Posts by goldenpanther14

Angela Wright said:I'm not entirely sure how the process works. It's possible you'll receive some supplies for home use via a discharge summary from the hospital while you wait to sort out the insurance reimbursement paperwork.
Make sure to ask your primary care physician before being discharged. You also have those backup options through the Hospice Friends Association, and you could always reach out to the Sailboat association for advice.

If "LOM" means a primary care doctor... she honestly doesn't know anything about this stuff, so none of that will apply. But, the hospital staff mentioned they handle it—making sure oxygen is ready for the patient at home—so I'm hoping there won't be any issues there. Do you think people at the Hospice Friends Association or the Sailboat association might know about nasal cannulas? I have no clue where to buy them, and I’d really like to have extra spares at home just in case. I even heard there are cannulas that are 10 meters long, so I'd love to find out where to get those. Thanks again for the help...🙂

goldenpanther14 said:Does anyone have any info on what kind of anesthesia they use for VATS—thoracotomy versus a standard thoracotomy? And is it even possible to anesthetize or operate on a patient who has issues with both lungs?

Still waiting on an answer here, anyone? 🙂

Does anyone happen to have info on what kind of anesthesia is typically used for VATS, thoracotomy, or a "standard" thoracotomy? Also, I'm wondering if it's even possible to anesthetize or operate on a patient with lung disease affecting both lungs...

Angela Wright said:The Hospice Friends Association in America, provided they have it in stock, and definitely with a specialist’s recommendation based on the disease progression.
But honestly, if you don't have a pulmonologist's recommendation, please don't mess around with this on your own. It isn't just about putting a mask on someone's face and turning it on. You have to titrate the oxygen dose according to the patient's specific needs and follow strict instructions... because too much oxygen can actually burn the mucous membranes and make things so much harder for them.

Thanks so much for the reply. In the meantime, my dad ended up being admitted to the hospital. What I'm wondering now is—if they know when he'll be discharged—how does the process for home oxygen therapy actually work? He should finally be getting those insurance approvals soon. Before he was hospitalized, we were in and out of the outpatient clinic and ambulatory care quite a bit, and every single time, his oxygen indicators weren't quite low enough to qualify, even though he's been in pretty bad shape for months now... so I'm a bit lost. Does the hospital discharge him and then he's just stuck without oxygen for a few weeks while waiting for the paperwork to clear? Or is there a different procedure when transitioning from the hospital to home care?
Thanks in advance for any help.

Hey everyone, does anyone happen to know where I can pick up some oxygen for home use without having to deal with all the extra fees or surcharges?