What can I do to help best to help my friend on a ventilator awake but unable to communicate?

[Lozg89]

My best friend has been in ICU for 2 weeks with flu and a collapsed lung. They have woken her but she remains on the ventilator unable to communicate. I want to help the best I can but am unsure of what is best. Do you think an audio book or an mp3 with some music on will be a silly idea? For anyone who has been on a ventilator and aware what would you have liked from friends and family to make things a bit more bearable. Thanks for your help in advance xx

[madddie]

Hi sorry to hear about your friend rest assured she will be well looked after.No it is not a silly idea to get a audio book. My friend was also unable to communicate i played her favourite music and kept talking to her.I know it's very worrying but pray she recover's soon.

[Chezza27]

Hi Lozg89,

I’m sorry to hear about your friend. My hubby has been in ICU for the past 4.5 months on a ventilator. If your friend is able to point, you could maybe try a few words written on a card for her to point to? We played music to my hubby and he now watches the tv too. And we always chat away to him. (He has now progressed to being able to use a communication keyboard, which has been a massive help). I hope your friend recovers soon. I’m sure it’s a big help to her just having you there.

[Sepsur]

Any distraction would have been brilliant - the days were long & boring

[Needgodshelp]

Yeah sorry to hear that, my dad been in the ICU since almost month;(, yes u should pay songs since this happened to my dad we haven't stop playing the lord songs in his room i know god is going to wake him up, just keep praying god heals

[anne16hall]

I listened to the radio a lot as it was simple to manipulate on my own but would have welcomed audio books and MP3 player for music too had I not had double vision and poor control of my fingers! Lots of visits helped enormously and my family and friends got used to lip reading but mostly they just talked at me with their news and what was going on in the world. All good wishes to your friend I'm sure she appreciates all you're doing. Hope she does well coming off the ventilator soon. Anne xx

[Dubbstix]

Music is great . I found a small dry erase board an marker were priceless when I was on a vent.