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When Do You Feel Most Self-Conscious About Using Supplemental Oxygen?
My son was often self-conscious about using supplemental oxygen in public not just because of the appearance but also the sound of it. He eventually became more appreciative then embarrassed when using it but there remained a few places that made him uncomfortable.
The movie theater was the main one. I tried to ease his concern by pointing out that once the movie starts no one can see or hear his oxygen but he always felt like he was a distraction to those sitting near him. Church was another place in which he was concerned that his oxygen was making too much noise and bothering others. I can assure you that I never witnessed this being the case but it worried him just the same.
Have you experience similar concerns when using supplemental oxygen in public? Do you avoid certain places and situations for this reason? Share your experience and tips on how to deal with this concern.
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8 Replies
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Iam so self conscious about the oxygen and embarrassed I have gotten so I don’t go out much. People that I new before I started on the oxygen not close friends want to know what happened. Iam tried talking about it when I try to explain what ph is their eyes glass over and they say that’s a shame so from now on I won’t talk about it people are so rude.
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Carol,
I am so sorry you are having those experiences. People can be so ignorant towards chronic illness and most make the false assumption that it is something you are doing wrong and not something that happened to you. It is hard when you feel like you can’t go out or are embarrassed of what you are going through. I try to remind myself that there are people like me out there that maybe have something physically going on that aren’t exactly doing what they are supposed to be doing. When I see people using their medical devices and equipment it actually makes me stop myself and think about doing the same. Wearing oxygen in public is hard though because you are going to get glaces, it got to a point where I didn’t notice the stares, but the people that I with took notice and were bothered by people looking. -
Carol, I am so sorry that people have made you feel self-conscious. Like Brittany suggested, the more you force yourself out with the oxygen the more you stop noticing people who might look. The same was true for my son. In time he became more comfortable using it in public and more appreciative of the boost it would give him so that he could be out and active. Start slowly. Call a friend or two and meet up for breakfast or a coffee shop.
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This is good advice too Colleen. The more I realized that people treat me the same with or without the oxygen, especially those that I am closest to, the better it helped me out and helped me wear it and be more confident with wearing it.
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My son no longer needs oxygen, but before his PTE surgery, he hated using his oxygen while at work. It got so that he needed it 24/7, and he would use the O2 while he was in the back (a non-public area of the grocery store) when he was cutting or grinding meat. He would *always* remove the oxygen when he had to walk on the floor (the public area where the customers do their shopping). I don’t know if it was because the tank was a pain to drag around when he was stocking the meat shelves or he just didn’t feel like dealing with customer questions about his oxygen (which, admittedly, would’ve caused him to not be able to do his job on the floor as quickly).
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I can understand where your son is coming from. I have noticed that the more I wear it and the more that I pay attention to the benefits of wearing it, the easier it is for me to do what I’m supposed to be doing. It must have been a struggle for him working though especially if it was getting in the way of how quickly he was able to do his job. I know that with someone young, a lot of people will wonder and will be genuinely curious about what is going on.
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I admit to being vain, the supplemental oxygen really makes me aware of how sick I really am, how it causes negative comments, stares and the big issue is how it limits my activities. I know that it is probably my next step. When at home, I drag 100 ft of tubing from room to room. It is difficult to work on my cars with oxygen
The great thing, I am still alive to smell the roses, enjoy the sites and spend time with my family
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Jimi,
I know firsthand that we can certainly feel grateful for all that we are doing in a day and this life that we are still HERE to live for, but it can be hard when we are out in public, especially for vanity reasons or to avoid to stares. Sometimes for me, I just want to feel “normal”, especially when I am out with people my own age. You’re right that using medical equipment is more of a visual reminder about our conditions and how “sick” we may be on the outside. Without it, it is easier to hide and even fool myself that I’m “okay” . Sometimes I’d rather feel okay.
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