My mother has been diagnosed with Covid and hospitalised/ ventilated from 7 December. Weeks on she’s still depended on oxygen and has currently a tracheostomy a recent move from the ET tube. She is at second attempt of weaning as first attempt she developed a bad case of delirium resulting her oxygen to drop..
She no longer is sedated (for the last 5days) and isn’t waking up. Her eyes are open and we’re told she’s responding to her name being called which indicates brain activity. She’s at St George hospital who are being amazing and are keeping us regularly updated. However we’re told we can’t visit her. This is very difficult as mum has a fear of hospitals and a lack of English/ system knowledge. I can imagine her feeling very anxious and scared- surely this is the time to get family involved to reassure/encourage the patient. We’re desperately willing to visit her with the right ppe provided. Has anyone been through this and how have you handled this.
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Fahimafani
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I feel for all the families that are unable to see loved ones at present, it must make a terrible situation acutely worse. Is there anyway you can video call to speak to her. During my delirium, I was greatly comforted by my loved ones around my bed, I could hear their familiar voices. If you look back through past posts , there are many posts on this subject and others have come up with great solutions to this dilemma.
I took a long time to come around properly - this is not abnormal. I hope your Mum continues to improve.
I was in hospital/icu in April with covid. I had, like many others, extreme delirium whilst there. I still feel it was worse for my wife and family than it was for me. My wife (and kids), like you, had one call a day, had to spend the rest of the day speculating on my condition and whether i would make it and handle all the anxiety. I on the other hand, was largely tuned out due to the drugs I was on and have no memory at all of my time on a ventilator.
I totally understand your concerns re the language barrier and subsequent isolation and of course desire to visit. When I was recovering in hospital, I saw first-hand how managing visits would have been impossible of top of an often short-staffed, had pushed workload for the health teams.
I think the video call idea suggested by Sepsur is worth pursuing. Just another thought. Do the ward staff know your Mum struggles with English? It is easy for staff not to know the history of a patient prior to the admission to a ward. In my case, my glasses had been lost and initially staff didn't know I was unable to see without them , as I had arrived into the ward without glasses.
In my hospital, the ward had a Ward Manager. If you speak to them, then all staff might be able to be informed. It might also be worth seeing if any staff, including domestics, on the ward speak her mother language? very best wishes to you, your mum and your whole family. best wishes, Pete
Has your Mum got her own mobile phone in hospital? If so, ask the ITU family liaison sister if a time could be pre-arranged for you to ring it and your Mum’s nurse prop it up on speaker phone near her ear? That’s what I’ve done throughout.
If no mobile, ITU will probably have their own iPad, you could FaceTime her on that.
I don’t think there is any UK hospital that will let you visit except for EOL, if an adult has a learning difficulty or in the case of children, 1 parent is allowed in. Even if you’re a HCP working elsewhere in the SAME hospital, routinely in level 3 PPE, you will not permitted to visit your loved one, except in the situations above.
She’s still in ICU on a ventilator. Drs are trying to wean her off the ventilator using the spontaneous breathing trials. She’s on day 2 and has managed 2 hours so far. She’s been put on IV sedation as she keeps getting agitated. Also She’s developed pulmonary fibrosis. Mum is a fighter! Please have her in your prayers.
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