Severe Pneumonia Tracheostomy

[ForMyPapa]

Hello, Everyone:

I have posted here about my 77 year old dad who has been in ICU for severe pneumonia before. He was intubated for 3 weeks and 2 days and now he has had trachy for 1 week (total of 4 weeks of ventilator so far). At the moment, the oxygen is at 35%, PEEP is at 7.0, saturation is at 93-94%.

It has been a week since he had a tracheostomy, but they haven’t woken him up yet. They have attempted to reduce his anesthetic twice as far as I know and both times, he started to cough, and his breaths became fast and shallow and his saturation and other numbers went down, so they had to calm him down again. The nurse implied that his lungs might be too exhausted and getting permanent damage (becoming stiff and hard). That may be why he struggles when he wakes up…. He is still on the same ventilator, awake or asleep, so I don’t really know why the permanent damage is only affecting him when he is awake…. Otherwise, they said his x-rays that they take everyday are showing some improvements and they are reducing antibiotics for his infection as well… It’s always a mixture of good and bad news and it’s really confusing…

It’s never been a straightforward recovery and everyday I am terrified of getting a call from the hospital. I am also worried that it would be too dangerous for them to wake him up and I would never get to tell him how much I love him again……..

Has anyone had this experience of continuing with induced coma while on trachy? I really hope that they are just being careful and this is not a bad sign… But no matter what, I am grateful for each day I get to see him.

Thank you, everyone who reads this and I hope you are well.

[Sepsur]

recovery is rarely staightward so try not to get too hung up on what the medics describe as ‘normal’ - has the respiratory physio been working with your Dad?

If someone is still alive there is a chance of recovery - no one can guarantee the quality or quantity that recovery will manifest.

💙

[ForMyPapa in reply to Sepsur]

Hi, thank you for your message. Ok, I will forget about the general timeline... We haven't heard anything about respiratory physio. I will ask about it today when I get there.

[Copse77]

first of all though your Dad is in an induced coma he may be able to hear you so do keep talking to him and reassure him you are there. Also ICU is a rollercoaster. Remain hopeful is the best advice we were given. Everyone is individual and recovers at their own pace. I hope your Dad recovers.

[ForMyPapa in reply to Copse77]

Thank you. Everyday, I hold his hand and I tell him I am there to support him and we love him…. I will continue that no matter what.

[JBean123]

Echoing what others have said here keep speaking to him and telling him that you are there and everything you would tell him if he’s awake, if his sedation is light then even your voice will be comforting and it gave me peace to be able to just speak with my Dad even when he was resting.

The recovery journey is such a rollercoaster and if they can see improvements on the X-ray then that sounds like a step in the right direction so tell him that, he sounds determined so keep faith and hope it’s so hard I’ve been where you are just speaking and sitting with my Dad whilst he was in a coma for 4 weeks, it’s the most difficult thing but keep strong x

[ForMyPapa in reply to JBean123]

Thank you for your reply. I will keep on talking to him even if he is asleep. And you are right. I feel lucky that I still get to see him everyday and the hospital staff are doing their best to keep him alive. Since then two nurses told us that his lungs are getting harder and overall lung functions are declining... Now I am wondering if a partial lung transplant from me is a possibility in case like this, so I will ask that today...

[ForMyPapa]

Thank you for your reply. I will keep on talking to him even if he is asleep. And you are right. I feel lucky that I still get to see him everyday and the hospital staff are doing their best to keep him alive. Since then two nurses told us that his lungs are getting harder and overall lung functions are declining... Now I am wondering if a partial lung transplant from me is a possibility in case like this, so I will ask that today...

[JBean123]

Yes always speak with the Doctors, we made the mistake several times of listening to some diagnosis from the nurses but it wasn’t always the full picture, this isn’t an insult to the nurses it’s just the Doctors ward rounds mean that they are familiar with the full picture and prognosis more so than the nurses who typically have a set task for the shift- they are incredible don’t get me wrong; but Doctors devise the treatment options. If this has been mentioned by nurses that his lungs are declining I think it’s a great idea to ask Drs for any treatment options xx

[ForMyPapa in reply to JBean123]

Thank you! Will do!