My Dad and I live together. After his recent hospital stay, his doctor sent him home with oxygen therapy. I’m not sure for how long.
We’ve got a concentrator, compressor, two small tanks, and a humongous emergency tank in case the power goes out. My Dad is hooked up to the concentrator when he is in the house, then uses the smaller tanks for outside.
It’s my job to fill the tanks using the compressor, set the tanks up on his cart, and make sure he’s using everything correctly. It’s not a job I relish. The oxygen scares me silly.
Even though I’ve been through the demonstration and I’ve read the manual, I’m still leery. But, this is what life is going to be like, maybe for the rest of my Dad’s life, so I have to adapt. I must get used to it.
Yesterday, I set up my first tank. You know what? It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. In fact, it’s easy to do. I put on the regulator and attached the tubing. I tested the valve to make sure oxygen was coming out.
It isn’t complicated. My biggest problem was the arthritis in my hands. I could put on the regulator with ease, but I had a heck of a time pressing the tubing over the little spout.
So, I’ve conquered one challenge. Next I’ll fill tanks. And, then the next challenge will be setting up my Dad for driving with oxygen.
One step at a time…that’s what I keep telling myself.