Diane,
I'm still not sure exactly why my husband had difficulty with the trach but I do know they fixed it quickly and that it seems to be okay now. It may be that he pulled at it without realizing it or that it got a bit clogged. Also, I think he could't find the call button at the time. That's why I have a nurse's aide with him tonight.

The good news (and there is some) is that he is actually doing far better than I ever would have expected at this stage. He was kept in the special recovery area overnight following his surgery, as is done with all head/neck surgical patients at Sloan Kettering. After that he was in his own room with nurses in and out all the time checking his vitals, the trach, his blood sugar levels, the drains, etc. In less than 18 hours after surgery he was sitting up in a chair! They've already cut his morphine in half and he's already begging for crutches, which they won't give him just yet. So, while the trach thing was unnerving, it seems not to have interfered with his overall progress after surgery. I just hope he keeps it up at this pace and that your own surgery will be less difficult than you think.

Karen