hi all. My dad has been and is currently in icu with pneumonia on the lungs, he has a lot of fluid on his lungs also and the doctors have tried to take him off the ventilator once and he didn’t breathe well (was breathing fast ) he has been out asleep again now, he is also on a kidney machine. I was just wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar, he goes up and down a little.
currently been in there for just over a week.
Also any tips on how to cope with this, he is my absolute hero and my rock. I adore and miss him so much. Thanks
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Geo101
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it’s important that you look after yourself - when he comes out - he will need all your strength too. He is being looked after by the best people to help him.
Yes, three years ago, I was in the ICU for a month with pneumonia - viral, bacterial, then developed fungal. I was sedated and on a ventilator for 11 days, then after a tracheostomy, I began to improve.
I can only speak from personal experience, and not medical expertise, but serious pneumonia takes time to clear up. I think they have to find the right medication to address the virus or bacteria, so there can be up and down days. I was told it was that way for me, though I remember nothing first hand until waking up three weeks into my stay.
Having the person lie on their stomach can help ease lung congestion. However, that isn't necessarily possible in the ICU with everything a patient is attached to. That was recommended by another physician in my case, but wasn't an option for the above reasons.
Have faith that he will improve, and just be there for him. I know it is a tough time. Get some rest yourself and keep us updated.
thank you so much for your replies and experience, it’s just a very worrying time, he is not very old either he is only 54, they tried to take him off the kidney machine ( he was only on it for 2-3 days ) and his kidneys wasn’t working as they should so they placed him back onto it. I’m hoping his kidneys start to work again on their own and it’s just that they need more time to recover. And hoping this fluid o on his lungs clears.
I googled a tracheostomy and sounds a great idea for my dad but I’m not sure he’s fit enough for surgery at the moment 🥺
We are going through pretty much exactly the same thing. My mum was rushed in 11 days ago with the flu which caused copd exacerbation, the doctors told us she went likely to get through this. She was intubated then her kidneys failed, 2 days on dyalisis and she started improving, numbers get better then worse!! They been trying to wake her after 6 days but her heart rate and blood pressure go up because the tube in her mouth so they just sedate again, they then did a tracheostomy 3 days ago and that night her little heart stopped. They got it going again and has been stable since then. She’s really fighting bless her. She’s been off sedation since 9pm Thursday night and comes in and out but she looks so uncomfortable wriggly around etc it’s so heartbreaking for me and my sister, I can hardly go in there atm as I just cry I’m praying that in a few days she will be more coherent, I expect it’s normal but honestly it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with in my life!!!
I can’t really give tips on how to cope because I am not coping really. It’s lucky I have my big sister 😭 the consultants did tell me it’s going to be up and down and now we’re heading towards end of week 2 it’s better to look at the trajectory of each week and she’s improving.
Prayers are with you, (I’m not religious) but feel like prayers and thoughts help
Thank you for the reply, it sounds like your mum and my dad are going through something very similar, how old was your mum may I ask? I’m thinking about asking the doctors about a tracheostomy, just I’m not sure if they can do surgery in his state.
My thoughts are with your mum and sounds like she is making progress now after being awake since Thursday! Keep staying positive, when my dad was awake for that one day before he was put back to sleep , he was wriggling around so much to and I was told it was completely normal as the body has been still for so long
I think the doctors will do a tracheostomy when they need to with ur dad, so have they tried to lower his sedation again or not??, the hardest thing is handing it over to them but they really are so good and they do know what’s needs to be done and when. When I say awake she’s not coherent she’ doesn’t really know what’s going on and that’s the bit that’s killing me. It’s such a worrying time isn’t it and Christmas can just go away!!! It’s a process I think and there will be good and bad days.
Aw dear of her I do wish her the best, all you can do is be there for her and hope for the best!
they are lowering his sedation every morning to see how he breathes for himself but he’s on low oxygen (30%) but last time they lowered his sedation he was breathing a lot quicker and also same when they tried yesterday. Hoping in the coming days he gets that bit stronger, and his kidneys start to work again 🥺
Yeah I am definitely learning that there will be good and bad days, it seems like a lot of trial and error!
As Sepsur has said look after yourself foremost as he will need you. I had a lot if issue not just pneumonia. I had bilateral pneumonia and collapsed left lung etc. I also had dialysis for my kidneys. I not that I know from experience but from family and doctors, I was not responding well coming out and off intubation etc. my intubation was removed but I was fitted with a tracheotomy after that.
It’s my 2nd anniversary of ICU on the 8th of Jan, it was a difficult time and he will more than likely be suffering from delirium as well. You might find he’s behaving strange but don’t worry to much if it’s delirium then he’s world he’s living in at this time will be very strange and scary to him, so stick with it ask the nurses about it.
He is in the best place he can be with so much help and care. It’s you that needs to be strong now.
I was t awake thank god. I’m sure it will be fine. When they put it in there’s a strong chance they won’t give home a speech valve to start with. And when they do it will only be allowed to be used for shirt periods so he’s voice and throat are not impacted to much to start with
Hi I think it was a week and a bit when it was removed. They must have sedated me as I definitely don’t remember it being removed before I went in to main recovery ward.
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