ICU/Covid/PEA Arrest/Coma

[Myfancyfanny]

My mom who has neuropathy was admitted on 12/30 with covid. She was septic due to c. diff/colitis...They started to treat her accordingly. Her heart stopped 4 days later, which required compressions to bring her back. During intubation she was bleeding through tube, to assure there was no bleeding internally they immobilized a certain area of the lungs which required her being medically induced into coma.Its currently 14 days later and she still has yet t come out of coma. her right toes wiggle and her eyes open. We seemed to be able to communicate with one another through me asking questions and her wiggling toes.. Now she is constantly wiggling them and have been biting on her tongue.. The consulted palliative care which seems like they are thinking there is nothing else to be done. However, I feel like she needs more time to recover and gain mobility. She was breathing on her own with help of c-pap for five days straight. Since the meds are no longer in system they are unsure of the cause for her not waking up... Im not sure what to think or do at this point but do not want her off the ventilator until she recovers thoroughly. She has no seizure activity, she has no brain injuries, the EEG reported encephalopathy. She was diagnosed with cirrhosis 3 days before coming in to hospital but unsure if it could be causing an issue unknown.

[Grant_za]

Remember Palliative Care is not end of life care.

See below - (apologies was easier to copy / paste, than type).

"Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.

Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is based on the needs of the patient, not on the patient’s prognosis. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment".

[Rhyl1 Partner Moderator ICUsteps]

Encephalopathy is a nervous system disorder and can be brought on by severe liver disease. When the liver doesn’t work properly, toxins build up in the blood. These toxins can travel to the brain and affect brain function. It could mean that the liver is also not very good at clearing any sedation that the patient’s received. Only time will tell with your mum if this is the case.

[FamilyHistorian]

everyone is different. In my case I was in a coma for nearly 2 months. Initially I was expected to come round after a couple of days, then it was a week etc in the end they he will come round when he is ready

[Myfancyfanny]

Thank you all for sharing.

[Mijmijkey74 in reply to Myfancyfanny]

How is your Mum doing now? It has been a while since you posted last.

[Myfancyfanny in reply to Mijmijkey74]

We are still in hospital in and out of ICU. She has been moving extremities slightly. Sometimes its involuntary movement and other times she is able to move parts slowly. She is wiggling both toes now without any problem and starting to move fingers and arms more. Her issue is now is that she is experiencing hemoptysis from the lungs. There is an infection she has in the right lobe called aspirigillus that's probable to the cause. They have performed 3 embolizations of the right lobe of lung since we have been here. They were trying to push for her to be moved to LTACH, which I declined. I just don't think she needs to move to somewhere new with all that has happened and continuously going on.