Coronavirus spreads. But don't panic! (topical thread)

[Dom]

For the record, I'm not implying that I was awake during all those intubations... they do it after the initial anesthesia is working and you're unconscious.  They intubate because general anesthesia slows down one's breathing to the point where it could stop.

That said, I did awaken on a ventilator once.  It was after my back surgery and I had to recover in the ICU.  I was only on the vent for... I think it was about 6 hours.  Worst experience I've ever had.  I can 100% say with accuracy that, yes, being on a vent is at least as bad as you imagine it to be.

Hubby woke up on a ventilator in the ICU once. It didn't bother him so much since he was drugged as can be, but when they removed it, that was horrifying! Pulling it out is not fun. Lifted him right up out of bed.

Yeah, I was awake when they took mine out.  "Take as deep of an intake of air as you can, and then push it out while we pull out the tube."

The tube was a fair amount longer than I had anticipated.

Hubby wasn't conscious enough to cooperate in any meaningful way - he did open his eyes and see and recognize me and that was about the extent of his capabilities at the time.  So the doc yanked it out as fast as possible, lifting my poor emaciated, elderly hubby off the bed in the process. Just by yanking the tube.