Hi,
I am new here and hoping to find some first hand accounts from family members of COPD patients with the following trauma -
My 77 year old mother was diagnosed with COPD 7 years ago. The Doctor scared her so badly that she spent 2 years in therapy and quit smoking. The past five years I have seen a gradual decline including the admission that it had advanced this winter. Even with COPD my Mom had always lived independently and alone. Kept up with the housework on her home, kept driving, helping us with our kids from time to time and really living a full and engaged life.
Three weeks ago today she rose from a 24 hour 'blackout' at home to call 911 who rescued her then rushed her into ICU. From there things got crazy fast - Severe COPD+walking Pnemonia+Rhinovirus+Sepsis...
First she was immediately intubated as her blood pressure went to 'zero' and she had to have 100% oxygen for 10 hours. Things were not progressing so the ICU team proned her for 20 hours to fill her up. All this time she was paralyzed (3 days) and sedated (6 days).
During her coma she had an afib, 6 cardio versions and her kidneys failed. She was put on dialysis and her body rejected the machine. (Blood was so thick it clogged the lines) she stopped urinating and I was convinced this was the end.
Since that time the ICU Team has given her every treatment available and medicine available and now 3 weeks later after all that trauma she is on a Trach (installed on day 15) and is now able to walk a few steps and talk via a e-voice box. They have begun trach cradle trials and given her Ativan to endure them while in a chair (but not in bed) for an hour or two at a time. The Drs are not sharing their prognosis so what I am hoping is that someone has experienced something similar and may be able to give me an idea of what to expect? Any guidance is appreciated. My greatest fear is that they are forcing her to work so hard to 'get better' only for this to happen again?!?
Ps At night when sleeping her vent continues at 40% O2 and pressures of 10/10 - she has never gone lower than 35% O2 and 8/8 pressures in 3 weeks!!!