How did I survive such a critical illness.

[Luckyone]

I was taken to hospital by ambulance with a severe chest infection, blood oxygen level of 78% on arrival taken to ICU and that's the last thing I remember for 53 days locked in my own world of strange dreams and nightmares, during this time I was intubated for 19 days then had a tracheotomy (for another 60days), diagnosed with double pneumonia, sepsis and multiple organ failure with my family told I had a less than 10% chance of survival, this was to get worse when I had a mucus plug causing respiratory arrest and 2 cardiac arrests, then I had further complications of ARDS. Somehow I came through all of this finally leaving ICU 3 months later, I am truly the lucky one.

[RNCP]

The human body is amazing.

[patchworker]

Luckyone, You must have been very fit to start with, and got the best treatment in the world, and you were very very Lucky

Have you always been lucky?, Or had you been saving up your luck for that "rainy day"?

Seriously though, I wish you luck in your mental and physical recovery.

[Luckyone in reply to patchworker]

Hi patchworker, They tell me as I had age on my side (52) and I'm a non-smoker helped a lot. I think I had everyone's luck on my side and all the staff of ICU at The Conquest Hospital in Hastings were amazing never giving up, talking to doctors around the world and even trying the latest drugs to save me, they were also so supportive to my family, something we will never forget.

Two years on I've made quite a good recovery, I've been left with pulmonary fibrosis which limits what I can do, so I became a co founder of our local support group helping others through the difficult times we all know so well, also doing presentations to hospital staff and patient groups raising awareness of the difficulties ICU patients can go through and letting everyone know about our drop in meetings.

Best wishes in your own recovery.

[Hidden]

Reading this has amazed me!! My blood oxygen level was 35% when I went into ITU! And to think you were in such a dangerous position scares the Hell outta me because of what a critical condition I must have been in.

RNCP is right, the human body IS amazing!!