Chest infection and back on full ventilator - Covid

[Doggie1233]

Hello everyone,

My dad has been on a ventilator due to covid for nearly 7 weeks now, the last week they have been weaning him off the ventilator and sedation, he has done so well with his breathing they have put him on a high flow oxygen (via his trachy) so a form of non invasive ventilation and been breathing mostly by himself. Just found out today he has a chest infection and has gone back on the full ventilator and sedated again! So gutted this has happened, he will be having antibiotics but does anyone know if this is a major set back and can he get back to how well he was doing before. He’s been on there so long now we really need him to start his recovery, I’m so worried how weak he’ll be and how long it will take for him to recover. Really hope this won’t set him back too much?

[Sepsur]

It is a long time to be ventilated, I survived 57 days intubated & another 10-14 days on a trachy. I picked up numerous infections that delayed me stabilising enough to be woken up and to have ventilation removed. I did need further assistance CPAP,PEEP , nasal prongs and nebulisers- in fact I had some of assistance up until day 105.

I’ve read some many cases of people like me & your Dad who have eventually pulled though.

[Doggie1233 in reply to Sepsur]

Thank u for ur reply, we’re u not awake for the 57 days u were intubated? My dad has been awake and on low sedation for quite a while now, responding for a long time etc. Really come far with his breathing the last week and now this chest infection, do u think it’s possible for him to get back there again x

[Sepsur in reply to Doggie1233]

I was proned frequently & in an induced coma for 57 days. There are many people on this forum who have survived desperate odds.

[Doggie1233 in reply to Sepsur]

What infections did u pick up? My dad had had sepsis twice! He’s really been through it, when we finally have a week of positive news this happens it’s just gutting x

[Sepsur in reply to Doggie1233]

I had EBV, MSSA, CMV, VRE & glandular fever whilst in ICU. I came in with double pneumonia, strep A, avian flu, multiple organ failure, sepsis, I’d gone into septic shock, then I got Severe ARDS & discovered I had leukaemia

[Sepsur in reply to Sepsur]

That was nearly 5yrs ago - so they’ve not done a bad job with me. A couple of months ago I hit remission too. 😊

[Doggie1233 in reply to Sepsur]

That’s amazing I’m so pleased, thanks for sharing xx

[GabiNick in reply to Doggie1233]

Hi if he has been awake that is fantastic because you won't have to battle serious delirium. My husband was in a induced coma for 3 weeks. Our serious battle now is the delirium state . He remembers peices from the past that he mixes up with present. For example he told me yesterday I should be ashamed of myself because at 57 I'm pregnant and going to have a baby how do I explain this to my grandkids. I was so lucky I have to wear a face mask because I wanted to laugh so much. His mom had him very late in life so he was mixing me up with his mom. They take a peice from the past and mix it with the present. He also told me all the nurses were drunk today. Aren't they scared of losing jobs.

[Sepsur in reply to GabiNick]

It’s a mad world - I woke up to a sign opposite me that read “ You are in The Countess of Chester Hospital Intensive Care”, which I knew was a lie because I was really in a Hebrew hospital just outside Caernarfon ( North Wales) next to the sea. The ward was run by Pygmy South American nurses during the day & imposter Isis nurses at night who were busy executing patients, nurses & doctors who didn’t convert, using the Kalashnikovs that were slung round their shoulders.

And that was just one...I was also a Japanese super hero but I’d left my super power back in Japan...and on and on

[FamilyHistorian in reply to GabiNick]

Thank you for wearing the face mask I wouldn’t have appreciated being laughed at ...... it’s very real!

[Doggie1233 in reply to GabiNick]

He actually has been very agitated for a while now, think it’s a mixture of not being able to talk and being fed up, all the alarms going off there and the lovely nurses and doctors prodding him! The word delirium has been chucked around so I think it is delirium but the doctors have said it’s really common and that he would benefit from being moved away from ICU when he can so hopefully the agitation can pass. It’s scary isn’t it, is ur husband still in ICU? How is he doing xx

[GabiNick in reply to Doggie1233]

They want to move him to a different part of the ICU that is not the life support area. Last night he was himself except the nurses were all drunk. But the day before I was having affairs' with every man around and infront of him. We have been married for 35 years and we have been both faithful our whole marriage. It is so scary. I never know what to expect next. W have started recording everything. He has also told me he met God. The amazing thing is this one I believe because there were a few things that he told me that he would not have had any way of knowing that happened at home. For example we are Othodox but my mother had asked a Rabbi to pray for him and I told him we have all been praying for him and he said I know even the Rabbi is praying for me.

[Doggie1233 in reply to GabiNick]

Is this something that will pass have they said? Is everything else going well with him apart from the delirium? Must be really horrible for u, hang in there and hopefully it’s something that will pass with time xx

[FamilyHistorian in reply to GabiNick]

There certainly appears to be common themes within our hallucinations. I had partying nurses but no sex a friend had the same but with a range of sexual activity. On the boring side my ward converted to arrivals in an airport. I had been in the mortuary, the hospital actually was Gaydon Motor Museum. I made complaints about poor care and being kidnapped. You need to be aware that changing wards doesn’t stop the hallucinations the drugs stay in your body for a long time and the hallucinations even longer. I can recall them, all, in detail and I have been home since March. One day, at home, I woke up to find my wife had a sharp knife from the kitchen in bed with her. It did put me off going back to sleep!

