Oops -
I meant to ask Thomason - sorry Jeff and Thomason

Dear Mindy,
I had Covid twice. Once during radiation treatments, and once right after my second vaccination, one year apart. The first Covid was almost right when it started, around March 2020. Because Covid was so new, the Oncologist did not believe I even had it. Later on, an antibody test proved otherwise. It was a horrible four months of coughing violently, and breaking three ribs in the process. The broken ribs were somehow unbeknownst to me, and found during a CT Scan. The cough subsided, but the mucus never went away. Whether it was from the radiation, the Covid, or maybe a combination of the two, is anyone's guess. Due to the cough, I would not have been able to have the mask on for the radiation, had the Covid not happened toward the last few sessions. Even so, it was very difficult to stay still when extremely ill. During the day, I would nebulize with 9% Saline Solution (lesser percentages did nothing to break-up mucus) about nine times per day to try and get the mucus out, and be able to breathe. That many times nebulizing is dangerous, but the trapped mucus was literally driving me nuts. Nighttime was a nightmare. Up and down all night long, night after night, nebulizing. Soon the treatments were not helping much. The ER at the hospital was getting use to me. On three occasions, always around 1:00-2:00 a.m., there were episodes where I could not breathe. My husband could not get dressed fast enough, and he was left behind! I felt like I was literally dying. Honestly, how I ever made it to the car is a miracle. The fact the car had air-conditioning, helped me catch my breath, just enough to make it to the ER., which is a 7-mile trip from my home. When you are dying, you do not look at the speedometer, for the car was going around 100 mph on the deserted highway. During this entire year, I went to several doctors and ENT's, with the result being around twenty chest x-rays, constant antibiotics, four hospitalizations for lung infections, Lung Endoscopy, etc. There was a product that saved my life. Right before the vocal cord paralysis diagnosis, a nurse at the ER gave me a nebulizing treatment with Epinephrine. That treatment helped so much, it was just incredible. The Pharmacist recommended Primatene Mist with Epinephrine, and that product got me through the last few months. Trying to breath was so bad at that point, just bending over to pick a tomato was overwhelming. It wasn't until 2021, after the second Covid vaccination, that finally, an Indiana University ENT found the vocal cord paralysis. In fact, I became extremely sick with actual Covid after the second shot, and during that hospitalization, the vocal cord paralysis was found. Long story short (sorry so long) the trach was put in about one year ago. As for the voice, after radiation, I had no voice at all. In fact, if it weren't for the speech therapist, I probably would still have no voice. There are a bunch of tedious exercises that seem like they would not help, but they really do. It took over a year before my voice came back. Losing your voice is a big deal, and a person does not realize how much it really means until it is gone. The whole thing is odd to me...that a person can have paralyzed vocal cords and still be able to talk. All that mucus is now right there, ready to be suctioned out. Being able to get it out, allows for a full nights sleep, which is so important for health. I have learned to not eat or drink anything sugary about two hours before bedtime. This really lessens the mucus, so there is very little build-up at night. We must all be our own advocates when it comes to our health. Two different ENT's telling two different things. One says not to remove the trach for cleaning, while the other states it is a must, like brushing your teeth every day. The second opinion is the one that makes sense, and that advice provides much breathing comfort. In the end, having a Tracheotomy is a burden, but a life-saving burden. Every day is a gift from God. Please share any tips from your experience with your Tracheotomy. We can learn so much from each other! May God Bless You All.