I fell asleep soon a couple of hours after we got back from the fantastic fundraiser at the Children’s Specialty Center (more on that later). Daddy had to take Abby on an errand, and Ethan stayed downstairs playing on the iPad while Hannah was with her nurse.
I woke up to Ethan screaming to me, “Mommy! Wake up! Something is wrong with Hannah!” I kept asking him what was wrong, but he just kept yelling at me to come downstairs. Half-awake, I scrambled to throw my jeans back on (why, I don’t know) and ran downstairs.
I saw Hannah gasping a little bit with her head in her nurse’s lap. Her nurse seemed frozen and kept calmly saying, “I’m not sure what is wrong.” Hannah was starting to turn a tinge of blue as she does when she has trouble breathing.
Knowing Hannah’s “sounds,” I immediately knew exactly what it was. Her trach was more than half out even though it was still attached to the trach ties. Therefore, the gasping was her having trouble getting breath because it wasn’t in the right way and basically she had an obstructed trach.
Unlike the night before, Hannah actually wasn’t completely panicking, so I was able to get the trach back in within about 2 or 3 quick attempts without having to resort to a smaller size. Ethan ran to turn on the oxygen, and it only took a minute or so for her to perk back up.
Even though her nurse kept saying she didn’t panic and that she “just needed some help,” I could see this visibly shook her. You can’t fake body language and increased breathing. Ethan was even more collected after it was over and went back to playing his iPad once he saw Hannah was fine.
What makes things even more complicated was that this was the second visit that Hannah’s trach had partially come out with her (she has been to our house about 7 or 8 times) and I ended up having to put it back in.
What concerns me is that I keep thinking, what if Daddy or I wasn’t there to take over and get the trach back in?
With Hannah’s two regular nurses, Hannah has had her trach come out before, but they were experienced and calm enough to know the steps to take over and get it back in. Only twice have they needed additional help, and they were both during the time she had strep and trachiitis (her throat was sore, inflammed, and totally irritated so she breath-held more than ever). But usually, they can take care of it themselves.
Ironically, today was the last day with this nurse as she is moving out of town and had given notice.
Very scary to have incompetent “skilled” nursing care. Sorry you had to go through that. Looks like we both had an eventful evening. Just glad to hear she is no longer coming back.
Yikes! How scary! Good thing that nurse isn’t coming back.
Ethan gets a pat on the back for getting you and recognizing that his sister needed help! I’m sorry that the nurse couldn’t seem to recongnize that Hannah was in distress. 🙁 Maybe a call to the nursing agency so they can put the incident in her file even though she is leaving?
Oh my god Carrie, thank God for Ethan’s quick response to his sisters need for help! I am glad to hear that this particular nurse will not be coming back and as Colleen says maybe put a call to the nursing agency so they are aware of this and that it goes in the file! How very frightening and awful that Hannah had to go thru that, not to mention poor Ethan!!
For some reason this makes me so mad! You have a nurse there for a reason…you shouldnt have to be the one to “fix” an issue. Glad she isnt coming back. Sorry you had to have that stress thrown at you.
I am so thankful for Ethan. What a great kid to know what to do and what to do to help. You are so lucky to have him. 🙂
This has been bugging me since I read it yesterday. Once this woman gets settled in her new location, she will be taking care of someone else’s precious child. Of course, she will say that she has worked with trachs and another family may not be as lucky as you were. Please do call the agency and make sure they know what happened and that you would not have allowed this nurse back in your home if she was staying in town.
This has been bugging me since I read it yesterday. Once this woman gets settled in her new location, she will be taking care of someone else’s precious child. Of course, she will say that she has worked with trachs and another family may not be as lucky as you were. Please do call the agency and make sure they know what happened and that you would not have allowed this nurse back in your home if she was staying in town.
This has been bugging me since I read it yesterday. Once this woman gets settled in her new location, she will be taking care of someone else’s precious child. Of course, she will say that she has worked with trachs and another family may not be as lucky as you were. Please do call the agency and make sure they know what happened and that you would not have allowed this nurse back in your home if she was staying in town.