Should I have hope? Covid dad not improving

[TB07]

My dad has been on 100% oxygen and can’t get above 85% on his saturation for almost 2 weeks. Is a recovery impossible here? Do we need to consider comfort care? Has anyone ever had a friend or relative who has been this critically ill before and then improved enough to live? The rest of his body is very stable, he just cannot get oxygen. Wonder if his lungs are too far gone...

[ROMM53]

What do the Consultants say about his SATs being at 85% for the past 2 weeks? Is there concern about brain damage ? Do his consultants advise palliative care ?

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

They’ve been leaning towards palliative care for 2-3 weeks. After the first mention of it, he had a week of awesome improvement where he got down to 40% oxygen and super low on sedatives where he was opening eyes and blinking. We had a renewed hope. He had a tough night where he breathed over the vent and they raised everything~sedatives, lung paralytic back on, oxygen to 100. Since then he hasn’t been able to come down at all and his sats have dropped. He does have a secondary infection that we now know is bacterial. We don’t know if that’s what caused the sudden stop in recovery or if it is nothing to do with it. His drs believe that brain damage happens after sustained time under 50% saturation levels. He has dropped a few times into the 60’s when they move him but they haven’t mentioned that as a concern. I just want to know if anyone has ever seen someone in a similar place as him who turned it around...

[ROMM53 in reply to TB07]

My husband had severe sepsis of lung origin, after his tracheostomy. All his requirements shot right back up and he needed 100% O2, BP vasopressin, paralysing agent & 2 IV Antibiotics, which were changed after microbiology results. It took about 2 weeks before any progress was seen both clinically and in his CRP blood results. Palliative care was discussed. I felt confident his Consultants were straight with me throughout and no palliative decisions would be made until a consensus between ITU team members was agreed.It’s so difficult, I completely understand your turmoil. 💐

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

Thank you for your response...My dad has a trach as well. A couple of questions: Did your husband maintain normal oxygen saturation levels even at 100 o2? Did he recover?

[ROMM53 in reply to TB07]

He’s recovering, physically weak, cognitively fine, but he has left ITU (4 mth stay ) and has been on a step down ward for the last 10 days. There were “ a lot “of hypoxic episodes in ITU but he wasn’t consistently hypoxic on 100% oxygen ventilated.

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

So thrilled for him and you and his recovery...did they drs ever say he wouldnt get better or think he had permanent lung damage? What level do you think is hypoxic? Did he sty in the 90s on 100%o2? Did his sats drop during the infection?

[ROMM53 in reply to TB07]

His SATs dropped during each infection of lung/sputum origin. He had episodes of hypoxia at/ below 89% during the most serious episodes. His percentage prognosis was given at 10% because of renal (& also liver at first) failure. There wasn’t absolute consensus between all the ITU consultants that there was zero hope for him. At this stage, still don’t know what the longterm issues will be for him as regards renal and respiratory but he’ll always have me by his side.

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

You are an incredible advocate for your husband. He is lucky to have you. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me. Is he off the ventilator now?

[ROMM53 in reply to TB07]

Yes and his tracheostomy has gone too.

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

Incredible ❤️ Did your husband ever have serious swelling? My dad is so puffy right now. They give him lasiks and he pees a ton but he’s still very swollen.

[ROMM53 in reply to TB07]

Yes his legs & arms were very oedematous. I think that was to do with the renal failure. He was passing very small amounts of urine.

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

Yes we are lucky that his Kidneys are doing great. So trying to figure out why he’s swelling so much. Likely just the amount. Of time he’s been in the bed

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

Also, do you know what antibiotics they used for your husbands lung infection. We just found out today my dad has the same.

[ROMM53 in reply to TB07]

I can remember Meropenem, gentamycin, levofloxacin but there were many more .....

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

Thank you. Did your husbandsDrs say anything about fibrosis? We’re his X-rays pretty bad?

[TB07 in reply to ROMM53]

Do you remember if your husband had elevated white blood cells? My dad is on levafloxacin and another antibiotic and his wbc still go up every day...

[Woody9147]

My mum went through all that scaring on the lungs through Covid they had to repair them selfs to get better her oxygen high and low and turning her in her tummy onto her back she had a stroke while being in the coma but shes doing well only a mini one she was on loads of different antibiotics sats high and low temperature high and low bless her she had a tube put in her throat to help her wake up take the pressure of her having the tube down her throat she was in a coma for 5 weeks now she out onto a ward leaning to walk and eat again talking good still sound a little breathless but I think that's because taking the tube out so probably sore we had bad new thinking she wouldn't make it emotions was a rollercoaster high and low news I dont wish Covid on anyone specially when you cant see them your hear from them 😞 she doing well now cant wait to shes home I hope your dad has a turn around and gets well soon 💐 take care 🙏