Re: A concern about not being able to breathe during surgery

[Guest guest]

Hi , no you are not unique, a lot of us have trouble breathing on our

backs.

Remember while you are on the table the anesthesiologist will literally be

breathing for you. You will have a tube going into your trachea and a

machine will inflate and deflate your lungs. when the surgery is over and

you need to start breathing on your own, thats when the trouble could start,

they gradually turn the machines down and allow you to start triggering the

machine on your own, when you are doing that for each breath then they will

take the tube out. If there is any trouble at all they will leave the tube

in a while longer.

there are breathing exercises on the web site that will help prevent

difficulties after surgery.

Also, you can start doing excersises to increase your upper body

strength- a really easy one is " push-outs " (instead of push ups) Put your

hands on a wall at shoulder height. Lean into the wall and push yourself out

- it isn't hard, do a bunch of reps and as it gets easier move your feet a

little further away from the wall.

To get out of bed roll to your side, scoot as close to the edge of the

bed as you can. Pull your knees up and dig your elbow into the bed, reach

down, across your body with your upper hand, push straight down with that

hand. As you raise your upper body switch your weight from your elbow to

your hand, swing your legs out ontothe floor and sit on the edge of the bed.

Sit there for a minute with your legs hanging down and then stand. That

sounds really complicated doesn't it. Print this and take it to your room and

PRACTICE!!! Before surgery!!!

I hope that this helps - the nurses in the hospital will help you learn

to move easily.

W