Have you ever heard or ARDS? You're not alone. Nobody
seems to have heard of this mysterious illness, yet each
year it kills more Americans than breast cancer or AIDS.
According to the ARDS Foundation 1.5 million people have
been affected by ARDS, and half of those people have died.
ARDS stands for "Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome," an
illness that results in acute loss of lung function. There
is no known prevention or cure, and anyone can get it, men,
women and children. I know it well as I was one of the
approximately 150,000 cases reported in the U.S. in 2001.

As a strong, healthy, 42 year-old yoga instructor,
I went to the hospital complaining of shoulder pain and
light-headedness. Two days later I was airlifted to
Seattle’s Virginia Mason Hospital with life-threatening
bacterial infections. I was unconscious in a drug-induced
paralysis for the next 72 days, fighting for my life.
During this time sepsis set in causing my oxygen level and
blood pressure to drop. Over 100 lbs. of liquid was pumped
into my veins to bring my blood pressure up, and I was put
on a ventilator (a machine that breathed for me). Five
large chest tubes were put into my lungs to repair holes
that were blown in my lungs by the ventilator. I was put
on kidney dialysis, had a half-gallon blood clot removed
from my right lung, a tube draining my gallbladder, an
emergency treacheotomy, pneumonia, and finally ARDS.

With 55 tubes and wires keeping me alive, and only a 2%
chance of survival, my four children were brought in to say
their last goodbyes - but miracles still happen. After
three months in critical care, I woke up frightened. I
found myself hooked up to an entire room full of equipment
with no idea what had happened. I couldn't speak because I
was still hooked up to ventilator, or move because of drug
induced paraylis and weakness. At first all I could do was
blink my eyes and wiggle my fingers. I began a six week
intensive hospital rehabilitation program. After a 41/2
month hospital stay I came home unable to walk or breathe
on my own. My doctor discussed with me the possibility of
being hooked up to an oxygen tank for the rest of my life
or having a lung transplant. Fortunately, my lungs finally
healed enough that I could breathe on my own. It took over
two years to feel normal again.

The cause of my ARDS was Sepsis, which was a result of an
overwhelming infection in my body. Sepsis and pneumonia
are the most common causes of ARDS. Other common causes
include aspiration of fumes, food, or stomach contents into
the lungs. This causes the body to manufacture substances
that cause inflammation in the lungs. Once inflamed, the
alveola (air sacs) are then unable to perform the normal
oxygenation of the blood.

Though severe, my course is similar to what most ARDS
patients experience. There is no specific treatment for
ARDS. Generally, patients require varying lengths of
hospitalization, most often in the intensive care unit for
help with breathing through a ventilator. Other treatments
include the use of antibiotics, immunosuppressants, blood
pressure supporting medications, tube feedings, and
diuretics, which are used to reduce the fluid in the lungs.
Pain control and sedatives are used to keep the patient
calm and comfortable.

The severity and progression of the lung injury determine
the degree of treatment needed. Being young and previously
healthy, and having never smoked, allowed me to recover
more completely than most. However, older patients or
those with underlying health problems have a more difficult
recovery.

When ARDS was first described in 1967 it had a 80%
mortality rate. These statistics have vastly improved to
about 50% today. This progress came from increased
awareness, better understanding of the disease process,
better control of the ventilator, and improved diagnosis
and therapy. Hopefully, with increased research and
awareness these statistics will continue to improve.

Lori Chandler R.Y.T. teaches yoga at CWU and throughout
Kittitas County.

ARDS statistics from the ARDS Foundation website.