When in doubt... panic.

You know the feeling. You leave home & just know you left the coffee pot or the stove on, or did you forget to bring something?  Now which was it?

Both of those pale in comparison to the feeling I had today when we parked the car in New Orleans (two hours from home) at the Doctor's office and realized that I had forgotten to bring Bodie's portable suction machine.

Without this machine, he get secretions built up in his trach (airway) and cannot breathe. The machine is how we suction these secretions clear.

So here we sit & I am in full blown, stark raving panic mode. What the hell am I going to use to clear his airway if there is an obstruction? After Brandi manages to calm me down I figure I can suction him with a suction catheter & my mouth if necessary. (In reality-that isn't going to work).

But my next idea had promise... (more on that in a minute)

We went on with our appointment & Bodie did not need to be suctioned a single time, thank God!

Here's my idea that did work... I know, because I tested it at home later. I attached a suction catheter to a feeding syringe & created a vacuum (suction) by pulling the plunger back while holding my finger over the open suction catheter port. I was able to draw 25ml of water up the catheter into the syringe my first try.

But I don't think I'll EVER leave the portable suction at home again.

Ever.