9 years ago after I ended up in a medically induced coma (and on ECMO) for around a month. Twice; once when in the coma and once afterwards I coded and they had to bring me back.
Ask me anything.
AMA
I’ve been in a coma and “died”. AMA
GhostFaen · 21/02/2023 16:53
WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 21/02/2023 18:50
I'm so very sorry for your loss. I don't imagine it will be of much comfort, but I was in an induced coma many years ago and very nearly died. To this day I have quite a vivid recollection of a moment of being aware of this, and being very at peace with it. I wasn't scared. And up to that point in life I'd always been terrified about death.
NewBrightonEel · 21/02/2023 16:57
We're you aware of anything? We're you scared? My daughter came off ECMO but died before they could wake her from the coma. I just need to know.
ChaoticCrumble · 21/02/2023 21:05
Poor you OP. How was your baby and how was bonding after that experience? (Fwiw I think too much can be made of the term bonding, I don’t want to make you feel bad)
maryofthevirginkind · 21/02/2023 21:40
@GhostFaen do you live in N Yorks - your story is very similar to a school mum I used to know!
Newuser82 · 21/02/2023 21:50
This is so interesting. Have you talked to anyone else who has been in your situation? I wonder if others have had the same experiences?
GhostFaen · 21/02/2023 21:11
It took a long time. Physically I had to learn how to move every limb again (heads are heavy). I couldn’t even move my fingers. It’s the weirdest feeling not being able to move any muscle in your body. I was in a wheelchair for a while.
Mentally took a lot harder. I thought I’d been gone for years, had hurt a lot of my family, got captured whilst saving the beluga whales by Putin/Kim jon un, sexually assaulted, had my identity stolen, ruined my best friend’s wedding, been held in an insane asylum, given test after test by this “higher power”, had quintuplets and so many more scenarios. Ultimately I thought I’d been found because my family saw my face on a milk carton.
All through this I knew I’d abandoned my “real” children. I was so ashamed I pretended I had amnesia and didn’t remember. It was only when I alluded to the fact that I killed Putin that everyone looked very uncomfortably at each other and the nurses told my family they had to tell me the truth. I had no idea I’d been in a coma or they’d been with me the whole time.
Hotcuppatea · 21/02/2023 17:39
How are you now? Do you have flashbacks?
GhostFaen · 21/02/2023 21:53
From being in a fb group the idea of there being lots of tests is something a lot of us have. I can only assume it’s the brain’s way of trying to understand why it can’t wake up for weeks on end, along with many, many drugs.
That and dreams being sea related. The mattresses move you about to stop bed sores and can make you sea sick 🤣
Newuser82 · 21/02/2023 21:50
This is so interesting. Have you talked to anyone else who has been in your situation? I wonder if others have had the same experiences?
Oojamaflipp · 21/02/2023 21:54
Why did your family keep it from you? At what point was it they ended up having to tell you? Were they worried about your reaction?
GhostFaen · 21/02/2023 21:11
It took a long time. Physically I had to learn how to move every limb again (heads are heavy). I couldn’t even move my fingers. It’s the weirdest feeling not being able to move any muscle in your body. I was in a wheelchair for a while.
Mentally took a lot harder. I thought I’d been gone for years, had hurt a lot of my family, got captured whilst saving the beluga whales by Putin/Kim jon un, sexually assaulted, had my identity stolen, ruined my best friend’s wedding, been held in an insane asylum, given test after test by this “higher power”, had quintuplets and so many more scenarios. Ultimately I thought I’d been found because my family saw my face on a milk carton.
All through this I knew I’d abandoned my “real” children. I was so ashamed I pretended I had amnesia and didn’t remember. It was only when I alluded to the fact that I killed Putin that everyone looked very uncomfortably at each other and the nurses told my family they had to tell me the truth. I had no idea I’d been in a coma or they’d been with me the whole time.
Hotcuppatea · 21/02/2023 17:39
How are you now? Do you have flashbacks?
EddieHowesBlackandWhiteArmy · 21/02/2023 22:11
What an interesting AMA. Did you have any more babies? If not had you planned for your family to be complete before this experience or did this put you off?
and if I can ask another, are you scared of dying?
Abra1t · 21/02/2023 21:56
So all the people who thought the visions of the sea had some kind of mystical meaning or were a metaphor for passing from one state to another might be a bit disappointed to know it was really just moving hospital beds making them a bit motion sick.
Seriously though, it sounds horrific and I'm so glad you came through it. Best of luck to you and your little boy.
GhostFaen · 21/02/2023 21:53
From being in a fb group the idea of there being lots of tests is something a lot of us have. I can only assume it’s the brain’s way of trying to understand why it can’t wake up for weeks on end, along with many, many drugs.
That and dreams being sea related. The mattresses move you about to stop bed sores and can make you sea sick 🤣
Newuser82 · 21/02/2023 21:50
This is so interesting. Have you talked to anyone else who has been in your situation? I wonder if others have had the same experiences?
notsurewhichisbest · 21/02/2023 22:33
So interesting how varied different people's experiences are.
My mother was an icu nurse, and regularly cared for people who 'died' and came back, in long term comas etc.
The majority remembered nothing and some spoke of feelings of peace, comfort, beautiful lights etc. A few had experienced fear, but this was more those who had surfed nearer consciousness, so she wondered if they might have been more aware - on some level - of what was happening or experiencing the side effects and confusion of very powerful drugs.
She was not afraid of death and on the night she died, told my father that the lights were, indeed, very beautiful.
NewBrightonEel · 21/02/2023 16:57
We're you aware of anything? We're you scared? My daughter came off ECMO but died before they could wake her from the coma. I just need to know.
NewBrightonEel · 21/02/2023 19:25
Thank you @WhatWouldTheDoctorDo - it's haunted me for three years that she might have been aware and scared - you've put my mind at rest xx
GhostFaen · 21/02/2023 17:07
No, unfortunately. I was made to do test after test by “a higher power” (I’m not religious) and at one point everything just stopped and I was in nothingness. She told me I’d failed and she was going to leave me in this nothingness vacuum forever if I failed one more test.
(coma dreams are weird. I assume from all the drugs)
Toooldtoworry · 21/02/2023 16:57
I 'died' of meningitis and felt at peace with the fact I was dying. Did you feel the same?
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NewBrightonEel · 21/02/2023 16:57
We're you aware of anything? We're you scared? My daughter came off ECMO but died before they could wake her from the coma. I just need to know.
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