Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM where
we instantly improve the lives for Families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care, so that you can make informed decisions, have PEACE OF MIND, real power, real control and so that you can influence decision making fast, even if you’re not a doctor or a nurse in Intensive Care!
This is another episode of “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED“ and in last week’s episode I answered another question from our readers and the question last week was
My husband had open heart surgery with complications! He’s not “waking up”, he needs
100% of oxygen and now he’s bleeding from the stomach, I’m so scared, help! (PART 5)
You can check out last week’s episode by clicking on the link here.
In this week’s episode of “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED“, I want to answer the next question from one of our clients which are excerpts from email counselling and consulting sessions with me and the question this week is
My husband had open heart
surgery with complications! He’s not “waking up”, he needs 100% of oxygen and now he’s bleeding from the stomach, I’m so scared, help! (PART 6)
This was another great series of questions where I was able to “hand-hold” a very anxious and distressed client through a very stressful and complex situation.
Katie writes
Hi
Patrik,
OMG…so thankful I can consult you…
Yesterday my husband, after 2 open heart surgeries in 3 days…was taken off the ventilator for about 12 hours…he got in distress and they had to put it back in sometime in the early AM hours…
He is back on sedation again. Such a set-back which has left my daughter and me devastated.
The ICU person who is taking care of him said it could be weeks and weeks and even months yet in ICU and they would not be taking the ventilator out any time soon. I have been in distress ever since.
I will go to the hospital (an hour away) in the later AM and make sure I talk to a doctor. My husband will not want to live like this for weeks and weeks. He is the type who always has put his family first and will think he is a burden.
He has always been very active…it is so very hard to see him like this and after actually having him say a few words yesterday with the ventilator out, we were overjoyed…just
to be knocked down again. Any hope out there?
Should we ask for a second look from a different specialist, like second opinion type thing? Do doctors do that sort of thing…call more advanced, more perhaps expert people in when they are perhaps perplexed as to what to do next?
They also have been saying he has COPD…never knew that, though he had been diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma and used to use an inhaler before and after runs. No longer uses it as he doesn’t run like he used to…
Thanks for any advice you can
give…
Katie
Recommended:
Hi Katie,
I’m sorry to hear that your husband had to be re-intubated after a failed attempt to get off the ventilator.
I would argue that the ICU person has misinformed you about not taking the tube out any time
soon.
If your husband needs ongoing mechanical ventilation, as a next step he might need a tracheostomy first.
ICU staff(doctors and nurses) are often poor communicators and they can be quick to paint a “doom and gloom” picture for a number of reasons.
I have seen many Patients failing their first attempt to get off the ventilator over the years, given that
you haven’t seen this and given that it’s your husband I can understand that you might panic and that you might feel all hope is lost.
Intensive Care is often two steps forward and one step back, one of your biggest assets during this “once in a lifetime” challenge is to be patient and take one day at the time. I know it’s easier said than done, but you can’t rush recovery from critical illness in Intensive Care.
Your husband will need time to get through this. Panic is the
wrong approach.
A second opinion might be an option, however it’s most likely too early for a second opinion. Hospitals do do that sort of thing, but it might cost you money as well given that you are in the United States.
I do believe that we are providing perspective and a second opinion at INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM with the difference that we are not covering the doctors and the
hospitals.
Most of the time when a second opinion is provided by another hospital or doctors, they tend to know and also cover each other.
Besides being distressed, have they given you a reason why your husband failed getting off the ventilator? Once you have a reason for the failure I might be able to share some more insights.
Katie, you
also need to look after yourself during this challenge.
Check out this article/video here(click on the link)
Also, to put things in perspective, I have seen many critically ill Patients in Intensive Care staying for many weeks in an induced coma and yet still survive. Most critically ill
Patients in Intensive Care in an induced coma don’t remember much of their stay in ICU. Your husband may thank you one day for not giving up… Life is precious…
Furthermore, I would also advice to get back to the website www.intensivecarehotline.com and use the search
function on the website to look for the information you are after. The website will have most of the answers to your questions if you keep searching for the information.
Moreover, please check out the following articles/videos regarding ventilation/breathing tube/tracheostomy and induced coma in Intensive Care. It’ll give you insights and perspective that you may need in order to deal with this challenge
Again Katie, most critically ill Patients in Intensive Care- around 90-94%- are surviving their stay in Intensive Care and they leave Intensive Care alive!
I know how frustrated you and your daughter are seeing your husband and father like this, but once again, many critically ill Patients in Intensive Care are going through those challenges that you are describing and yet still survive.
“Throwing in the towel” is not going to serve your husband or you and your family!
Intensive Care Units tend to be negative and paint a “doom and gloom” type of picture because the worst-case scenario from an Intensive Care perspective is that your husband will be occupying an expensive, scarce, “in-demand” and precious ICU bed.
Your worst-case scenario is to see your
husband die!
When Intensive Care teams and Intensive Care doctors say that your husband won’t come off the ventilator for many weeks to come, I question that because just he failed once, doesn’t mean he’s going to fail again.
You do need to take ownership of the meaning of this situation because otherwise the Intensive Care team will.
I do
strongly believe your husband has every chance to get through this challenge alive and he has every chance to recover given time, the right treatment, nurturing and a positive environment!
Related article/video
You are doing great Katie, you are asking all the right questions and you have been patient to this point!
Again, Intensive Care is a marathon and not a sprint.
Stay positive no matter what! You are not doing yourself or your husband a
favour by getting bogged down by negativity!
Continue to ask good questions and be patient and positive and give your husband the time he needs and deserves.
Complications after two open heart surgeries within less than 48 hours do occur in some instances and Patients in those situations do recover when given time.
