Update on dad - Covid/Ventilator

[Ren2985]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to provide an update on my dad as this group has been tremendously helpful. My dad was diagnosed with covid on Dec 22 2020. The first few days he said he felt like he had the flu and then his breathing and oxygen levels became increasingly worse. On Dec 26 we called the ambulance and he was admitted to the hospital. Over the next 3 days, we lived in a state of hell to put it lightly. On Dec 31 2020 he was put on a ventilator. During his time on the ventilator, we lived a blur, in constant fear, worry, anger and more. While my dad was on the ventilator, his blood pressure would rise, drop, he contracted a secondary pneumonia, lungs got worse at one point, he contracted sepsis, had to be paralyzed, tried to wean a few times, trach placed it. After a month, he was removed off the ventilator and trach and was breathing on his own. He faced a lot of delirium and anger while he was coming off sedation. When we thought things were getting a bit better, we noticed the right side of his body was very weak. While we knew weakness was normal, one side seemed different. The doctors were also concerned and they scheduled an MRI. The results came back that he suffered a series of quick strokes while ventilated which affected his right side. His right hands and legs could not move. In addition, because if the stroke, we were told he could not swallow. After 3 months on a feeding tube, he did a swallowing test a fee weeks ago and passed and was cleared to eat ALL foods.

Around 5 weeks ago my dad was transferred to a rehab facility. where he will spend 3 months to learn to walk and slowly gain his strength back. Today he is standing up and taking steps with a walker :)It will be a very long road ahead, but he has made so much progress and we are beyond proud of him. What is helping us as a family is simply having Hope. Hope gives us strength and allows us to fight for what is needed. Also, a lot of prayer and meditation helps to calm us if we think everything is falling apart.

Keep hope alive, fight for what you believe in, and please take care of yourself. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions as I know how excruciating this time can be and I want to offer my help to anyone who needs it; as I received from so many of you!

[FamilyHistorian]

So glad to see the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter

Take care of yourself

[Ren2985 in reply to FamilyHistorian]

Thank you so much and for your help!

[LeopardGecko]

That's amazing news. I'm so pleased for you and thank you for updating us on his progress 🙂

[Ren2985 in reply to LeopardGecko]

Thank you so much and for your advice!

[Sepsur]

That’s great news / onward & upward

[Ren2985 in reply to Sepsur]

Sepsur, Thank you for you! you take the time to answer our questions and i am truly grateful

[Copse77]

Your story will inspire others and provide hope. Thank you and wishing your Dad a good recovery with your wonderful support. I have been through the same situation when my brother was critically ill. You captured the fear worry and unfairness of the situation so eloquently. Best wishes.

[Ren2985 in reply to Copse77]

I hope so, and thanks so much

[DB1996]

Thank you for your positive story. Very best wishes to you all

[Beanyynwa]

Thank you so much for sharing. Gives hope and encouragement to others. Wishing your dad and family all the best for the future. 🤗🙏🏼🌈

[Miltch]

Hi, that’s such great news, so happy for you and your family.

While I was reading your story it was as though I could have written it, my dads story is very similar to yours.

My dad is now breathing on his own and starting to eat, he’s in icu waiting for a bed to become available in a recovery ward, we still have a very long road ahead, physically and mentally he needs a lot of rehabilitation but he’s alive and we are so thankful for that, we also never gave up hope, even when the doctors were telling us he has a very slim chance of survival.

Wishing your dad a continual road to getting his life back to a good quality X

[qmcsurvivor]

I was admitted to ICU in Nottingham with Covid on 23rd December ventilated for 9 days, it was hard learning to walk again and diminish the delirium dreams/thoughts I had, it has been a hard journey and I am still off work, I did have a Pulmonary Embolism about 6 weeks after discharge which set me back but I have come a long way. Sadly I now feel support is needed and I feel let down by the NHS trust I work for, I do have an appointment for a post Covid new clinic this Friday with a mixture of hospital departments involved.

For the first 8 days after diagnosis symptoms were mild to moderate yet on day 9 declined rapidly and admitted to ICU that day.

Stay positive but from experience I know this can be hard, as a new virus still lots to learn. Take care.