My husband has now been in the ICU for 3 weeks. The MRI showed that he has anoxic Brain injury due to the lack of oxygen when he had a cardiac arrest.
I still have hope that he will wake up but the doctors keep having this talk with us basically telling us that he hasn’t shown us any signs and that we should probably think of just letting him go. I can’t do that, he’s 23 years old he’s young & strong.
Over these past 3 weeks he opens his eyes but has not yet done anything purposeful his eyes stare but don’t follow, he does not react to pain, and he also seems as if he is posturing.
Has anybody been through something similar if so can you share your experiences?
Written by
A_L444
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I didn’t wake up like the docs wanted after 57 day coma - it took me 11 days to come around. I was rushed for various tests MRi ( I think) to establish the level of hypoxic injury I’d suffered. You can ask for a second opinion - something that my family did because they were often told there was no hope.
Hi. Im really sorry to hear what’s happened and send my prays to you and him and you’re family. Am sure someone in this group has been through something similar, just a matter of time before that person sees your post.
Try to keep a positive mind ask to get second opinion, keep looking yourself as well that most important.
My partner just reminded me that I was sent for MRI to establish brain injury, because apparently I was non responsive coming out of my coma and they thought I had suffered because of the cardiac arrests amongst of issue while in ICU.
everyone is different in how they respond. In our family case it was an induced coma after sepsis from flu not a train injury but we were told there may be no recovery when my brother was unconscious and critically ill. Brain scans showed bleeds from the treatment he had. My Dad reminded us to be strong and that my brother would still be the same person we love and one kind ICU consultant said remain hopeful or words to that effect. It was extremely difficult but after a month in ICU my brother started to respond. Everyone is an individual and different in their recovery. I hope someone can provide their experience to help you.
hello. My mum (67) had a cardiac arrest in June this year. You can follow the story on my posts. Mum was unresponsive for almost 3 months. Then all of a sudden, she started to respond with head shakes and nods. Two weeks later. Words. A week later sentences. She did have clear imaging (CT and MRI) despite being out for 10 mins and hypoxic for a lot longer. It took her a long time to emerge. I had to battle to ensure she got to this stage. I was told to expect the worst after 5 days. Mum had seizures early on. Not a good sign. She’s epileptic now. But controlled with drugs. She’s not got movement back yet. She is moving her arms and hands and gripping. A long road ahead for recovery. She is only just off the ventilator too. She was on it for 4 months. the more awake she became - the better for her breathing.
Hi EdinCat83, I was just checking in to ask how things are now with your Mum? I hope the great progress has continued, sending positive wishes and healing thoughts your way!!
My 18 year old nephew suffered hypoxic brain injury in mid October this year, he was in induced coma for three weeks, and has suffered pnemonia since, this appears to have healed with antibiotics, however he still has tempreture spikes at times, but no sign of infection. He has been sleeping alot. When awake his eyes remain fixed in one direction, sometimes they move slowly, and he is blinking naturally, at times his eyes open wide with no blinking in trance like state, if we clap they come back "normal". No definite following of any commands as of yet. We do feel sprinkles of signs that he has some awareness, changing expression when listening to music etc. We remain very hopeful for future progress. Dr has not offered any definite diagnosis as to what stage he is at, as in, vegetative, minimally councious or councious. Just looking to reach out to others on this long, unknown journey, to seek advice really.
Hello. I’m so sorry to hear about your nephew. I know all too well how worrying and stressful this is. Mum was and continues to make good progress. She was on the nasal cannula and the trachey was capped for two weeks. Then she started to vomit. So they had to put the cuff up to protect her airway. So she’s lost her voice and I can tell it’s affecting her mental health even more. They are putting a camera down on Friday (CT showed nothing). She continues to mouth but i am a terrible lip reader. She’s doing thumbs up, she waves at me when i go. She has told me she needs the loo. She can also count (I’ve held my fingers in front of her eyes several times and asked and she’s been 💯 % accurate). I also tested reading. She read some names out. Just this vomitting. Holding us back at the moment. I suspect it might be the trachey itself as it’s always induced by a cough (the vomiting).
Has your nephew had any imaging done? That was the key variable with mum. She had a clear CT (5 days in) followed by a clear MRI (day 11) and another on day 21. However, clinically her symptoms were dreadful. Mum was REALLY slow to emerge. But looking at her for 6-7 hrs each day. I saw soft signs the doctors didn’t and they increased. Like your nephew -when she first opened her eyes. There was nothing there really. She looked right through me and didn’t blink. Graudally, she blinked, moved her eyes but didn’t track. Then she started to react to pain. It was so gradual and inconsistent. Doctors said just normal pain reflex but I remember thinking - it was not there before. So something is happening. One day she had a shot of oral midazolam under her tongue and the face she made. Proper disgusted and again i thought. Well her brain just told her she didn’t like that and she’s clearly showing us. Doctors labelled all of this soft signs but they mounted up in my mind.
