Words we never thought we'd hear

Cicily had her laryngoscopy yesterday.  She came out of anesthesia very well (we're attributing that to a new trick - the drug fentanyl).  I was surprised when I went to recovery to see her and she had a much larger sized trach in place.  I just thought, I guess her airway is still small and we'll have to try a distraction again sooner rather than later.  Surprisingly, I wasn't too horrified at the thought, just pretty calm.  Then Dr. Mancuso came and explained how surgery went.  The granuloma (scar tissue in her trachea) was growing on a curve and with the curve of her trachea he did not want to risk cutting it with a laser and cutting through the trachea.  So in January or February, after a round of antibiotics, he will do another excision of granuloma, but this time do it the old fashioned way with a scalpel.  He was apologetic that he couldn't get it done with the laser, but we didn't care at all because he then gave us some GREAT news.  

Her airway has improved remarkably.  Dr. Mancuso said it was a typical airway.  I was in complete shock!  I honestly always thought she'd have a small airway no matter how many distractions we did.  I pressed him on it further and he said an intubation would be no more difficult on Cicily than on any typical pediatric patient.  

I cried on and off all day long.  Happy tears of course!  My baby girl shouldn't have to struggle to breath anymore!  All the prayers and the hard work of her jaw distraction have worked in a most impressive way.  

After the granuloma excision surgery in Jan or Feb, Cis will have the decannulation study done to see if she can breath without her trach in all situations.  

Cis and Maya on a happy afternoon a couple weeks ago.