Sore throat from continued use of trach

Hello @judyarndt1. Sorry, this is so long. I have had a trach going on five years now, due to a cancerous throat tumor, radiation, Covid, and paralyzed vocal cords. The constant mucus is a problem many suffer after radiation to the throat area. For a full year before having a tracheotomy, all that mucus was trapped, and it felt like I was drowning. Having a tracheotomy is the best thing that has happened to me. By the way, I eat, speak and drink, thanks be to God. At first, I utilized a suction machine several times per day, but it was starting to hurt my wrist during suctioning due to the simple rotation of the suction tube. I am a 66-year-old woman with arthritic joints! In addition, washing the machine and long suction tube out over and over was a huge hassle. Here is what I have learned so far in this journey. As my ENT explained, cleaning the tube is like brushing your teeth. It should be removed several times per day and washed out. Holding the tube under hot water while using a trach brush works well, then running Hydrogen Peroxide through and on the tube, with a final, quick sterile water rinse from bottled water. This process only takes a few minutes. Your husband probably notices how much mucus builds up after eating and drinking certain liquids. If time is a problem and no time to remove the tube, I remove the trach brush from a jar I keep by the sink. It is filled with Hydrogen Peroxide, keeping the trach brush clean. This, of course, after it is cleaned off with a simple fingernail brush, or toothbrush. Although it is not anything a doctor would approve of, I stick the trach brush into the trach tube about 3/4" in, then remove it. It is usually covered with gobs of mucus, then, a big cough will usually push out the rest. Like I said, it isn't a routine that is doctor approved. If the bristles are intact, it should be fine. I keep another jar of peroxide with a different brush by my bedside in case I have trouble breathing from mucus build-up. It isn't used often, and I will wrap the brush in a Kleenex to be cleaned in the morning...This way, I stay in bed! A great item to have at his bedside is a Primatene Mist Inhaler. It is OTC and runs about $25.00. This medicine is a miracle to open up the airways to get a good night's sleep. Lastly, my ENT prescribes an antibiotic ointment called Mupirocin. He told me to apply this around the stoma before inserting the tube. I do this periodically, or if the skin seems dry or irritated. For the five years I have had a trach, I have never worn the inner cannula. All that does is restrict breathing and actually traps the mucus. It is suffocation to have an inner cannula inside the trach tube. I garden, push mow several acres, etc., and the lack of inner cannula has never bothered me at all. Freedom! We all have our own ways, and I am sure there will be more for me to learn. You are both in my thoughts. Best Wishes.