If I may, I would like to introduce myself!

[ECMO]

(The following post is very long, but what I have to say, is important, and even though I am not a nurse, I have grown up around the medical field, have studied it, will study it for as long as I live, and will teach others what I know.

   Hello! My name is Peter. I am 31 years old, I am a trach patient, who uses a ventilator, I have a G-Tube, I am legally blind, with very little vision, and have a variety of other medical conditions. This does not stop me from enjoying life, and making the most of it. Everyone should make the most of their life, no matter what situation they are in, whether they were born with multiple health conditions, whether they developed these conditions later on in life, or whether it's some other circumstance. I say this, because at least you are loving, and breathing. I may be breathing with the help of a ventilator, but I am just thankful to be alive.

   I've had many operations, to the point that I've honestly lost count of how many operations I've had. I've spent many many nights in the  Intensive Care Unit, have been coded several times, but have survived to tell the story. 

   I was adopted by a wonderful Mother, and Father who both worked in the medical field, as nurses, took care of children with special needs, and who have nothing but love, and care. My Dad passed away in the year of 2017, and I miss him a whole lot, but my Mom is still doing well. 

   Due to my many hospitalizations, many operations, and many Dr.'s visits,, I've always since a very very young age had a massive interest in the medical field. I've always wanted to learn. When I was in the hospital, I always asked a whole lot of questions, because no matter how sick I was, I found a way to communicate, and I would learn whatever I could during that hospitalization. As I got older, and obtained medical textbooks, I would read these books through thoroughly to learn the conduct of procedures such as Line placement, all the way up to the management of a patient in the OR who is on Cardiopulmonary Bypass. I always kept up to date on the latest protocols, for example the ACLS algorithms. If there was an online course I could get my hands on, I always loved to take those courses.  I loved to take E-Learning courses, that allowed me to study onlone material. I can remember this one website called SimCode ACLS, where there were simulated cases of Rhythms such as V-Fib, Pulseless V-Tach, V-Tach with pulse, Atrial Fibrillation, Atrial flutter, Asystole, and SVT, and you placed the monitors, oxygen, IV, if necessary initiated CPR, Defibrillated, paced, administered drugs, etc. You would get a grade on those cases afterwards. But I LOVED that website. They had some really good simulations. It was courses like that, that I would get access to, and that's how quite a bit of my knowledge has been given to me.
   The medical field has been my biggest hobby! Of course, when you live your life around medical equipment, that's something that could very likely happen. You develop an interest in this field, and then as the case with me, you want to teach others what you know, to further their knowledge.

   Many times, I've helped nurses, Drs., Respiratory Therapists, Anesthesiologists and other healthcare professionals learn about something. Many years ago, in the pediatric unit, I was helping a nurse who didn't understand the concept of High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation. She didn't understand it, and I managed to get an RT to bring in an oscillator, I set it up, I showed her the machine's controls, explained concepts of the ventilator like how instead of adjusting PEEP, you adjusted Mean Airway Pressure. She didn't know how many breaths these types of ventilators delivered, and so I explained that in the case of High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation, we calculated the tiny breaths in Hertz. Each Hertz is equal to 60 Breaths, or rather Oscillations Per Minute. For example, a Hertz of 8 is equal to 480 oscillations per minute.  Right before I was being discharged, the nurse thanked me for helping her understand HFOV. There have been many times I've given in services like that.

   In the year of 2013, I traveled from Kentucky, to Tennessee to pay a visit to the Middle Tennessee School For Anesthesia. I took a tour of the school, got to perform a couple intubations on SimMan, and got to do some other skills that I'd always wanted to practice. The instructor allowed me to speak to the class a little bit about my massive interest in the medical field. Needless to say, Wednesday, July 24th, 2013, was one of the most memorable days in my life. My friend Heather, who was there to witness such a special day commented afterwards, and just said, "Peter? You just look so happy when you are teaching others about the medical field!"

   She was right! A few months later, I was hospitalized, and that's when I failed a Modified Barium Swallowing Evaluation, at which time I underwent placement of a Percutaneous Endoscopically Inserted Gastrostomy tube. I didn't let that hospitalization or how sick I was stop me from just being happy. Why? Because you can go through unpleasant situations with a negative attitude, or you can say, "This is not a good situation, but I'm going to go through it, and remember that someone else, always has it worse." I've always felt that way about life.

   Now, I'm 24/7 ventilator dependent, with a slew of other health conditions. But my life in the medical field, in and out of the hospital has given a perspective on life that I believe has made me the person that I am today. Throughout my life, they thought that I would die, but I haven't. Of course, when Mom brought me home from the hospital, she was told that I'd be a vegetable. I wasn't though! I was home bound a lot because of my health, but I went through grade school, learned to read braille, and the usual subjects, and in 2010, I graduated highschool with a highschool diploma, all the while gaining what medical knowledge I could, especially from Mom and Dad as being that they were nurses, they taught me what they know.

