My Cough Assist machine

I like my Life to be full of smiles and laughter…

But I want to share apart of my life I don’t normally show everyone, not because I’m ashamed or scared of what others may say, And I’m definitely not looking for any sympathy as this is my life and I’m ok with that it’s what makes me, Me.

If you don’t know me I suffer with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy a muscle wasting disorder, and as part of this disease it doesn’t just affect my legs & arm muscles it can also affect other parts of your body like my lungs.

lungs are after all classes as a muscle as well. After becoming ill with pneumonia in both lungs last year the Hospital physio’s used a bit of Equipment called the Cough Assist Machine.

What does it do I hear you say; Well because my cough is so pony and has no real power behind it I’m unable to clear my lungs if anything is sitting on them, so this machine pushes air into my lungs inflating them 3 times then sucks all the air out my lung creating a more powerful cough. Easy Right!!

This Equipment saved my life in hospital so made sense to have it at home so I can use it everyday as physio with the hope of keeping me at home if I ever became ill again.

I’ve found using the cough assist everyday has improved my lungs, blowing out candles would have been extremely hard a while back, then on my birthday in march I managed all by my tidily little self.

Unfortunately this bit of Equipment isn’t as readily available to people who need it, it’s like a post code lotto in some areas.

https://www.musculardystrophyuk.org/news/news/using-a-cough-assist-machine-kerrys-story/

The average cost per day for someone to stay in hospital is £400.

Obviously the cost for someone to stay at home that needs access to a cough assist would be far less in the long run.

Kerry X