Image Credit Note the difference in size between the portable liquid oxygen container (left) and a regular E size oxygen tank. Then read on for why I'm excited about liquid O2! :)Today, the smallest thing just made my day....and I feel like such a dork, but who cares? I've mentioned here that I have chronic cluster headaches on top of my nearly 7 year old constant migraine (New Daily Persistent Headache). The clusters are severe, stabbing, get-it-out-of-my-head-NOW attacks that last 45-90 minutes or so, for me are 80% on the right side and 20% hit the left, and are the most intensely painful things I've ever experienced. They come, for me, anywhere from 2-8 times a day, but lately about 4-5. I started suffering from them in late 2003, a few months after a figure skating injury that gave me a concussion. They say 50% of sufferers have some past history of head trauma. Clusters are believed to be caused by a faulty hypothalamus, so perhaps the head injury is the light switch that turns the demon on - I don't really know.
One of the best treatments for cluster headache is oxygen: 15 litres per minute (LPM) via nonrebreather mask or, even better, a clustermasx for about 10-20 minutes or so. I've been using this therapy since January 2004, and it has been a Godsend for me. At any given time, I have had E tanks, which are the size tanks you see people pull around on little carts or on the back of wheelchairs, up to H tanks, which are gigantic tanks that look like the tanks that fill helium balloons. Despite the small size of the E tanks, they still aren't very portable. I'm fortunate in that I work in a hospital and work closely with respiratory therapists, who have always said they will help me whenever I need at work - and I do keep a nonrebreather mask stored in my locker for those rare occasions when my CH hits break through my frova or amerge that I take on the bad days.
When I went to England last year, I got to try my friend's liquid oxygen for the first time. That was the coolest thing ever. Basically, there's one big tank that sits at home and is replaced regularly by the home O2 supplier, and then there are little canisters that can be refilled from the big canister. The little canisters are pretty small (about the size of a 2L bottle of soda) and have a strap for easy carrying. You have to keep them upright (or they make a very obnoxious squeal), but this is not really a problem. I know this may sound silly since oxygen is oxygen, but I swear that liquid O2 worked better for me!
When I came home, I asked the neuro nurse practitioner about trying liquid oxygen, and she said she'd look into it. At the appt after that, she said that I wouldn't be able to get it covered, and that was that. Well, since the past few days my clusters have been breaking through anything and everything I throw at them, today I took a little trip down to the O2 supplier to get 3 of my empty tanks replaced. I was having a problem with the 4th full tank because washer or no washer, whenever I hooked the regulator up it was bleeding O2 into the air.
At the O2 supplier, the first thing they did was give me 3 fresh tanks. Then the guy gave me the right kind of washer (I didn't even know there were wrong kinds of washers!) for my tank and a spare - and it fixed my tank right up! It works perfectly now! I asked one of the ladies working there if they had liquid O2, and she said they did. So I further asked her if I could get this, if I had a prescription for it. She checked my insurance (great insurance, which I pay good money for!), and she said that if I had a prescription, they would just need to call and authorize it! Awesome!! I go to the neuro NP on Thursday, so I'm definitely making sure I get that script!!
I know I know - how can something so trivial make me so happy? Oh it can... Clusters are one of the most painful conditions that humans experience, and when you live every day in pretty bad pain, anything that helps take that away is greatly appreciated!! If I get the liquid O2, it's going to become my new portable companion, since I'll be able to have my O2 in my car whenever I need it, instead of being unable to lug the E tanks back and forth to my parents' house and other places I travel. This is exciting!
In other news, I will have to write later about taking my cat to the vet today. WHAT an experience.....he was sooooooo bad! I have never seen him behave so badly!! Then of course, once we got home, he pretended that none of it had happened. He didn't even get a shot at the vet! What a trouble maker....! hehe I have to go fill my car up with outrageously expensive gasoline now and then go to the food store for a few items as this is my busy week at work and I need to have food for lunch! Will probably post again later with the bad kitty story!!
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