oops 3rd line supposed to say not expected-sorry-on saturdays reply
oops 3rd line supposed to say not expected-sorry(on sat, below)
Thanks, Samantha…our experiences sound so similar. My dad is having respiratory issues as well…still on a ventilator and now showing signs of pneumonia in his lungs. Just yesterday he seemed the most awake we’ve seen him…and today he didn’t even open his eyes once. It’s such a rollar coaster. The doctors were rounding outside his room this morning and we heard them say,“he isn’t getting any better”…which we know, but it was hard to hear them say it so casually. How is you dad doing now? Where can I find your blog? Wishing you peace and strength!
My father had pneumonia twice in ICU & has a mild case again. He’s doing better but he still has alot of secretions so he is on a vent floor at rehab. He still as trach in & they talk about weaning it but then we have these set backs. He gets very bronco spastic, throws up and has aspirated a few times & that has what is root of pneumonia . They tried multiple antibiotics & had to bring in infectious disease dept in to find one that would work which they did. One thing we learned is when they say 3-5 days it unusually meant 7-10. I know it seems bleak & hard to hear the dr’s say they don’t feel like he’s getting better but keep the positive thoughts & don’t take no for a answer be the best advocate you can be for your father.
The last thing I remember in February was talking on the phone to my best friend. The next time I was “awake” was 20 days later. During that time I drove my car to a restaurant where my Annie ruptured. They tell me I wasn’t in a coma because I carried on conversation with everyone that came in my room. I have completely lost those 20 days. Just keep talking to him. I pray that he does like I did & just wake up one day wanting to know all the details of what he has missed. My thoughts & prayers are with you and your family. I know from talking to my fiancé and kids it was extremely difficult for them to watch me day in and day out. Keep positive thoughts and know others have been where you are and we will keep you in our prayers.
Thanks! Our dads sound like they have very similar respiratory issues. I will pray for you dad’s continued recovery.
Thanks for sharing you story, Myra! I’m so glad to hear things turned out well for you! Thanks for the prayers! We appreciate them and need them!
How is your father doing?
Hi Samantha…when my mom and I got there this afternoon he was back on sedation because they had to redo this drain…BUT…the doctor came in and told us that in the morning before they sedated him he was the most awake he’d seen him…responding to commands and tracking the doctor as he moved across the room…so we were very very happy about that! It sounds like they are going to put his skull back on tomorrow (I’m sure there is a more technical name for the procedure…haha)…and if all goes well he should be out of the icu in about a week. So that is what we are focusing on for now. How is your dad?
Sara I am from Greece but me and my family were living in Long Island for many years when a was little.my parents came to visit in January and my father had a grade four aneurysm rupture too.he is in Stonny brook ICU now and it has been almost three weeks and he is still in a comma.things are very difficult as you surely know.HOw is your father now?Has anything changed?please reply.If I correctly noticed you also live in Long Island right?
Hello,
In November my 63 year old Grandmother suffered a ruptured aneurysm. She spent 3 weeks in intensive care. We were told she would most likely suffer a huge stroke, be left paralysed or even worse dead. Her heart started to give up and we were told this was a knock on effect from having the bleed on the brain. After 3 days in ICU her heart stabilised enough for them to coil the bleed. We were told there was an 80% chance she would die during surgery. She made it through, for the next week she suffered vasospasms and we were told she would most likely not make it through the weekend as it was likely to cause a massive stroke. One day was excellent progress, other days were awful. It is very up and down with brain aneurysm patients, we were warned it would be a very bumpy journey. 3 months later she is at home with no side effects other than she forgets things easily. She is as she was before, it is a miracle. I prayed and prayed for her recovery, I spent hours in the chapel, I spent hours at home wondering if we were going to get a call that night saying she'd passed away, it was without a doubt my worst nightmare but she proved you can beat it. My advice to you would to be try and stay as calm as you can, talk to him though out the whole process but don't tell him negative things, my Grandmother was sedated for a few weeks to keep her comfortable so it felt silly sometimes talking to somebody who couldn't respond but I was told it can stimulate the brain. That being said don't talk to much as it can tire them. Allow yourselves a break every now and again, he is in good hands. I was working, travelling an hour drive there, spending hours there, travelling home, cooking dinner and cleaning and with my Aunty looking after my Grandad who is a chemotherapy patient. You can make it through this with positive thinking. I pray for your Dad for you. Wishing you all the best, keep us updated.
