On the night of the 27th January 2010, my wife Laura was hosptialised after complications resulting from her medicinal intake. As a result she developed ARDS and was in hospital for six weeks, five of which were in intensive care. These are the daily text messages I sent to keep her friends and family up to date with her progress.
Laura was hospitalised last night after an overdose and is in the critical care unit at Selly Oak. I'm certain that it was accidental. She could be here for days before they can assess the extent of the damage she's done to her brain. There is also a real chance that she won't make it. I'll call when I can. I'm here with her Dad and will stay with her. No need to reply, I'm turning the phone off. Stop people calling or texting please.
The Doctors have had a look at her and done some tests and we'll be chatting it through later this afternoon. No other news yet.
Right, I've spoken to the consultant and the upshot is that we probably won't know anything for a couple of days. The great unknowns are how long the brain could have been starved of oxygen and, if it was, which of the many different impacts that can have will happen. The other is we still don't really know what she had, over how long and in what quantity. Today's good news is that her pupils became light sensitive, to a degree. The bad is that her heartrate became less stable- though this is a common side-effect of one of the possible drugs. All we can do is wait and see, every possible outcome from best to worst is still feasible. They're letting me stay with her constantly, hence I can only text just now. Cross everything please!
Laura's eyes are pretty much always responsive now and her heart rate seems- to my untrained eye- to be steadier. Her blood pressure is still very low even with strong drugs supporting it. No real changes then, but either I'm getting used to her or she looks more settled. Though on an expressionless face that's probably just my imagination. The staff have been great letting me stay by her bedside all night. But we're still on a wait and see timescale. Thanks so much for your support.
Hi everyone. Still nothing major to report, and this may be the case for days or even weeks I'm afraid. She is still responding quickly to light but showing no other responses yet. Her heart-rate has been strong and steady, but for an hour where it was strong and erratic. All other indicators are good too. She will probably have another brain scan tomorrow, this is to see if problems have developed since the scan she had on arrival. We may, or may not, know more after that. I'll let you know more tomorrow, or sooner if anything happens. Phone off again now as I head back in shortly.
Good morning. Laura had a pretty stable night apart from an incident at about 11.30 when her heart rate started racing reaching well over 160. The Doctors identified a chemical imbalance and administered drugs which mean it has been perfect ever since. No news on a scan time yet. Thanks again for your support.
I haven't got the scan results yet, but I thought I'd let you all know that Laura's had a good day. Her heart rate has been good all day and her blood pressure has started holding up without medication in the last hour. All else is as it was. Nothing else to report yet but I know how not knowing anything feels (believe me!) so I thought I'd check in.
Scan results reveal no changes which is fantastic news. There are two caveats: something may still develop, though with each day that passes that risk diminishes, and the CT scan is quite crude and may not pick up small things. So, it's really good news! I asked if they were going to do a finer scan but because of one or two positive signs (I didn't tell you in case it gave false hope but there has been some responsiveness though only coughing and facial expressions) there is no need as yet because she's doing well. I'll report back again!
Hi all. The nurses sent me home last night but I've been on the phone a few times and been told 'no change'. Heading back in now, so I'll update you later.
Have been with Laura for a few hours now. The oxygen in the air she gets from the ventilator is up to 55% (it was originally 28) because it isn't circulating the way it should yet. But she is now breathing for herself! Also, she turned her head a couple of inches earlier spontaneously and without stimulation. These are only little things and we should be cautious because this may be all the progress we get but nevertheless, these are very positive signs. Going back in now- I don't want to miss anything!
This evening I popped out while the nurse changed Laura's bedding. When I got back he said "Laura, can you open your eyes for me". And she did! Not easily and not for long but she did!
In the hospital with Laura again. The worry we have is that the oxygen problem she had is because she has pneumonia. It is being treated by anti-biotics which take 48 hours to have an impact and started yesterday. More promisingly she is increasingly responsive- when she heard my voice this morning, she opened her eyes because she recognised it. So lots to be very thankful for with still the obvious warning that it's still early and she is still very ill.
No news on Laura's pneumonia yet, we're awaiting test results. She is having an EEG scan in the morning to try and assess electrical activity levels in the brain. She's had a good day though. Her eyes have been open a lot but I don't know if she can see anything very well (or at all really). She's showing a lot of discomfort with the tubes, which is a good sign too. I'll know more tomorrow maybe.
Just a quick update. Laura has had her EEG but we've no idea when we'll know anything. She is having another chest x-ray later to check on her pneumonia. Because she was agitated as she came around yesterday, she was hyperventilating and not getting the oxygen around her properly and so they've sedated her today to regulate her breathing and help fight off the pneumonia more effectively. So, no reports of eye-opening or hand-squeezing today I'm afraid. But she's resting and healing, so that's okay.
