Ventilate yourself manually with an ambubag

Author: 
Maryze
Category: Patients Helping Patients
Published
April 19, 2011

BlaasballonI do travel a lot and that means that I often use my manual wheelchair. When I don’t travel I use my electrical wheelchair that has the ventilator attached to the back of my wheelchair, so I can use the ventilator when I like during the day. In my manual wheelchair, however, it is not possible to use the ventilator as it lacks the battery and the space to store the ventilator.

To be able to get ventilation when needed, I decided to use the ambubag that I received from my hospital to do airstacking. I discovered that with a good ambubag it is very easy to ventilate yourself manually. It is very convenient to use during traveling f.e. when I need to be brought to my plane seat while sitting on a uncomfortable small and often painful  isle seat or when I am on my way the whole day in my manual wheelchair and can’t take my ventilator with me. I simply squeeze my ambubag with my hands and put the mouth piece in my mouth and inhale the air as I do with my ventilator.

By using the ambubag to ventilate myself manually I increased my mobility and have more freedom. I also keep the ambubag always in bed or in my car in case my ventilator breaks down. It is just a precaution and I feel safer with it.

It is important that you use an easy squeezable ambubag that doesn’t tire your hands easily. Otherwise it will be difficult for you to use it.

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