Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM , where we INSTANTLY improve the lives of Families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care, so that you can have PEACE OF MIND, real power, real control and so that you can influence decision making FAST, even if you’re not a doctor or a nurse in Intensive Care!
This is another episode of “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED” and in last week’s episode I answered another question from one of our readers and the question last week was PART 1 of
You can check out the answer to last week’s question by clicking on the link here.
Trudie has also been featured on our PODCAST where she shares her and her mother’s struggles. You can check out the interview by clicking on the link here.
In this week’s episode of “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED” I want to answer the next question that Trudie from the UK has as her mother continued to be in Intensive Care after the cardiac arrest!
So, therefore in today’s episode of “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED”I want to answer PART 2 of
“My Mother is in ICU after her HEART STOPPED! We believe that the Intensive Care team is keeping her SEDATED & PARALYSED for LONGER THAN NECESSARY, what should we do?”(PART 2)
Hi Patrick,
Thank you. It was indeed a pleasure to talk to you on Skype!
Things are going well. I went straight to the hospital after talking to you. They had taken the tube out of Mum’s mouth. She had a mask on all the time. She was doing pretty well (speaking etc), but then they said her CO2(carbondioxide) levels were too high and this might be due to neurological impairment. They considered putting her back on the ventilator. Obviously we wanted Mum to be safe, but the big message I took from you, was try to stay off the ventilator. So in the end, they tried a more fitted mask and her CO2(carbondioxide) levels improved.
They made us leave whilst the doctors were discussing this. We tried to resist, but in the interests of maintaining a calm bedside we stepped just outside and they walked us away. We will be addressing their confidentiality issues at a formal meeting tomorrow morning.
My feeling is that a constant mask is better than a tube, but still essentially ventilation – although they said they are gradually reducing the oxygen they give, and if Mum needs a bit more help then fair enough. Her progress overall is good. My Dad was telling her what you said about moving around helping her oxygen levels and she made a real effort to move her arms and legs and after some physiotherapy made another big jump in her calm, alert and comprehensive state.
So some small set-backs, but lots of leaps forward. We’ve got some barriers to challenge tomorrow, so I am looking forward to planting some seeds of change.
Dad’s very happy to do an interview in a while, and perhaps get Mum involved too.
I will of course like your facebook page. I’ve already mentioned you on my facebook account.
Thanks so much. Your advice and support has been amazing.
Best wishes
Trudie
Hi Trudie,
that’s encouraging news!
It sounds like her increased CO2(carbondioxide) levels could be partly because there is still some sedation in your mother’s system or given that you mentioned that she has Asthma, a higher than normal CO2(carbondioxide) level is what normally comes with Asthma.
High CO2(carbondioxide) levels can of course also be a result of neurological deficits, however given that you are saying that your mother is talking and that she is already moving, I think that this is encouraging.
Check out our section about Asthma here
https://intensivecarehotline.com/clinical-pictures/acute-severe-asthma/
If she needs the oxygen mask for the next few days to keep her off the ventilator, so be it and even if she needs a tightly fitted mask(BIPAP mask) for the next few days to get her CO2(carbondioxide) down to normal levels to keep off the breathing tube and ventilator, so be it.
Here is some information about BIPAP and Non-invasive ventilation
Non- invasive ventilation(NIV)
How long is a Patient kept on a BIPAP machine in Intensive Care?
It’s also good to hear that your mother is calm, alert and comprehensive. That’s encouraging as well and doesn’t point towards a neurological impairment or deficit.
Also, I can see why you left the bedside in order to not upset your mother and keep everything quiet and peaceful.
I still feel that in this day and age, there should be absolutely no need to send families of critically ill Patients in Intensive Care out.
Where is the transparency? What do Intensive Care teams discuss that the Patient but not their Families can listen to?
But that’s exactly what Intensive Care teams have done for decades, they position themselves as the “perceived authority” and the “perceived power”.
And that’s not the worst thing, the worst thing is that Families buy into the Intensive Care teams perceived power positioning.
It’s good to hear that you have a family meeting tomorrow and it’s good that you will bring up confidentiality issues.
Planting some seeds of change can be challenging in an environment where the Intensive Care team is so used to be running the show and they get away with all sorts of arrogant behaviour because Families of critically ill Patients feel gratitude and they feel indebted towards the Intensive Care team.
You have to be aware of these psychological dynamics, because otherwise, the Intensive Care team will continue to keep you “at arm’s length”.
All the best and let me know if you have any other questions!
Thank you& Kind Regards
Patrik
How can you QUICKLY have PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care?
You get to that all important feeling of PEACE OF MIND, CONTROL, POWER AND INFLUENCE when you download your FREE “INSTANT IMPACT” report NOW by entering your email below! In Your FREE “INSTANT IMPACT” report you’ll learn quickly how to get PEACE OF MIND, real power and real control and how you can influence decision making fast, whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care! Your FREE “INSTANT IMPACT” Report gives you in-depth insight that you must know whilst your loved one is critically ill or is even dying in Intensive Care! Sign up and download your FREE “INSTANT IMPACT” REPORT now by entering your email below! In your FREE “INSTANT IMPACT” REPORT you’ll learn how to speak the “secret” Intensive Care language so that the doctors and the nurses know straight away that you are an insider and that you know and understand what’s really happening in Intensive Care! In your FREE report you’ll also discover
- How to ask the doctors and the nurses the right questions
- Discover the many competing interests in Intensive Care and how your critically ill loved one’s treatment may depend on those competing interests
- How to eliminate fear, frustration, stress, struggle and vulnerability even if your loved one is dying
- 5 “killer” tips& strategies helping you to get on the right path to PEACE OF MIND, control, power and influence in your situation
- You’ll get real world examples that you can easily adapt to your and your critically ill loved one’s situation
- How to stop being intimidated by the Intensive Care team and how you will be seen as equals
- You’ll get crucial ‘behind the scenes’ insight so that you know and understand what is really happening in Intensive Care
- How you need to manage doctors and nurses in Intensive Care(it’s not what you think)
Thank you for tuning into this week’s “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED” and I’ll see you again in another update next week! Make sure you also check out our BLOG section for more tips and strategies or send me an email to [email protected] with your questions!
Also check out our Products section where you get more Ebooks, Videos and Audio recordings and where you can also get 1:1 consulting!
This is Patrik Hutzel from INTENSIVECAREHOTLINE.COM and I’ll see you again next week with another update!
Related Articles