Hi Everyone
I am so happy I have found this group as My daughter and I are struggling every day. My husband has severely been affected by the covid19 and he is in ICU for a week now. It has been a lot of ups and downs and a lot of confusion. It is very hard when you have someone in ICU.
Hi I’m so sorry to hear about your partner.
My dad is also in a ICU with covid-19 on a ventilator for 7 days now.
I’ve just had w call to say he has went backwards and now needing 90% oxygen and next 24 hours are critical 
Have you had any improvements? This is the hardest thing I’ve ever been through xxx
Yes as this week it has been going high and low.
I am so sorry to hear that your dad also has got covid 19. It's very hard. Last week my husband oxygen level was up and down and now it has improved.
My dads had improved but has now went back up to 90% has your husbands been as high as that?
I’m in touch with a few people in the same situation and one of them has her husband home with her so there is hope! Xx
Yes it went to 90 % and now it is 40% . There is hope
Did it go down before it went back up? It feels like this is a huge backward step as he’s been down quite low and then went back up. I’m struggling today to see how he can come back from this I’m devastated xx
For him it was doing well low 30% according to the consultant then the next day they had to put it high with 90% and they were closely monitoring his heart and they put him to the prone position. It then went to 40% . Don't worry I 'm sure the nurse are doing their best looking after your dad.
It’s just the most awful time isn’t it not being able to visit or anything.
Have they thought about next steps for your husband?
I don’t live with my mum so she is on her own it’s just such a surreal experience. My dad is truly my best friend and we talk every day so above anything I just miss him so much and am hoping and praying he gets well xx
Hi Heart
I understand how you feel as this is the same situation for my daughter. She is 21 . She is attached to her dad and it is hard for her. We are a christian family and we believe strongly in God and we have a big family group where we pray constently for the lord to bring back my husband. Prayers give us hope and strength to carry on especially we cannot see him. They have no next step. What they try to do is to keep his other organ not failing and allow his lung to heal by sedated him. It will take 2-6 weeks to see improvement but I am confident that the docs and nurses have learnt on the Covid 19 and they are using all the methods used previously to save life. I also read that a lot of people recover from all this. Keep being strong for your dad
That’s great you have your faith and a strong family. How have his other organs been coping? My dad is currently in dialysis too. I feel so anxious and on edge I just need a glimmer of hope for him.
I miss him so much xx
He is also on dialysis but this is temporary as he is on a lot of medication such as insulin for blood sugar and med for blood pressure. My husband is diabetic. They also have to suck all the mucus thats blocking his airway. It is very hard as he is going through a lot. It will take weeks to see progress the consultant has mentioned. For now we have to expect ups and downs as they need to closely monitor his heart and kidneys and brain.
It sounds like although still critical he is making good strides forward.
The next 24 hours are touch and go for my dad and I’m just hoping he is strong enough to pull through xxx
Think positive he will x
Has the Consultant given you that 2-6 week target? That’s positive. My Dad is day 12 now of intubation and we are trying to stay positive and think it doesn’t matter how long it takes, as long as he gets there.
I hope and pray for my Dad. your husband, and heartgals’ Dad too. We all need to be patient and not give up. Positive vibes to you all 🙏🏽🤞🏾
Hi how is your dad doing and how are you?
I’m still waiting on today’s full update. I called this morning and he’s been proned over night and oxygen down to 60%. I feel on edge though like I’m waiting on bad news. Have you heard anything today? X
Yes the virologist spoke to us today and says he will have these ups and downs as his oxygen level went from 40-80 last night as his body is fighting. Not to worry much on the oxygen level and he is sedated for his body, lung to recover.
That’s good they’ve responded to proning. They are going to start doing this again for my Dad too...I think that’s all they really have.
I’ve just had our update. He’s responding to proning so doing that again but have had to give a new sedative, she didn’t say why really just that his sedation had become hard to manage. Does that mean he’s been waking?
A stronger antibiotic has been started too.
So up and down really. Xx
That’s good.
I think they like to change sedatives so the body doesn’t get too used to a particular one?
I’m hoping the proning with help my Dad.
God bless us all. I wish us all good news and positive vibes 🙏🏽🤞🏾
Yeah I think from everything I’m reading proning is the only real thing they have in their ammo for this. But the real change we want to see is the maintenance of oxygen level on the back!
I just managed to have a nap today as the doctor phoned. I feel like my sleep is all over the place I’m exhausted xx
God bless you! Try and sleep as hard as it is, I’m trying to sleep and stay regular.
I’ve just been reading the story of Mal Martin, who’s family said their goodbyes and were told there was no chance left. He’s now being weaned off a ventilator. There is hope for us all x
I’ll have a look. Thanks for posting.
Yeh we had a negative call from the hospital.
I understand they have to give a balanced approach, but it’s a fine line and we need to all speak positively to them that they are fighters and not to give up.
You had a negative call today? What did they say? Just remember it’s all ups and downs and try not to read into it too much. He’s fighting! Xx
They weren’t really really negative, but they were just reminding us that lots of people don’t make it and that he’s been in for a while and progress is static/slow.
