Ireland Tracheostomy Gathering
Our family day, on 6th May 2006, was the first gathering of families of
children with tracheostomies in Ireland ever. 22 families attended from all over
the country, with children at every stage, from a family whose child just got a
tracheostomy the previous week to children who had already been decannulated.
The specialist nurses who have looked after our children over the years, and
often parents too, arranged all the nursing support and entertainment for the
day (thank you Siobhan, Shelia, Kathy, Mairead and all their volunteers).
For the children it was one big party all day, painting, stories, games and lots
of fun. For us parents it was a chance to get together and exchange experiences,
knowing that in the room next door our children were being looked after by
nearly every nurse in Ireland with tracheostomy care experience. Between us we
assembled probably the biggest collection of portable suction machines ever seen
in this country - just as well that we had thought to bring luggage tags. It was
good to meet people and know that having to explain a tracheostomy was not going
to be part of the conversation. All in all we had a great day and hope to have
another one again next year.
Click here to see--> more photos
