Cystic fibrosis accounts for about a third of all adult lung transplants in the US and about half of all pediatric lung transplants. At the time that I was diagnosed with a relatively mild form of it, life expectancy in the US was 36.
So I have a quite serious lung condition and I used to own and use (and sterilize at home) various forms of mechanical intervention. I no longer use mechanical intervention, in part because I'm better off when I can find effective alternatives.
I'm describing things I know from first-hand experience to work well in the face of lung problems that are supposed to have long ago killed me.
I'm doing my best to be very careful and conservative in what I say. I feel it's actively irresponsible to not share such thoughts, in part because a lot of places are de facto rationing health care because there simply aren't enough supplies to go around.
If you can't get to a hospital or are denied entry because of overwhelming demand, having the option to puke up a lung in the shower is better than having no alternatives to a ventilator.
And perhaps doctors will see my remarks, realize this is a valid criticism and decide to develop some best practices to try to reduce the use of ventilators overall.
Worst case scenario if I speak up and no one agrees: I get downvoted to hell. Hardly a novel experience.
Worst case scenario if I say nothing: Lots of people die who might not have.
So it's an easy decision on my part. When weighing the personal pain of people downvoting me and calling me crazy versus death for others, it's a no brainer. I'll take my lumps, thanks.
