Melissa, I forgot to address your Trache concerns. No, Eric will not need the Trache for too long. It needs to be there now as this surgery causes swelling and he needs to have a patent airway until the oedema goes down. and he also needs time for the area to heal. So after a few days to a week, they should be able to remove the Trache tube. There is nothing wrong with his lungs and after the oedema goes down his airway will be open normally without any swelling obstructing the airflow.. There is still the passage way between his mouth/nose through which we all breathe.
Take a deep breath,
Tammy