Update on hubby. I didn't visit on Tuesday,but rang the nurse a few times. She was upbeat and although he's off sedation in the day he's not really waking up properly. He is opening his eyes on command, but not much else. Today he's moving his legs and arms, involuntary but wasn't moving at all before. He's still got the tube in as he's not breathing for himself, just occasionally. He is coughing which is good to get rid of his infection, the antibiotics are working as well. His other numbers are good. The Dr rang me yesterday with an update and told be he is critically ill and may not wake up! Cue a crying fit. My son and I stood next to his bed today and asked him to open his eyes and he turned his head from me to my son when we spoke, so he heard us even if he's not focusing. The nurse is pleased with his slow progress. I'm cautiously optimistic.I'm probably not going on Thursday as snow is forecast, but will phone 3 or 4 times. Hopefully I'll be able to go on Friday and fingers crossed maybe another slight improvement.
Thank you all for your support, it really helps a lot
NEW UPDATE
Rang hospital , he is now following commands, strongly squeezing hands and wiggling toes ❤️🤞🙏
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Castleview
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I am going to take all the positives from your post as even though your Husband is ill there are improvements no matter how small they are there
It would seem he can hear you which is good to know and opening his eyes when he heard you to
Maybe he cannot be bothered to do anything else when asked you never know
After the insensitive Doctor yesterday been overly blunt but thank goodness the Nurses that are caring for him are so much more encouraging I am glad your visit made you come home today feeling more optimistic and with him been able to cough to help that infection this is all good
I would take tomorrow of to we may get snow who knows but it is cold and you need to rest and get some food in you because he will be needing you so as much energy as you can build up is needed
You can phone as you say and then hopefully visit at the end of the week
So many are following you and your Husbands progress on here and so many are either willing or praying for him no matter how slow for him to make a good recovery and if our replies are helping even if in a small way then that is what the Community is all about
Thank you for updating us and will look out for your next one
Just read your update you have added on the end after you have phoned them and I am so happy to have seen it this is the best news you could have been given so far shows something is happening he is slowly getting there x
Pleased to hear of the progress he is making although still small steps. His body has been through so much trauma with the op he needs a jolly good rest. Bet that doctor hasn't been through this op! I only had 4 days ICU post heart surgery and can remember very, very little about it but he is in the right place to get all the wonderful care he needs, the nurses are amazing. You and your family are all in my thoughts and praying for his full recovery xx
Thank you for taking the time to update us all. I'm sure it was a shock yesterday to hear that. Good news to hear that he was aware that you and your son were there beside him and it is the nurses that are spending time with him so will maybe have more knowledge of his progress. I hope that you are able to rest and gather your strength tomorrow and that Friday will bring more good progress x
I'm glad your hubby is fighting so hard to prove his doctor wrong.Yes , he is critically ill with an infection which is causing him all of his problems in responding and is definitely making it harder for him to fight after a big surgery.
But, it doesn't mean that he won't wake up or pull through, and the fact that he is making tiny steps to improving is a positive sign.
I assume the doctor in question was just trying to prepare you for the chance that your husband may not get better, but it sounds like they chose a terrible way to word it!
It's early days , and as today has proved your husband's health and prospects can change hour by hour.
But that is for good not just for bad.
It's a worrying and scary thing to experience as a loved one , but take heart and keep hope.
Many other loved ones have been in your position before, many patients have also had to fight to walk that critical line, and many , many of them have made a full recovery ( even though it took some time to do it) .
Your husband sounds like he's trying to fight as hard as he can to prove that doctor wrong, and we are all with you sending him all the positive thoughts we can to help him do it.
Thank you for keeping us updated during such a difficult time and stay positive , hugs , Bee
Thank you for the update Castle view, the doctor who rang really really needs to brush up on his bedside manner, how insensitive( and I'm glad to say wromg). So good to see your husband is proving him wrong and getting that little bit stronger.. Thankfully the nurses are doing a fantastic job. It's good he's responding better and now moving hands n feet when asked and gripping with his hands better. He's been through a lot (and so have you). He is getting stronger by the sounds of it. Try to look after you too, i know it's hard to, but you're being amazing too
I know you are cautiously optimistic which is expected, it sounds promising the turning the hand & the head though doesn’t it!
Do you use iPad? I wonder if you had one by his bed whereby especially on the days you can’t go you could face time and talk to him & see him that way - some more recognisable stimuli - voices, questions, anything! I’ve heard of people doing it to keep in touch - the woman off the tv Kate Garraway did that when her husband was in hospital & they couldn’t visit
I look forward to seeing more updates from you about him xx
I’ve just been discharged from hospital following my own operation so hadn’t seen your story.
