I've been reading the poll about the transition from ICU to a ward, and I find I can't answer it.

[patchworker]

I was in a room by myself in ICU because I had C Diff. One day I was told I was being moved to the ward. I was wheeled in my bed to another room by myself. The only difference was instead of one nurse with me all the time, I had several nurses checking on me every few minutes. I felt too ill and confused to know if things went smoothly or not!

[coady]

I hope you are ok now, i was in ICU a while back, it was a weird experience

[patchworker in reply to coady]

Thank you Coady, I'm OK now. It certainly is a weird experience.

[Offcut]

Were you ever put on a ward with others?

[patchworker]

I was in a room with others the first night, before my surgery for esophageal cancer the next day, then after the op I was in HDU with others, for a week. Then I became very ill, was transfered to ICU, and didn't see another patient after that.

I'm told I was with other patients for a short time in ICU, But I was deep in morphine nightmares and can't remember that.

I had developed a duodenal ulcer in just a few days, and it perforated, giving me subphrenic abcesses and pneumonia

Plus several other complications, including C Diff, which is why I was kept away from others.

I was in ICU for a month, eleven days on a ventilator, then another month on a ward.

Though it's horrific having a tube down your throat for eleven days and nights, I'm sure you'll agree the nightmares are even worse.

[Taffyrocker]

Hi Patchworker, I agree about having a tube down your throat is a necessity when one is ill. The thing I STRUGGLE to come to terms with is that they (the IUC docs that is) wouldn't ventilate the patient UNLESS thay needed it COS the patient was REALLY ill. Its when we're taken out of the 'orbit' of ICU, all morphined up and totally out of it, then put on a 'normal' ward. The trauma of being really ill and having to cope with ICU psychosis is a pain. The thing is, if you're like me you develop a balck Sense of Humour. I think its a human coping mechanism. I call ICU the 'Tube Station' if that makes you larff.

[Jayswife-24]

My husband is critically ill in a room on his own he has strep A bacteria blood infection your posts help me find strength that although you have gone through a horrific ordeal you are hear to tell your story god bless you all you are true fighters hope I also get a happy ending for my darling husband

[patchworker]

Jayswife, I'm so sorry to hear of your husbands illness. Remember to write down everything that happens each day because when he recovers he'll have odd fragments of memories, and the diary you've written will help him to sort dreams from reality. I know it sounds unimportant compared with his physical health, but being in ICU is very confusing and frightening. He probably doesn't know where he is,or whats happening, so hold his hand and tell him in simple terms what is going on. You'll need to repeat it day after day before he finally really understands.

My daughter did that for me, and it helped so much. I still sometimes read the diary she wrote for me, it means such a lot. Jane

[Jayswife-24]

Thankyou for your kind words yeah I will start a diary anything I can do to help him may help me stay sain x

[Skippyc in reply to Jayswife-24]

Hi jays wife

I spent 3 weeks in icu with strep a blood infection. My husband kept a diary which we have read together 6 weeks on -when I felt ready. He didn't just write about hospital stuff, but what the kids had been up to at school & everyday stuff which I found really reassuring. It also helped me work out why certain things I thought had happened to me in my hallucinations were probably triggered by certain treatments I was given.

The move to a cardiac ward was scary (because the strep infection had damaged my heart) & I was half the age of most of the patients there.

Please tell you husband to take each day at a time, it does seem like there is no improvement for a couple of days but then you have a good one & you realise you are stronger. I had a week on the cardiac ward then they let me go home - this was amazing yet hard again & I slept most of the 1st week & felt I had gone backwards. I've now been home almost 4 weeks & progress is slow, but I am feeling stronger & more capable, I know if I over do things though I feel dreadful & have to go to bed.

I hope this will help you & your husband, it is such a weird/frightening/exhausting experience, but you sound strong, good luck & best wishes to you both x