Recovery from a coma

[Bertieburt24]

Hello , I have been reading all the posts about recovering after your illness’s and also the affects a coma has had.

It’s been six weeks since I came home after being in hospital with swine flue, sepsis and pneumonia .

I think I maybe a very lucky woman or maybe have done all the right things . I hardly think about being in a coma and when I do I immediately tell anyone who is near me , be it my son , my husband or the lady on the checkout at a supermarket . Talking , talk to anyone and everybody . Go to the support groups but don’t just talk there, talk to everybody else in between . If your not a talkative person ,try. You’ll be so surprised how much better you will feel . This may be just me m. Talking to a stranger is always good , they have no judgement and you may never see them again but it’s a little more frustration , sadness or anxiety released . I myself went to our local GP and asked questions . Right down to the things that scared me .” Will I get it again?” , “I’m scared of dying so I can’t sleep “ and anything and everything that came into my mind .

My husband took photos of me while I was in the coma , at first it made me sob , to think that I was potentially going to die, leave my beautiful son and loving family and friends , but I didn’t . The nightmares , if I have the tv on all I watch is positive stuff , I personally love cooking programmes . I occupied my mind with other positive things . Visit ccu or icu . I was fascinated when I went , al these amazing people who cared for me , knew me , I didn’t know them . They introduced themselves , cuddled me and smiled . It made me feel love actually. What amazing people . They are human like us .

This is all my experience and opinion and everybody is different , but please try hard to be positive . Look for the little things and the rest will follow . Don’t push yourself , do what your body tells you . We are all very blessed to be able to have these thoughts or experiences, the other option would have been pretty final !

[Copse77]

Yours is a wonderful and inspiring story. You should be very proud of your positive mindset and attitude. Please don’t think I am disrespecting anyone who doesn’t have that ability by saying this.

I can empathise so much with what you said. It’s made me cry now to remember. I was not the sufferer of the illness. My brother was. He was in a coma with sepsis. Today he has made what to me and the Doctors seems a miraculous recovery and we as a family are so thankful to theNHS. I was traumatised by seeing him like that.the person I love so dearly suffering. He had to relearn everything and it was exhausting for him. He has two children the youngest was 6 at the time and it was heartbreaking for us the thought of them losing their Dad I spent more than 2 months visiting him daily between ICU and CCU. It was a rollercoaster of emotions being told he had suffered brain bleeds and there might be no recovery. I have been back to the hospital at Easter last year after his discharge and again at Christmas to take thank you gifts for the nurses and doctors. You are right it is good to talk and be thankful. I recommend you listen to ICU Steps Trustee interview on Radio 4. It takes me back. It can be seeing an ambulance and thinking about him lying in a coma in an ambulance after being put on ECMO to be transferred. I will send you the link. Thank you for sharing your story of hope. It will help other families who are suffering.

[Copse77]

bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001jpv

This is the link

[stevet11753]

Hi, I can relate to so much of what you say. I find it helpful to talk to anyone about my coma experience, 'better out than in' as the old saying goes. I wrote my icu dreams in the form of a story and have shared it with lots of people.

I also visited the icu a few months after my stay and found it a healing and cathartic experience; I would recommend it to anyone. Like you, I couldn't remember any of the nurses who looked after me, but it was wonderful to meet them and thank them for what they do.

Good luck and health to you!

[muneca4]

I cant remember nothing while I was in ICU. It has been a slow recovery and I still need more time I get tired easy, my hair is falling out but to see how happy my family is that make me fight for life. ARDS is real and to have beaten the odds is a miracle, to all of you out there that came back for a second chance rejoice!