
The end of this stage of my body trying to kill me is in sight.
Now starts the process of going in every month, absolutely like clockwork, and checking to see whether and how much my throat is growing closed. Surgeries will be scheduled as-needed, rather than scheduled every six weeks. This last surgery they practiced intubating me normally, and it went absolutely smoothly. So, next month, we will discuss removing and closing the trach.
As my surgeon said, well, if he needs it he can always do it again.
So maybe, maybe, I might have "no tracheostomy" as a nice Halloween present. And if not in October, then some month thereafter.
The end of this phase is in sight.