Trach Keepsake

I can hardly believe that 3 years ago today my little boy started breathing without the assistance of a hole in his neck.

 It was a big step that hardly seemed to phase him and today he knows why he has the scar on his neck but doesn't really remember having the trach. He has been very interested in what he did as a baby so we have been talking about how he was born and he was very sick and he stayed in the hospital for a long time and how his trach helped him breathe.

For many parents a trach is something that is feared, a last resort. To me the trach was a life saver because without Milo would not have survived. I welcomed it into our lives.  I pushed the doctors to do it sooner rather than later, they were not used to that reaction.  I'll admit I was a bit apprehensive when it went away. Life has been a little simpler for the last 3 years but I cherish this piece life saving medical technology. I wanted to find a way to "honor" Milo's trach. On the day his trach was removed one of the respiratory therapists at the hospital said I should bronze one of his trachs and honestly I looked into that but at $120 is was a bit cost prohibitive. For a long time I pondered how to creativly and stylishly display a trach.

Here are two trach keepsakes that I came up with. 
The first one is a simpler design with store bought chain and beads. This one is sitting on the bookshelf with our photoalbums for everyone to see.

The other one is a little more elaborate.  I used the trach chain that we tryed to use on Milo but he was too active and his trach kept pulling out.  I got custom made rectangular pendants with the date he got his trach and the date it came out and a round pendant with his name.  I found some beads and charms at Hobby Lobby to finish it off.  I think it turned out beautifully and his hanging in my bedroom.