Hey Vicki,

Congrats on having the trach removed! I had mine for 8 1/2 months and one of the happiest days was the day the doc pulled out both the trach and the feeding tube! I felt very liberated and a little more "normal." I guess I was one of the fortunate ones in that my hole closed up in about 10 days with no visible scar (compared to the rest of my neck). I covered the hole with gauze and used cloth tape to hold it in place. I, too, applied pressure to that area to talk or cough while it healed. I'm so glad to hear that you've taken such a giant step forward - I know your journey has been long and hard.

Lots of hugs, Nancy