I understand they have to be balanced and can’t just say he’s fine, but it’s a very difficult conversation.
They are saying they’ll keep trying, but I also see it as a test of our patience.
I hope they will continue to try everything in their armoury and keep trying.
I truly believe they will. This is a brand new disease they don’t know how it will go so I think we have to give them as much time as they need. The doctors for us aren’t always negative but are never ever positive. But we have to keep hope and look at all the stories on here of survival xx
Yeh I can’ understand it from their prospective. It would be wrong to give us all false hope too.
As long as they are balanced and willing to keep providing supportive care, I’m ok.
Obviously I think some doctors/nurses are more empathetic than others and just better with their words, but we should look beyond that.
Our family member is just another patient to them, just another person on their ward, probably one of many who are critically ill.
They can never fully appreciate our hurt and anxiety, though some can and are better than others at being reassuring.
Different people has different way of saying things. But you really don't have to listen to that and focus on the positive things.
Thanks for posting this and giving some sense of hope. my dad has been on the ventilator for 24 days
Have some good rest to keep you strong
Yes that's why they change and they also try different medication to see what works and what doesn't work
Yeh they have to keep trying and see what responds best.
Good news today. My Dad is coming off the ventilator tomorrow! Still a long road ahead I’m sure but I hope this gives you all hope. 15 days of ventilation ! I am absolutely elated xx
I am so happy for you and your dad👏👏😁
I’ve just found this group too and posted about my Dad. God bless us all.
Hi All,
My oxygen requirements went up and down all the time. My husband would come in to find me on 90% when a few hours before they’d got me down to 30%. For example, when I had chest physio my requirement was high. I was also proned as I remember feeling them doing it and I responded well. Martyn my husband used to hate it when he spoke to one of the more reserved or new nurses as they wouldn’t say anything particularly positive. They are very wary of saying things because your condition changes minute to minute in ITU. They told me they expected me to die and I’m alive and kicking and pretty much back to normal. Don’t give up hope until you absolutely have to, people have come through this.
V xx
God bless you VickyC! How did your husband cope when they were so negative?
So glad to hear you’ve made a good recovery...it must have been so tough for your husband and family and so joyful to see you come round.
I can only imagine the happiness your husband must have felt when he heard your voice again.
They’ve had to give my Dad some Nor adrenaline, did you have that too?
Did it take multiple attempts to get you off the ventilator?
Thank you Vicky
Terrible when you have access to your loved one - it is unimaginable what you, as a huge group of families, will go through. The experience is pretty unprecedented for us all.
It is hard for all of us but we have to remain strong and positive
Can you give me some insight with regards to being on a ventilator for long periods ? What do you remember from these events?
How did your family cope? Thanks 🙏🏽
The best thing to do is send him messages about missing him at home. A Picture of You and your daughter. Then if they allow phone calls , call him and talk with him each day about what you are doing at home. Keep up full contact with his doctor. I wish you the best, God Bless the family and your husband. Just a note before he gets out clean around you house and have purified water. "when he come home after this Chinese nasty Virus enjoined with a few diseases. Purified water, because it has no Chlorine, or other treatments like Floride. Good water helps healing.
I’ve left a spare phone for my partner and I usually stay on FaceTime with him during most hours of the day. Just ask the ward manager to get this up, he’s unconscious/vegetative state but it does help seeing him virtually as it gives a bit of relief.
Also what I found really helped me when I woke up were the messages my husband sent to my phone everyday that told me how I was, what the kids were doing etc. My friends also had a WhatsApp group where they left me voice notes everyday. Maybe doing that for your relatives will help you to feel you are still doing something xx
That sounds like a nice idea. What was it like reading all of those ??
It took me a while before I was ready to read them. When I did I was quite emotional and pretty cross with myself for putting everyone through that. I still go back to them now if I’m having a bad day. It reminds me how far I’ve come xx
It was nice to know people were thinking of me and a nice surprise to wake up to! I couldn’t remember how to use my phone to begin with so my husband showed me firstly. It also helped me piece together what happened to me medically which was very important to me. I’m a diagnostic radiographer so was desperate to know the ins and outs of it all! I got a diary that the ITU staff kept for me too but I didn’t receive that until a month later xx
I think I’ll do this too. Thanks again 🙏🏽
Thank you for sharing. I will get a diary for him too
I am sorry you are going through such a terrible and stressful time. My Dad had severe pneumonia and had to be ventilated 4 times with the last one a slow weaning which worked. His oxygen requirements were up and down alot and we didn't think he would make it but he is now in general ward and doing well. ICU is totally unpredictable with 2 steps forward and 1 back alot.
Hi Nicolette
Thank you for sharing with us. How long was your dad on ventilator?
So nice to hear a positive story! Hoping my Dad can do it too, but it’s all so slow atm. How long were they intubated for? Did they put a trachy in?
He was ventilated 4 times over the course of about 4 weeks.
Thank you. It is a nightmare and yes all we can do is pray and wait.
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