Off topic In the hospital.

rlacan71

rlacan71

Joined
Dec 19, 2011
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I am typing this now on my phone while in the hospital. While working my night job at UPS I was breaking a jam on the conveyor belt. I was standing on a platform and when I went to step down to where I stand to sort the boxes I missed the edge of the platform and fell 5 feet directly onto a metal chute hitting my side. Lost my wind for a fe and when I tried to take my 1st breath it felt like I was going to die. I hit the emergency stop on the conveyor and slithered down the ladder and lay on the floor like a fish outta water. Tried to walk it off but decided I need to be safe and had my supervisor drive me to the hospital.

After the sign in process and initial questions by a doctor they decided that a scan of my chest was in order.

The doctor came back after he got the results and told me that I broke my #8 rib in the back.

Thats the good news he said.

When the rib broke it punctured my lung and it was 50% collapsed.

Best case scenario I will be spending the next 3 days in the hospital.

They sliced a hole in my side and stuck a tube into my lung to reinflate it and use the same tube for suction.

Finished that a lil while ago , was a very quik proceedure, about 5 minutes.

They took an x-ray just a few minutes ago and the lung is fully inflated. They will leave the tube in for 24 hours then remove it. Then its more waiting to ensure that it remains inflated on its own.

I asked how I was supposed to shower with the tube or would I be getting a little funky. They laughed and told me I'd be getting a little funky.
UGH 3 days no shower and I came here straight from work no less.

Perhaps Pokey and Lexi can take turns giving me a sponge bath…......

FEELIN BETTER ALREADY......

Now I just hope my day job doesnt let me go, Im only a temp.

Rob
 
Wow Bro, hope you have a speedy recovery. Always heard that a broke rib and puntured lung was a though thing to go through. Take it easy and don't push things!!!
 
Damn, a punctured lung is no joke Rob. Hope you feel better man. Best wishes from across the bridge!
 
Sorry to hear about your bad luck. Maybe you'll get lucky and a cute nurse will give you a sponge bath! :orange:
 
Just had similar lapse in personal hygiene when I got my ICD.

Go buy a shower massage with the hand sprayer. Best way to keep the ultimate funk at bay...

Hope your recovery is speedy and uneventful.
 
DANG...punctured lungs and broken ribs suck royally....wait until you have a sneazing fit...even the toughest men will wimper...
Wish you a speedy recovery.
 
Seen the surgeons place a few chest tubes in the E.R. and it never looks pleasant. Hope you heal quick and the nurses are pretty!
 
Lazyboy said:
So which Busse did you get them to slice you open with?
Click to expand...

Hah.

My magnum bear cub via Alans touch did the trick.

I will admit to letting out a girly wimper when the tube pushed in through my ribs and into my collapsed lung. Ouchie
 
thatmguy said:
Just had similar lapse in personal hygiene when I got my ICD.

Go buy a shower massage with the hand sprayer. Best way to keep the ultimate funk at bay...

Hope your recovery is speedy and uneventful.
Click to expand...

Good advice but banking on a cute nurse sponge bath like mentioned in here earlier
 
Raging Rhino said:
DANG...punctured lungs and broken ribs suck royally....wait until you have a sneazing fit...even the toughest men will wimper...
Wish you a speedy recovery.
Click to expand...

Damn, if I sneeze ill prolly die.

burping and coughing have sucked so far.
ll do to me
Cant imagine what a hic up fit or throwing up will do to me.
 
Last edited:
Thanx for all of the well wishes, they are much appreciated.

Feeling better than I expected so far but I have been awake now just over 24 hrs after my customary 2 hr nap between jobs. I am afraid to go to sleep to be honest. The thought of my left arm jerking out if my sleep is restless or my trying to roll over while sleeping and tearing out the tube makes sleep not a nice idea.

Sorry for the multiple posts, I cant seem to get my multiple quote option to work on my cell phone.
 
Praying that you have a speedy and complete recovery. Don't push the program and do like the doc says.
 
Here are some pictures from the hospital and some pictures of the tube that was inserted into my lung:

Tube used to inflate/suction my lung pic1. Hard to see but there are blue marks on the tube itself marking out centimeters. The end of the tube near my middle finger was inserted about 9 inches into my lung.





Tube used to inflate/suction my lung pic2.





Tube used to inflate/suction my lung pic3.





Made the nurse snap a pic of me as i breathed in and held my breath.





Pic of tube while inserted 1.





Pic of tube while inserted 2.








While in the hospital and upon my release they had me strengthening and keeping my lungs active to prevent fluid buildup using a inscentive spirometer like the one pictured below. When I first had the procedure done I could barely maintain a suck of 1000. By Monday I had gotten it up to just over the 3500 line. Bear in mind this all still hurts like hell. Then I figured that Id try my own exercise. I breathed in as much as I could then let out some out until I was approximately 75 percent of my full capacity. Then I sucked in a little air and held it. and repeated that around 5 times or so until it felt like I would burst if I took in any more air, then I released it.

BAD IDEA.

I felt like my lung had collapsed all over again. I was very short of breath and could only take the shallowest of breaths. I waited a few minutes and tried a very mild attempt at the spirometer again and could barely hit 500 on the scale. I decided it was time to hit the hospital again since I was almost positive that I had re-injured myself. My wife was on her way back from getting our daughter from daycare but was caught in some traffic. I asked my downstairs neighbor to give me a lift to the hospital and headed out.




When I arrived at the hospital they checked my vitals and sampled my blood for the oxygen level. while we were waiting on that they took a xray of my chest. All of my tests game back with my numbers being great...pressure, heart rate and oxygen in my blood. Then the xray came back and it didnt appear that my lung had collapsed again but to be sure they sent me for a ....Cat scan or mri forget which.... I was placed on a table that moved me in and out of a giant doughnut. This big magic doughnut even spoke to me!!!! told me to hold my breath and when to breathe and everything.

That scan came back showing that my lung was fine. The doctor thinks that I aggrevated the bruising around the rib. So im startin all over bleh. Either way Im outta work until at least next Wednesday. Next tuesday I go for a checkup that will decide when I go back to work.


Rob
 
Good luck. Which hospital were you in near Maple Shade? I know the area pretty well, and there are some good places down there.
 
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