(Suggested by Sherry Milligan)
All living creatures, including humans, breath automatically. We each inhale and exhale without effort or thought. However, some people have suffered injuries or illness that effects their hearts or their lungs and, as a result, have problems breathing.
A respiratory therapist aids people with heart and lung ailments that cause problems with breathing. Respiratory therapists comfort the patients and monitor their condition. They also do tests and give aid to their patients under the instructions of doctors.
There are different kinds of respiratory therapists and different levels of training. Most frequently, they have college degrees in respiratory therapy.
DORA'S GREAT GRANDMOTHER
Dora's great grandmother had difficulty breathing. Her lungs were no longer well and needed assistance to work properly so that she could inhale and exhale sufficient oxygen. When Dora visited her at the hospital, she smiled to see her. She always smiled when she saw Dora, even though she was not feeling well.
She delighted in all of her many great grandchildren, as she did in her children and grandchildren of whom
Dora's mother was one. Dora sat quietly while her parents spoke with great grandmother.
Then, they left the room to speak with the doctor.
While they were gone, great grandmother spoke with Dora about when she, great grandmother, was
Dora's age. Dora could not imagine it because she had always known great grandmother as an elderly woman whom everybody spoke of with the deepest respect.
She could not imagine her being told to go to bed though she wanted to watch television or to eat food that she did not like or doing homework.Great grandmother told her about her father working so hard to feed his large family when there were almost no jobs to be found and many people were out of work and about she herself going to work as a young woman. She told her of meeting her husband and a great war that came after they were married and how they did war work while other women watched her children.
While they were talking, a therapist came into the room and great grandmother introduced
her to Dora who stood up to greet her. The two shook hands and then the therapist asked great grandmother how she felt today.
She checked the complicated looking machines that were attached to the bed where great grandmother lay and listened carefully as she spoke.
"You're doing much better today," she said. Then she bid great grandmother and Dora good bye and left the room.
A short time later, Dora's mother and father returned. They were smiling.
They stayed with great grandmother for a short time longer and then they bid her goodbye and left.
Dora was happy to learn that great grandmother would soon leave the hospital and return to her own home, where Dora could visit her.
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