Okay, kids. It’s been a little while, but I think it’s time for an update.
You know by now that Namine is home. Actually, she’s been home for a week and a day, and her mom and I are exhausted. Happy, but tired none the less. On Friday (I think. The days blur together) we had to take her to the cardiac doctor.
Now, for those uneducated in the matter of trach patients, a sorority to which our little one now belongs, I shall explain something prior to my story. If you know the details, skip ahead to the next paragraph.
The air given to her by way of the trach is oxygen. Because this is essentially going through her throat and not her mouth (which provides humidity), she requires external humidity, and her humidifier machine is probably one of two pieces of equipment that is not portable (the other being her main oxygen tank itself, due to its size; its little brother is small enough, but it only holds about two hours’ worth). To solve this problem in going places, Namine has what is called an HME (short for heat/moisture exchange), also known as an “artificial nose.” It is a small device that fits over her trach tube which, as she breathes, collects moisture for her. The problem is, it is more difficult to breathe with it, and small children must build up a tolerance for it.
Namine is up to 90 minutes on the HME so far. We left for the doctor at about 2:50 PM on Friday, and didn’t get home until around 6 PM. That’s twice what she’s conditioned for, and she paid for it. She had a whole lot more secretions than she normally does that night, and the next day we ended up changing her trach because there was so much crap in it. She had to go out again yesterday (Monday) to her pediatrician, and she didn’t do too well then either, even though we kept it within the 90 minutes.
Overall, though, she’s a very happy baby. She smiles a lot, and I mean a lot. Mommy is teaching her to stick out her tongue. I’m not sure how I feel about that yet. Un-teaching that ought to prove interesting.
Last but not least, I want to draw your attention to the site. I’ve redesigned it a bit, with tabs at the top for photos and videos. I’m not yet sure if I’ll put the slideshow and video bar back in. Leave a comment and let me know, will you? I’ve also added a couple links. One is for my sister’s friend Stephanie Brandt, the other for the child of some friends we made through the hospital, Jacob Schultz. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
I’ve uploaded a bunch of new photos, and I’ve got another batch waiting in the camera at home. I’ll post some videos when I get around to it.
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