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Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com with another quick tip for families in intensive care.

So, today’s tip is again about what you get when you are a member in our membership for families of critically ill patients  because we help many families in intensive care with our membership, but also with one-on-one consulting and advocacy, and here is what you get when you are a member.

I’ll just read out an email that we had from one of our members and we answer their questions. We answer your questions if you become a member and I will tell you a little bit more later how you can become a member.

I’m just reading out a question from one of our members and how we answer that.

“Hi, Patrik and team.

Thank you so much for reaching out a couple of times with me now. I’m sorry, I haven’t responded yet. It’s been a lot and I’m sure you all know very well how that is.

I did mention to my mom to get the portal setup and I normally can’t get up to see my dad’s records is closed. I need to push her to try to do it on her own.

My dad seems to be doing very well though. He’s almost weaned off the ventilator and possibly very soon, but he does seem to still need suction.

I have seen they’re still wanting to sedate him, and I feel like this was because he moves a lot. I also got the sense the nurse on duty yesterday was busy with his other patient who was in a more critical condition. Some nurses seem on board not to sedate him though.

He’s also taking something the neurologist prescribed for head movement. His movements of his head were concerning them with his tracheostomy.

He also pulled out his feeding tube a few times so his hands are in restraints again. His eye contact is looking clearer. On Monday, he gave my mom and brother about six thumbs up throughout the day to questions. The nurse asked him to move his tongue today and he did. He seemed to mouth “Hi” to me today, but I’m not sure because he does open and close his mouth a lot. I asked for a thumbs up which looked like he was trying to do though. They’ve started him on physical therapy and had him sitting on the side of the bed today. When the doctor came in, she said his blood work looked good today.

Overall, I feel like they’ve been kind and supportive to us and care about giving him a chance. We only had one doom and gloom nurse on Day 2 here.

Lastly, my mom does want to give him the feeding tube. She is concerned because it does look like he has lost weight. The first day there, he was throwing up a lot, but he hasn’t since it stopped. My mom thinks the tubes are bothering him and she thinks the feeding tube in his stomach is a better option. I don’t know how to advise her on this one.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support! God bless you all for doing God’s work!

I attached a picture of my dad with thumbs up.”

I can confirm that our member did attach a wonderful picture of her dad in ICU with thumbs up. So, here is how we responded.

“You are very welcome. We are always here to continue giving valuable advice that will help your dad and your family.

Thank you also for taking the time to provide such a detailed update on your dad’s condition. It’s good to hear that your dad is making progress in his recovery. The fact that he’s almost weaned off from the ventilator is a significant step forward. We hope that they will continue mobilizing him to strengthen his lung muscles and help facilitate weaning him off the ventilator soon.

Regarding the sedation, it is important to minimize its usage to prevent any complications that may arise. They need to carefully assess him before administering sedation.

You mentioned that the neurologist prescribed medication for his head movement. We hope we can have access to the online medical records very soon so we can gain more understanding of his treatment plan. Having access to the medical records would allow us to review the details and provide more comprehensive support and insights.

He’s been pulling out tubes a few times, so he’s been on restraints again. However, it is crucial for them to regularly reassess his needs for restraints to prevent any adverse outcomes like circulation issues, skin breakdown and physiological distress. You can also talk to your dad and explain to him the importance of the feeding tube and the potential risk of removing them.

His thumbs up responses and attempts to respond to questions are positive signs of progress and indicate that he’s making efforts to communicate with his loved ones. Continued interaction and support from your family can greatly contribute to his recovery process.

It’s also wonderful to hear about the initiation of physical therapy and the positive feedback from the doctor regarding his blood works. Physical therapy plays a vital role in helping him regain strength and mobility. It’s very good to know that they are providing him with the necessary care and rehabilitation support.

Your dad losing weight is really a concern. Adequate nutrition is crucial for his recovery. It may be beneficial to consult a nutritionist who can assess his needs and develop the most suitable approach to meet his nutritional needs.

Furthermore, considering your mom’s concerns about the nasogastric feeding tubes bothering your dad, the idea of a feeding tube inserted directly into the stomach, known as a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, also known as a PEG, can be considered if he continues to pull out the tubes repeatedly. However, it is also important to involve the speech language pathologist in the assessment process who will evaluate your dad’s swallowing abilities and determine if he has the potential to tolerate oral feeding without the need for a PEG. They will assess his ability to control secretions and coordinate swallowing and breathing. They will assess his ability to safely swallow and manage different food and liquid consistencies. We continue to pray for your dad’s recovery.

Thank you also for sharing the picture of your dad giving a thumbs up. It’s truly heartwarming to see his positive spirit. Keep us posted. Take care always.”

So, this is what you get.  It’s one of the things you get as a member, we answer all your questions, and we review medical records as well. It’s critically important that you do get access to medical records. Otherwise, you’re more or less flying blind unless you have me talk to the doctors directly, then I can ask all the relevant questions.

Now, if you want to become a member, go to intensivecaresupport.org and have a look at our membership. You can sign up there and you have access to me and my team, 24 hours a day, in a membership area and via email and we answer all questions intensive care related.

I also offer one-on-one consulting and advocacy for families over the phone, via Zoom, via Skype, via WhatsApp, whichever medium works best for you.

If you have a loved one in intensive care and you need a medical record review, please contact us as well. We give you a second opinion and a medical record review in real time. We also review medical records after intensive care if you have unanswered questions, if you are needing closure, or you’re suspecting medical negligence.

If you have any questions in relation to our services, go to 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 enjoy my videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel for regular updates for families in intensive care, click the like button, click the notification bell, share the video with your friends and families, and comment below what you want to see next or what questions and insights you have from this video.

Thanks for watching.

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

Take care for now.