Happy Respiratory Care week!
I want to personally thank all the respiratory therapists that took such good care of my girls when they were in the hospital.
In honor of the week I decided I would make this post all about the girls reparatory past.
The first picture is the vent called the oscillator. It is the vent that the girls were on when they were first born. Abigail also was put on it later on when she was at Hopkins and her lungs collapsed and she got very sick. The oscillator shakes your body and your lungs a little, but it is very gentle on the lungs even though it might not look like it. The only problem is that you have to be sedated in order for the machine to work properly. The idea is for the machine to do all the work for you. 
Later on my girls transitioned to the conventional vent. While on the conventional vent they were intubated and then later put on the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressue). The CPAP is a type of mask that almost looks like you are out snorkeling. As their lungs got stronger they were lastly able to transition to the nasal cannula. Abigail still has a nasal cannula for when she sleeps at night. We have an oxygen machine in our house that is electric and makes oxygen out of the air. Here is a picture of a conventional vent. 
I am so thankful for all of the therapist hard work. I have a special place in my heart for the respiratory therapist team at Hopkins. You took such great care of Abigail when she was so sick. You are amazing!
Amazing! I like to think of the people who have dedicated themselves to inventing these things. The medical world alone is full of inventors who don't even see those they help.
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