My dad won’t wake up, getting tracheotomy today, wants to push him out to LTAC

[Danemomma]

My 74 yr old dad had a seizure and was found unresponsive but breathing and has been in icu now for 15 days . He is getting a tracheotomy today and hospital says he has to go to long term acute care because of his insurance. Or we take him home. He has been off sedation for seven days and all tests showed no stroke and no seizures while hospitalized. He had a blood infection and pneumonia but they said that medications treated all of it. He is moving his legs and arms and blinks, grimaces while suctioned but cannot follow commands or track with eyes. EEG’s show confused /sleep state according to doctors. Has anyone else experienced such slow to wake? We don’t want him to go to LTAC, I’m in the US, care in these facilities are not to good.

[FamilyHistorian]

I’m of a similar age, I’m not a medical person nor am I aware of how the system works in the USA. However it took me a long time to come out of my coma. The doctors tried to ween me off but I was not ready. I had a tracky as I was coping with being intubated. It’s not like the films you don’t just come round and get up. A lot of muscle is lost and in my case I had to relearn to swallow, talk and walk etc.

[Danemomma in reply to FamilyHistorian]

My dad has lost so much muscle, we do range of motion at bedside at hospital hoping it helps. I thank you for your reply, it makes me have hope that he is just needing more time.

[Shkumbin007]

Hi Danemomma

It take time for him because his older.My father 77old, had surrvived sespsis pneumonia, 8 multiresistent bacterirer,kindey failer, heart failer, burn 40% of his body.Was ICu about 2 month.

He wak up slowly, all the docters sad he cant survive hes older, but now thanks god he is with os in recovery

[Care4]

Hi there. We had the same slow to wake up with my husband. He did shake off the fogginess after being heavily sedated for weeks. He was being considered for a tracheotomy but fortunately did not have to undergo one. I was talked into sending my husband to rehab hospital. Nightmare!!!! Brought him home and he is doing great. Fully responsive and in such a better mental condition knowing he is home. And we are in the states and I agree. The secondary care facilities are a joke. The care is horrendous. Hopefully , if you decide to bring him home he will quickly recover with your great care. Praying for all

[Danemomma in reply to Care4]

Thank you for your reply, they are literally trying to discharge my dad after his trach one day ago. No attempt at weening, just saying “ok he has been accepted at….” no option, no information, etc. We have been constantly letting them know we don’t want him moved yet-we need time to research and see the facilities but they don’t care . I hope my dad can wake up, we would take him home but how do we provide care for trach/vent, afib…we are totally lost, stressed, confused.

[Care4 in reply to Danemomma]

Same thing happened to us...its Medicare. I asked why my husband was being pushed out so quick, he was on antibiotics until 30 minutes before he was moved to a facility that was a nursing home/ rehab. The case worker finally admitted that they were given so many days by Medicare and by the next day , it would not pay. I asked about an extension and was told they couldn't do that. That was not true. They could have filed for an extension. Think they were just pushing out for private insurance patients. And by law they should have asked about an exit plan and let you choose the facility. With a trach I dont know about care but it seems like if that is temporary, he should have a medical stay. If permanent then instruction should be given to the caregivers.