192 DAYS IN HOSPITAL!!!

129 Days in ICU & ICA
(Tracheostomy done on 4/9/06)



Intubation

Tracheostomy

Admitted to Singapore General Hospital from 19 July 2006 to 27 Jan 2007 for Diaphragmatic amyotrophy with Type II respiratory failure. Intubated 3 times and finally had tracheostomy done on 4th Sep.

Diaphragmatic amyotrophy means the diaphragm muscle became weak and therefore was unable to expel carbon dioxide when I sleep. Hence, the retention of CO2 led to Type II respiratory failure. Very often I would experience sudden shortness of breath (SOB) and when nothing seemed to help, doctors would sedate me and then intubate me. Intubation would allow the ventilator to take over my breathing and thus helped to expel the CO2 from my body.

The pain and discomfort to be hooked to the ventilator was beyond words. Every slight movement would result in excruciating pain. I was literally being "glued" to one position coz' there were so many tubes and wires all over. To be stuck in one position for days after days were no joke. Some days, I would become extremely restless and I wanted to pull out all the tubes and jumped off the bed. I was desperate whenever I felt restless and requested for the nurses to sedate me for fear that I would harm myself if I were to pull out all the tubes and wires. It was definitely better to be unconscious if we have to be hooked up to the ventilator. Being conscious and alert was torturious!!! Usually when the doctor intubate me, they would give high dosage of Domican (hee, hee....don't know the spelling, but it's some form of drug that knock you out) and morphine. Domican caused drowsiness as well as wiped out memories. It was weird coz' I could only remember flashes of events, bits and pieces, just like recalling a dream. In other words, I may "seemed" to be awake but I was not .... so I actually "talked" nonsense too.....hahahahaha....(By the way, I was not able to talk because of the tube in my mouth so I communicate through writing) In fact it was a good idea to write coz' it became the "evidence" of my funny "talks" with different ones.

Noticed the clip board and pen? That's how I communicate while in ICU and most ICU nurses won't know how my voice sounds like =P

After 3 times of intubation, the doctor decided to perform a tracheostomy on the 4th of Sep 2006. The reason for the tracheostomy is so that I can be easily "hooked up" to the ventilator.

Intubation is an invasive procedure of inserting a tube from the throat to the lung so that the ventilator can "blow" air into the lung to prevent the lung from collapsing.

The tube can only be in the mouth for about a week and if patient needs to be hooked to the ventilator for a longer period, tracheostomy would be considered. Tracheostomy is a surgical procedure of cutting a hole in the throat for the tube to be inserted. In this case, the tube would bypass the throat and vocal cords etc. This would reduce the risk of infection.

Most of us are familiar with IV drips (Intravenous means "within a vein") but not many have encountered IA line (Arterial Line).


Take a look at the plug on my left arm.....that's the IA line.

In setting the IA line, the doctor would try to find the artery "blindly". Veins are nearer to the surface so it's easier to be found but artery is embedded far deeper so doctors have to poke the needle deeper in and start to "search" for the artery by pulling the needle in and out. Very often the needle poke everywhere else (like nerves, muscles etc) but the artery!!! Ouch!!!!! Because I had it so often that my arteries were "harden" and that made it even more difficult for the doctors to set the IA line. The doctors would spend as long as more than an hour to finally get a successful line. Sometimes, I do see doctors perspired as they set the line for me and some would apologize continuously coz' they felt so bad that they had to "torture" me. Poor doctors!!! I do have high treshold for pain but at times, these were unbearable.....OUCH!!!!!!! The scars do remind me of how I've endured.... You could easily visualize the swell and bruises all over my arms and wrists. On top of the IA line, the IV lines had also exhausted all my veins!!! To sum up in one word.......it's "PAIN, PAIN and PAIN".....OUUUUUUCCCCCCCH!!!!

I am grateful to God for sending me good doctors and caring nurses. If it were not for them, I would not have"survived" the agony of such long stays in hospital.

My heart is filled with gratitude whenever I think of them.

At times, I was a difficult patient for some ...

but I am thankful for the grace and mercy shown.

How do you like this space-looking helmet?

Because of my CO2 retention, I have to use bipap machine when I sleep. I struggled alot with the mask because it was extremely uncomfortable. Some days I almost cried using it and begged the nurse to remove it. Of course they won't allowed that => so I have to bear with the discomfort. One fine day, the vendor brought something interesting..... this cool looking helmet!!! Hahaha... anything that kills the mundane of life would bring excitement and smile on my face ;-P So i tried the helmet lor! Notice the tube that attached to the helmet? It's hooked to the bipap machine, so the pressure of the air is spread out within the helmet instead of the usual gush of air that pushes into the lung through the nostril. However, if I ever need to scratch my nose or reach for my face for any reason, I would be in trouble coz' the helmet is neatly sealed and there's no way I could remove it without any help. Imagine if I suddenly have claustrophobic??? My goodness, it would be so scary if it ever happens especially when there's no immediate help available!

Because of the thick secretion, I was given nab regularly.

Due to the long stay in the hospital, I was infected with MRSA ("hospital acquired bugs") and resulted in high fever. Look at my face, I was burning like a lobster!!!

I am thankful for the many visitors who brought love and comfort.....


and food of course :o) ................

No food while in ICU because of the intubation

but in ICA, I ate for "revenge" ;->>>>>

I can do a lot more in ICA as compared to ICU. The best thing that I've done in ICA was to dye my hair....hahahahha!!!! Thanks to Sharon who brought the dye for me ;->

We screen up the curtain and with her help, I finally got my hair dyed after staying almost 6 months in hospital!!!! It has definitely brought some change to my mundane life in hospital (",)

See how cool I look!!!!!