But yesterday evening when I turned him on to head out to visit my parents, he huffed and he puffed but he put out no little bolas of O2 at all. His parting shot was a cryptic message on his little green screen.
O2 DELIVERY ERROR
Well,duh!
Fortunately, since I've been walking on the treadmill lately, I've seen an improvement in my lung function so that I can move around the house (with all the vivacity of a three-toed sloth, mind you!) without using supplemental O2. I have to be careful not to overdo or my O2 sats fall below 90, but at least I can function on a minimal level without a POC.
But only for a while. I've got a couple of reunions to attend over the next two weekends. I have to be mobile.
If I discontinue exercising, my lung function will probably deteriorate too. So, I called my O2 provider. They are over-nighting a replacement unit. This will be Herkimer the Third.
It makes me nervous not to have any back up except my own sub-par functioning lungs. I've resisted getting a second unit. They're so darned expensive, but I may have to reconsider. Without a POC, my world suddenly becomes very small.
So looks like I'll be biting that particular bullet. After all, what price can you put on mobility?
Lexi, I would go for the back-up. I bet you'd feel a real sense of ease and freedom.
ReplyDeleteThink I'll have to. I hated having to miss choir last night. I could have done the singing all right, but the walk from the parking lot, up several flights of stairs and into the loft would have been more than I can manage without extra O2. Now all I have to do is figure out where the $1400 for a second machine will come from...
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