Our morning started with a rush of adrenaline. We were in a hurry to get up and at 'em as we hoped to score an appointment with the ENT to figure out how to get rid of Ernie's edema.
As part of the morning routine, we must change Ernie's trach tie each time he showers. The trach tie is literally that--it looks like the string that holds a bow tie in place. In this case, it is the ONLY thing keeping the trach tube inside the neck. There are no stitches, nothing.
Before being discharged from the hospital, we were shown how to change the trach tie and warned that we should always change it together. Ernie is to keep his hands firmly on the trach tube to hold it in place. At the same time, I am to loosen one side of the wet trach tie and immediately attach one side of a dry trach tie. When this is done, I move to the other side and repeat. All this is to insure that the trach tube does not fall out.
By now, you have probably figured out where I am going with this story. In our haste, and at the most inopportune time when one side of the trach tie was off, Ernie coughed. Yes, the entire trach tube came out in Ernie's hand, leaving quite a hole in its place.
We both looked at each other. I thought about running downstairs to find the emergency directions on how to reinsert the thing and also about calling 911. Instead, we decided that Ernie should use the technique for inserting the inner lining (technically called the inner cannula) and put it back in. Of course, he did just that. Guess all this impromptu medical training we've gotten paid off.
We did get our doctor's appointment, but not until Wednesday. We have vowed to be careful between now and then.
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