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If you want to know what are survival chances for your husband in ICU with myeloma in his hips and with use of oxygen, stay tuned. I’ve got news for you.

Today I have an email from Tracy and Tracy says, 

“Hi Patrik,

My husband has myeloma in his hips. He’s 77 years old. He’s in ICU on oxygen, they have increased. We’re struggling with him being put on a ventilator and what are his chances of survival and/or he if we were to decide to use a ventilator?”

My name is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com. This is another quick tip for families in intensive care. So, let’s answer this question from Tracy. Tracy, I’m really, really sorry to hear about your husband’s condition.

So, multiple myeloma is a serious illness that can complicate treatments, especially when it affects critical areas like the bones, hips, in your husband’s case. His current situation in ICU with oxygen support and possible need for a ventilator suggests that he’s critically ill, which can make decisions about ventilation more difficult.

Regarding his chances of survival or healing, it largely depends on a number of factors, including the severity of myeloma. If the myeloma is advanced and has caused severe damage to his organs or bones, this may affect his ability to recover.

With myeloma, for example, you will also often find that patients have low immunity or no immunity, that means their white cell count as though they can’t fight an infection or even worse, they are neutropenic. So, that would be one of the first questions that I would have with the intensive care team or for the oncologist, how severe is his myeloma? Is he immunocompromised? What are his white cells, and is he neutropenic?

Next, his age and his overall health. He’s 77 years of age. His age can be a factor in how well he responds to intensive interventions like mechanical ventilation. He has underlying health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or kidney failure, this can also affect his prognosis.

Number 3, how does he respond to treatment? How well he responds to treatments provided in ICU such as oxygen therapy, medication, or other life support measures will influence his outcome, including when he gets on a ventilator. For instance, if the doctors are able to stabilize his oxygen levels, it may improve his chances of recovery.

Next, ventilator use. If the decision is made to put him on a ventilator, it is important to understand that ventilation is often used in critical cases to help the patient breathe, but it does not cure the underlying disease for someone with advanced myeloma. Ventilator may help to temporarily support his breathing, but if his overall condition continues to deteriorate, it may not be a long-term solution. Ventilation use also carries risk including infections and complications, especially in older patients. Also, another thing that when someone goes on a ventilator with myeloma, what I’ve also seen over the years is that they have a hard time to getting off the ventilator because once again, they are immunocompromised, and they are very weak.

Next, ultimately, the decision about whether to use a ventilator should be based on discussions with the medical team, intensive care team who can assess your husband’s prognosis, how likely he is to recover, and whether it aligns with your husband’s wishes and goals for care.

If you haven’t already, it may be helpful to have a clear conversation with the doctors about the likelihood of recovery, the goals of using a ventilator, as well as to discuss any potential outcomes. You may also want to ask if they have considered comfort care or palliative care options which focus on managing symptoms and providing comfort, especially in cases where recovery seems unlikely.

Those are all valid points, but another question is, does he then need a tracheostomy if he can’t be weaned off the ventilator? Is that something your husband would want? These are things you would need to think through before putting on a ventilator.

Like what I’ve seen over the years, and by the way, I’ve worked in critical care nursing for 25 years in 3 different countries where I worked as a nurse manager in intensive care and where I have also been consulting and advocating for families in intensive care since 2013 here at intensivecarehotline.com. I can very confidently say that we have saved many lives with our consulting and advocacy. You can verify that on our testimonial section at intensivecarehotline.com, or you can verify it on our intensivecarehotline.com podcast section where we’ve done client interviews.

So, what I’ve also seen over all those years that I’ve worked in critical care nursing, patients with myeloma can also often end up with a pneumonia, which pushes them directly to a ventilator. Then, they might have a really hard time of getting off that ventilator because they are so immunocompromised.

So, I hope that helps you understand what your husband is up to. I wish you can buy as much time as possible by advocating for a ventilator and a breathing tube, but that’s also something I can help you with, with the consulting and advocacy for families and intensive care here at intensivecarehotline.com where we have helped hundreds and hundreds of members and clients over the years. Once again, you can verify that on our intensivecarehotline.com testimonial section or on our intensivecarehotline.com podcast section where we’ve done client interviews.

That’s why we have helped hundreds and hundreds of members and clients over the years to improve their lives instantly. That’s why I also do one-on-one consulting and advocacy over the phone, Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, whichever medium works best for you. I talk to you and your families directly. I handhold you through this once in a lifetime situation that you simply can’t afford to get wrong. I also talk to doctors and nurses directly on your behalf and with you. I also represent you in family meetings with intensive care teams. When I talk to doctors and nurses directly, I ask the questions that you haven’t even considered asking but must be asked when you have a loved one critically ill in intensive care.

We also do medical record reviews after intensive care if you have unanswered questions, if you need closure, or if you are suspecting medical negligence.

We also have a membership for families of critically ill patients in intensive care. You can become a member if you go to intensivecareholine.com if you click on the membership link, or if you go to intensivecaresupport.org directly. In the membership, you have access to me and my team, 24 hours a day, in the membership area and via email, and we answer all questions intensive care, related.

All of that, you get at intensivecarehotline.com. Call us on one of the numbers on the top of our website or simply send us an email to [email protected] with your questions.

If you like my videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel for regular updates for families in intensive care, click the like button, click the notification bell, comment below what you want to see next, what questions and insights you have from this video.

I also do a weekly YouTube Live where I answer your questions live on a show. You will get notified for the YouTube live if you’re a subscriber my intensivecarehotline.com email newsletter or if you are a subscriber to my YouTube channel. 

Thank you so much for watching.

This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I will talk to you in a few days.

Take care for now.

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