Relative in ICU with heat stroke and is not going to make it

[SmokeyMountainRain]

Posting for traffic. Has anybody been through this? Close relative, relatively young 50s), was found incoherent last Wednesday. Rushed to hospital straight to ICU as she'd fallen into a coma. They've kept her asleep, tried to wake her twice and she cannot breath on her own whatsoever. They've ran repeated scans which show due to the heat stroke damage the part of her brain that tells her to breath is severely damaged. They've pretty much said she's incompatible with life now and we will have to turn the machines off this week unless by some miracle she wakes up. Her core temp was 41 degrees for 4 days, she's now at 40. Not responded to any medication, antibiotics etc.

She wasn't even doing anything strenuous. Just in her flat watching telly. Has anyone been through this? Does anyone have any advice? I don't even know what to think and feel it just seems so so cruel. No brain bleeds or blockages on the scan. Substantial brain swelling and damage.

posting for traffic as can't see any similar threads

Any advice or miracle stories please send them my way. Thank you x

That's absolutely tragic. I'm so sorry.

It's really shocking that someone just sitting around at home could be overcome with such severe heatstroke. Others in her building could also be potentially at risk?

I've "RTFT" and don't see where the OP has said her relative's home is in an area that had an active red warning.

Certain poster makes a hobby of hijacking any thread possible to campaign (or possibly complain, I'm not sure if they do any actual campaigning) about their housing situation, and has done for a long, long time. The question was NOT relevant to the thread, which was about potential health situation for the OPs relative, not about what may have caused it.

@SmokeyMountainRain I'm so sorry, this must be such a shock for your family. Please look after yourself

Seriously? thats your take on this. How do you know OPs relative didnt have fans going we have and its made no difference

My father passed away due to heat stroke, during a heat wave, he was 73. Not in the UK. He'd been fine that day and was getting ready to go out for the evening with friends and family. Had been drinking water, had been sitting in front of a fan that day.

He pretty much stood up to get ready and passed out. Not a stroke, no brain bleed. There were people with him and an ambulance attended pretty quickly. Was on life support for 8 days and they did try to bring him around a couple of times, but he wasn't able to breathe at all without help. The decision was made to switch off life support on Day 9.

But, my father in law was on life support in ICU at one stage (he passed out due to an infection, not heat stroke). Tests were done and the specialists said he was functionally brain dead and wouldn't recover. We all went to say our goodbyes, and then, he recovered and went on to live well for another 10 years.

Those are my two experiences OP, both with very different endings. I guess the point is, there's neve zero hope, even when things seem very bleak. Thinking of you and your relative during this harrowing time.

Well as many people have challenged your question, maybe a good thing for you to take away is to include your reasoning upfront in your original comment rather than expecting people to read through hundreds of comments to get your drip feed hijacking of the feed about flats and their high heat capacity and your thinking that its the landlords responsibility to keep your environment cool.

OP: I'm so sorry for your situation, as many have pointed out, 1% chance of survival is their way of saying this situation is not survivable, and you should start preparing for the time when they introduce the concept of withdrawing life support and switching off the machines. Regardless of how your relative got so poorly and why, they are unlikely to survive. Have you got anyone with you to support you, is there anyone your relative would want to know they are not going to make it, anyone who would want to say goodbye? A devastating situation for you to be in.

IT COMES UNDER AWAABS LAW AND NO WORDS OR STATING OTHERWISE WILL CHANGE THAT

Well you don't know that either? No one does. You've just started assuming. You've made this all about your housing problems and hate towards landlords. I have rented many places. They haven't come with aircon, and a few had no central heating. I rented the places as seen.

Posts about overheating homes arent relevant on a thread about someone who got heat stroke at home Got it

Agreed. My mum was in ICU last year and while a few people died there, most were able to go to other wards.

Sadly while my mum said leave hospital alive she was very ill still and it's now slowly dying of the same thing she was on ITU for (heart failure) but that's not because of ITU.

(It's because of the shit care on the other wards afterwards but that's a different story)

You've said more than enough now. Please go away.

I'm so sorry OP.

I am so sorry to read this, how shocking and distressing for you.

So sorry op. That's deeply distressing for you and your family.

I absolutely agree with you. Data centres suck up energy and water, never mind job losses incurred as a result of AI. Where is Net Zero in all of this???

The cost of AI to to the environment and humanity will not be factored in until it is too late... The cost is incomprehensible and we are all sleep walking into it. AI should be reserved specifically for medical research and scientific advancement based on the premise that it protects and serves the planet/our childrens' childrens' future, not destroys it.

And yes, I have embraced AI in my work, like a good employee and because it is actually pretty brilliant. Am I proud of the fact - no.

Am I relieved my children were educated before it - absolutely.

Am I worried for my young relatives in as inexpensive as possible rental accommodation right in the midst of the current heatwave - absolutely.

Did anyone listen to Question Time - Any Answers last week? - the elderly chap who called in and mentioned the temperatures in his top floor high rise flat - heartbreaking.

I am so sorry Op, early 50's is no age, tragic.

There is so much nonsense like that around at the moment, The Mail online and NextDoor being prime examples. "it's Summer, stop moaning", and "just enjoy and don't be a pathetic woke wet wipe" . All choosing to ignore that even if someone doesn't have underlying health conditions, or is very young or an older person, it is generally hellish for most people.

Caveat - I never ever support rioting though. Completely counter productive waste of time. I am just agreeing with @Katey83 's point - I'm sure the rioting bit wasn't actually meant literally.

Unfortunately there are a lot of brainless people on social media. All repeating dumb comments like "It's called Summer." And spending their whole day doing the brainless giggler emoji at news stories

Awwww, that's awful news, I'm so sorry @SmokeyMountainRain

Then why didnt they go outside at 7am when it was cooler, if they were struggling so much with the heat?

It was not 41 degrees solidly for 4 full days. The temperature dropped every day, in the evening and overnight through to early morning.

Why didnt they take cold showers etc to cool down? Theres more to this.

I agree.
Obviously people survive, how often do we here someone was in ICU and then moved to another ward.

We also need a lot more education and public information about heatwaves. There will be British people from certain generations who have perhaps never experienced these kinds of temperatures before, at home or abroad, and genuninely do not know how dangerous it can be.

On Friday I went out to do some pre holiday errands. I wore a hat, sunscreen and light, loose clothes and took water and a fan. I planned to be back inside by 12pm.

On my way back at 11.45am I saw many elderly and frail looking people going about their business in the full heat of the midday sun, many in normal or even heavy clothes and no hat, no water with them at all.

Ever since that heatwave a few years back i made sure to have air con put in.
I know mumsnet dont like folk that have A/C but its a life saver for me.

My sister is having her home fitted with it now as she barly copped this few days.

How do you know “ there’s more to this” heat stroke can hit very quickly. I recently found a guy passed out in the heat in Paris, everyone walking round him apart from me and then a couple, we called an ambulance and cooled him down and got him to drink. People were literally leaving him to die. People need to realise the temperatures we have are extremely dangerous. It’s not just a bit warm. It’s an extreme weather event with a threat to life. We need to learn how to protect ourselves and our resources in the changing environment.

Op said her relative's core body temperature was 41, not the weather.