Day 23 in ICU, still severe infection

[Westbeginners1]

hi everyone, this is my first post so thanks for reading.

my mum is currently in ICU and has been for just over 3 weeks. She was admitted because of a neck abscess that got infected and spread to her chest. She was also confirmed as having sepsis She has been sedated and on a ventilator for the 3 weeks she has been in.

Once a week for the 3 weeks the doctors have had to take her to theatre to remove some infection, she has also been on 6 antibiotics since surgery no 1. She’s had 4 drains in her neck and 3 in her chest (all of which have now been removed)

She had her latest “wash out” today because the neck infection had spread again. The doctor said that the next step was to continue to try get on top of the infection. I am not a doctor but 3 weeks and still trying to get on top of the infection sounds a long time.

Has anyone been in the same situation? Would like to hear others stories with similar

thanks for reading

Worried daughter

[Sepsur]

If you click on my profile you will see that I overcame numerous infections during my stay in ICU & the time after. Drains & meds were par for the course. Despite being that unbelievable ill, we can survive 💙

[Westbeginners1 in reply to Sepsur]

Hi, I just read your profile. You have certainly been through it! Your story has given me hope.

[garycom]

Try not to worry. I was in ICU on a ventilator for two months in a medically induced coma - heart failure, sepsis and pneumonia. Then a month in a general ward and then a month in a rehab hospital to learn to walk again. That was about ten years ago and here I am. Visit her as much as you can even if she has delirium. Having visitors really helped me recover. It will be a long slog but it sounds like she has good doctors and you of course. Don't give up! I'm sure you won't.

[Westbeginners1 in reply to garycom]

Thank you for your message. I know 3 weeks in the grand scheme of things isn’t that long and she has been awake for some of the time and communicating which made me feel so much better. I guess it’s just because it has been 3 weeks and they are still not on top of the infection. I visit each day and will continue to until she recovers.

[FamilyHistorian]

First of all we are different however I have had 2 different experiences.

Back in the beginning of 2018 I had an operation on my spine which got infected. For 5 weeks I was having 3 ops a week under general anaesthetic to clean the wound out. They were also trying different antibiotics to find one that would work.

At the end of ‘19 I was admitted with heart problems, pneumonia and sepsis. I was in a comma for about 2 months with a tracky drains etc. they too were trying different antibiotics. I am here now. So take care of yourself

[tkelum]

Sending you prayers and healing vibes to your mum. My sister has been in ICU 4 weeks now on ventilator and 9 days of those she was in medically induced coma. Confirmed sepsis and acute kidney failure and she has been given rounds and rounds of antibiotics until a week ago when her body had a will to start fighting back. She is responding well now to antibiotics and we were told she might be taken HDU in few days. Just lots of patience, and keeping positive. Hope your mother feels better soon.

[Copse77]

sepsis is very nasty and it can have devastating impacts. It took my fit younger brother from fit and healthy to life support and when all his organs started failing the ventilator was not going to help. He was put on an ECMO machine and that and the care he received saved his life. It’s hard what you and your Mum are experiencing but sometimes these infections can be very persistent as Sepsur says and we found. My brother suffered lots of new infections but he’s now made a great recovery 5 years on. I will send a link next to our family story that we wrote to provide hope to other families.

[Copse77]

here is the link to our family story.

ecmofamilysupport.com/ecmo-...