That wasn't funny.

Well we broke our record for no ER visits, but this one was not really "serious".

Tuesday afternoon I was on my way home from the grocery store when Steve called:

Him: Umm...I have a little problem.
Me: Which kid was it and what did they do?
Him: No, it's not that. My trach tube came out.
Me: So put it back in.
Him: I've been trying, it won't go in.
Me: I'm on my way home.

He was right, it wasn't going in no matter how hard he tried. And the hole was clearly starting to close down. Since he was breathing ok and his throat/vocal cords were not closing we had time so we headed to the ER {it was after hours, otherwise we would have gone to his ENT}

The ER was great about taking him right in. It's a good thing because he was starting to have difficulty breathing and his O2 numbers were in the low 80's.

So first the respiratory therapist tried to get it back in but it was a no go. Then the ER doc. It was brutal to watch, and it was extremely painful for Steve. They started talking a smaller tube but we explained that he had already experienced that last month and he could not tolerate it. So they called in the ENT.

The tube wasn't going in for him either so he numbed his throat up and stretched the hole open and after a lot of pushing and prodding and then "POP" it went in. RELIEF!! Steve's O2 numbers immediately climbed up to 99%.

What happened was Steve was doing some repair work in the backyard and he brushed up against something with a screw sticking out and it caught on the collar that holds the tube in place. Yanked the thing right out. He didn't even realize it until he saw it hanging on his shirt! Steve is such a ridiculously fast healer that that hole just started closing up instantly. Good thing he isn't into body piercing.

So last night I'm running kids around and doing some errands and I get a call:

Him: Umm...I have a little problem.
Me: What now?
Him: You aren't going to believe this.
Me: I probably will.
Him: My tube came out again.
Me: I DO know what todays date is you know.
Him: Dang it.