Ellie xxxxxx
Ellie - Thank you so much for sharing you story and for your kind words. God bless you and your family!
Hi Sara - your dad's story and my own are so similar...how is he doing?
Hi Mary-
It has been almost 5 months since my dad's aneurysm. He is still in rehab, but should be coming home within the next month. He has gotten SOOO much better, although he will be permanently disabled. After 6 weeks in the ICU he "woke up" and started rehab. Cognitively, he is doing well, considering the severity of his bleed. Physcially, he has very little movement on his left side, although he can now walk about 20 steps with assistance. He will likely be wheelchair bound when he comes home, and we have gotten used that that idea. So I guess "how he's doing" depends on how you look at it. If you compare how he was before the aneurysm to how he is now, I guess it seems like a sad story. But when you compare how he is now to his 6 weeks in the ICU when we were pretty sure he wasn't even going to make it - it's a miracle. So we choose to look at it that way :) I hope you are doing well!
It is great know that things are better Sara.it gives me great hope as well.i am sure that things will get even better as the time goes by.look at things positively.i wish you the best!
Sara- I hope that your father is doing well- I realize your post was originally around 4 months ago-
3 years ago (today) I was struck down by a Grade V Rupture- I was 45 at the time- Long story- 37 days in a coma, 4 months hospitalized (2 months into my hospitalization, I had a birthday- which I don't count!). It took an additional 4-6 weeks for my brain to start to sort through reality- bizarre times- Pnemonia, DVT, Trach, feeding directly in to my stomach, shunt placement, vasospasoms- the list goes on.... I have some physical disability and it is a long, hard journey- for me, I think it will be lifelong- patience and hope are a must-
Best wishes for your father and family- D
WOW - Dana...You have been through so much. I bet today is an emotional day for you and your family. My dad also had pneumonia, a trach, a feeding tube, seizures, etc. When he came out of his coma the first couple weeks he was pretty much crazy...saying things that didn't make sense at all. I take it as a good sign that as a family we are starting to laugh about the crazy things he said, even him :) I have read that the major improvments are usually seen within 6 months - was that true for you? He is getting close to the five month mark...so we are thinking that he probably isn't going to make any real huge improvements...but we could be wrong. He has left-sided neglect, so that whole side of his body doesn't have much movement, although it has improved quite a bit. Anyway, I'm glad and encouraged to read you made it through so much, even though I can't imagine how how it was and is. Best wishes to you!
Hi! I'm sorry didn't see this message earlier...So sorry you are going through this. It's so hard. I'm sure he is being well taken care of at Stony Brook (and yes, I live on Long Island in Nassau County). My dad was in a coma for 6 weeks. Then one day he just sort of woke up...and he's been in rehab for a few months now. It has been very, very slow. It looks like he will probably be in a wheelchair - his aneurysm affected the left side of his body and he has trouble moving it. But cognitively he is doing pretty well, considering how bad his aneurysm was. So you all live in Greece but now your dad is stuck here? That is just so awful. Don't give up hope...as so many people told me, the brain is mysterious and you really can't tell what's going to happen. Please feel free to contact me anytime, and best wishes to you and your family.
He will make improvements Sara.the brain can always learn.keep doing your best.There are so many stories of people that continue to improve even after many months.
My father was in ICU for 3 months, then went to acute rehab for 3 months and now in skilled nursing home for another 3 months. We had no idea what were going to get on the other side of this but his mind is so sharp it's his body that hasn't caught up yet. He had multiple health issues along the way but has come out the other side & hopes of him coming home this spring is now in the works. Don't give up hope!! I told my father every day in ICU to fight and he did and now I can talk to him about everything that is going on and he totally understands pretty much everything that is going on.
Samantha