#ventilator user

[briarpatch-kids]

For anyone who wears the same style ventilator or cpap mask I do, some of those acrylic chain links and two swivel clips can replace the manky blue elastic pretty easily and requires no tools beyond fingers to assemble. The chain links have a little opening you use to snap them together.

I took my mask off with the elastic at its usual tightness and made the chain clip the same length as the elastic and then adjusted it accordingly. I think the total cost of a variety box of acrylic chain links and a pack of swivel clips came to $20 and I've made a BUNCH of different colors with it. The only chain I didn't get from the one box of links is the rainbow one and those links were like, $2 at either Walmart or bimart.

[briarpatch-kids]

Something nobody ever warns you about ventilator is how when it's even mildly chilly out, your breath will condense and make your mask all watery and it bubbles. Very annoying. I have to clean it all out after I'm done working outside in the winter and early spring or it'll drive me insane.

(Also happens at night when the humidifier is on full blast)

[briarpatch-kids]

I don't have a cold!!! I am not congested!!!! I have a ventilator on! I know you are trying to be friendly but it's every goddamn phone call

[briarpatch-kids]

No pressure to answer this if you don’t want but does your non invasive ventilator impact your ability to speak at all?

Yeah, not a whole lot, but I get asked on the phone if I have a cold about 1/3 of the time and i have to be like "nah thats just my ventilator." That like, stuffy nose talk where all your Ns sound like Ds.

I have to repeat myself sometimes if the person has any kind of hearing disabilities because it's harder to parse my speech than other people's. Also, they can't see my mouth to lip read because the tube is in the way. If I know it won't be long, I take my ventilator off during video chats for people who need to lip read so they don't need to struggle as much, then end the chat when I'm starting to get symptomatic from it.

On a semi related note, to kiss I usually press my face against the person (or cat) and make kissy noises or "air kiss" because my mouth is covered. I also have to take it off to eat with a fork and eat meals quickly because of that. Things like bread and drinks are fine, but anything messy or requiring a fork is a no go. When I end up more dependent on the ventilator, I'll probably have to either switch to a liquid diet or get a tracheostomy so I can eat because of that.

[briarpatch-kids]

Sometimes I think it would be nicer to just get the tracheostomy instead of non invasive ventilation while I'm still relatively healthy and would recover quicker, but then I remember that I'm trying to have a baby and there's a whole developmental stage where those things like to YANK on anything they see.

[briarpatch-kids]

New mask new me!

Hehehehe pig nose