Hi everyone.I wanted to share our first family vacation with my husband on oxygen 24/7.He has a concentrator for home use and a POC.We loaded up both pieces along with the luggage and fishing poles.
Once we all arrived at our destination my role as Mom, Grandmother, Wife and caregiver became interchangeable.I am very fortunate that my husband and I discuss the effects of his COPD on him, good and bad.Those conversations allowed me to be all those every day.
With the use of the concentrator, he was able to sit on the cabin porch and at the outdoor table with everyone while we grilled out.He was able to enjoy both his grandchildren while they played outdoors and indoors.
He was looking forward to fishing with the boys and the grandchildren.Walking and using his POC with a setting of 5, his O2 level dropped to 84, so he couldn’t venture to the creek and fish.
We packed up to go swimming one day.We assumed that there would be a parking lot at the swimming area.Everyone could go swimming and my husband would be close by at a picnic table.It was a long, dusty trail down the swimming area.Yes, he was going to give it a try, with the use of his POC.After a very short distance, with the setting of 5, his O2 level dropped to 84/85.He got back in the car, we parked in the handicapped spot (shaded) and he passed the time with items on his phone while everyone, including me, went swimming for a while.
Once we were home again, we discussed how quickly his O2 dropped using the POC during activity, even for short distances and how long it would take to come back up in the 90’s after sitting.Together, we question whether the POC (pulse) is the correct equipment.We are researching continuous flow equipment and called the pulmonologist’s office.His staff is researching equipment too and his pulmonologist will discuss continuous flow vs. pulse equipment at his upcoming appointment.