Trach In The Works - Again

Good morning-

Boy is it nice to get an extra hour of sleep (I hope everyone changed their clocks back)! Well anyway, I am doing well. I've had my stents out for five days now and I feel much better. It's very nice not having to breathe through those straws anymore. The docs tried to extubate me on Wednesday and I dropped quickly - so in went the tube again. On Friday, I had a pulminary scope and found out that I have malesia in my upper airway (malesia means floppiness, it just colapses when I try to take a breath). No wonder I was having so much trouble.

So, I'm getting a trach on Tuesday and I just need to grow and build up those muscles over time. I just know that I will feel like a whole new baby once I get the trach. I just have to be very, very careful about not getting sick (especially during these winter months when bugs run rampid). But, we think that once I get the trach, I can be weaned off the ventilator and all I'll need to be hooked up to is a misting colar.

Then, my next mission will be eating! Mommy and daddy think they will definitely have me home for Chirstmas though... what a nice present for all of us.
Take care everyone. Lots of love!

Ben
www.BenRusso.com

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OR Loves Me

The OR (Operating Room) just loves me! They love me so much, they insisted on me coming back right away... so I obliged.

Tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 9:00 a.m. I will be making my regular trip to the operating room. This time, the mission - REMOVAL OF THESE NASTY STENTS!! I'll also get my throat scoped and ears looked at via a microscope. Depending on how the doc feels, I might get my nose re-dilated but I was told "no stents", so I'm holding them to it. Once I recover (maybe later that day, maybe the next day), the plan is to take my breathing tube out again and see if I fly. I have a feeling that this time I'm going to do it once and for all. I'll keep everyone posted.
Russo - out

www.BenRusso.com

P.S. My Steelers pics have been added to the website.

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Still Recovering Well

Good morning (and way to go Steelers) -

I wanted to let everyone know that I'm recovering quite well from my heart surgery. I've been taken off my nice drugs (goodbye pink elephants, I miss you) and I'm slowly being weaned down on my ventilator. I'm still a little shaky from the morphine, but feeling really good. Yesterday, I had an especially nice day. I was sitting up in a Boppy and the nurses were having a photo shoot - my daddy will post the pictures tomorrow morning. It's amazing how a Steelers victory can make everything better. And thank you Grandma for the Steelers quilt I got to lay on yesterday. I felt just like I was at the game.

Today we will find out what the next plan of action is for me. Hope everyone is doing well.

Love Ben
http://www.benrusso.com/

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Recovery going well

Good morning -

I just wanted to let you know that my surgery went well yesterday. I'm now in recovery and getting the best care from the best nurses. The next 72 hours are very important for me and I'm being told to take it easy (so this email has to be short or I'll get in trouble). I've been feeling quite well with the help of a Morphine drip and a Verset drip. I actually saw a pink elephant for the first time!

Thank you for all the calls, emails and prayers you sent my way before surgery.

Love Ben
Go Steelers!
www.BenRusso.com

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Trach Surgery Canceled - Heart Surgery Instead

Hello -hello,
I only have a few minutes left before the doctors come around, but I just wanted to let everyone know that my trach surgery for today has been canceled. Instead, I will be having heart surgery on Thursday to close my PDA. For more information on PDAs, here's a link. They explain it better than I do. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001560.htm
Thank you again for all your kind emails and prayers.

Love Ben

PS - I added a "Statistics" tab to the website so all those interested in my day to day updates can check it out.

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Trach Surgery

Bonjour to all my adoring fans (I'm working on my French this week).

This coming Tuesday is a BIG day for me... I'm going to be having surgery to put a trach in. The doctors think it is the best option for me right now, and I have to agree. At first I was a little scared, but after hanging out with another boy in the RCNIC with a trach, I feel much better. He just seems much more comfortable than me and he doesn't have to deal with all the tape on his face. Also, I was told that when I go home I will get a night nurse for eight hours a day (so Mommy and Daddy can sleep). I guess I have to be watched all the time to make sure the trach doesn't fall off or I don't pull it out. I'm looking forward to the constant attention... talk about the royal treatment!

Well, au revoir for now. I'll be sure to send you a message and let you know how my surgery went. I'll also have Mommy and Daddy take a lot of pictures of me with the tube gone. If you thought I was hunky before, watch out!

Love Ben

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