To please, please ask for your positive stories of people getting well having been on HDU/ intensive care

[grobagsforever]

DP was admitted last week and moved to HDU last night. They don't know what's wrong. He has fluid on belly, some kind of infection and impiared liver function. There is talk of moving him ti ICU. We seem to be waiting on endless tests. He is 35 we have a three year old and I am 7 months pregnant. I need him . Please tell me your positive stories of recovery from these situations.

You must be very worried, but yes there are lots and lots of people who fully recover from being in intensive care. He is in the best place, he is having tests done and the ICU will keep him more protected from further infection too which is what will be a main priority at the moment. I hope they find out what it is and he is on the mend soon.

I had a friend who was very very ill last year, out of the blue and previously very healthy, he ended up in ICU and it took them a while to discover the cause, but a simple operation fixed it and he is 100% well now and there is no ongoing treatment needed.

I'm afraid I don't know anyone (adult) that has been in IC or HDU, I know of a baby who beat unbelievable odds and is now doing very well.

I'm really sorry you are going through this. Offering you a hand to hold.

I just want to give you a big hug! ICU is a brilliant unit where they can find out what is wrong. There is one to one nursing and they can see everything that is going on. My grandfather went unto icu with a stomach ulcer, they were brilliant, and he was fine afterwards. He just needed that intensive care to get him better

7 years ago this month I had what I thought was food poisoning.

I have never been so I'll. DH kept calling the GP. They came out, said it was food poisoning (I had up controllable d and v) and took a temp of around 40 but as I could talk lucidly said it would stop. By day four I couldn't move and eventually a paramedic came out, took one look and had me blue lighted to hospital.

I spent 12 hours in a medical ward while they took blood, pondered the insanely high temp and had several conversations with me. Then they sent for a surgical consult. She took one look, whipped me up to her ward, put me on morphine (thank god, five days now and no pain relief). I had a scan, found lots of fluid and they decided it was my appendix. Everything's hazy but the professor came to my bed and told them to get me to surgery immediately and not wait for the theatre slot they had lined up for me as I wasn't likely to make it.

I expected to wake up with no appendix and feeling better but I woke up in HDU after five hours of surgery, with a main line in my neck, an arterial line, nasal tubes, oxygen etc. the appendix had been fine; they drained several litres of fluid but couldn't find a source of infection so they'd put me on whatever high duty antibiotics they could.

Eventually the lab came back that I had blood borne pneumonia. It had caused peritonitis and septicemia and it was only the sharpness of the paramedic, the surgical consult and the professor that had realised how I'll I was. I was in hospital for a few weeks, it took a long time to be totally over it and I didn't actually realise how I'll I had been for a very long time.

But I am here, I am healthy andi have no long term effects. The key was when they eventually found the root problem and gave me the right treatment. I am sure they will be working away trying to do that for your husband as well. Please try not to be too stressed, as stupid as that sounds.

I was admitted to HDU New year's eve 2012 with an infection which became septic shock. It did take me a few months to get back to full health, but I'm fine now. It must be really tough for you at the moment op. I know my family found my illness a lot more difficult to cope with than I did. Hope you have some good news soon xxx

I spent almost 2 weeks in ICU after the birth of my last baby, almost 10 years ago. I really wasn't expected to live but thanks to the dedication and skill of the doctors, nurses, surgeons, etc I survived. It was a long tough road to recovery, but so grateful to still be here to watch my children grow up.
Your DP really is in the best place. Another one offering you a hand to hold.

DB spent a few weeks in ICU aged 21. He had bacterial meningitis.
Had enlarged heart, septicaemia and kidney failure.
He is now 48 , married with two boys. Bit bald due to all the drugs he was given but hey!
Hope your DH recovers soon. ICU is certainly superb in this country.

YES YES I had a lovely friend in icu with sepsis, macines working for both her kidneys and breathing, constantly sedated. We really thought she was a goner, well it took a month or so for her to get back up to full speed and she is better and brighter than ever before.
Good wishes to your family.

My best friend admitted after disastrous reaction to chemo.

She was ventilated for seven weeks. That's really not good, there was no hope she'd make it.

She did.

Took up wake-boarding 5 months later, quite good at it too.

AND, my baby son, very poorly from a cold - HDU, to be moved to ICU that pm if didn't improve. Improved. Never ventilated. Onto ordinary ward the following night, home 3 nights later. Now 8 years old and as boringly-ordinary-as-they-come.

Now, for YOU...get off the ward regularly. Get some fresh air and find a place where you can have a good cry, a wash and some sleep. This is very important. Get people to bring you food with vitamins, food with lard, clean pants and that dry shampoo stuff. It's a brutal time to bed-sit, I can't imagine how uncomfortable you must be with a bump and a wee hard chair.

best wishes, and, whilst no-one's looking, come here,

Don't have a particular story to tell (other than my 29-weeker who spent 3 months in NICU but is now doing great) but wanted to wish you & your DP well - hope he is better soon. Take care x

I had two weeks in ICU followed by several more on a ward after developing post-partum septicaemia which cause kidney failure and concomitant fluid build up everywhere, especially my lungs!
I was home and weak but well within 3 months and got my strength back relatively quickly. ICU/HD units are the best place to be if your condition is variable and serious as they can keep a really close eye on you and react so quickly to what is happening. They are doing the best they can for your OH and being given better quality/intensive care is a good thing to help him recover.
I hope they get to the bottom of your OH's problems and he is home with you soon.

