My mom is 69 and she went into theatre 2 months ago to do a knee replacement. All seemed fine until she complained of pain in the other knee ( the one with a year old replacement). she was rushed to hospital as she showed signs of confusion. After tests, she was diagnosed with sepsis and kidney failure. She has been in ICU for 3 weeks now and I'm not sure if she can even hear us. The bacterial sepsis has cleared and she developed a fungal one, probably from the ICU stay. She was intubated and later had a tracheostomy.
last night I noticed she was bleeding out the mouth and noticed she was grinding her teeth and her eyes are half open.
What is happening?? she is being weaned off the ventilator, the sedatives have been stopped but she is still not awake, its 4 days now.
Im worried sick.
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Rhoolarney
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I'm so sorry to hear about your mum. I was in an induced coma in December last year for 11 days. I also had a Tracheostomy but from what my family told me and reading the dairy that was started by the nurses. Even though your mum has had a Tracheostomy tube, which moves her breathing tube from her mouth to her throat, she will still be sedated but just not as much which is better for her breathing. When i had a Tracheostomy in i was more awake within 24 hours. Have the nurses or doctors not explained to you why your mum is still not awake?
Please keep me informed on your mum's progress and you are both in my thoughts and prayers. I really hope she wakes up soon.
Hi, my dad is 65 and he also took a long time to wake from his medically induced coma. They ran EEG on him which did not show a lot of activity. They did MRI which showed he was fine and not having seizures. We kept playing his favorite music and talking with him. He has since woken up and become a lot more responsive. He made the nurses cry. He amazed the neurologist. Just give it time. It takes time. After about a week, I saw his eye open a tiny bit. Then a bit more. Then his eyes were just open but not looking and barely responding to light. He did not respond to pain. Nothing. But the second week, he started really looking at us. He nods his head yes and no. He is much more aware. Just give it time. Don’t give up even if the doctors and nurses seem to give up. Prayers for your mom!
I'm interested to know how your dad is doing... Our prayers are being heard, my mom still has blank stares but she's opening her mouth now... I'm desperate to take that as a sign of response.
You are so right. The best advice we were given by a lovely kind consultant was remain hopeful. He was right but so was my Dad who told us to ignore the consultant who told us there may be no recovery for your brother. His youngest child was 6 at the time. Though it was traumatic and difficult for us to witness let alone exhausting for my brother, he has made a full recovery and is back to caring for his lovely children and life is good again. You keep on all your good care and communication with your Dad and he will continue to improve and we wish you and your family all have a similar outcome to ours.
Thank you so much everyone. It is difficult but I remain hopeful and in prayer... She responded to a pinch and her eyes are open but blank stares. There responses are so encouraging. Thank you again
Yes I am sure your Mum will continue to respond and improve. I know what you are going through is so hard. We had the experience with my younger brother. It took weeks for him to be more and more responsive from induced coma after sepsis. Keep talking to your Mum. It will help her and know that we are thinking of you and wishing a good recovery for your Mum.
Hopefully things have got better but always talk to your mum and reassure her I found the only good things I can remember were my families interactions with me.
After 33 days in ICU, sepsis of a bacteria and a fungi, intubation and tracheostomy, kidney failure, CRE pneumonia, one successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest, my mom passed away from a yet another cardiac arrest.
I was very sorry to read about your mum's death. By talking to and reassuring her even while she lay in a coma you will have given her tremendous comfort.
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