   I remember one night at the age of eight, asking Dad about the procedure for pumping a patient's stomach. I knew it wasn't done as often as it use to be in the day, but as someone who wanted to learn, I asked questions like that, and was told what they knew. Mom and Dad both explained to me the concept of Gastric Lavage, and, just like many other questions I would ask back then,  I would remember what I learned, and when I was in the hospital, or when I got the chance to speak to a nurse or a physician, I discussed stuff like that with them. I'd ask about subjects such as defibrillation, intubation, what the protocol was for a code back then, and other topics, that I found of interest at such a young age.

   Through myyears of studying, I have found that subjects such as Critical Care Medicine, and Respiratory Care are my favorite. I also find an interest in burns, Anesthesiology, Neurology, Emergency medicine, Cardiothoracic Surgery, and many other specialties.

   Now, I would like to discuss a little bit about Why  I joined allnurses? I understand that I am not a nurse, but I have a massive interest in some of the topics that are discussed here. There are some great stories that I've been able to read through this website, and I've learned quite a lot! You know, I understand it's not conventional to have many of the interests I do. But I believe that the interest in the medical field with which I've lived, all my life, has brought me a very long ways! Keeping up with stuff such as ACLS, General nursing care, Critical Care, Respiratory Care, and many other subjects has taught me stuff that I've been able to teach others!

   I may not be able to work in the medical field with all my health issues, but I believe that I can still learn what I desire to learn. I believe that I can still teach others what I know, and that's my goal! I've been a member of allnurses since the year of 2015, or maybe earlier. And I SUPPORT YOU ALL, in your work that you are doing for patients like me! I truly see people who will do anything that is necessary to help a patient!

   If I post on occasion to ask questions I have, as I would like to do, I do that to further my knowledge on a certain topic! That's what I have always wanted to do!  It's what's gotten me where I am today.

   I want to say thank you to those, who read this entire post. I know it's long, but I had a lot to say that I wanted to say to healthcare professionals that I truly hope and pray will understand where I'm coming from with this. Have a great day, and God Bless!
 

[Emergent, RN]

Welcome to the website! 

[Davey Do]

Wow, Peter, what an inspiration you are with all that you've been through in your life and continue to adhere to your positive attitude in spite of the trials and tribulations!

As nurses, many of us lack in your knowledge- you could run circles around me- and your first hand experience is something which the vast majority of us will never have.

Your comment of "I didn't let that hospitalization or my sickness stop me from being happy" speaks volumes of a higher consciousness, something from which we could all learn and benefit.

Just know, Peter, that I hold you in high regard- there are so many more things that I could say about your post- and I, too welcome you to all nurses.

Now, I'm going to look up your other posts, as it seems you have quite a few!

 

[ECMO]

Davey Do said:

Wow, Peter, what an inspiration you are with all that you've been through in your life and continue to adhere to your positive attitude in spite of the trials and tribulations!

As nurses, many of us lack in your knowledge- you could run circles around me- and your first hand experience is something which the vast majority of us will never have.

Your comment of "I didn't let that hospitalization or my sickness stop me from being happy" speaks volumes of a higher consciousness, something from which we could all learn and benefit.

Just know, Peter, that I hold you in high regard- there are so many more things that I could say about your post- and I, too welcome you to all nurses.

Now, I'm going to look up your other posts, as it seems you have quite a few!

OK, I haven't been posting in years, and yesterday was my first post since I believe 2015, but I thought I would post a reply to the VERY kind words of which you have said in your reply to my post! THIS MEANS SO MUCH what you've said! I love the medical field, and I do have quite a few other posts in regards to questions I had asked about specialty beds, and online simulators I was trying to get my hands on. I LOVE online E-Learning simulators, as well as other medical simulators where It's not exactly an E-Learning course, but rather just a simulator. For example, Ventilation simulators, infusion simulators, patient monitor simulators like you would find in the Laerdal software, etc. Those are fun to explore. 

   As for my interest in specialty beds, such as the Clinitron beds, and other special beds such as the RotoProne, RotoRest, and TriaDyne therapy systems. I find the workings of these beds very interesting. And there have been some good stories on this website about these devices, especially some funny stories about the Clinitron Air Fluidized beds. 

 

So THANK YOU! I know I am NOT a nurse, but I want to learn, and that is what I will do as a member of all nurses!

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

Welcome to the site, you have lots of knowledge that has clearly helped others, hopefully we can provide some of what you're looking for as well!