Intensive care
Discussion
Anyone have any experience of a loved one being in intensive care for a longish period ?
My wife had a major heart operation 2 weeks ago and remained sedated for 8 days after. She developed an e-coli infection in her lungs while sedated and had to have a tracheostomy to help her breathe.
She has now been off sedation for 6 days but still has the trachy tube in.
She is very disorientated and doesn't even realise she is in hospital and can't remember going into hospital in the first place.
The nurses assure me this is normal and call it the post operative brain fog and this will clear after a week or two but neverless I'm worried.
If anyone has any reassuring words they will be very welcome.
My wife had a major heart operation 2 weeks ago and remained sedated for 8 days after. She developed an e-coli infection in her lungs while sedated and had to have a tracheostomy to help her breathe.
She has now been off sedation for 6 days but still has the trachy tube in.
She is very disorientated and doesn't even realise she is in hospital and can't remember going into hospital in the first place.
The nurses assure me this is normal and call it the post operative brain fog and this will clear after a week or two but neverless I'm worried.
If anyone has any reassuring words they will be very welcome.
If it helps I knew someone who went through similar for an absolutely massive third go heart op
They were exactly as you describe your wife is now and made a full recovery
The staff on intensive care were excellent and I dont know if this was specific to that particular one but had a lot of support to call on for friends and family if needed
Best wishes
numtumfutunch said:
If it helps I knew someone who went through similar for an absolutely massive third go heart op
They were exactly as you describe your wife is now and made a full recovery
The staff on intensive care were excellent and I dont know if this was specific to that particular one but had a lot of support to call on for friends and family if needed
Best wishes
Many thanks for that. Would concur, the staff are excellent and I have no complaints there.
Friends and family are excellent but hospital is 40 miles from home so a bit of a trek.
They were exactly as you describe your wife is now and made a full recovery
The staff on intensive care were excellent and I dont know if this was specific to that particular one but had a lot of support to call on for friends and family if needed
Best wishes
Many thanks for that. Would concur, the staff are excellent and I have no complaints there.
Friends and family are excellent but hospital is 40 miles from home so a bit of a trek.
My brother was properly smashed up in a car crash, very nearly had to leave his legs in the wreck on the orders of paramedics but the fire brigade got him out. Induced coma, 50/50 at best to survive the first night, then touch and go for a few weeks and then he'll never be the same, never walk again etc. Walked with a stick for a while, but now (10 years later), you wouldn't really know. Some incredible witchcraft/science along the way with 3d modelled and rebuilt body parts etc.
Terrifying, wonderful, grateful.
Terrifying, wonderful, grateful.
thatjagbloke said:
Anyone have any experience of a loved one being in intensive care for a longish period ?
My wife had a major heart operation 2 weeks ago and remained sedated for 8 days after. She developed an e-coli infection in her lungs while sedated and had to have a tracheostomy to help her breathe.
She has now been off sedation for 6 days but still has the trachy tube in.
She is very disorientated and doesn't even realise she is in hospital and can't remember going into hospital in the first place.
The nurses assure me this is normal and call it the post operative brain fog and this will clear after a week or two but neverless I'm worried.
If anyone has any reassuring words they will be very welcome.
I spent some time in ICU following brain tumour surgery, I couldn't swallow or really breathe on my own accord so was ventilated for some time. After that came out, I still struggled so had a trachy fitted.My wife had a major heart operation 2 weeks ago and remained sedated for 8 days after. She developed an e-coli infection in her lungs while sedated and had to have a tracheostomy to help her breathe.
She has now been off sedation for 6 days but still has the trachy tube in.
She is very disorientated and doesn't even realise she is in hospital and can't remember going into hospital in the first place.
The nurses assure me this is normal and call it the post operative brain fog and this will clear after a week or two but neverless I'm worried.
If anyone has any reassuring words they will be very welcome.
Perfectly normal to feel like s
t in ICU, that's why it's ICU....you're in need of intensive care. I can't speak for her exact case, but have a look around at everyone else in ICU beds, I can bet you none of them are singing and dancing.It's easy for someone to say "don't worry"....you're bound to worry, that's normal. I wouldn't specifically worry that she's a bit spaced out, however. Give it time, be patient, and be there for her. Trust me, even if she's not really aware you're there....being there for her will mean a huge amount I can assure you.
Secondly....as a general rule, the care at ICU is absolutely magnificent, at least it was in my experience.
Fingers crossed for you both. I shall follow this thread and await updates
Firstly - best wishes to your wife and you.
My wife was a senior sister in ITU/ICU - so just showed this to her. She said it’s common, especially if she still has a tracheostomy and may take a wee while for her levels to settle.
