12/05/2025
About a month ago, when Jacob’s trach was changed, we noticed something alarming: a lot of bright, arterial red blood. This ended up resolving itself after a 24 hour period.
A month later, it happend again! At first, we thought it might be a nosebleed. But when it didn’t stop after two days, our concern grew, and we decided it was time to head to the emergency room.
At the ER, Jacob was scoped to see what was happening. Thankfully, his vitals were good—though his heart rate was elevated, as it always is when he’s nervous at the doctor. What they found was surprising: Jacob was extremely dry on the inside. His nasal cavity, sinuses, throat, esophagus, and especially the airway leading into his lungs were raw and irritated. In fact, there were scabs forming where the suction catheter had rubbed against the dry tissue in his airway.
After nearly five hours in the ER, we were discharged with instructions: medications for his nose to ease dryness, salves to soothe irritation, and most importantly, a way to get moisture into his lungs.
There are two main options for humidification with a tracheostomy:
Heat and Moisture Exchanger (HME): A small device that warms and humidifies air, replicating the nose’s natural function.
Heated Water Chamber System: A setup where air passes through warm water via two hoses, picking up humidity before reaching the lungs.
We tried the HME first, but Jacob couldn’t tolerate it—it felt too restrictive, like he couldn’t breathe. So we turned to the water chamber system. Though it’s a bit more equipment, it worked. The warm humidity eased his airway, and Jacob could finally rest.
We’re back home, Jacob is in bed, and all is well. We’ll keep monitoring him and follow up with our family doctor, but for now, we’re grateful for the solution that helps him breathe easier.
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