RobiL
06-16-2007, 08:07 PM
Hi All
Thought I would reintroduce myself.
I'm a former 24 weeker. I was born in 1973. I was put on a vent immediately, after about 3 months and i was still alive they thought a trach would be the best option for me. Because of the prolonged intubation I had developed subglottic stenosis.(this was Years before the grading scale so i have no idea what grade i was.) I had a g-tube the first 3 months. I was able to go home at almost a year old.
I have an older brother and sister who treated me very normally.
The doctors came around the day i was to go home and told my mom i would be back within the week. That i wouldn't survive at home.
Well i'm glad to say i never went back except for procedures and being sick.
When i was about 2-3 they found out that my vision was horrendous. Had a detatched retina in both eyes. One was repaired but they left the other alone, not bad enough to touch, too risky to try and fix. They determined then that i was legally blind.
I grew up as a normal kid except for the trach and sounding different than all the other kids.
I had 2 two stage LTP's done before I was 10. Remember that was when the LTP procedure was a very new thing. I was decannulated one time for approximately a week. I think i was 5, I can't remember my age but i rember bits of that week.
I was shuffeled from one ENT to another. Always being told i was going to the best.
When i was about 14 yrs old. I was sent to another ENT, same thing was said about him. That he's the best. By then i myself had come to terms with the fact that my trach was probably NEVER coming out. so i had no expectaions with this new doc.
But boy oh boy was i in for a nice surprise. This doc did my 3rd 2 stage LTP. This time it WORKED!!!!!!! I met this doc in August of 1987, in October of 1988, just over a yr after meeting him, he made the "impossible", possible. He took my trach out. For those who don't know what doctor i'm talking about, I'll clue ya in. It's Dr. Robin Cotton.
I had my trach replaced unfortunately again when I was 20. My epiglottis was affecting my breathing. So the trach was our only option at that time. We fixed the epiglottis and took the trach out again in 1994.
I went on to college and got married and had 4 beautiful kids. My son is 7 nwo and my triplet girls. Yes i said triplets, are 5. My girls had an iffy start themselves.
When my girls were about 2 I went back to Dr. Cotton again for the 2nd time. We found out then that my trachea was collapsing, he perfmored a CTR in Feb of 04. That worked for my airway but subsequently we have learned that my tongue is a HUGE pest. It blocks my airway significantly. I couldn't tolerate having no quality of life so with Dr.Cotton, we decided to put the trach back in once again. That happened in Feb of 06.
As it looks now the trach will be in indefinately. Which I'm ok with.
I have 4 beautiful childern. I have a loving husband and I can breathe and take care of my family. So overall i guess im' happy.
The trach world has been a part of me from my very first memory.
Your kids have a special place in my heart.
Robin
Thought I would reintroduce myself.
I'm a former 24 weeker. I was born in 1973. I was put on a vent immediately, after about 3 months and i was still alive they thought a trach would be the best option for me. Because of the prolonged intubation I had developed subglottic stenosis.(this was Years before the grading scale so i have no idea what grade i was.) I had a g-tube the first 3 months. I was able to go home at almost a year old.
I have an older brother and sister who treated me very normally.
The doctors came around the day i was to go home and told my mom i would be back within the week. That i wouldn't survive at home.
Well i'm glad to say i never went back except for procedures and being sick.
When i was about 2-3 they found out that my vision was horrendous. Had a detatched retina in both eyes. One was repaired but they left the other alone, not bad enough to touch, too risky to try and fix. They determined then that i was legally blind.
I grew up as a normal kid except for the trach and sounding different than all the other kids.
I had 2 two stage LTP's done before I was 10. Remember that was when the LTP procedure was a very new thing. I was decannulated one time for approximately a week. I think i was 5, I can't remember my age but i rember bits of that week.
I was shuffeled from one ENT to another. Always being told i was going to the best.
When i was about 14 yrs old. I was sent to another ENT, same thing was said about him. That he's the best. By then i myself had come to terms with the fact that my trach was probably NEVER coming out. so i had no expectaions with this new doc.
But boy oh boy was i in for a nice surprise. This doc did my 3rd 2 stage LTP. This time it WORKED!!!!!!! I met this doc in August of 1987, in October of 1988, just over a yr after meeting him, he made the "impossible", possible. He took my trach out. For those who don't know what doctor i'm talking about, I'll clue ya in. It's Dr. Robin Cotton.
I had my trach replaced unfortunately again when I was 20. My epiglottis was affecting my breathing. So the trach was our only option at that time. We fixed the epiglottis and took the trach out again in 1994.
I went on to college and got married and had 4 beautiful kids. My son is 7 nwo and my triplet girls. Yes i said triplets, are 5. My girls had an iffy start themselves.
When my girls were about 2 I went back to Dr. Cotton again for the 2nd time. We found out then that my trachea was collapsing, he perfmored a CTR in Feb of 04. That worked for my airway but subsequently we have learned that my tongue is a HUGE pest. It blocks my airway significantly. I couldn't tolerate having no quality of life so with Dr.Cotton, we decided to put the trach back in once again. That happened in Feb of 06.
As it looks now the trach will be in indefinately. Which I'm ok with.
I have 4 beautiful childern. I have a loving husband and I can breathe and take care of my family. So overall i guess im' happy.
The trach world has been a part of me from my very first memory.
Your kids have a special place in my heart.
Robin