OK, after an interesting time reading some of the information about the above subject, now I wonder why I haven't paid more attention to this. I have been on a respirator twice, once three weeks after my accident when I developed a blood clot in my right leg, and the other time when I needed (17 years after) when I had emergency gallbladder surgery. The first time I was on the ventilator three weeks and the second time it was for two weeks. At Santa Clara rehab they told me I was lucky because I've lived at 5500 feet most of my life so I had well developed lungs, and because I used to train German Shepherds for protection services when I lived in Europe and either bicycled or ran about 15 KM a day that it helped me, and for some reason I never was interested in smoking so that was an added benefit. So although I only have my diaphragm for breathing I have been very fortunate in that I haven't had any serious lung problems.
This is something I am going to discuss with my Dr. When I get to see him in October, wondering if there is something I should do now that I'm getting up in age (where did that old lady in a wheelchair come from because it can't be me, that's not my image I remember) and I had never thought about this. Thanks for sharing, now I can fret about something else for a while. LOL Make someone laugh Joan