Laura's chest x-ray shows the pneumonia has worsened a little, but that's to be expected as the antibiotics won't have an effect until Weds/Thurs. The results of her EEG should be back tomorrow; they will give an indication but won't be definitive as she was both ill (pneumonia) and sedated when it was done. Despite being sedated she still opened her eyes in response to voices, which was a pleasant surprise! Another positive day all things considered.
Hi again. Laura has been put onto a different ventilator. It is massive, noisy and looks Victorian but seems to be doing some good, her oxygen requirement is down to 40% from a high of 80. Normal is 21% I think. So, early days but positive signs.
EEG results are back and tell us there are no major seizures (good news, obviously). Brain activity was lower than normal but as she was sedated on morphine when they did it, that was expected and means nothing good or bad. The pneumonia has been treated, now they are dealing with healing the lungs which takes time. The Doctors are happy with this. They've increased her sedatives to allow the healing process to happen but she still won't keep her bloody eyes shut! It appears that her stubbornness is unaffected. Seriously, she is fighting very hard and your thoughts and prayers are all helping her. Thanks!
They say no news is good news and I'm therefore happy to report that Laura is exactly the same as I said earlier today. Another good day then!
Hi, Laura is still pretty heavily sedated to allow the effects of the pneumonia to heal, and still trying to keep her eyes open in spite of it. That's expected to remain the situation for today and tomorrow at least. She's showing lots of positive signs and fighting very hard. I'm very proud of her.
As expected Laura remained much the same all day. Except when I tried to let go of her hand she gripped so hard that she left an imprint of her fingernail!
Hi, Laura has been sedated again today but did manage a massive toothy smile (her first since she's been in hospital) when I arrived. Otherwise slow, steady progress again which the Doctors are more than happy with.
Hi, a really quiet day of Laura being sedated and healing again. No news, again, is good news!
Laura had another good day. She was mostly asleep with the sedation but the Doctors are pleased with her and her recovery from pneumonia. All good with little to report again.
Laura went back onto the original ventilator this afternoon and has responded well. She's still sedated while they assess how she copes. That said, she was still fighting it and trying to wake herself up. The plan is to begin reducing her medication from tomorrow- if she continues to respond well- and begin to assess how she is in herself. It's been a lovely day all told.
Harder day for Laura today as she's gone back onto the original ventilator and hasn't settled totally. She's running a bit of a temperature which is being investigated and is fighting to wake up from sedation despite being given enough to fell a horse. It's nothing to worry about but after days on end of positive news, today it's been neither positive nor negative. The Doctors remain calm and confident that her progress is in the right direction.
Laura's struggled with getting oxygen around her system since switching to the less intensive ventilator. It may be because her lungs were more damaged than originally suspected, or that there may be a secondary infection (this is being investigated) or that she simply wasn't quite ready to make the transition so soon. In practice this means that she'll need to be sedated and for her breathing to be supported for a while longer than originally hoped- but as yet no- one can say how long. On the positive side, when she comes round from the masses of sedation she needs (the staff are absolutely amazed how much she resists!) she is much more her old self. But her look of sadness as I explained I had to leave for the evening tonight broke my heart!
Laura had a lovely quiet day today. Lots of rest and little agitation which is what she needs. Nothing big is expected to happen over the weekend and that would be lovely if it happens because she'll be making slow, steady improvements.
Laura was very irritated by the breathing tube today and the Drs have decided that she'll have a tracheostomy. This is a breathing tube directly into the throat. It is much more comfortable for her, allows them to stop sedation, carries much less risk of infection and allows her to breathe for herself at times and not waste her chest muscles any further. This will happen on Monday if she's fit enough and if the hospital isn't too busy with injured soldiers. It sounds scary but is very routine and a normal next step. Afterwards she'll need to remain in Critical Care for 'a considerable period'.
Laura had a very quiet day today and her progress has been slow but steady. She may not be quite ready for the Tracheostomy procedure tomorrow, a decision will be made in the morning. Her temperature remains high and they'll run further tests in the morning. But overall she's been okay.
Just to let you all know that Laura isn’t having the procedure today as she isn’t quite ready.
Barring a decline in her health the procedure will go ahead tomorrow. She’s unchanged otherwise.
Fairly sure Laura will have the Tracheostomy tomorrow, her breathing has been better and more consistent today. She’s been asleep the whole day which is good. Her temperature is still up but tests have come back negative for infection twice now which is good. I’m off to bed; watching someone sleep is exhausting!
Just to let you know the Doctor’s are planning to go ahead with the tracheostomy ‘at some point this afternoon’. I’m going to try and stay overnight to be there when she wakes from sedation.
