Portable Oxygen Concentrators: 3 Adjustment Stages In 24/7 Oxygen Therapy
Posted by admin - 24/06/09 at 06:06 pmMy stepfather nearly died from lung failure after an operation and as a result of this he has been prescribed with long term oxygen therapy. Thousands of people have to receive additional oxygen, for many reasons -the main one being as a result of smoking as in this case. He stopped smoking nearly twenty years ago, but the damage was done and the crisis surfaced after surgery.
We are a close family and so have lived many of the ups and downs of this new stage in his life. This has meant finding the equipment, coordinating refills for compressed oxygen tanks, deciding on the oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeters, delivery systems as well as a few crises.
The following is my take on the stages of living with supplemental oxygen, based on someone who needs a constant supply, 24 hours a day.
1. The Unknown
Shock, fear, tension. The unknown is a frightening place. There are mixed feelings - times when you feel heroic, when you feel small and lost, when you feel despair and when you feel hope.
You imagine that the changes that are coming into your life will be so limiting that you wander about the point of it all. It takes courage to say “yes” to life.
At this stage most of your waking thoughts revolve around oxygen and breathing. This includes having the equipment nearby, learning to use it, making sure you have reserves on hand, getting used to the nose cannula, learning to set the flow and reading your oxygen saturation.
2. Normality
You have been home for a time and you are managing day to day activities. You oxygen tanks are a permanent company. At this stage you are coping.
You are coping with the oxygen equipment, your home unit and your mobile unit.
Your social activities are coming back. You can drive, although you still worry about running out of your supply.
3. A better lifestyle: Portable oxygen concentrators.
This does make a great difference. Oxygen tanks have supplied you with oxygen for a couple of years now and though they have done a great job it is not easy to carry them around with you, to have them refilled continuously.
But (and this was some time ago) new designs in portable oxygen concentrators are now available.
If you travel by plane the battery option can give you 8 hours or more (depending on the oxygen flow and obviously the type of concentrator).
Long distance travel is now an option as other activities like going out at night with friends, to a restaurant, a cocktail party, a movie - just about anywhere.
Work-wise it also makes a difference. Meetings, long sessions, presentations and so on.
You can even exercise.
All in all, quality of life is higher and the most important part is that you are freer than before and this is perhaps the most important part, you feel free to pursue your life.
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