ICU blues

[Mrs-Lady2]

Right now my husband is in ICU. Pnemonia and kidney failure. Ive given them consent to do dialyais but they say it will be temporary because he is still putting out a large amount of urine still. He stopped talking Tuesday and has been sleeping. He wont talk but he will nod his head when i ask him something. Age 56 im sitting here worried about his survival. Vitaks are fine. Hes on a BiPap right niw for sleep. Any help with words of encouragement?

[dall05]

Hi ML2,

I was on dialysis, ventilated, traci, Ecmo sedated the full works with pneumonia at the age of 51 and pulled through so your husband stands a good chance of making a full recovery. He's in the right place so stay positive as age is on his side. Tony x

[Mrs-Lady2 in reply to dall05]

Thank you so much.

[Sepsur]

Last spring I was admitted to hospital with suspected sepsis. They tried to stabilise me in A&E and then I was placed in a medically induced coma for 2months in ICU. I was intubated and on full life support, I remained on dialysis for 7 weeks. At first the hospital thought I had legionnaires, I was eventually diagnosed with Influenza A & strep A which had become double pneumonia leading to multiple organ failure and septic shock. My heart, lungs and kidneys had failed. Just as I was stabilised from all this, I contracted severe ARDS. I was proned 3 times - not ideal, my poor family were emotionally dragged from one awful scenario to another, one minute I was showing signs of improvement, the next, there was no hope. My wife enjoyed numerous phone calls to say I wouldnt survive and to 'please come in'. For 3 months I fought for my life. Eventually I turned a corner and the machines, one by one were removed. I found I was immune compromised and picked up everything. I remained in isolation with VRE, CMV and glandular fever. Lucky I don't mind my own company (-4 months in hospital in isolation is a long time.) All of these virus are really serious for someone immune compromised. I had to wait nervously to see ( having survived all that shit) whether CMV would blind me.

Later I discovered I had CHrinic lymphatic leukaemia- probably the root of all my woes.

A year on, my leukaemia remains untreated, chemotherapy would destroy any immunity that remained and this would be as dangerous as the cancer. I'm on the watch & wait. I have to be more hygienic and careful of other people's gross habits. Door handles, and publicly handled items are a lottery of disease. Peanuts and mints in a restaurant are a no-no 🤣🤣.

I found support after ICU really important for my recovery. My wife built up a real rapport & camaraderie with other relatives and later became involved with an ICUsteps group. Maybe it is worth seeing if one exists near you.

[Mrs-Lady2 in reply to Sepsur]

Wow. Amazing. Thank you.

[Luckyone]

Hi Mrs-Lady2

Like Sepsur I went to hell and back (along with my family) a week before Christmas 2010 aged 52, what had started as a chest infection which I went to the see my GP with, rapidly turn into double pneumonia of an unknown strain, severe sepsis and multiple organ failure and had it not snowed the night before I was rushed to hospital by ambulance I wouldn't be here to tell the tale as my wife & daughter would have gone to work and then on to their respective Christmas parties, only to return home and find me dead, I was later told by my niece who was an ICU at the hospital I was so ill I shouldn't have made it to hospital as all my vitals were beyond critical.

I have no memory of the first 53 days of my 3 months in ICU but thankfully my wife kept a diary in the hope that one day I would be able to read it, thankfully I did several months after discharge, it made me realise how incredibly lucky I was and how much my wife and family had been through, being told I was going to survive the night and had a DNR placed on me (thankfully it was removed the next day) I then developed severe ARDS with my left lung becoming completely solid along with two thirds of my right lung, had respiratory arrest when a mucus plug the size of a golf ball broke away from my left lung causing 2 cardiac arrests while they fought to remove it, which was one of the many times they were called to the hospital to say goodbye, I also spent 6 weeks on dialysis, the first 19 days on a ventilator before having a tracheotomy for most of my time in ICU. Thanks to the amazing doctors and nurses I survived and will never be able to thank them enough for the support they gave my wife during that time and gave me the inspiration to help other with my involvement with ICUsteps, you may find the intensive care guide we produce helpful which a lot of hospitals give to patients & relatives or you can download it from the website icusteps.org/guide I hope your husband is soon on the road to recovery and be assured he is getting the best care possible.

Bill

[Butternut1987]

I spent 2 weeks in ICU in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator. I was diagnosed with Wegners disease, which lead to end stage renal disease and the failure of both of my lungs which is why I was on a ventilator. I was not supposed to survive, I am what they called a medical miracle, but I know it was Good that saved me. I heard him in my dreams while in a coma... I'm on dialysis still 6 years later and waiting on a kidney. But I am extremely grateful to be alive to watch my kids grow up.