I've been reading all of the mail about non-invasive vents, and have been
assuming it would not be something that my mother could use, but I have
decided that I should probably get more info before dismissing it.
You may recall that I joined the vent-users list because my mother has been
on a vent in the hospital since Dec., and, because I have found no
satisfactory long-term facilities that take vent patients, I am moving my
mother from NJ to my home in Fla. It appears I have finally found a facility
that will accept my mother after her transfer, when I can be trained to care
for her (a skilled nursing unit of the local hospital). My mother has a
multitude of medical problems and is having decreasing responsiveness as time
goes on. She has not spoken since the initial crisis due to her severe
weakness and lack of hard evidence on the nature of her cognitive abilities.
I know that these things make her situation a lot different from the
vent-users on this list.
But would there be any advantages to a non-invasive vent for my mother? I
don't understand how it works ... how does the air go into your lungs
forcefully enough for respiration to occur? What are pneumo-wrap and chest
shells? Would this not be possible for my mother because of the huge
'bedsore' she has in her sacral region?
Valerie, what did you mean by your statement that if a person with respirator
problems are given oxygen, the few muscles that are working get a message to
shut down -- muscles involved in respiration, or muscles in other parts of
the body?
I've printed out some of Dr. Bach's info from the internet. Is anyone on the
vent-users group who lives in south Florida, and could recommend a good
pulmonologist?
It's really a comfort to have this vent-users group; knowing that when my
mother comes to live with me I have a source of expert knowledge on at least
one aspect of her care.
Chris Gawlak
Ft.Pierce, Fl.