I Really Am Still Here

This has been the craziest year.  The most medically invasive since 2000 when I was hospitalized for a diagnosis.  Coming up on 12 years.  Crazy.

But so far this year I've had like 30 medical appointments, tests, procedures, etc.  Had surgery on my trach last Thursday, and everything went really well.  However, the results are both good and bad (seems like everything in life has some of each)....the GOOD result is that the inside of my trach is granuloma-free, and I can breathe a lot better.  It also doesn't hurt on the inside. 

The BAD part is that the doc used silver nitrate (which is protocol), and it lingers.... It burns from the inside out, so this is what I have now:

Yes, it hurts as bad as it looks like it does.  It should be better by the time we leave for vacation though, and after tomorrow's plasmapheresis, I am DONE with doctors, dentists, tests, appointments, etc. until we leave.  SO I have 2 weeks of nothing but vacation planning.  Sigh.  It's about stinkin' time!!