So I got my tracheostomy. Was in theatre for about 3 hours but most of that was apparently placing lines incase I crashed and such. Theater staff where lovely. Asking if I had my dress for the staff christmas party yet. Ha they where virtually fighting to hold my hand. My usual theatre nurse was on one side and my aneasitstis usually holds my hand on to but one of the surgeons was there already so he just kept rubbing my shoulders. Not that Im a whimp or anything, Im happy enough to not be touched but the thought is nice and it does make you relax a little.
Apparently the surgery went a lot easier than they had expected with the stent just coming out easily, shows how much my body objected to it. They said they had me breathing indepently through the trach in theatre, but I wasnt very comfortable so they re-sedated me and put my on a ventilator for a couple of hours. I woke up in the ICU on the vent, it was difficult coordinating my breathing with the machine and it kept going off but i managed it in the end. I have vague memories of waking up and freaking out, thinking something had gone wrong because I couldnt talk. I knew I wouldnt be able to talk and such so perhaps it was like a flashback from last time I had a tach. Maybe this is why I was resedated.
Once my parents came to visit they started lowering the sedation and by 9 they had me on a supportive breathing machine instead of the vent. I stayed on this overnight as I was still on morphine and such and kept needing to cough.
I wasnt best pleased when I came around, had that many lines in place. A central, Arterial, femoral and hickman. I also had dressings in 5 other places where they had already removed the line in theatre. I now only have the hickman line in and that will be staying till my discharge as Im on IV antibiotics for this blood infection. I do love this line though as bloods can be drawn from it which saves a lot of hassel.
Im still pretty tired and get worn out easily but hopefully will be off ICU on monday. Eating and drinking again although it takes a bit of coordination.
Yesterday was a pretty rough day. I was to scared to eat and refused to drink. I hadnt slept all night and I was pretty scared of everything. I spent the entire day crying. But today things seem a little easier which has got to be a good sign. Just miss being able to speak.
Just need to work on getting my oxygen levels up. At the moment they drop to quick when I need suctioning and take a while to come back up. Had my hair washed for me today which was great. its been 10 days since it was done and I do feel so much better for it.
Suppose this is where the hard part comes now. Rehabilitating. Working up my strength and learning to care for this tube. I am dreading learning to suction it myself and change the tube and such, but it has to be done.
My main fear is that it will have all been for nothing. Im still so tired and just a short walk (5 steps) from bed to loo leaves me gasping again. But im trying not to rush things, hopefully this will be just what I need.
Sorry to anyone I have not replied to, my energy levels are so low at the moment even getting out of bed is challenge.
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