Hi, the tracheostomy went well and she’s going to be automatically ventilated and sedated overnight. The staff seem pleased. There was a slight wobble during the procedure when her heartrate dropped but they pumped her with some drugs and that sorted her out. Fingers crossed again.
Hello again, Laura is now breathing for herself via the ventilator (she’s going to be dependent upon that for a while yet). Some of the sedation has been lightened (she’s on four types, one stopped and two reduced) and so the long slow process of waking up starts now. Although her lung injury is still the highest immediate concern, we can hopefully begin to assess what extent of brain injury she received during the coma. Obviously this could be very serious but the staff can’t make any assessment or predictions yet. At the outset we were told chances of a full recovery were very slim and nothing’s happened to change that. We must all remain hopeful obviously but also be prepared for a long wait and the possibility of a very different Laura than we knew.
Laura had a FANTASIC day today. The sedation was lightened and she came around a lot. She drifts in and out of dreams with her eyes open and in between gurning, laughing and crying at hallucinations (she’s medicated, give her a break!) she was able to see and hear, to understand and respond to questions by nodding or shaking her head, to recognize me and a couple of her friends, to be a complete pain in the arse to the nurse by keep trying to pull her tubes out and to give me a kiss goodbye! She can speak but because of the tracheostomy no sound is made and she is getting incredibly frustrated with my ability to lip read. She was worn out by the end of the day but she deserved to be. The prospects are much better than they could have been.
Laura’s day was much quieter today. Having been awake for most of the night she slept most of the day. When awake she was mostly delirious with a few moments of lucidity (I’m assuming the moment when she appeared to call me a wanker wasn’t one of them!). She is making progress with her breathing but struggles after a while and the support has to be increased again – this is why it will take time as she gradually weaned off the ventilator. Doing ok though.
Hi all. I’m fairly confident that no matter what a huge battering her lungs have taken, Laura’s brain and personality remains intact. It is wonderful to know I still have her to love and be bossed around by. In her still rare lucid moments, she is very much the same old Laura – sadly with the same old problems, but better to have her needing help than not to have her at all!
Laura slept ALL DAY again, but that’s okay. There was a lot of good stuff done on increasing her lung strength today though. Nothing else to report except she has some kind of boxing gloves on to stop her pulling out tubes from her nose, throat or arm. She doesn’t look much like a boxer to me.
Laura made a lot of good progress on the ventilator today. She’s very down in the dumps and frustrated but getting better and stronger. She had lots of visitors and was knackered by the end of the day so hopefully she’ll have a nice peaceful night. They’re increasing her support overnight to let her rest.
Laura did largely unsupported breathing for most of today. She exhausted herself doing it but this is way ahead of what we’ve been told to expect. It’s amazing. I can’t tell you how exciting it is seeing such rapid and unexpected improvements!
Another great day for Laura. She spent an hour out of bed on a special armchair and has also been moved to a quieter and less intensive part of the Intensive Care ward. She is now accelerating beyond expectations at pace. If only that would stop her being bored and frustrated!
Sorry for the late message, my phone died and I’ve only just got in. Laura had a wobble overnight when she needed to be sedated and put on a ventilator, nothing to worry about and she’s back to where she was last night after a good day. So it isn’t plain sailing but still going the right way.
Laura had another steady day. She had moments of being more animated than she has been before, but was mostly drowsy or actually fast asleep. The medical staff are pleased with her progress though and that’s good enough for me.
Laura was awake and alert for most of today. She was the most herself she’s been and it was really lovely spending the day with her, she didn’t seem that down about being stuck in the hospital for a change!
Laura had another nice day. She had a speaking valve fitted at one point but found it exhausting. She’s begun to realize how ill she is and has been. The Doctors have replaced the tracheostomy tube with another type which should make the speaking valve less difficult. I have to say though, that it was lovely to hear her voice for the first time since January 27th, no matter how croaky it was!
Hello everyone, Laura has had the tracheostomy tube removed and is doing brilliantly. She is talking, albeit weakly, and has stood up with support and has been sat in her chair for about four hours. Wonderful stuff again!
Laura is out of intensive care! She’s not on a ventilator either. Admittedly she’s now on a ward that looks like the set of the film Cocoon, but it’s still really fantastic news!
Just wanted to let you know that Laura is still doing really well. She’s been walking with the assistance of a zimmer frame for a couple of days and even took a shower this morning – after that her legs were knackered for the rest of today as she’s been pushing herself hard for two days. There as been a suggestion and no more than that, that she may be discharged in about a week. Her lungs are stronger bit-by-bit and her memory is getting better at recalling things but also storing short-term memories, which has been a concern. In short, she’s a (slowly) walking miracle! I’m so proud of her.
Hi Everyone. Good news and bad news for Laura today. The good news is that she’s being discharged tomorrow. The bad news is that there’s six week’s worth of housework waiting for her when she gets home!
