My New Machine

It has been a long road trying to get this new breathing machine, but alas, it is here! I feel as though I have waited a lifetime to see a pulmonologist (who was able to discern my old machine was not providing enough ventilation support) and climbed far too many mountains in pursuit of getting this new ventilator. After the chaos of last week (doctor's appointment, running in circles trying to get lab work done, endless calls to my doctor's office and ending up in the emergency department), I wanted to just give up! My full face mask for the ventilator was causing my gums to develop painful bloody sores. Moreover, I could not sleep because I kept waking up when I stopped breathing at night. When I was completely run down and out of energy, my ventilator was finally delivered!

This new ventilator has so many features on it! It automatically adjusts the pressure I need to guarantee my lungs receive the necessary volume for a proper breath. It has a heater which warms up the air before it is blasted into my face. There is a nice LCD interface which displays my respiration rate, the pressure used, the volume of air being deliver to my lungs, etc. The unit has a battery which means I can now leave my bed while still being hooked up to the ventilator!!! With the new ventilator, I also got a new mask, one which does not rest on my gums and cause painful sores to develop. I also got new tubing, which is much thicker and more durable than my old tubing. The new machine with the new mask and new tubing is much, MUCH quieter than the old system.

Also, this machine automatically delivers a blast of high pressure air, forcing air into my lungs, if my body fails to take a breathe on its own. This is truly amazing!!! When I drift off to sleep, my body becomes very tired and forgets to breathe. With my old unit, I only was given a blast of high pressure air when the machine detected I was taking a breath in. If my body did not take a breath, no high pressure blast was given. This caused me to wake up constantly because I was not breathing during sleep. I would also wake up exhausted and with bad headaches from lack of oxygen. The new machine forces me to breathe when my body forgets to breathe.

Praying this machine continues to provide my necessary breath support and will allow me to not have to get a tracheotomy and have invasive ventilation. "You were tired out by the length of your road, yet you did not say, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewed strength, therefore you did not faint" (Isaiah 57:10).