Hopefully she’s on the road to a speedy recovery (unfortunately secondary infection (MRSA etc) is a factor these days.
If you have any concerns - ask to speak with the nurse/sister/doctor - as the modern approach is primarily care for the patient, but also the family as well.
My wife was a senior sister in ITU/ICU - so just showed this to her. She said it’s common, especially if she still has a tracheostomy and may take a wee while for her levels to settle.
Hopefully she’s on the road to a speedy recovery (unfortunately secondary infection (MRSA etc) is a factor these days.
If you have any concerns - ask to speak with the nurse/sister/doctor - as the modern approach is primarily care for the patient, but also the family as well.
thatjagbloke said:
Anyone have any experience of a loved one being in intensive care for a longish period ?
If anyone has any reassuring words they will be very welcome.
HiIf anyone has any reassuring words they will be very welcome.
I can help a bit here... the person who has been in intensive care for a long period was me. Back in 2016 I caught Swine Flu, which became Pneumonia and then Sepsis. After several hours of treatment I was put into an induced coma where I remained for 9.5 days after which I was revived. During that time I remained breathing with a ventilator down my throat rather than having the op.
When I came round it was all very disorientating, for me I was kept on Morphine continuously for the entire time I was in the coma. When I was woken I frankly didn't know anything about where I was, what was going on or even what was happening generally. I convinced myself the clock on the wall was a weird 24 hour clock and I didn't want my wife to be awake with me in the middle of the night... (it was 14:00). My brain went through about 72 hours of "reloading"... I literally saw my entire life scroll past my eyes like the worlds biggest web page moving in all directions at once. All the major events went past, my wedding, my graduation, my son's birth the lot. It was literally like I was a PC and had been rebooted and had to load it all back in. From being inside it was really really weird. I'm told from my wife's perspective for 3-4 days I alternated between very offensive language about situations and acting like a child (being immensely proud of little things like being able to sit up or using the facilities). I also completely lost the ability to walk and had to be assisted for 4-5 days before I could actually move a couple of steps on my own... because your leg muscles waste away.
I was told there was risk of physical and mental impairment because of the coma, but I have fortunately had neither. The disorientation will clear and she will come back to you, it took me about 4 weeks before I was firing at my normal rate to be honest. I know you've been through a really tough time, my time was far tougher on my wife than me, but you will come out the other side and love each other even more. Keep us posted on the recovery - I hope it's successful. Take care
Chris
Was in HDU last year following major bowel surgery.
It was a disaster and you'd think it was staffed by clowns but I couldn't spot the red nose or the oversized red shoes.
It was only supposed to be a 2 day stay but turned into 10 days.
I was given the wrong medication and was sick within 30 seconds. I respirated some of the vomit into my lungs. I caught pneumonia and nearly died.
My local hospital is run by and staffed by idiots who do the least amount possible to get by in their job, then they go home.
Anyway best of luck OP and best wishes to your wife. Hope she gets looked after better than me.
It was a disaster and you'd think it was staffed by clowns but I couldn't spot the red nose or the oversized red shoes.
It was only supposed to be a 2 day stay but turned into 10 days.
I was given the wrong medication and was sick within 30 seconds. I respirated some of the vomit into my lungs. I caught pneumonia and nearly died.
My local hospital is run by and staffed by idiots who do the least amount possible to get by in their job, then they go home.
Anyway best of luck OP and best wishes to your wife. Hope she gets looked after better than me.
Many thanks for all your kind thoughts and reassurances.
My wife had ten hour open heart surgery to replace a section of her aorta in which the lining had become detached, then developed the e-coli infection 2 days later so went through huge trauma. It seems as though her brain has decided to shut out these memories which is probably a very good thing.
I was told yesterday she will have another 2 days on antibiotics then the trachy tube will come out next Monday. She will then be able to eat solid food so should regain her strength quicker then.
She was able to scribble some questions on a notepad yesterday and the first one was " where do we live ? " A bit worrying but then by her gestures I realised she meant where are we. I asked her some questions about our family and she answered correctly so that put my mind at ease somewhat although I'll only really stop worrying when she is discharged and home and in full command of her mental faculties.
My wife had ten hour open heart surgery to replace a section of her aorta in which the lining had become detached, then developed the e-coli infection 2 days later so went through huge trauma. It seems as though her brain has decided to shut out these memories which is probably a very good thing.
I was told yesterday she will have another 2 days on antibiotics then the trachy tube will come out next Monday. She will then be able to eat solid food so should regain her strength quicker then.
