Lung Cancer

The call came out for difficulty breathing at about 9 in the morning. When we arrived on scene we were met by the patients brother who explained (as we walked) that his brother was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. I found my patient laying in bed almost gasping for air. I immediately had him put on high flow oxygen. My patient told me that he has been short of breath ever since he started his chemotherapy but that in the last two days it has been getting worse. He finally decided to call us when he started coughing up blood. His lung sounds were clear and the rest of his vital were OK. I started an IV and then checked on how his breathing was going with the oxygen. He told me that he felt like he had finally caught his breath. We left him on the high flow oxygen and sent him down the hill. Sometimes is the simple treatments that make the difference in your patients.

SOB, blood in sputum, o2 made better