What I Do...

Often I am asked what it is that I do for a living. Most people have never heard of a Respiratory Therapist or even used one... and by the time you need an RT you don't really have time to pay attention to that kind of stuff. By the time we get called onto the scene things tend to be looking pretty bad. I found some pictures online (from a hospital on the east coast) of exactly what I deal with at work. Just in case you ever wondered.

This baby is actually pretty big... many of ours are about half this size. She is on a ventilator in this picture, which is what I deal with. This little one recently lost her fight and passed away. My thoughts and prayers are with her family.

In fact, here is one that is closer to the size I am used to. It is our job to get that tube in their throat. Last week I had to intubate a baby and it was the first time I wasn't standing there going, "oh crap! oh crap!" Most people don't realize that what we do in the first few moments of life makes such a huge difference. If we don't catch something right away, the child could have major issues for life... or possibly not even live. I deal with these machines. I can't think of any easy way to explain how and what is happening, we'll just stick with, "good air in, bad air out".
again, here is another (more close up picture) of what we do. The machine in the back is an oscillator. It's a ventilator... of sorts.
Here is a picture of a transport isolette. We use one just like this to go pick up "bad babies". If a baby is born at another hospital that doesn't have an NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), we have to go get them using one of these things.
Like the little girl in these pictures, death is part of the job. It sucks. But I have to say that we (and obviously the parents) are lucky to have met these kiddos if only for a little while. It is very easy to get attached to them and hard to see them pass.

Just a side note, one of the few shows I watch (and love) is John and Kate plus 8 on TLC. Partly because they remind me of Randy and I. (She bosses him around and he takes it. But in the end they are totally in love!) I also love it because it presents hope to all of the families that have micro-preemies and how happy and healthy they can grow up to be!

As you can see, ventilators are "what I do" so hopefully you can understand why Lacy's trach and vent is not a big deal to us. It fits our life and we are happy. I know that many people are shocked to think that we brought such a huge deal into our lives, and I know that her "look" is a little intimidating to many. Five years ago I would have felt the same way. Becoming an RT has changed my life in so many ways. I know Randy feels the same way as well (he is an RT too).