Pancreatitis led to septic shock

[Crazydoglady87]

My dad was admitted 3.5 weeks ago to the ICU. He was unresponsive and his lungs, heart and kidneys had failed and his BP was extremely low. He’s been on a vent the whole time and 3 days ago they placed a trach. However his heart has recovered, the kidneys are doing much better without any need for dialysis and he is maintaining a normal BP on his own, as opposed to the 3 vasopressors he previously needed. On the down side, he has now developed pneumonia and an ear infection which are being treated with antibiotics. They have reduced his sedation but when they try to take it off, he is no longer responsive and begins to breathe heavy and his heart rate goes up so they sedate him again. A nurse practitioner told me yesterday that things don’t look good. This is the first time they’ve given us news this bad and at this point, I’m desperate for some sort of hope. I NEED my dad to get better and come home eventually. Any similar stories out there that had a somewhat happy ending?

[Sepsur]

Mine, many times my family were told it was hopeless, 57 days later I woke up and 33 days after that I left ICU, 28 days after that I discharged home.

[Crazydoglady87 in reply to Sepsur]

Oh wow that’s amazing! So happy for you and your family!

I know doctors and nurses have to keep expectations in check but for most of the 3.5 weeks that my dad has been in, he was responding to commands so it seems like it’s too soon to throw in the towel. Once he got the pneumonia is when his response started to dwindle. He’ll sometimes open his eyes or react to them squeezing his hand but he hasn’t in the last 2-3 days (since the trach). I’m hoping he just needs more time and he’ll come around. They did do a brain CT and he showed no signs of a stroke or anything like that. They may do a brain MRI.

Your story helps me know that it’s at least possible for things to turn around. We really need my dad back. Thank you for your response.

[Ferham]

HI, I'm sorry you are going through this, When my husband was in ITU, each time they tried to lift his sedation his BP increased and his breathing pattern changed, Eventually they managed to get him off the vent (Covid) just as the end after having a trachy fitted he got a fungal infection in his lungs, it cleared up with meds. Several days later they took him of the vent and was going to move him onto a step down ward, but one of the consultants was unhappy with his heart rate and respiratory rate as it was running too fast. A nurse said it could possibly be fight or flight mode, it settled after several days and meds . He then was moved to the step down ward .

[Crazydoglady87 in reply to Ferham]

Thank you very much for your response. How’s your husband doing now?

In the last 2 days they have been able to cut my dad’s sedation down with only a slight increase in his BP initially but that’s leveled down. He has been coughing a little which was the first neurological response they’ve gotten from him in a while. He opens his eyes when they call his name but he’s not following commands. I’m hoping these are the baby steps to recovery.

[Ferham in reply to Crazydoglady87]

That sounds encouraging, baby steps, that's what we have learnt . We are getting there, we are just adjusting and dealing with whatever life throws at us best we can .