Asking for a handhold - DH in ICU

[peachgreen]

DH was taken into hospital last night with breathing difficulties. It was pretty minor, the paramedics weren't even going to take him in but we insisted. He's now in an induced coma on a ventilator. He's had 2 negative Covid tests so they don't think it's that but they don't know what it is.

I'm falling apart. He's my whole life. We have a 2 year old who is a complete Daddy's girl. I need him so much. I can't even be with him now because of COVID.

OP. Sending you every good wish this morning.

DH got bitten by a tick and developed heart failure within hours. Doctors were very honest about just how poorly he was as they moved him from A&E to ICU.
Lots of antibiotics and other drugs followed by a pacemaker he made a full recovery and needed no medication. That was over 20 years ago.

@peachgreen stay strong.

He's awake! They've taken him off the sedation and he's communicating - writing stuff down on boards and giving thumbs ups. I even got to speak to him and he thumbs upped. I'm going in at half 1 to see him. And they're considering taking him off ventilation today! Still a long long way to go but amazing amazing news!

@BusterGonad You could be right.

@peachgreen thinking of you. I hope you managed to get a few hours sleep. There's so much positivity on the thread and so many people routing for your DH.

Crossed posts. How fantastic. So so pleased for you all. X

That is amazing news peach! Sending very positive thoughts your way

Fantastic news, OP. I hope he continues to improve.

That is fantastic news 💐Xx

Fantastic update

Fantastic news! So glad for you.
(Honestly if anyone had told me someone could be fighting for life one week and getting a bus home (almost) the next, I'd have thought them crazy, but we really are in that sort of territory!)

Wonderful news, OP!

Awesome xx

@peachgreen
Just seen your dreadful news and Now your update
So delighted for you and him

Wonderful news!

Fantastic news!

I'm trying to remind myself that we're nowhere near out of the woods and recovery could still be slow but this is more than I could have hoped for today so I'm just enjoying this feeling. Going to eat something while I can.

phew
best wishes

So pleased to hear this positive news.

I made my way here as soon as I could to see if you had an update. What fantastic news! Remember to take care of yourself too, @peachgreen. We are all thinking of you both!

Sending positive thoughts, and pleased that things are looking a bit better today xx

@peachgreen I've just caught up with this thread and i just wanted to say I'm so pleased to hear your DH is awake and communicating today!
You've been so strong through such a big shock, and I really hope your DH goes from strength to strength and you're all back home together as a family soon

Have they given any indication to what they think has caused his heart failure? It sounds very acute and I assume he’s quite young, so that’s quite different to elderly patients with chronic heart failure. As others have said the term heart failure is quite broad in that there are many different causes, symptoms can vary massively in severity as can prognosis and treatment options. Heart failure can sometimes be reversible (for example in patients with valve problems), for others it is progressive, but it can be slowed down and somewhat reversed by medication, devices such as CRTs and lifestyle changes. If your husband is young and otherwise reasonably healthy there will also be the option of transplant, but that would be if he was very very ill and was not improving.

Heart failure is not a death sentence, the statistics are also pretty skewed as the majority of patients with heart failure are elderly and have multiple comorbidities, which doesn’t sound like your husband. Most of the patients I see are 70+ with diabetes, hypertension, kidney problems etc. And have chronic heart failure due to ischaemia (previous heart attacks). This is very different to an otherwise healthy patient in their 40s who has heart failure due to a valve problem.

The best people to speak to about prognosis and treatment options are the team looking after him (I’m sure you already know this) because you will scare yourself looking online and will get a lot of irrelevant information about people with completely different health issues to your husband.

A wonderful step forward. Don’t forget to take care of yourself and eat and rest when you can.

What wonderful news ! I bet you can't wait to see him. Don't forget your mask and sanitiser and maybe a family photo for your dh.

My dh had a heart attack in February and every little complaint terrifies me. I just came in from gardening to find him laid back on the sofa. Little sod scared me.

I understand a bit of what you are going through and really feel for you. Take care.

Fantastic news - so wonderful that he's made so much progress even since yesterday.