About 2.5 months post CA. She started to track. Again. It was gradual, inconsistent. Half way etc. but it became better and better. Now she doesn’t miss a thing. She is always looking at anyone who walks in or past her room. It was about the 3 month stage where all of a sudden I asked mum if she missed me (I’d been away with work for a few days). A nod. I almost did cartwheels down the corridor. Then she started to nod and shake her head to questions. Then she started to mouth things very clearly like pain in back and she just really climbed after that. Progress was so slow then very dramatic. It’s been a journey and a half. Keep the hope note down your own observations. I kept a personal diary and still do. X
First I hope that you are keeping strong and although is difficult hold to any positives. My mom had a cardiac arrest and brain injury due to lack of enough oxygen for about 20 min she was in ICU and the talk of maybe she might not wake up was on the 4th day took 13 days for her to have some minimal movements I really think everyone is different and till there’s hope please hold on to this wish you lot of strength x
Like many of the others above, I was in an induced coma for 3+ weeks and was thought to have brain damage etc and had difficulty coming out of sedation. But I made it. So difficult to know what to say at this such difficult time for you. You and your husband are very much in my thoughts and prayers.
he’s been off sedation for a week already, so far he opens his eyes looks around but he has yet to do any purposeful actions. He does not try to communicate with us. I’m praying and praying for God to help us & heal my husband, to perform a miracle so that he can return home with me and his baby girl. Thank you all so much for your kind words.
I am just checking in to ask how your husband is now? Is there any sign of progress. This is a long a difficult road to travel, sending healing thoughts and prayers to your husband and strength to you.
Hi, I appreciate you checking up on us it means a lot and you praying for us even though we don’t know each other it makes me feel very loved and cared for it’s a beautiful feeling honestly.
It’s now been a month and he still has not made any purposeful commands.
This week he cried while me and his family were talking to him I was telling him I’m sorry for not doing more. I tend to blame myself for not doing the cpr correctly. He began to cry not just tears he was crying how he usually would cry he seemed very sad it broke my heart but it gave me hope that he still is in there. Yesterday a nurse went in to introduce herself she let him know that it was a pleasure meeting our daughter that she was very beautiful and he immediately smiled. He makes noises and has a strong cough as well.
This was my husband. He is 37. They said he had most likely suffered a stroke and would be in a permanent Vegetative state. This was because his eyes were open but he made no purposeful movements and did not follow any Commands. They were wrong. He’s home now and is a walking, talking miracle.
STAY HOPEFUL 🙏 He was off the sedation for 1 week before he opened his eyes, but that was all he did for quite some time. He did slowly start to make some movement (legs would move but still nothing purposeful) It was almost a month before we knew he was in there. He did not react to the ET tube and this added to the worry, he was too comfortable having that tube down his throat. They took this tube out and 24 hours later he spoke to me for the first time. He casually said “you alright” it blew my mind I’ll never forget that day.
Have faith and stay hopeful, my thoughts are with you ❤️ sending so much love your way.
I am so glad your husband is doing well now it gives me so much hope thank you!
Is the ET tube the one they use to suction them ?
If so he does react to it, he has a very strong cough but he has yet to make any purposeful commands.
This week he cried and smiled so even though he hasn’t made any purposeful commands we still feel that he’s in there he doesn’t make eye contact but I feel that he does try to be just can’t.
He also moved his legs when we clean his feet and reacts to touch sometimes not purposely but it’s something right.
Thank you again for your reply it means a lot to me God Bless You! ❤️
Yes the ET tube helping him breathe? He would react to suction and would cough. How is his breathing? Is the ventilator helping him breathe? He never tried to reject the tube, they said this wasn’t a good sign that he never tried to reject it. But once they took it out he spoke! it was magical.
I have those first words and the date tattooed on me now.
Some of his earlier signs were the little reactions (like when touching his feet he would sometimes twitch) sometimes he would react to pain. But other than yawning he really didnt do much else he would just stare around.
He did start to move more, his legs were moving a lot (like restless legs) but still wasn’t following commands or showing any signs of understanding.
It was once the tube was out that he started to progress into the next stage of his recovery.
Keep hopeful! I struggled to stay hopeful when nothing was happening I really didn’t believe he was going to come back to me. And he did. My thoughts are with you ❤️❤️
Oh yessss ! During the day they turn the ventilator off because they’re slowly weaning him off of it and at night they turn it back on and he doesn’t like it he actually doesn’t sleep because of it.
That’s so cute how you have it tattooed it must’ve felt so beautiful hearing him talk after waiting so long.
Did your husband get any brain damage from the stroke ?
Usually as ICU staff, we try to tell you the most likely scenario based on our experience. We don't know your loved one other than in the ICU, and realize everyone is different and statistics don't account for that. But it would be very cruel for us to not tell people when there's a chance, or a likelihood that your loved one will have lasting brain damage. Noone minds being wrong about this! Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Recovery - physical, mental, social, emotional - takes a long, slow time after an ICU stay itself, and after any brain injury. Your husband has age and a loving family on his side. Keep the possibilities in mind, but continue to maintain hope! All the best.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
note down your own observations. I kept a personal diary and still do. X
Traumatic Brain Injury
My 20 year old nephew is not showing any signs 
My dad
Husband in coma cardiac arrest, 20 min anoxic brain injuries. He’s opening eyes but staring at ceiling. No communication. 
Not waking from covid induced coma 
