Surgery Number Two

Our MOST FANTASTIC Otolaryngologist came in to see Noah this morning and decided that he needed to "plug" the stent to prevent any more aspirating. That would require another trip to the OR and a creative way to plug a plastic tube. Oh, pooh!

Kc had to come back from the hotel room {he has been taking the night shift with Noah and sleeping during the day} as we gave our Little Man a kiss and sent him back into surgery.

Right after Noah's initial surgery, the Otolaryngologist commented that Noah had, "quite possibly the most severe stage four subglottic stenosis" he has ever seen. Oh, swell!

Right before going into this second surgery, the Otolaryngologist explained that he has performed hundreds of these surgeries and has never had to cap a tracheal stent. In fact, he had to create a cap for both the bottom and top of the stent in order to fill it with silicone because they don't exist. Are you kidding me?!? Of course...Noah just had to be different. He had to challenge the system. Oh, great!

Well...the surgery was a success! The bran new stent caps worked and now Mr. Stinkpot cannot aspirate.

After the procedure, the Otolaryngologist said looking at the damage all the stomach acid was doing to Noah's newly reconstructed trachea was like watching the Titanic sink. Oh, crap!

Problem solved...sort of.

We now need to solve the initial problem of the vomiting. For now, Noah is still on IV fluids only. We will introduce colored Pedialyte tomorrow and keep and eye on everything. If he does vomit, we will be able to tell right away if the stent is completely closed by suctioning him and looking for color. Hopefully there won't be any! If Noah can keep the Pedialyte down, we will be able to start to give him formula. If he can tolerate the formula, we will be able to go home! Oh, yeah!

Please pray that Noah tolerates his feeds tomorrow and that we can get home in time for Thanksgiving...Mama just needs some stuffing and gravy!