Tracheostomy: 1 Year Later

One year ago today Lydia received her tracheostomy.  The ENT surgeon created an airway in Lydia's throat.  We insert a new tube into that airway every Sunday.  We clean around it twice a day, everyday.  We suction it when she has too much mucus and phlegm.  We put caps on it to teach her to breath like you and I do.  

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd write that paragraph.  

Now I write it like it's just something every mom and dad does with their child.

Roll back a year to the week before Lydia's tracheostomy.  We were mortified.  We wanted to do everything in our power to keep this from happening.  We wanted every test redone, every lab drawn again, every doctor to convince us otherwise.  I remember it like it was yesterday when I was finally convinced.  It took 3 doctors to convince me, none of which were ENT specialists.  Dr. Vaughan, our favorite PICU intensivist.  Dr. Pastuszko, our heart surgeon.  Dr. Sandeep...I don't even know his last name, PICU resident that checked on Lydia daily, even on his days off.  

We were in the PICU room right between Breckyn and Jonah.  I knew we were there to stay awhile because we were with other kiddos that had long stays and didn't get moved a lot.  I should have seen that trach coming when we moved back there.  It meant time.  It didn't mean going home.  Whitney and Markey were our nurses because because they were Breckyn's primary nurses.  If you are in the PICU long enough you get to pick your favorites, sort of.  They were wonderful and just loved on Lydia so much.

Let's review.  Why the trach?

With a trach, Lydia is able to breath easier, lower her heart rate, pack on the pounds and try to feed orally sooner rather than later.  

Did it work?

Yes!  Lydia breaths deeply, her heart rate is lower (especially after the last surgery), and she has chub on her cheeks, arms, tummy and thighs.  She does oral tastes every single day.  Remember when no one told us Lydia wouldn't be able to make many sounds and we wouldn't hear her cry with the trach?  That didn't last!  She cooing and squealing and crying for all to hear now.

Whether or not to give your 2 month old baby a trach is a very difficult decision.  I thank God that we listened to the experts and did this for Lydia.  Though it was the toughest thing to do, I still remember seeing her face completely free of wires, tubes and stickers for the very first time since her birth.  It's like her cheeks grew overnight!  When I saw her sleeping peacefully, not needing to be positioned appropriately in order to breathe, I knew it was right.  When I saw her chest rise and fall in steady, even, slow breaths, instead of her entire torso retracting at a rapid pace, I knew it was right.  

I thank her doctors for truly making this a last resort and giving her a chance to do it on her own, but in the end, I thank them more for guiding us down the right path for Lydia.  

Just look at her now!