John Gets His Throat Cut Then Kisses Me

Hi out there!

Today was a very good day. First, PT came and helped John to stand up by the bed for about 5 minutes, and to walk 4 steps - sounds simple, but isn't! He went to the OR this afternoon for a tracheostomy - so the tube connected to the ventilator goes through a small hole in his throat instead of through his mouth. It's much more comfortable for him. And after it heals, he'll be able to eat and talk. It also will make it much easier for him to get off the ventilator and breathing on his own; it takes a lot less work to breathe through a short, medium-diameter tube than through a long, narrow tube. He was very excited about getting it done. On (probably) Friday or Monday he'll be transferred to a rehab facility in Mishawaka (the closest one that takes folks on ventilators) for boot camp rehab, to get him up, moving, stronger, and breathing on his own. He's also very excited about that.

The trach went very smoothly and quickly. After he woke up from the anesthesia he was grinning from ear to ear, delighted to have the tube out of his mouth. And we haven't been able to kiss each other for over a week; we probably looked like a couple of teenagers making out (very gray-haired teenagers). It's amazing how much you miss that after almost 34 years of marriage. I told him he's much more fun to kiss than the dog.

So now he's spending a few more days in the hospital to give the trach time to heal well, and me time to tour both of the facilities he can go to. Both are in-network for our insurance, thank goodness, and both have available rooms. So I'm looking for the one that's going to be more aggressive in rehabilitation. I won't be able to see him every day after he is transferred - he'll be about an hour away - but it will be so good for him. And he's chomping at the bit to get up and working.

Thanks for listening, thanks for caring, thanks for being there! And sleep well.