In 2016 a similar issue with my Dad’s operation. 5 weeks in ICU/CCU being told don’t guarantee the hour. A further 6 weeks on a cardiac ward. Came out to be tube fed for 5 months (mum was trained and qualified do that he could go home)then we turned a corner. He was 80 at operation and we got another 6 life filled years where he really was back to himself. I’ll light a little candle for you all as friends did for me last week. Stay strong, there’s a reason he made it this far.
that is fantastic news that he’s responding . He’s got a long way to go in his recovery , but god willing he’s fighting to get there . Please carry on updating us
You must be so exhausted with the worry about your dear hubby so I was pleased to read your updates as they are encouraging. Sending more gentle hugs and love to you and your family ❤️❤️
Thanks for the update. It does sound positive that he is responding to you & the Nurses which must be a huge relief. Sending love to you all & looking forward to more good news in the coming days. Xx
You are doing amazingly well ! It sounds as if he’s just starting to wake up and I wonder if playing a favourite piece of music on your phone to him would add another bit of stimulation? Hang on in there and thanks so much for taking the time to update us. We’re rooting for you.
There's a reason many people refer to Nurses as "Angels". They usually are the gentler side to the caring profession and they do spend more dedicated time with the patients. They see improvements which is encouraging.I was fortunate with the Dr's I had when I was in hospital recently but talking to a friend later she did say "too many Dr's enter medicine for the science and not the people". Hence the insensitivity of some. The patient is a "case" not a person who has family and friends.
Thankfully the nurses and everyone surrounding you (and your husband) sound more sensitive with much more emotional intelligence. You are love and supported, not least by the number of people on this forum who are following your story.
Thanks for the update, lots of positives in there especially the add on update.
Hopefully he seems to be over the worst. I think its a good idea to keep talking, squeezing his hand and perhaps talking of past happy times and anything you might have planned in the near future, like a holiday.
So pleased to read the recent update! As others have said, he is definitely fighting hard to come back to you. I hope he will be awake the next time you visit so you can both have a few moments together with each other.
I have been following your posts. What an awful dark time for you., Just to say thinking of you and to send love and prayers for the healing of your husband. Keep clinging on to the improvements your husband is making. The body has a miraculous way of knowing what it is doing and healing itself.
pleased to hear there are some positive signs ! Please take care of you and try and stay strong and please know that we all all praying for your family and sending big hugs to you 🥰
Hi Castleview, positive news that's good, especially the squeezing hands and responding to commands. ( But responding to commands is normal for us men, so that may be just doing it by rote 🤭😂😂). It is good to hear that you are not going to the hospital every day, you and your children are equally as important and needy a rest and a break. Looking forward to hearing more progress, let's stay positive 😊
First time he's responded since his op, which was this time last week!! Children are 47 and 44 so are holding me up, bless them. Just sleety atm but not risking it
Good morning....I would think after the amount of time your husband has been sedated that the little steps are the way forward. If he's been out of it for some time and is still sedated my thoughts would be that he will come back more slowly. If the scans aren't showing anything and all his vitals are ok that's good and also the fact that he's now responding to some commands is encouraging. I really hope he continues to improve and that before long he is back with you wondering what all the fuss was about!! I am sure everyone is sending positive thoughts for you. Xx
What a journey you have all been on. Hopefully his infection will clear and his body will get back to recovering instead of fighting it. You have a lot of support and a lot of thoughts coming your way from everyone here. Just got to trust your hubby that he's going to fight all his way back to fitness. All the best to him and yourselves.
I am so pleased he's slowly recovering. As for Drs saying he may never wake up they are duty bound to give worst case scenario. When my hubby had a very rare and severe stroke June 21 they told me if he had another stroke in the next 6 months he would not survive ( bearing in mind leading up to the massive stroke he had a mini stroke week for the 3 weeks leading upto the major one each time losing a little bit like speech would disappear for a few days) so that send me in to a crying fest my son who's Autistic bless him said focus on the positives. 2 and 1/2 years later he's still here.