My mum, years ago. She'd been at home with gut pain, refusing to see the doctor until it got so bad that Dad made her see the GP at home. GP immediately got her transported by ambulance to hospital and she was operated on the following day - she had peritonitis due to a burst diverticulum in her large bowel. She ended up having a colostomy as the bowel was so infected and was in ICU for a couple of weeks afterwards but came out fine.

My dd was in ICU just over 2 weeks ago she is now throwing barbies all over my living room and watching curious george.

One of my friends had a similar story to Rhonda she has no health problems now.

Hope you're OH is feeling better soon he really is in the best place.

I was in ICU for a couple of weeks and they cared for me very very well. Honestly they were amazing and I will never ever forget those fabulous people.

I hope he's better soon

Thank you all so much these stories are a huge help . can't post much in response but I am reading them and feel better already.

My mum, 10 years ago after several subarachnoid haemorrhages. She had emergency brain surgery to clip them and relieve the pressure, and was pretty unwell for several weeks - her chance of survival was less then 40%.

She's absolutely fine now :) she was in ICU/HDU for almost eight weeks and had trouble with her speech and movement when she left. She now lives on her own, with no movement issues and works as a receptionist with no speech issues :)

It's the best place to be in these situations. One thing I did find helpful was to take in some really good moisturiser and massage whatever I could as her skin was so dry from all the air con etc.

Thinking of you x

OP how scarey for you all.

5 and a half years ago when I was pregnant with DD2 (DD1 was 18 months) my DH got myocarditis and a tertiary heart block caused by a virus and was in a cardiac unit for a week, there was talk of him needing a pacemaker and when we first got to the hospital they were were getting ready to use defibrolator on him his heart beat was so weak.

It was terrifying. I know not the same as what your DP has but at the time I feared the worst. 5 and a half years on DH is completely fit and healthy and runs marathons and absolutely no recurrence of this.

Keeping everything crossed for you that your DP makes a full recovery, he will be getting all the care he needs in ICU.

No story just wanted to hold your hand and give you support. My mum went through breast cancer treatment so please look after yourself. Make sure you have breaks, get friends to visit to break up the time and come on here to read and take your mind off icu. Xxx

Best friend keeled over last year in work. It was a major heart attack at just 35. He's had a rough road (surgery, drug caused diabetes etc) but just last month he was trekking around Disney with his wife and little boy and making the most of life.

The Drs and medicine are amazing now so the positive stories outweigh the negative. Look after yourself xxx

My father in law had necrotising fasciatius . He was very very seriously ill, even had the last rites given. He was in for months, was in ITU then HDU in an induced coma then they woke him up which took ages.
I remember the panic on hearing my husband saying we had to get down there as he had a one in 5 chance of making the night. I , ever the optimist and trying to keep everyone positive remember saying, "well if someone told me i had a one in 5 chance of winning the lottery id consider those good odds".
He had to have physio to re learn how to swallow etc as being that still for that long is not natural.

He was in a medical journal as his case was rare in that most people with the condition , if they are lucky to survive they usually have had to lose limbs but he just lost some muscle in his arm.

He is currently in front of me laying a block paving driveway with my husband and his brothers . My point is miracles do happen. The staff in those units are amazing and no expense is spared to make people better. I remember my father on law being on some machine that cost tens of thousands to run per day.

Make sure you look after yourself during this time as i remember how much of a blur it was and how draining it was.

Don't you worry about replying or responding unless you want to. You have enough on your hands as it is.

My story is my MIL, who went down with double pneumonia that her pretty useless GP misdiagnosed as something mild (it was a while ago).
In the end, the family were so worried, they called an ambulance and she spent three months in hospital, much of it in intensive care. She wasn't expected to live, either, but she's still with us.

Useless GP was struck off, I think, or was persuaded to retire early.

Thinking of you all, my lovely xx

Thanks again everyone. Lovely doctor has been round and told us about all the tests they are doing. Dp has eaten some of pudding. Have a bit more confidence now a more senior doc has seen him.

I had a heart attack caused by some sort of reaction to a drug I had during an operation I was in induced coma for a few days in icu for à week or so afterwards lovey I hope your husband is ok I am sure they will do everything for him

My work frequently takes me into the ITU setting and I will admit to being shocked by just how many people DO make a full recovery. All through my training it was drummed into us how critical ITU patients were and how unlikely their recovery was in theory, but in practice it is very different. In lots of cases, statistics suggest that survival is unlikely, but so many of those people who look like they shouldn't pull through do so. It is a terrifying time, but as someone who has both worked in ITU and had relatives and friends admitted there, I know they will be doing everything they can for your DH. Best of luck to you both, and a speedy recovery to him.