One More Time

Here is Ammon, smiling and resting before getting a tracheostomy. This may be the last time you will see his throat without a tube so we decided to take this picture. Dr. Smith came by after Jim left and during the conversation, Ammon finally said, "I've made my decision. If this surgery helps me feel better and will let me sing, then we're gonna do it." We said, "You're the boss." So it is going to be done. Dr. Smith was being very careful not to sway me one way or another but I could sense that he felt a trach would be the safest thing for Ammon as a long-term solution. The only other option we had was to continue with steroid medications and we didn't feel like that would be a good idea long-term. Jim and I will have to go through some training to learn how to suction the trach and take proper care of it but they have reassured me that it is much easier to take care of than the ng tube we used to have to do. I'm not too afraid of learning this new procedure but it one more thing to add to the care and I'm sure we will feel a little overwhelmed at first. Ammon knows it's going to hurt for a few days but he seemed positive about doing this.