Opinion | A simple, lifesaving device

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Mary Begleiter
Mary Begleiter (Courtesy of Mary Begleiter)

By Mary Begleiter

I would like to share a personal story of a lifesaving situation, thanks to a device that everyone should know about and have.

My husband, Arnold Begleiter, was diagnosed with an underlying condition in April of 2021. Because he is immunosuppressed and has a life-threatening condition, I have been very nervous about him possibly getting COVID-19. Arnold was vaccinated, boosted and had a flu shot.

On Monday, Jan. 10, he tested positive through a home COVID-19 test. His doctor immediately made arrangements for him to receive monoclonal antibodies that night. I was also given the antibodies prophylactically because of the probability that I was exposed to him and I could possibly test positive. His oxygen saturation was at 90% at the time of getting his antibodies, but upon waking up Tuesday morning, I checked his oxygen level, and it had dropped to 87%. The pulse oximeter that I used to check his oxygen level revealed an unsafe level and reading in his oxygen saturation.

Without the pulse oximeter to check his oxygen level, I would not have known his oxygen level was dropping.

Many thanks to Hatzalah for arriving in 10 minutes. When they monitored his oxygen level with their monitor, his oxygen level had dropped even more, to 82%, and he was taken to the hospital immediately for lifesaving intervention.

Diagnosed with COVID pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia and heart failure, he was placed on a regimen of drugs, IVs, oxygen and telemetry.

If I didn’t have a pulse oximeter to check his oxygen level, the outcome would have been very different and fatal.

Thanks to Hashem and quick intervention, Arnold was discharged from the hospital five days later.

The pulse oximeter is an extremely important and inexpensive device that monitors oxygen levels, heart rate and respirations — and it can save a life.

Mary Begleiter, a registered nurse, is a member of Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah and a resident of Pikesville.

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