4years

[lesleyG1965]

Hi it's 4years since my time in icu and still it remains if my thoughts daily I can't ever stop

Thinking about it I don't think it will ever be far from my mind

[Luckyone]

Hi Lesley

Your not alone with your thoughts and memories of ICU, for many of us survivors it's a burden we live with, it may be a sound, smell or just the sound of someone's voice that came bring the memories flooding back, I spent 3 months in ICU 4 years ago the first 8 weeks of it are completely missing they were just full of the most terrifying nightmares & hallucinations, I can still remember them so clearly like it was yesterday, my wife went through the nightmare of reality with so many wires, tubes & machines connected to me and being told I was unlikely to survive, we still talk about those times even now, most people will never understand my own brother told me to put it behind me and move on as if it was something trivial rather than life threatening.

My way of dealing with it was by becoming involved in ICUsteps, doing talks to medical staff & ex-patients about my experience hopefully bringing some understanding of what we've all been through.

Best wishes for the future

[Billie77]

Ggggg

[eddie1968]

It's been 3 years for me. A month in a coma being ventilated. I had the ICU delirium as well. The hallucinations and paranoia were horrifying. I have turned my experience into a positive one, no longer stressed or worried. If I can go through that then I am made of strong stuff. I had to work through the ICU PTSD for two years and decided to move on from the negative thoughts and be a better person for it. I am more empathetic, caring and treat life as a wonder to behold being so near to death (twice) 2009 & 2012.