I've been reading your posts and am so glad to hear that he is making progress however slowly. I've been on the end of a poor choice of words from a cardiac consultant and it made me cry as I thought that was it for me by the time I was 70. Everyone else I spoke to were astounded by this and the cardiac nurses were so positive. I'm still here 10 years later with a new consultant and things are going great so chin up and positive mental attitude. If you think positively then that will transfer to your husband and help him recover. Hope things continue to improve for you. Take care
Hello Castleview, I have been keeping up with your news and I wanted to share that I had major OHS last April and although I was woken up on the first day I was unable to speak for the first day and took about 3 days to be able to speak. For me it was a long op (5hrs) and I was in ICU for 3 days. But I was in a state which i can only describe as deep shock. I feel your husband might be in a similar state and taking a long time to regain his grip on reality but I do think he will and my thoughts and hopes are with you. The surgery, no matter how you view it, is a major trauma. When I was "coming round" in those first few days so were others who had been through similar and finding a similar experience. I am hopeful and I believe he will get there. My very best.
Small steps...getting him ofc that ventilator as soon as possible is the big one...but looks like he is experiencing some improvements...oray thatvthey will continue and soon will be able to breathe again on his own...wish you all the strength and courage you need right now...and keep the positive vibes flowing around you all
You must be so exhausted, please take care of yourself. Your husband definitely sounds like he’s improving- toe wiggling on command! Sounds like he has excellent nursing care, even if the Doc is a bit of an Eyeore!
Hi, I'm so sorry to hear what the doctor had to say on the phone. It can take a while to get over an operation while still in hospital. It could be nature's way of healing. Keep strong for your hubby and son. You'll get there. Take care. C x
Hi Castleview, So pleased that there are some encouraging signs being seen in your husband. It's been said many times on here that you also have to keep your strength up, as a lot of the time the other half doing all the caring and worrying seems to operate on auto pilot. Make sure you look after yourself also.
You are both in my thoughts and sending you many positive vibes.
So happy to see your update, that really is progress! I hope that allows you to have a better and more relaxed day today, ready to enjoy a visit tomorrow, weather permitting. xx
I think we're just numbers in some Doctor's eyes and the one who phoned you is in that category! Nursing staff are with their patients most of the day so they can better see what's going on.
We're all thinking of you and your family. Thank you for taking the time to let us know how your lovely hubby is. Just make sure you look after yourself and your sons.
Oh what an awful thing for the doctor to say but I suppose they have to prepare people. However the last report is far far more hopeful. It sounds as if he just needs more time and for that infection to clear up. Time and sleep are great healers. What I read from your comments is all very promising. Sending cyber hugs and best wishes.
I am sooo rooting for your hubby and all of you. He must be so comforted by having you there are being aware of your voices. How amazing to hear he is squeezing hands and therefore trying to communicate. I hope he goes from strength to strength but at least you now know, hes aware of you and will feel your love & support. God bless you all 🙏🏼
You keep on keeping on, you courageous soul! Your hubby is making progress, little by little, in what's been a huge odyssey. I am sure he will go on doing it. It doesn't matter how long it takes. Some Doctors, nurses and paramedics do express themselves in very literal directions. I had a kind but dramatic ambulance crew medic announce how critically ill I was on my last unplanned admission to a cardiac unit, and that no one should be fooled about that, especially with all I had in front of me, despite my calm presentation! I found that puzzling and curious, and scary. I have to have a valve repair, ablation and appendage closed up, but am considered "routine" - there are different ways of looking at a situation and verbalising it. So some medics are encouraging and some feel terrifying. Your hubby is improving, whilst responding in his own way to what he's experienced. He will get there, and so will you and your boys. You're in my thoughts and prayers. Feed yourself and rest too. Honour yourself! You're a Star 💫XX
They've just sedated him again until morning as he's been very agitated. I'm waiting for the rain to arrive to get rid of this snow, so I can visit tomorrow. He's been out of the operation over a week now, it was 2 pm last Thursday he went onto ICU. Over a week since I've heard his voice 💔
Thank you for updating us Castleview. You must be exhausted on every level. Your last update looks positive. Day by day, little by little he's improving.It won't be long before you hear his voice again. Sending you both love, prayers and hugs.
What a scary phone call from the Dr! I'm so pleased he is reacting to you and your son. Great to hear he is sounding stronger since the last call. That all sounds positive. Hang on in there. I'm really hoping you have a good outcome. Sending best wishes to you all.
Gosh - What a roller coaster ride for you - I am dizzy just from reading your latest post! I am so glad that your husband truly seems to be slowly improving. I am sure that your patience with his recovery is in short supply, but it sounds as if that is what is needed. I am sending good thoughts and encouragement from South Carolina - may each day bring only good news!
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