Hi Everyone,

To my great pleasure and surprise the surgeon removed Joe's trach tube yesterday and discharged him!!!He felt he was healed enough and said take him home.They said the trach was going to have to stay in a lot longer but his healing process has been way ahead of schedule.I was just happy to able to take him home.

So,now I have some after surgery issues for all of you.How long does it usually take for the trach site to close?Do any of you have suggestions on how you kept the site clean.They gave him neosporin to use around the site,but I'm nervous that when I clean it I'm going to get something in there.This may be a little gross but when does the phelgm and such stop coming out of the site?I have a really strong stomach but for some reason this trach site is bothering me.

Also,I know I've addressed before about his multiple peg probelms.I went to flush it this morning and change his dressing and it seems he has some kind of substance coming out around where the plastic disk is.It looks like pieces of tissue.I haven't called the doctor because he just left the hospital yesterday and I assume if there was a probelm they would have addressed ot while he was there.I think I'm just being overly concerned.But I'd like to hear anything any of you can add.

Patty