Why can't I visit?

[Ccall79]

My dad was admitted to ICU in Leeds yesterday following a cardiac arrest. The hospital policy is currently no visitors at all. I just don't understand how they can do that. If he were in prison we'd be allowed to visit. How can they expect us to just sit at home and wait? At the moment he's alive, but I'm not naiive I know that could change and I haven't been allowed to see him, sit with him, talk to him or let him know I'm there. It's just so wrong. Does anybody have any advice?

[strawberryjam]

My son was in ICU recently and covid rules did not allow visitors. I went to the nurse manager and explained that my son had an anxiety disorder ( which he got during his Illness in part because he was so sick and in iCU ) and that he needed me there to keep him calm and support him . It was TRUE! They allowed me to stay and it was the best medicine for him . They make exceptions for special needs situations. Best of Luck . Not being there is terribly hard.

[Sepsur]

If you really cannot appeal to the ward staff and get a suitable response, maybe it is worth talking to the hospital’s PALS team

[Lifeafterthat]

I was in a coma for five days during covid rules last year, my family weren’t aloud in for the first two days, but I would take comfort in the fact that they are saying no, as as terrible as it sounds when I went down hill while in my coma they actually phoned my family and said get down here now, if critical and they don’t think some people will make it all rules go out the window I’ve found, so although it is absolutely terrible not being there, hopefully it’s a good sign that things are going to be okay, I would definitely try and talk to the staff at a good time and just explain you are struggling to grasp why you can’t be there, and ask why etc and maybe a little more light on the situation may help. I hope everything gets better soon

[Hidden]

When I had a long stay in ICU with Covid, the hospital did not allow visitors until I had come out of my enduce coma and off ventilation. Visitors had to where ppe. I had covid in the first wave and covid and treatment was all new. I think it depends on the hospital as to visitors, but would have thought they would be more relaxed now.

[Ccall79]

Well after being patient for 3 days and just waiting at home we've been asked to go in and visit this afternoon at 3pm. They have said that all 3 of us (me, mum and my sister) can go. I'm now panicking that they have some bad news to give us.

They tried to wake him yesterday. They said he opened his eyes and gripped the nurses hand but he didn't respond to command. They said he wasn't appropriate so they put him back to sleep. I did ask what she meant by appropriate and she said that basically they couldn't remove his tube he wasn't ready for that. They're just taking him for a brain scan and then they're going to try and wake him again.

This is so hard.