Tracheomalacia

On Wednesday, the 27th we took Ashley in to Reston Hospital for her 2nd tubes placed in, an adenoid ectomy, and a bronch oscopy.  (Picture taken Pre-op).  After the surgery taking and hour and  a half longer than thought, Jonathan and I were scared in the waiting room. Our Dr. finally came out and explained that while under anesthesia, Ashley had a few scary/rocky moments.  We were horrified and he went on and explained that Ash has the worst tracehomalcia he's ever seen (this is coming from a top 10 DC Pediatric  head and neck surgeon).  Instead of her trachea being the size of a quarter and round, it's like you cut a tiny rainbow or crescent out of a quarter and that's the size of her throat all the way down.  So during the anesthesia due to her abnormal narrow trachea, she started having bronchial spasms and they couldn't get air into her.  They started pumping it through her lungs but it wasn't working because the tube wouldn't fit down her throat.  It was way too narrow.  He showed me pictures and didn't give me all the gory details of what happened in the operating room.  I'm glad I didn't know everything.  I'm just so thankful that Ashley was given a blessing before her procedure.  I know that's what help guided the Dr.'s in there with her.

So with her severely mis-shapen trachea (birth deformity which Austin has as well, just not bad as Ash-we actually though his was worse because we saw his pictures and thought nothing could be worse than that.).  I'm just surprised she hasn't choked more on food.  The Dr. said he's not willing to do anything to open or spread out the trachea because she's a happy girl who can run around and is not failing to thrive due to not eating.  

With tracheomalacia, it's a 'narrowing of the airway.'  So a chronic cough and upper respiratory disease are side effects.  Also, acid reflux makes the trachea sound worse.  Anytime she coughs it has that distinct "bark" and anything at all that triggers anything in her narrow airway makes her cough.  So we've accepted the fact that she'll just bark and we'll love our little goose no matter what!  Both our geese!  Austin and Ash.  Maybe that's why I've had the nickname Goose all my life....I'd only grow up to have kids that honked like Geese!  Ha ha  ha.  What are the chances that both my kids would have the exact same issues?  Wow.  I truly feel blessed though with their condition.  Things could always be so much worse.  

So that's Ash's news this week.  Austin has loved wrestling with Grant while he's been here, playing with his new Christmas toys and having his friends Bree and Hannah come over to share them.  He's also into setting the table.  He loves to get out the linen napkins, put silverware on the table and wrap the napkins in a special Austin design and top it with a napkin ring.  He's so proud of his napkin creations!  He also is practicing manners.  Saying things like, "I'd be glad to" and "Mommy, did you think first before you did that?" Not quite as cute.  He loves to chase Ash around and have her squeal.  Ash loves to be the center of attention.  In fact, to turn attention toward her if she's not getting any, she'll make up a boo boo and say, "Owie Mommy/Daddy!"  So we kiss it, and life goes on.  She takes off running again with her pseudo-boo boo.

New Years is right around the corner!  Grant and Duane leave tomorrow morning  for the Rose Bowl for a few days.  I'll be ringing in the New Year here in DC!

Happy 2008!!!!

Love

Angie