Oh the headache. When my cuff fails on my tracheostomy tube

For the last week, I have been fighting with my tracheostomy tube cuff. It has been deflating during the night. When this happens, I do not receive the full support of my ventilator. Inspired air leaks up my airway and out my nose and mouth. A significant amount of the inspired air does not reach my lungs.

Breathing works in the following way: it takes energy to breathe in, and expand the lungs. Exhaling is passive. When the body stops inhaling, the lungs automatically decrease in size, which forces air out of the lungs.

When my lungs do not fully inflate due to a faulty tracheostomy tube cuff, my body cannot properly exhale. Carbon dioxide builds up in my body. Often, I will wake up when my carbon dioxide levels get too high. I then have to re-inflate the cuff on my trach tube, and I again receive the full support of the ventilator.

Last night, however, I was extremely tired. I did not wake up during the night. Instead, I woke up this morning with the cuff on my tracheostomy tube deflated, and I had a MASSIVE headache due to high carbon dioxide levels. It is hard to explain this headache. It penetrates every cell in my body. I am extraordinarily tired. I am extremely short of breath.

Due to a recall on my tracheostomy tubes, I only have two spares in my inventory. I am reluctantly going to use one trach tube tonight. (I have an order in to my medical equipment company for two more tracheosotmy tubes. However, they are on back order. It is unknown when they will arrive at my home.) Tomorrow, I need to remember to contact places which sell my tracheostomy tube and hope and pray I can find my tracheostomy in stock and also find one which has not been recalled.