Day 14 post cardiac arrest and global anoxic injury. So confused and overwhelmed.

[Parapp]

Hi all, thank you for the replies i received to my first post. There was a lot of helpful suggestions and it helped to hear from others who had been through similar things.

Today is 2 weeks to the day my daughter had a cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated. They estimated the time she was down to be around 6-8 minutes with cpr and estimate it may have been less than 5 minutes before she was found and cpr was started but they say the ct shows global anoxic injury.

The doctors are very pesimistic and have started conversations about withdrawal of treatment and if she survives her possibly being vegitative. She has been placed onto the lowest dose of sedation 5 days ago and we notice slight changes such as her trying to look at us and hand movements and yesterday the doctors told us they did witness her move her arm but said they are investigating this to ascertain what it was.

The problem is that she is still having seizures which started a few days after being placed into the induced coma. They are saying they have tried all medications and that the epilepsy team have said there is nothing more they can do. Doctors are saying they can not put a trach in due to the seizures and can not do anything else but we have asked them not to give up on her and to give her more time. She has been breathing more on her own the past few days with only help from a cpap which they say is good and she tolerates all day like that with them putting her back onto the full ventilator at night to rest and they say all her organs and other body functions appear to be working ok and just say that the issue is the seizures and the ct scan showing global damage and swelling.

Its so confusing as the seizures only show on an eeg and not physically that much and when we visit we see small improvements each time. Going to try all the suggestions given on previous post and take an ipod in today with music and messages on it. Im just so confused and worried that the doctors seem to be giving up on her.

[ABIfamily]

I am so sorry to hear all you are going through, and it must be difficult not being able to be with your daughter all the time. I can't offer you any advice but just wanted to send you and her our best wishes. Please try and eat regularly, sleep and allow friends and family to support you. Xx

[Parapp in reply to ABIfamily]

Thank you x

[Alb64]

Hi,my husband had a cardiac arrest 4 years ago,resulting in hypoxic brain injury.He was working alone at the time,so not sure how long before he was found,but certainly more than 10 minutes.CPR was started but no response and had to be defibrilated.Spent 3 weeks in ICU in a coma.He started to fit when being taken off ventilator but no more afterwards.Doctors said he had very little brain activity and probably wouldn't survive.We talked and played music(which he has no memory of).Moved to different ward,but he was quite bad flailing arms and legs.No recognition at all.Then moved to rehab.Staff nurse later admitted to me that when she saw him,she didn't think they could help him.After 5 months in hospital and many setbacks he is home,can walk again.Speech fairly good,but no memory from before it happened.Dont give up hope.Take all the help you can when offered.Stay positive.Hugs.xx

[Parapp in reply to Alb64]

Thank you that is good to hear and gives me hope xx

[ored13]

Hi. Please don't allow them to withdraw active care. If you have a look at my posts you will see we had similar issues. It was very scary and infuriating esspecially not being able to physically be there due to COVID. It felt like they just could not be bothered and were just not willing to put the time in to allow any repair. Please have a look at some of my posts and if you haven't yet, gets in touch with headway and ask to speak to a HATS nurse if you are in the UK. Nobody knows how long my husband was down for but I think, based on his phone activity that day, that it was at least half an hour if not more before I found him. But the doctors made the same noises about stopping active care and threatening me quite callously with him being in "vegetative state, lying in a bed not able to speak, move, eat or go to the toilet. Is that what you think he would like???".

From what I've learned, the brain needs time to rest and repair.

Sorry you're having to go through this at a time when you are in a very vulnerable place.

[Parapp in reply to ored13]

Thank you, we refused to discuss withdrawing care as we agree that she has not had enough time to recover properly. X

[Ren2985]

Hi there, I’m very sorry you’re going through this situation. Not exactly the same, but my dad had covid, was placed on a ventilator, and on the ventilator he had a series of minor strokes. He was fitted with a trach and during that time his blood pressure did go up and down. There were so many times when one he would do well, and the next day there would be another issue. But, We never gave up hope. My mom was able to visit him everyday fortunately, and I believe that’s what really helped, and pushed him. My dad is home now, and doing fairly well. His right side is still weak and he needs help eating and showering. He is learning to walk without his foot brace now. From when he was in the hospital to now, you would think it’s a different person. Therapy is intense, but we all have that willingness and fight for him to get back to as close as possible. We try to keep expectations realistic, but we don’t give up hope. I wish your daughter continued healing on this journey.

[Parapp in reply to Ren2985]

Thank you, it gives me so much hope to hear other peoples stories and experiences and reminds me that it is going to be a long and slow road but that progress ia possible x