Wet brain syndrome

70% briefly is survivable. I don’t know how many bouts of 70% in x time are survivable, but when my son, at age 4, had an attack of croup that had him gasping for breath, which left pinpoint hemorrhages all over his chest-- we called 911, and they were there in about 3 minutes. His initial pulse ox was 71%. They put a mask on him, and it went up to 97%. They gave him steroids, and put the mask back on, and in a couple of minutes, he was up to 100%, and his breathing was no longer in gasps.

Two hours, more steroids, cough suppressant, an antibiotic, and an ear flush later, he was watching Cars on TV, and drinking juice. They decided to admit him because he had rales with a stethoscope, but his color was good, and he wasn’t coughing.

Daddy stayed all night with him, while I went home to let the dog out, put away the food we’d left on the stove, try to get a few hours sleep, and go back to the hospital with changes of clothes for everybody.

When I got back, the boychik was sitting on his bed, happily eating a pizza for breakfast, and watching How to Train Your Dragon.

This was six years ago, and he has shown no residua. No even a second bout of croup. The only residua is that I panic if he has a cough that even sounds slightly croupy.

TL;DR: my son had croup once, and his pulse ox reading dropped to 70%, but he’s perfectly fine now. You can survive a few minutes of hypoxia of 70% with no affects.

Hell, the former Mr Kitty got two advanced college degrees with sats averaging in the high 60s/low 70s; by the time he was on the transplant list he was in the low 60s/high 50s on 24/7 supplemental O2 and a bipap at night. He was absolutely functional- still driving, still tinkering on his project car. Drove medical people (and beepy machines) mad.

I am sorry it’s so bad. Just from brief mentions in the past I know you’ve got a tough situation.

I can only hope that the medical people step up and help, and/or the person in question finally realizes this is her “rock bottom” and she needs to accept help to get clean.

Look into support groups for caregivers - the “I’m not alone” is worth something and there may well be some concrete help with the logistics and legalities of your situation.

Ditto. I hope you get some help and support.

I have been considering the support group thing. The past month has been a nightmare. Every 5 or 10 min she falls off the bed and I have to get her back in, or help her walk to the bathroom, or clean up a spill. It seems like it is relentless. I felt like I was going to flip out last week. I have her in the hospital right now and she has agreed to enter an in patient program. I guess I will see how that goes.

People keep suggesting YOU get some help for YOU before things reach the point you consider walking away and abandoning this person, or you crack up.

Please get some help.