Fortunately as an atheist I didn’t meet anyone’s god. 🤐

[Keenrunner]

Hi, my husband is in a very similar situation to your dad. He will also have been in ICU 7 weeks next Sunday and nearly 3 weeks on a trachy. He suffered over a week with infections which seemed to be clearing although he now has diarrhoea. They have been weaning him off all the sedatives. They tried to do it completely the other day which he struggled with and became very agitated and anxious, now they seem to be slowly weaning him off them. It is just such a slow process, sometimes I find it really disheartening. Thinking of you. x

[Doggie1233 in reply to Keenrunner]

Hi, nice to speak to u. We have had some really good news the past few days. The chest infection has not been affecting my dad thank god and he his breathing more himself everyday, today they are trialing him with no support for 24 hours, if he passes it seems maybe at the weekend (providing he continues to make good progress) he might be moved out of ICU, they think this will help with his agitation. The nurses and doctors say it’s very normal so hang in there and he patient and hopefully ur husband makes good progress. It can get better so quickly in there which is what we found, 3 weeks ago we were told he wasn’t getting better and there’s nothing else they can do for him! And now he is breathing himself, they are talking about him being moved from ICU and he can hopefully have a cup of tea by the end of the week! Just stay positive as hard as it is and ur husband can improve and get better. Take comfort in the fact they are weaning him off sedation, that is a very positive step and might just need some time. We were told it was always going to be a slow process if he is to get better and it really is, thinking of u xx

[Keenrunner in reply to Doggie1233]

oh wow that is absolutely fantastic news. I'm so pleased for you. It just seems so incredibly slow at the moment for my husband which I'm finding really hard but I need to remain positive. Great to hear good news.

[Sepsur in reply to Keenrunner]

You may find this page comforting

healthtalk.org/intensive-ca...

[Doggie1233 in reply to Keenrunner]

It really was for my dad too, until the last week. It can get better really quickly in there so just keep believing until u don’t have anything to believe anymore. How’s he doing today? Do u know what oxygen levels he’s on or setting on the ventilator xx

[Keenrunner in reply to Doggie1233]

hi he is needing about 30% oxygen at the moment. They did give him a speech valve earlier today and we were able to hear his voice for the first time in over 6 weeks which was lovely. He seemed to be coping quite well with it . Hope your dad is still doing well.

[Doggie1233 in reply to Keenrunner]

That’s brilliant he sounds like he is doing very well xx

[Keenrunner in reply to Doggie1233]

Thank you, seems like he is making progress now as he was able to do 2 hours off the ventilator today which was so good. Just hope he isn't getting another infection as his infection markers were up! Hope your dad is still doing well!

[Doggie1233 in reply to Keenrunner]

We did a zoom with my dad earlier and he was talking to us! 36 hours breathing himself and they are talking about him being moved from ICU, just can’t stop smiling. 3 weeks ago we were told he won’t get better. There’s always hope. Ur husband sounds like he’s doing really well as well and going in same direction, keep positive. Lots of love xx

[Keenrunner in reply to Doggie1233]

That's such good news, I'm so pleased for you. It is lovely to have good news after having such a tough time for so many weeks. Hope it continues for both of us.

[Doggie1233 in reply to Keenrunner]

I have everything crossed! Keep me posted xxx

[Keenrunner in reply to Doggie1233]

hi Doggie1233, how is your dad doing? My husband is now out of icu!! It all happened so quick, his improvement was so quick. It only took him a few days to come off the ventilator. He is now in a covid recovery ward. Just wondering what to expect now as I haven't heard from a doctor yet and he didn't do much yesterday, physio wise? Hoping it's all good news with you.

[Doggie1233 in reply to Keenrunner]

Hi! Soo happy to hear ur good news. It’s just amazing how fast things can change for the better in there. How is ur husband? Have u heard from a doctor? My dad is doing really well, just needs to keep working on his physio as he’s finding it hard at the moment. Has ur husband managed to do any walking at all? How amazing is our news, we are so over the moon xx

[Keenrunner in reply to Doggie1233]

hi, yes you are right once he started to improve we couldn't believe how quick the progress was. My husband is doing well thanks but suffering from extreme muscle weakness and fatigue. They actually mentioned him coming home on Monday which although lovely I think is a bit early as he can't do anything unaided at the moment. He took a few steps with support yesterday. So pleased your dad is recovering well. It is amazing after all they have been through.

[Sepsur in reply to Doggie1233]

Really excellent

[jld85]

How is your dad doing? My dad just went through a similar situation. He had to go back on the vent, due to going septic. He is out of septic shock now and still on vent. They are still getting rid of the pneumonia, which caused him to go septic. They are putting a trach in tomorrow. Then eventually weaning him from this too. Just wanted to see how his journey was going.