I was just wondering about ventilators
How many of us have actually experienced being put on a ventilator?
I have...twice....
The first time I remember nothing as I was sedated and it was decided that I should be after heart surgery...
The second time was after the surgery....within 24 hours I was gasping for breath and it was decided that I should be intubated...
I was sedated and put back on the ventilator.
Several days later the decision was made to remove me from sedation...but removal of the ventilator tubes doesnt occur until you're conscious...
Take it from me...being conscious with tubes down your throat is one of the most panic inducing feelings you can experience....do much so that your wrists are restrained so that you cannot remove the tubes on your own...
As you slowly regain consciousness you become aware of the fact that your breathing is dependent on a machine
You have no control of the rate of breathing or the amount of breath you can take
..the machine decides.
But prior to the ventilator being hooked back up I vaguely remember trying to breathe...I felt as if I was drowning...and the ventilator was a relief.
I've been a lot of scary positions in my life...some by chooce... but in retrospect that period of my life defines helplessness.
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