My mother-in-law took herself to the hospital when she got there they discovered her blood oxygen level was 40. 10 hours later she was on a ventilator. She has maintained a blood oxygen level of 70 to 76 for a week now. How long do I morally leave her on the machine.
And this is your MIL.
Are you her POA?
Are you the one that has to make this decision?
If you are not POA and she has family they are the ones that make the decision. Your "moral obligation" is to support your spouse but do share your opinion.
Do you know what her feelings have been on this?
Personally I would not have wanted a vent if there was no chance that I would come off of it. Depending on other health conditions I probably would have been on Hospice and died peacefully at home.
If the hospital gets the patient OUT the door before the number of coded days allotted they make money.
If the patient ends up on a ventilator the hospital LOSES big time. They are very expensive devices in terms of cost, ICU needs and etc.
I would, in fact, be VERY surprised if the hospital personnel is not already encouraging anyone who is Medical POA to get this patient OFF THE VENT... to "let them go". (I am not saying that isn't the right choice; it likely is).
Faith, you don't tell us a lot of information about the age, the general condition, or the diagnosis here for your loved one. For that reason only I couldn't hazard a guess here. You will be now in an ICU situation. The doctors there will advise you. They are likely ALREADY advising you. I would listen to them.
I would say that they are likely correct in their advice whether to wait a bit or to remove the vent.
As an old retired RN I will tell you these are dire and worrisome numbers. You best know the person currently on the vent, you know whether they are a "fighter" who wants to go all the way or someone who is more or less ready to go and would not want to be on heroic measures for long. At levels of 40 there may already have been some damage to the brain, either temporary or permanent in oxygen deprivation.
I am so very sorry. My heart goes out to you. I believe you are the best one to make this decision knowing all you already know, and with the advice of the medical team and I trust you to make this decision, tough though that is for your loved one. I hope you will update us.
Talk to her lung Dr about this. My daughter told me under 90 was not good, 80 bad.
For the time being, sats in the 70s do require sedation to fully rest the body and for her not to feel discomfort. I once took a Sat moniter in the Alps. When walking, my sats were 76 and it felt very uncomfortable