Organ failure

[Kerrymolloy]

My dad has been admitted to icy two days ago. It started with pneumonia but tests show his kidneys, liver and heart are struggling. He's in an induced coma with a ventilator breathing for him. This is hardest thing ever for our family. Can people recover from this??

[Kerrymolloy]

Sorry icu xx

[Amslovessparkle]

Im so sorry your going through such a difficult time, but I just wanted to say I was in ITU for nearly 4 months and while in was ventalated and in a induced coma. 6 months on I am now home. Not fully recovered but home.

I wish you all the best and stay strong...

[Kerrymolloy in reply to Amslovessparkle]

Thank you x

[Offcut]

Yes they can I was in MOF, Multi Organ Failure. I was in ICU 32 days and 12 days of that in an induced coma.

It is I am afraid the medical wording that is more the problem. I was diagnosed with heart failure in 1992.

PMA and I hope all goes well for you and your family.

[Kulta]

Hey, I had liver then kidney (they don't like each other failing) failure before respiratory = ventilated and induced comas. This was through a different condition. My kidneys recovered during my hospitalisation and liver some time following discharge so yes, they can recover. I'm sorry you're seeing this from the bedside. Your Dad is comfortable; it's like sleeping but he may have some different dreams (hallucinations) due to meds and illness. Keep touching and talking to him, he may need orientating - patients may 'go' off into all sorts of random places when poorly with hallucinations.

He is in the best care, the best hands; ICU in the NHS. All the very best for his quick recovery and you're comfort x

[KrissyM in reply to Kulta]

I just found your reply and my Dad is literally going through the same thing right now. Your story gives me a LOT of hope and I know he will pull through!!!!

PMA all the way!

(Positive Mental Attitude)

[Kerrymolloy]

Thank you so much. They are uncertain on the cause of it, think could be something underlying that's caused pneumonia. It is reassuring to know that people have pulled through and it's slow. I think because there has been no change even though only been day or so we were panicking. Can I ask what doctors told people's families? Do they always give you worst case scenario??

[Kerrymolloy]

Thank you xxx

[Sethmichalak in reply to Kerrymolloy]

LLJ

[harvey8]

yes they absolutely can , this was me 18 months ago, i was taken into ICU with a sudden onset of Pneumonia, all my organs failed, heart liver, kidneys and lungs, i too was intubated and in septic shock my family were told that i wasnt going to survive, and i know just what you are going through at the moment, because my family thought they were going to loose me, well i came out of it eventually and after a stay in HDU and onto the normal ward i recovered enough to go home but it was a long haul from there because being out of it for so long gives you muscle wastage, i wasnt even strong enough to pull a paper hanky out of a box or to walk unaided but gradually with the help of my family i am now nearly back to my old self, i just tire a little easier now but i feel thats a small price to pay when i could have lost my life

[Luckyone]

I spent 3 months in ICU nearly 4 years ago with double pneumonia, severe sepsis & multiple organ failure, my wife was told I had a less than 10% chance of survival and even had a DNR (do not resuscitate) put on me by the doctors, it caused my family a lot of trauma hearing that but they never gave up hope, there can be a lot of ups and downs along the way but just being there for your dad will be a great support to him and you will always have the support of the community here, you can also download the intensive care guide booklet from icusteps.org with a section for relatives & visitors.

Best wishes to your dad on a full recovery.

[Robynnlynn]

Yes they can. My husband is recovering. It's been 8 weeks and 2 days but he is on the mend. He had triple strep pneumonia, kidney failure and a secondary pneumonia. He was in an induced coma for 18 days and had dialysis. He also had a trachea. It was 7 weeks before I finally heard him speak again. Yesterday they corked his trachea.

My prayers are with you and your family as you go through this. Keep the faith and stay positive.

[hope4best]

My mum had open heart surgery on the 1st July. There were complications and it did not go well. She was in ICU and unconscious. Her heart wouldn't beat for itself and her kidneys and liver started to fail (she was on dialysis) and she was on a ventilator. She was on the maximum support they could give her. We were called in twice as she was deteriorating and they couldn't do any more for her. Despite everything, she did improve a little bit at a time. She became conscious after 14 days, 7 days later she was transferred back to our local hospital. Following a transfer to a community hospital for rehabilitation, she was released from hospital last Monday 25th August. She seems to have no lasting effects of the kidney or liver failure. She does have some problems with the leg that the pump for her heart was thread through, it was also the same leg they had used some of the vein for the heart repair. She still has a long way to go to regain her muscle lost during that time and her heart was patched up rather than repaired, but we have her back again. The doctors do give you the worst case scenario, but I think it is right that they do warn you. They never gave up though, changing medication and dosage to see if it helped, when she was at her lowest, even though she is 84 years old and I thought they may not try as hard because of her age. I really felt that they cared about her and so did a lot of her ICU nurses.

As others have said, keep talking to your dad. I felt odd talking to my mum as the ICU nurses are always there, but I'm glad I did as I now know she heard some of what I said.

