Not waking up

[Zeppelin29]

My husband had a tracheostomy on Saturday. They have tried to wake him up today with no luck .I believe that they have done a ct of his head but nobody has got back to me on this one .The nurse I spoke with this evening has painted such a bleak picure I'm sure I won't sleep tonight through worrying. Anyone else gone through this ?

[Anuur44]

They said this about mum. It’s the sedation why they aren’t waking up. I don’t understand some doctors and nurses that don’t understand family will stay up all night with worry. They made it seem like she may have had some brain damage and when the ct scan came back all was fine. She managed to wake up a week later ok. She’s back on sedation now but I heard covid patients take longer to wake up. Wish doctors gave you that reassurance rather than make it seem like there’s some potential brain damage

[Zeppelin29 in reply to Anuur44]

I'm sure the doctors would have rung me if it was bad news .Thank you for replying

[Sepsur]

It can take a long time to wake properly - in my case 11 days. The nurses do tend to err on the side of caution a little too much - I agree.

[Zeppelin29 in reply to Sepsur]

Thank you for replying -still no clearer this morning -hoping consultant will ring and clear a few things up

[Sepsur in reply to Zeppelin29]

If you don’t hear, just ring them and tell them you are worrying yourself sick 😊

[Jess0186 in reply to Sepsur]

Hi my husband is on ICU and is on a oxygen ventilator and heavily sedated. They have tried to wean him off sedation every day for the past week and he gets agitated and they have to put him back on the sedation. I’m not going to lie to you it’s the hardest thing that I’ve been through and it certainly does not help when you can not visit them. I’ve been told that all things could be wrong with him and it’s all come back as not 100% but nothing like what the doctors say it could be. They have to say these things to cover themselves I suppose. It’s not going to be easy as I’ve found this experience difficult but this forum has helped me because we are or have been through the same where as if I talk to my family for instance they don’t know what to say where as I want them to tell me his fine and he will be better but they can’t hope this helps xxx

[FamilyHistorian in reply to Jess0186]

It took me a long time to be weened off and more time to come round I too was very agitated and pulled tubes etc out they even put something like boxing gloves on to try and stop. I also tried to get the hospital gown off- I can’t stand wearing anything in bed!!!! That’s the naked truth 😂

Take care of your self

[Jess0186 in reply to FamilyHistorian]

This is what the nurses are saying to me that when he starts coming round he his hands go straight to the tubes. So then they put him back on the sedation, they have said his stable so this is a good thing right? His not deteriorated, and I spoke to the consultant last night and I asked if he would recover he said 100% can not answer that but if his organs were deteriorating then it would be a different story but his lungs and kidneys are fine xx

[FamilyHistorian in reply to Jess0186]

I was lucky in my icu the doctors were very accepting that it could take time. Looking at the WhatsApp log kept by the family I see it changed from days to weeks and to possibly months. I had constant 1 to 1 care with none of the current stress for the staff. Having said that the family were called in twice as I wasn’t expected to make it.

[Jess0186 in reply to FamilyHistorian]

Omg it sounds like you had it tough they have not said that he won’t make a recovery all they said that if his other organs were deteriorating it would be a different situation. I suppose I’m impatient because I want him out of sedation. They said after he comes out of sedation he will stay for 24 hours to make sure he won’t deteriorate then can go on a gastro ward xx

[Zeppelin29 in reply to Jess0186]

Thank you -I think it was the way the nurse said it just set me off.Have today been reassured that they are still actively treating him .

[Zeppelin29 in reply to Jess0186]

It's just such a scary time -I think I took the nurses attitude all wrong and am reading too much into this .Thank you

[Jess0186 in reply to Zeppelin29]

I was exactly the same I thought the worst and still do that somethings going wrong. They have told me his stable and that’s a good thing. Don’t know about you but I feel guilt at all times I have two children so if I get on with things I feel guilty that my mind is not on him and everything is a struggle, I have in my head what I want to do during the day but I’ve just got no energy xx

[FamilyHistorian in reply to Jess0186]

It’s really important that you look after yourself. To be perfectly honest it’s going to be worse for you once he is home as you will be on tender hooks all the time.

ICUStepsChester run a relatives drop in on zoom on a Tuesday evening between 7 & 9 they are there to support. You don’t have to live in their area to benefit from it. If you are interested message me and I will give you the contact details