Life Support

Hi my dad was under sedation for about 10 days(sorry cant remeber exactly).., he was then brought out of sedation but his feeding tube & trachotomy /oxygen supply were in for a further 14 days . He was in for exactly 6 weeks and it was only the last week that he didnt recieve any oxygen at all.

As i understand from when my dad suffered his multiple organ failure you can by under sedation for weeks/months if neccesary, intially we were told my dad would be under sedation far longer than he was.

I also know from speaking to other relatives that were visting in the CCU some people had been under sedation for months.. one lady 9 mths i think so i guess it must be safe in the long term.

I know how frustrating it all is.. hoping every day he will be properly awake or being told the trachotomy will be removed etc but it not happening, but he will get there.

Have you spoken to his Doctors and voiced your concerns?

I'm afraid I have no idea but just wanted to send you and your family my best wishes ?

Thanks PP.

Jackie, hes not off the ventillator yet and we were told last week that they might consider a trach, but that was only because i asked about the length of time on ventillator. Since then,no-one has implicated the idea. We've now been told that they have discovered an underlying heart condition and that not only has he got the recovery from major surgery to contend with and the recovery from pneumonia and a blood clot on his lung, but now the heart thing! It just seems to be going on and on.

Thanks for the replies x

My dad was given the Trachotomy becuase although he was sedated he kept coming round (he shouldnt have done) and when he did he kept trying to pull the tube out.

I didnt want my dad to have a trachy becuase he is blind so i knew when he did come round he wouldnt be able to talk to see to write anything down as it was my mum was able to lip read him..

Whilst my dad was in hospital he had 3 heart attacks, renal and respiratory failure and pneumonia but he got through it so dont give up hope.. Can u or you mum be there next time the Dr is doing is rounds so you can get some clear answers??

Hope this week see's some improvements for you x

Don't have any advice......just wanted to say my thoughts and prayers are with you all for a swift recovery. x

My sister has just called to say that tonight whe they went to visit, they were told he had been off the ventillator for 2 hours today!

he was complaining of chest pains, so they put him back on, but are going to take him off every day for a little while longer each time. Fingers crossed things are finally moving!

Thanks again for your kind words and stories. can always depend on hitched

It sounds like he's making big improvements Evy, like I said before they're only small things to us, but 2 hours is a long time in there.

Still thinking of you x

So sorry to hear you and your Dad are going through this. My best wishes to you and your family. My Dad was on life support for 6 months with a very rare illness. He had a tracheotomy pretty much from a week in for the whole time but then he couldn't move to pull it out. I'm no professional but would say that they will do it for as long as needed.

Dont think there is any real set time at all Evy, as long as he is coping.

Some hospitals have a general policy of tracheotomy if the patient is ventilated for over 7 days or so.

Sounds positive they are trying him off the vent for a bit, do you know what type of ventilation he is on? Some types even though he is on vent he will do all the work of initiating the breath, but the vent will help him get the volume, some will trigger the breath for him.

We usually started with a few mins, then hours off. Some patients you would cycle 2 hours on/off, eventual aim to be off during day and back on at night to go to sleep. The eventually off at night. Sometimes when going back on after a break, the oxygen through the vent needs to be increased for an hour or so, so dont be alarmed if this happens.

Hope things move in the right direction.

Hi all

just to let you know my dad is now completely off ventillator! He has oxygen mask on and still has a tube coming from his nose (think that is feeding him) he is still very weak and tired, but coping ok. the staff have said that all being well, he will be sent back to High Dependancy tomorrow. yay!

He's trying to speak but we cant make out what he's saying because of his hoarsness and the mask, but another wee step in the right direction. We just suddenly realised tonight that although my dad will hopefully make a good recovery (at least 8 months time) we will never have him back as the man he was before the operation.Its very sad, but i guess we're lucky to have him here at all.

thanks again for all the responses!

Glad to hear he is getting stronger , I wish him well & hope he is back home soon.

x

I am glad to hear things are getting better for you.

He will get there it takes times... 8 weeks ago as now i was stood by my dads bedside thinking this was it... he had just suffered mutliple organ failure and his 2nd heart attack in 4 days (he had another one after almost recovering) he had a very small chance of making it. I truely thought he would never come round from it.

Today he is at home looking better than he has for months and is taking us all out for a meal next weekend.

Aw thats brilliant jackie

will keep you all posted on his progress and thanks again for being Hitched Helpers!

x

Hey Evy, hope your Dad is now well on his way to recovery. People have been asking after you at www.thedeadwood.co.uk

Hope you're ok too.

Hi all

Update on my dad:

He got back to High dependancy unit and then two days later had another heart attack and was sent back to intensive care.

We cant believe how much he has come through and how he is still battling on! he spent another week in ICU and is now backin HD once again. There was a problem with blood loss and his heart. The staff seem to have rectified this now, but as he was on life support for so long he is now having trouble swallowing! He has most certainly turned a corner now and we cant wait for him to be transferred to an normal ward where he will complete his recovery before being dishcrged.

It's been a long haul for my dad and we are delighted that he has come through it all in one piece. Let's face it, having his gullet removed, two heart attacks,blood clot on lung,pneumonia and all the other complications is no mean feat!

Thankyou all once again for your comments and advice and support. Will let you know when he gets home ?

Evy, what a nightmare you have been through, I am so glad he is on the road to recovery.

Its quiet here, everyone seems to be at www.thedeadwood.co.uk and were asking after you yesterday, wondering how your dad was getting on. Please go on there and post and let everyone know your news. ?