6 weeks and counting
It's been 6 weeks since Columbus Children's received the referral for Angus to get thoracic expansion surgery. I sent a wee reminder that we were still waiting today and was told yet again that we would get a decision "soon". They hinted that the next message we got from them would be to arrange a visit for testing and consultation - not a walk in the park since it involves a transAtlantic flight, but hey, you do what you have to, right? Slightly worryingly, the doc said that he thought Angus would probably wean off the vent by himself from stuff I'd said. Not that I consider it worrying that Angus will wean off the vent, far from it, but I don't want it to be a reason not to do the surgery. Any increase in lung volume is good for Angus' future cardiorespiratory fitness, and may well speed up the weaning off the vent process. We want this for him, nor for cosmetic reasons or anything like that, but because it will improve his life in future.
Angus has got an absolutely streaming cold at the moment. He's had it for 5 days now - streaming with thick yello goo from nose and trach, but coping well, and not needing extra oxygen. He's definitely coping with infections better, but no signs of spending long periods off the vent this year, even when well. I tried to order Thermovents which allow oxygen to be administered, since I want to see if this will get him off the vent for longer periods, but the pharmacy said they don't carry that model. I need to look into this since I feel that it's time to push on one way or another.
