O/T oxy bottle question...Help my Mother-in-law..

[4woody]

My mother in law just got home from the hospital. My wife (an R.N.) asked them to send an oxygen bottle with her, but the hospital said: "No, her Oxy saturation is ok now, just bring her back in if (when) she goes down again.
My wife and her mom already agreed that grammy is not going back to the hospital again, and the oxygen is something we want to have here for her comfort as she is winding down.
Of course I'm pissed that the hospital won't go with what we want, so I'm thinking: "I've got an oxy bottle and a regulator in the garage..."
The questions: Is the oxygen we weld with somehow not suitable for human inhalation? And if it is OK to inhale, how might one adapt a welding regulator to the job?
Not a typical HAMB question, but I know sombody here has inhaled...

[Unkl Ian]

Medical grade gases are very pure.

[50dodge4x4]

The welding gas supplier you get your welding gas from probably has Medical Oxygen available. you may even be able to get the mask and regulator set up from them.
I am a welding gas subdealer and I stock Medical Oxy for a local fire department rescue unit here. Med Oxy is a little more expensive ($4-5/tank) then tourch oxy. Gene

[4t64rd]

You have to have a prescription from her doc to get it from a medical supply co.. Only way to get it without is one of them oxygen bars, but that's only 1/2 liter an hour.

[Ayers Garage]

I'm a firefighter/ paramedic myself.

The local welding shop delivers our oxygen tanks to the station. Same truck has argon and acetylene bottles on it too.

Is your mother-in-law a long time smoker? Emphyzema, or Asthma, or chronic bronchitis? If so, giving her supplemental oxygen can actually be detrimental to her health.

If you need more information, I can oblige.

Kevin- NR-EMTParamedic, LP

[oldchevyseller]

yes you better go back and ask about the need and cause ,dont wanna be the one that causes more injury than trying to help , the doctors should explain what exactly is needed or the problem that your mother in law is haveing,getting supplimental is very involved paper work ,here is a link also http://asthma.about.com/library/weekly/aa041001a.htm

[Crosley]

Seems like someone told me that oxygen we use for welding is too dry for human use. It will dry out the lungs.


Do some more checking please!!

[4woody]

Thanks for the replies.
It seems clear that this is not something to take into my own hands. We will be browbeating the MD to write a Rx for the oxygen before we actually need it. This is just a case of keeping an old lady who will die soon comfortable.

[willowbilly3]

Welding oxygen will fry you brain. It is like almost pure oxygen and the medical kind is maybe 25%. Hooking granny to a welding bottle would accelerate the oxidation in her body and burn her out. Now I have been known to take a couple good pulls off the torch oxygen to help take the edge off a hangover.