Help Me Breathe Again: Recovering from Surgery

For the last few months, I’ve had several incidents where I felt like I was suffocating. I assumed this was my new normal following a prolonged hospitalization in Brazil last year due to severe pneumonia and sepsis which required a very long intubation. After returning home, my breathing was never the same, so I consulted multiple doctors who ran tests yielding no definitive answers. As winter came, I started experiencing more frequent chest infections, and from December through February, I was in and out of Urgent Care offices, doctors offices and the ER undergoing more treatments, none of which provided relief.

I assumed I was never going to have the same lung capacity that I had before, and that this was “my new normal”, but apparently my lungs had fully healed and the problem wasn’t a diminished lung capacity. I had scar tissue and a growth in my trachea. It seems that while I was intubated in Brazil, this caused what is known as a Tracheal Stenosis. This narrowing occurred slowly over time. Over the winter I had several chest infections, which made it worse, because of the narrowing, it also made it difficult to get infections (phlegm) out of my lungs. After months, my doctors finally decided it was best to do a tracheal resection surgery. Below are photos from my MRI/CT images and my endoscopy images.

My doctor did give me the option of living in my current sate but warned me that I’ll be more susceptible to chest infection or pneumonia, which would immediately put me in the hospital and cause me to be intubated or have a tracheal breathing hole. He also warned over time it would only continue to get worse and eventually force me to where I am now but with the risk of more severe complications.

That’s why on Tuesday April 29th I underwent a surgery to remove this Stenosis, known as a Tracheal Resection. It’s a complex surgery in a very sensitive area of the body (in my neck) where all of the major nerves and arteries exist in close proximity. During my consultation with the doctor, he indicated that this surgery will be more complex than initially anticipated considering I have 5-6cm of tissue in my trachea that must be removed, whereas typically people remove only 2-3cm of tissue. This significantly increased the likelihood complications during the surgery. The list of post-surgery complications is long as well; feeding tube, infections, severe nerve damage and other serious effects are very possible.

Thankfully, the surgery this past Tuesday was successful, and as of today I’m recovering in the SICU. Based on how well I recover, there could be a need for further surgeries in the future or a reconstruction of my trachea.

Currently, I’m in an induced coma as doctors wanted to ensure I get the best rest possible to set myself up for a successful recovery, which will likely take around a month to month-and-a-half. Friends are posting this on my behalf today (5/3/25). As I recover we are limiting visitations to a specific group of people until I am awake. This reduces my exposure to potential airborne pathogens that can negatively effect my recovery process. We will let you know when visitations can be scheduled.

As I continue to rest, I ask you all to keep me in your thoughts. It would also mean the world to me if you would consider supporting me through this situation, as I’m unable to work while being hospitalized. Even the smallest contribution will help me focus on healing instead of worrying about how I’m going to pay next month’s rent. Your donation will cover my basic costs of living (rent, groceries, etc) while I’m unable to work, it will help offset the cost of the medical bills I’ll be facing in recovery, and it will ensure I can get follow-up appointments and therapies for a full recovery.

Words cannot describe my appreciation of your help. I will be sharing updates along the way and keep you posted on my journey back to health. I’ve fought to keep my head above water in New York, but now I need your help finding my breath again. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.