She was able to scribble some questions on a notepad yesterday and the first one was " where do we live ? " A bit worrying but then by her gestures I realised she meant where are we. I asked her some questions about our family and she answered correctly so that put my mind at ease somewhat although I'll only really stop worrying when she is discharged and home and in full command of her mental faculties.
A year and a half ago my father spent a good few months in intensive care. Half of it in an induced coma.
He had broken his neck in 2 places, C1 and C2 iirc. Broke his lower back in two places, fractured his skull, bleed on the brain, 4 broken ribs and a broken arm.
How did he manage it?..............He fell down the stairs!
We didn't know what sort of condition he'd be in when he came around but thankfully he's made a full recovery.
However, the couple of weeks after they brought him out of the coma, which in itself took them nearly a week, were some of the strangest weeks ever! It was like he was constantly drugged up, which he most probably was.
The frustrating thing was that he wasn't able to distinguish between reality and what he had dreamt. Each time we'd visit him he come out with something so ridiculous but he was adamant it was true. This ranged from the doctor sneaking my father out each day for a sneaky joint, the nurses feeding him chocolate and bacon through his catheter because he was well behaved, monkeys attacking him with knives every night...the list goes on. The main dream he had when in the coma was of a murder squad that was after him lead by a fella named Ekra Dekra
:. As daft as it sounds he found it harder to deal with the dreams than the physical injuries.
Overall the treatment and care he got was second to none and i doff my cap to all the healthcare workers that played a part in his survival and recovery.
He had broken his neck in 2 places, C1 and C2 iirc. Broke his lower back in two places, fractured his skull, bleed on the brain, 4 broken ribs and a broken arm.
How did he manage it?..............He fell down the stairs!
We didn't know what sort of condition he'd be in when he came around but thankfully he's made a full recovery.
However, the couple of weeks after they brought him out of the coma, which in itself took them nearly a week, were some of the strangest weeks ever! It was like he was constantly drugged up, which he most probably was.
The frustrating thing was that he wasn't able to distinguish between reality and what he had dreamt. Each time we'd visit him he come out with something so ridiculous but he was adamant it was true. This ranged from the doctor sneaking my father out each day for a sneaky joint, the nurses feeding him chocolate and bacon through his catheter because he was well behaved, monkeys attacking him with knives every night...the list goes on. The main dream he had when in the coma was of a murder squad that was after him lead by a fella named Ekra Dekra
:. As daft as it sounds he found it harder to deal with the dreams than the physical injuries. Overall the treatment and care he got was second to none and i doff my cap to all the healthcare workers that played a part in his survival and recovery.
Edited by Noodle1982 on Thursday 8th November 17:07
Best wishes to you and your wife.
My MIL was very ill last year with pneumonia, she was in ICU for over 3 months and ventilated for most of it, she was intubated when she was first admitted and then after a couple of weeks this was replaced with a trachy.
Despite all of this she went on to make a full recovery, miracles are possible.
ICU care is second to none, in our experience it's the best care you can get. There will be ups and downs, highs and lows but you'll get there in the end. It will seem like forever but take every little step as a positive. The best medicine is positivity.
If the cuff can be deflated they will fit a speaking valve, that will give you both a boost. If they can deflate the cuff ask for a swallowing test. My MIL was able to eat and drink fairly normally even with the trachy.
We kept a diary of her time in ICU. What the Doctors did, what they said, what was happening with family, the outside world, even the weather when there wasn't much to write. The diary has helped my MIL enormously, even though ours was over 200 pages she still flicks through it every few days. Your wife will have heard unfamiliar voices, noises, seen and imagined things. The diary will help her piece things together. It might help you too.
Best wishes.
My MIL was very ill last year with pneumonia, she was in ICU for over 3 months and ventilated for most of it, she was intubated when she was first admitted and then after a couple of weeks this was replaced with a trachy.
Despite all of this she went on to make a full recovery, miracles are possible.
ICU care is second to none, in our experience it's the best care you can get. There will be ups and downs, highs and lows but you'll get there in the end. It will seem like forever but take every little step as a positive. The best medicine is positivity.
If the cuff can be deflated they will fit a speaking valve, that will give you both a boost. If they can deflate the cuff ask for a swallowing test. My MIL was able to eat and drink fairly normally even with the trachy.
We kept a diary of her time in ICU. What the Doctors did, what they said, what was happening with family, the outside world, even the weather when there wasn't much to write. The diary has helped my MIL enormously, even though ours was over 200 pages she still flicks through it every few days. Your wife will have heard unfamiliar voices, noises, seen and imagined things. The diary will help her piece things together. It might help you too.
