You can write and you can give people the US Hand Signal for Obscene Contempt while intubated, and that covers a surprising number of the needs you may have at that time.
Make sure you have someone there with paper and pen or multiple pencils. They should not leave them while you are unconscious, because the nurse may remove them. The inability to communicate can be frustrating otherwise.
I was awake for quite some time while intubated. They had left it in because I kept passing out from remnants of the anesthesia, and apparently wasn't bothering to breathe during those times. They thought that that oversight by my body might prove to have a detrimental effect, and thus kept me on the ventilator.
However, I was so delighted to have awakened ("I'm alive!") that I let that one positive thought drown out much of everything else. It doesn't hurt to take that in. It's your awakening to the gift of a second chance at this life.
The tube is your friend. It breathed for you, when you could not.
I have an extremely strong gag reflex, and I never gagged on it or felt like it was in a "wrong" place in my throat. It's a very Churchill thing: you have nothing to fear but fear itself. People sometimes panic, because they can't breathe against the machine. However, there's no need to. That machine has been breathing for you for at least three or four hours by the point you are awake, and often for six or more.
Its function is to make certain that you have enough oxygen, and its success at that is constantly being monitored, as you are continuously measured for oxygenation during and after surgery. There is no reason at all for you to suddenly become afraid. After all, you know exactly what it is, and you also know it's kept you alive without any help from you for the last half day or so. A little late to decide you don't want to trust it at this point.
Unfortunately, not all of the machines make any real noise, so you can't necessarily time your breathing to it, as some folks suggest.
I didn't fight mine. I took a vacation and didn't bother to breathe. It was a truly neat thing. You will never be relieved of the duty of breathing for yourself at even the plushest resort you may visit during the rest of your lifetime. At this one time, your entire oxygen needs are fully tended to by the equipment. The ultimate spa.
The tube doesn't hurt, if you're not in it for days and days. It's somewhat restrictive to your head and other movements, but you're not particularly mnotivated to move anyway, as you're drugged. You can't throw up with it, as pretty much everything's blocked. I didn't need to anyway, but I thought I'd mention it, as someone in the past had mentioned trying to, I believe.
People tend to perseverate on this item, and they shouldn't. For the vast majority of people, it will turn out to have been a very minor moment in the scheme of things.
I will say this: do not become physically vehement about its removal. Hospital employees are trained to restrain your hands, if there is concern that you will try to remove it yourself, or if you become unruly in a semi-conscious state. It does seem that most people have it removed while they are still mostly unconscious. If, like me, you have it removed after being fully consciuos and cognizant, be cooperative and patient. Nothing will delay the removal of the tube with more certainty than you insisting that it be done immediately.
Best wishes,
