I've had lung disease for over 6 years. Bronchiectasis and bronchiolitis obliterans. My FEV1 = 30% , my resting oxygen 95 and my normal flow meter 240.
I was proud of the fact that by being fanatical about taking my medication properly, as prescribed, eating mostly good food, doing easy exercises and clearing my lungs, using a flutter and the breathing cycle and checking for changes in my mucus, that I'd never needed a stay in hospital.
Then along came shielding. Less exercise, more treats lead to a weight gain of an extra stone. Shielding ended but we entered the heatwave.
With temperatures over 30, high humidity and that extra stone I struggled. I got increasingly breathless, I was wiped out by the heat.
Monday 17th August I felt no better even though it was a bit cooler. As the day wore on I really felt bad. Flow meter ok, oxygen down to 90, mucus a little thicker than normal but not too bad.
I used my ventolin a few times, didn't help. Early evening I walked the few yards to the loo, nearly passed out. Rested, started to walk back to the sofa but found myself fighting to breathe. Using sign and odd words got my husband to call an ambulance.
I expected to be told to stop making a fuss but I checked my oxygen and found it was 76! My husband relaid that to the operator. Ambulance men checked yes 76. Nebulised something to open my airways and took me to hospital (the light on the ambulance co-ordinated with my now blue face)
I was taken to resuscitation for the night. Now I started to cough luminous yellow thick mucus.
I was on oxygen all night but it had to be stopped because carbon dioxide was building up in my blood.
2 and a half weeks in hospital on antibiotics now home with a nebuliser and saline to loosen the mucus (heaven, far less work than without it).
Highlights from the staff :
Intensive care doctor "I could take you to intensive care and intubate you but your lungs are far to damaged. I'd be worried about taking away from what little you have. We'll send you to the ward and try to get you well"
Nursing Sister : "You chose the right time to be so ill. We're Covid free at the moment.. We got through the first lot. You should be home safe before we get hit again"
Pharmacist : "Ooh! Can I clone you" She had come to talk about my medication but I was able to tell her what I take, how, when and why. She said the NHS waste a lot of money giving out medication that, because people don't follow the instructions, might as well be thrown away.
So humbly accepting that I am not as good at knowing my symptoms as I thought, I'm well on the mend.
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wheezyof
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Thank goodness your health is improving now wheezyof. You were certainly caught out but that does happen sometimes. It sounds as if you were well cared for.
Very wise ITU consultant and your lungs would not have thanked him for the invasion,thankfully you are now on the mend and know the symptoms should they ever rear their ugly head again which i sincerely hope they don't.
What a story wheezy. It sounds like you were lucky though. Now that bad episode has passed and you have come through it all keep the good work up and get well.
Oh no...what an experience! Glad you are home now! Lol...my doctor told me last time‘don’t leave it so long next time’ before calling for help which I can hear her saying to you too!!!
Seriously glad you are safe& back home again! Take it easy & give yourself time to recover!
They told us at pulmonary rehab that mucus can be a bit tricky.
It doesn’t always change colour when something is brewing,apparently. Hearing that made me a bit nervous ,I get a bit worn out sometimes,keeping an eye on my symptoms.
Dear Zebra, what an experience. And thank you so much for telling it all with such good sense and humour. So glad you survived. One very tough Zebra. Well, done.
I'm so sorry to read you've been ill. But so pleased you were well taken care of and on the mend. Please take it easy. Cooler weather will help. And we will all be more comfortable I think. Take good care and take it easy. Lots of love to you,
Wow! You have really given me something to think about.
I went through a similar situation of slow and unnoticed decline. Fortunately, antibiotics at home seem to be sorting me out but like you, I have found it a shock that I am not as clued into my symptoms as I thought I was.
The heat wave finished me off too! It was the icing on the cake, so to speak.
I am so glad that you had good care and are now out of hospital and, hopefully, on the mend. I hope you continue to get better and better and never have to go through that again.
What a scare for you wheezyof , so glad to hear that you are now home and feeling better. Lets hope that you dont have a repeat of this but can now recognise the symptoms. Stay safe x
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My oxygen level drops to 80% at night after COVID!
Welsh hospitals a disgrace
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