Best wishes.
In February, my brother had an operation for bowel cancer that didn't go as planned. His Colon leaked into the abdominal cavity in the days after the operation. He was rushed into theater for an emergency operation to correct it and then developed sepsis.
He was in an induced coma in ICU for 4 weeks while they battled that. All the time the lead consultant warned us he may not make it.
Then he developed VRE, a superbug, and had to be isolated for a further week whilst his body fought that. Again, we were warned he might not make it.
He did finally come round and once the tracheotomy tube was removed was able to speak. The consultant again warned he wasn't out of the woods...
Despite that, with the care of the staff in ICU, he made quick progress. Things were looking really positive.
He was transferred to a normal ward and then underwent physio to build him up. A week later, he was sent home.
3 days after being home, he died of a bilateral pulmonary embolism.
He was 57.
The ICU staff were absolutely amazing during his time in there. He had a dedicated nurse at his bedside 24/7. Everybody in the ICU from the consultants to the cleaner were brilliant.
The lesson to learn from this is that the staff in the general ward didn't think to check for blood clots formed as a result of the extended time in bed. Maybe they were too busy - and they really were busy
So, my advice to the OP and anyone with a friend or relative spending time in ICU, is to ask about the possibility of thrombosis and ask that they check for it. Had I known that, maybe my brother would still be here.
He was in an induced coma in ICU for 4 weeks while they battled that. All the time the lead consultant warned us he may not make it.
Then he developed VRE, a superbug, and had to be isolated for a further week whilst his body fought that. Again, we were warned he might not make it.
He did finally come round and once the tracheotomy tube was removed was able to speak. The consultant again warned he wasn't out of the woods...
Despite that, with the care of the staff in ICU, he made quick progress. Things were looking really positive.
He was transferred to a normal ward and then underwent physio to build him up. A week later, he was sent home.
3 days after being home, he died of a bilateral pulmonary embolism.
He was 57.
The ICU staff were absolutely amazing during his time in there. He had a dedicated nurse at his bedside 24/7. Everybody in the ICU from the consultants to the cleaner were brilliant.
The lesson to learn from this is that the staff in the general ward didn't think to check for blood clots formed as a result of the extended time in bed. Maybe they were too busy - and they really were busy
So, my advice to the OP and anyone with a friend or relative spending time in ICU, is to ask about the possibility of thrombosis and ask that they check for it. Had I known that, maybe my brother would still be here.
Thanks again for all the replies, some uplifting stories and I will definitely remember the warning about thrombosis.
Went to see my wife today and the transformation in her condition is amazing. The trachy tube is out and the nasal feeding tube was taken out while I was there. She can talk coherently and tolerate solid food so will probably be moved to HDU later on then to a general ward.
I can echo others comments re. the care, it's brilliant and I can't thank the doctors and nurses enough.
Someone asked which hospital - it's Derriford in Plymouth and I've been told the coronary unit is one of the best in the country.
Went to see my wife today and the transformation in her condition is amazing. The trachy tube is out and the nasal feeding tube was taken out while I was there. She can talk coherently and tolerate solid food so will probably be moved to HDU later on then to a general ward.
I can echo others comments re. the care, it's brilliant and I can't thank the doctors and nurses enough.
Someone asked which hospital - it's Derriford in Plymouth and I've been told the coronary unit is one of the best in the country.
Just to bring this thread up to date and to a close.
My wife was discharged from hospital on Wednesday morning and now starts on the long road to full recovery.
Many thanks again to all those who gave messages of support and reassurance and eternal gratitude to the doctors and nurses who treated my wife, they were amazing.
My wife was discharged from hospital on Wednesday morning and now starts on the long road to full recovery.
Many thanks again to all those who gave messages of support and reassurance and eternal gratitude to the doctors and nurses who treated my wife, they were amazing.
thatjagbloke said:
Just to bring this thread up to date and to a close.
My wife was discharged from hospital on Wednesday morning and now starts on the long road to full recovery.
Many thanks again to all those who gave messages of support and reassurance and eternal gratitude to the doctors and nurses who treated my wife, they were amazing.
Good to hear.My wife was discharged from hospital on Wednesday morning and now starts on the long road to full recovery.
Many thanks again to all those who gave messages of support and reassurance and eternal gratitude to the doctors and nurses who treated my wife, they were amazing.
When I had "a little bit of trouble", I found that cardiac rehab was extremely beneficial, your GP/specialist will, I think, have to agree, but that may be a formality.
https://www.cornwallft.nhs.uk/services/cardiac-ser...
HTH
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