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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 the question
“How long will my critically ill loved one in an induced coma for after a brain or head injury?”
You can check it out here.
In this week’s episode of “YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED” I want to answer another one of our reader’s questions and this week, Michael from Chicago, Ill, USA has the following question.
MY MOTHER IS IN INTENSIVE CARE WITH LIVER FAILURE AND MIGHT NEED A TRACHEOSTOMY, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
Hi Patrik
My 57 year old mother mother has been in ICU for three weeks now. Her liver is shut down because she is an alcoholic. She has been on a ventilator for three weeks now and the Intensive Care team wants us to make some decisions. I am freaking out should we put her on a Tracheostomy that is what we are unsure about and that’s where I need your help please. I have another appointment in 11 hours with the doctors.
We were at the most stressful time and my step mother found your website. Your information had already changed how are all conducting our business with the ICU team. We cannot thank you enough. I will contact you as we move forward. Thank you . I hope you know how valuable your website is to us.
Furthermore, I got very angry at the Intensive Care team because the doctors keep flip flopping and now he says with therapy she could survive, but we still need your advice about where to go from here.
Moreover, she has no insurance and I am not sure if they do have her best interest at heart. It’s a very confusing and hard time. I want to do what she wants but I wonder will she get to a point with the Tracheostomy where we can talk about what she wants considering her liver damage. She has been detoxed in the ICU here and came in convulsions.
Hi Michael,
I’m very sorry to hear what you are going through with your mother.
If your mother has been in ICU for three weeks now and she’s still ventilated, a Tracheostomy might be the right step, especially if she has failed to be taken off the ventilator during those three weeks. Three weeks on a ventilator without a Tracheostomy is a long time and normally if weaning off the ventilator is failing within 7-10 days, a Tracheostomy should be the next step.
If your mother is in liver failure and you think that she might be lacking the strength and stamina to go through a lengthy weaning process off the ventilator with a Tracheostomy, you might have to think about what might be next and in your mother’s best interest. Nobody can make that decision for you.
It certainly concerns me that you think that the Intensive Care team may not have your mother’s best interest at heart. Furthermore, keep in mind that if you are unsure, that you might ask for another couple of days or even more, until you have made up your mind or gathered more information.
As it relates to your mother having a Tracheostomy, it could well buy you, your Family and your mother time, as she may then be able to tell you what she wants.
In regards to your mother’s liver failure, she may not survive in the long term, but I think there is a fair chance that she may get out of Intensive Care sooner or later and then she can advice you and your Family what she wants in the future, should she get readmitted back to ICU. I do think that getting your mother out of Intensive Care would be a big bonus for you, for your Family and for your mother.
Even if she has a Tracheostomy and remains ventilator dependent she might be able to get out of Intensive Care. For (long-term) ventilator dependent Patients with Tracheostomy, often Intensive Home Care nursing, as a genuine alternative to a long-term stay in Intensive Care is the best alternative, but not always available in all areas/ countries. In Australia for example, specialized Intensive Home Care services as a genuine alternative to a long-term stay in Intensive Care are available, such as www.intensivecareathome.com.au
Recommended resources:
From what you describe, I think you and your Family, including your mother need more time to make a decision on what might be best. Even though your mother has been in ICU for three weeks and you may think that this is a long time, in the bigger scheme of things it’s not and often Patients stay much longer before they can be discharged or before they can approach their end of life.
You may not think of it that way, but your mother with 57 years of age is quite young and even though she’s quite sick, she still has a better chance of recovery than other, older age groups, despite her medical issues.
As you question whether the Intensive Care team has the best interest of your mother at heart, you need to consider the following:
I understand that she’s uninsured and the Intensive Care team can use this in two ways
1) the Intensive Care team may suggest to continue treating her, because they may see financial viability and a “good business case” in treating her
2) the Intensive Care team may suggest to “stop” or “limit” treatment because they may want to occupy the ICU bed with another Patient, that the Intensive Care team has a bigger interest in treating, whether it be because of financial viability or research interests etc…
Recommended resources:
The Intensive Care team will twist and turn your mother’s case in whichever way it may suit their interests and agenda. Your job is to be aware that those dynamics exist and then question and position yourself accordingly.
As a next step, I would think that buying a little more time before you proceed with any decisions may be the best advice I can give you, because your mother might also need a little bit more time to come out of the induced coma and she may need a little bit more time to think about what she wants. If she doesn’t “wake up” properly you might have to make decisions for her, but I don’t think that “rushing” into it is advisable. Keep in mind this is often a “once in a lifetime” situation and you don’t want to get it wrong and you don’t want to leave with a bitter taste in your mouth or without peace of mind.
Please let me know if you need anymore help and as I said I would be happily talking with you on skype if that’s of interest to you.
How can you leverage your level of power, influence and control whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care?
You’ll get to that all important feeling of power, control 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 real power and real control and how you can influence decision making fast, whilst your loved one is critically ill in Intensive Care! Our FREE reports help you with in-depth insight that you must know whilst your loved one is critically ill or is dying in Intensive Care! Sign up for your FREE membership and download your FREE “INSTANT IMPACT” REPORT now!
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 episode of “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!
Sincerely, your friend
Patrik Hutzel
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