Wishing all the best for you, your dad and your family, at what is a really difficult time.

[Kerrymolloy in reply to hope4best]

Thanks it's really helpful having advice from people who know what we are going through xx

[CJSam0915 in reply to hope4best]

My mom had open heart surgery 5/9th and had multiple organ failure. I'm very sad that my mom didn't make it. I seek for understanding why she didn't make it and others did from this surgery. She was 79. I just wished the doctors could have tell and had given us what the chances that she can get through with this surgery. She had heart valve disease. Did they review the labs that she had some liver problem?? If we only knew that there was a high percentage she wouldn't make it, would have her just not do it at all. Maybe I'm talking cause my heart is broken and nothing will make the time go back.. but if only.

[Kerrymolloy]

Thanks everyone. I'm too scared to even hope at the moment but you've all really helped me. I'm so glad I've found your site and know other people are going through same thing or have survived it and understand how confusing this is. ❤

[Kerrymolloy]

Thanks everyone. I'm too scared to even hope at the moment but you've all really helped me. I'm so glad I've found your site and know other people are going through same thing or have survived it and understand how confusing this is. ❤

[Hidden]

Dear Kerrymolloy, thank you for your post. Just to say there is information to download from the ICusteps web site which you and your family may find helpful. It will be useful for your Dad at a later stage. I am an ICU nurse, I realise that this is a very stressful time for you all but the path may be up and down which is very normal, keep asking questions and do not feel afraid to keep asking. It is normal for families not to take everything in as they are stressed and tired. Patients who are critically ill can develop MOF multi organ failure and it will be a waiting game to see how things progress. Take care.

[albert1]

Kerrymolloy,

I was in ICU two years ago with complications after open heart surgery. I had liver, kidney, and lung failure, was on a ventilator nine days in an induced coma. I had a couple of NDEs while in coma. I recovered completely with the help of supportive staff, family and friends, and great PT, OT and Speech Therapy.

I'm sorry you and your family are going through this; I know it's tough for everyone. Take care of yourself...knowing (even when unconscious) that my family was taking care of themselves helped me relax and my body better able to do what it needed to focus on healing.

[Kerrymolloy]

Thank u everyone. He came out of coma so could check brain function earlier. This has gave huge support being as to tell him we love him cxx

[Kerrymolloy]

Thank u everyone. He came out of coma so could check brain function earlier. This has gave huge support being as to tell him we love him cxx

[raffles in reply to Kerrymolloy]

Hi Kerrymolloy

Bit late replying to your original note--sorry. As others have said, yes you can recover--I understand that he is out of coma now, so you will see a big difference in him for a while--he will be confused, frightened and no doubt will have had what can be described as " nightmares " and hallucinations,--all caused through the drugs etc, I speak from experience, I was in an induced coma thro necrotic pancreatitis for 3 weeks, then on HDU for another 7 weeks before going onto a normal ward for 2 weeks During that time I had MOF and all sorts of problems pneumonia, sepsis, muscle wastage. and lost over 5st in weight. Three times my wife was told I was not going to make it thro the night, and each time I had surgery ( five ops ) she was told it was unlikely I would come through it--but here I am 2 years down the line. Keep asking questions and repeat them if you do not understand what you are told, talk to your Dad, even if he is " away with the Fairies " which he will be from time to time if he is on medication. reassure that he is still in the land of the living and the dreams he is having are just that--dreams. It may help him ( and the family ) if you keep a Log of all the things that happen--when he is well he will want to know what happened to him--take photos if you can. Use this site to talk to others and get support for yourself and the family--presently all the support is going to your Dad, and rightly so, but behind the patient there are always the ones who only stand and wait, they also need support.

Best of luck to you and Dad---keep the faith, treat each day as a stepping stone to him coming home, it may well be a case of two steps forward and then one backwards but you will get there.

Onwards and Upwards

Raffles

[Kerrymolloy in reply to raffles]

Thanks. They've had to sedate him again as he is struggling with ventilator, but it is lower and he is def more aware of us being there. The nurses started a diary of his time in icu and encourage us to right notes in it everyday. They are struggling to stabilise him as they do not know cause. We are trying to take each day as it comes. It helps hearing people like yourself have pulled through, so we know it is possible. Thank you xxx

[Molly2576 in reply to raffles]

Hi Raffles,

I know this is an old post so don't know if anyone is still there. Like you my dad has severe acute pancreatitis..... on dialysis, ventilator and heart support. It's 4 weeks today. They took him off the ventilator for nearly 3 days but he struggled and had to go back on it. We are struggling to cope with it all as it is going on so long and we don't know where it will end. I'm inspired by your recovery.

Molly

[Cherie1988]

I understand this is an old post but how did things go with your dad after?

Xxx

[Mjy_77]

Note ..What u wrote was really very helpful thanks

[bcef in reply to Mjy_77]

I have da mage to my liver and kidneys by spraying deodorant sprays don't know weather you can help me