trach change

[TommysDad]

Tommy has a Bivona. We've had a hard time before getting the trach swivel/elbow off the Bivona trachs before, but nothing ever this bad! Maggie tried everything to get the trach seperated from the elbow, but not even the wedge would work! The elbow was so tight up against the clearish/bluish trach ring, you couldn't even get the wedge inbetween the trach and vent To make it worse, Tommy is so snotty right now! He's got snot everywhere, and it must have acted like superglue to the trach & vent! It was either Maggie do an emergency trach change (Tommy had no nurse & Tom was at work), or do what Maggie did instead, pry the hard plastic part off the Bivona along with the elbow.

Later that night, when both parents were home, we still tried to pry the two pieces apart. We soaked it. EVERYTHING. Still wouldn't come apart! We knew we were going to have to do a trach change because there was no way the trach was ever going to be intact again. However, this trach change was different for us. Tommy usually sits so nicely in a chair watching Signing Time videos while we do trach care and lays down in his crib when we do a trach change. But we decided to try a trach change sitting up. (Correction, Tom decided to do it! Maggie was too nervous to try it!) We don't think Tommy even noticed the trach change. His eyes were glued on the tv the entire time! Is this the start of something new??? Or did we just get lucky???

Way to go Tom & Tommy!

[Ainsley's Mom]

I don't understand the part about the Bivona but it sounds stressful and I'm glad it worked out okay.

I hope the upright method continues to work so well for you!

[Jacob's Mom]

Jacob had a Bivona for a short time and we had a few problems with the swivel getting stuck. Never so bad we couldn't get it off, but it did get stuck at times. Hopefully you won't have that problem again.