paperwork about my death

Posted , 4 users are following.

Got a stack of paper about what happened to me when the bleed happened in 2011.   It seems as the vascular people arrived to assess me I blacked out then arrested.  It took 15 minutes of manual heart compressions before they stopped, luckily for me when they did stop I had a pulse albeit not good but it was spontanious and I held my own.  Then they stabalised me for about an hour and half taking xrays to detect what was going on, I arrested again.  Intervention to resusitate me was immediate and although my blood pressure was non existant surgery was done to repair the bleed which by then was a huge sack of blood in my abdomen.    26 units of blood and repair operation later saw my family being told people in my situation don't usually survive.  I was in the high dependancy unit for weeks. As I didn't die (again) my family were told severe brain damage was highly likely.  Given that my kidneys failed, my liver was not functioning properly and my red cell production had ceased.  Holding on to life was was a fight, the fight was happening inside my head in my brain which was conjouring up pretty weird scenarios.  These were more nightmares that dreams playing a part with strangers in all sorts of weird situations involving mainly the RAF and Submarines.   One nightmare was about Jenson Buttons mother being kidnapped, as I could fly helicopters (I can't in real life) I was gien the task to rescue Jensons mum.  the events seem to happen in the dark but my helicopter had strong lights.  Weird or what the nightmare stopped before any resolution was reached.  Another time with my special flying suit and helmet on I thought the nurses were trying to kill me by freezing liquids being pumped into my suite.  I tried to pull out all my tubes.  There came a point where I was given morphine which made me halucinate that I had spiders and other creatures crawling about and over me.  I started to have periods of conciousness but even lifting my arm drained me to the extent that I has nothing left.   I was on/off breathing machines, I was on one when ther transfered me to the step down area.  I was in a lot of distress most of the time some staff were supporting others just ignored your requests especially the night shift staff.    A pick line was fitted under my armpit straight into my heart.  It seems that my initial reason for admission to the hospital, Salmonella Sepsis, required 3 months of strong antibiotics which had to be injected near my heart because the drugs could damage my ateries/veins.  I was transferred to a rehabilitation small hospital.  I was hospitalised 28th July I came home the week before Christmas 2011.   The fight was an actual "fight" for life with a load of nightmare scenarios.  I beat the odds of 100 against surviving.  My surgeon said on every vist that my survival was remarkable and whatever it was I had he wished others had it, that was said with a sprinkling of - You Shouldn't be here Mr D" - well thats my story I wanted the to tell you the bones of it.   I recoved kidney and liver function, my red cell production restarted.   I am a very lucky person to be here.  If I can do it so can you DON'T give up.   

2 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Hello hijimhere,

    All I can say is you're so blessed that you survived. My dad died 10 years ago. I saw the blood gushing out from his mouth and nose and he died instantly. I have aortic aneurysm as well 4.8 cm in size. I don't know what life has is in store for me this year. Been down and depressed. After I lost my job, I also lose my hope to have my open heart surgery.

    Thanks for the inspiration.

  • Posted

    I do feel like that at times.  I am so sorry to hear what happened to your dad - the most awful horrible experience for any loving daughter/son.  The positive is that your dad knew you were with him and as a dad myself putting my kids through everything - Clare my daughter was 27 in 2002 and my boys were 6 and 10 when their mum died suddenly. In one respect as time has gone on my children have come through her loss but then what happened to me affected them deeply.  Your situation is so hard on you.  (((HUG))) We start to ask ourselves why me why us what have we done to deserve this.  But the signals and warnings that the pit is in front of us are misleading.  You haven't any choice YOU must work up and away from the pit.  Don't be hard on yourself you are not to blame for whats happened.  You did what was possible to do for your dad, I was told if my AAA had happened anywhere else but inside a hospital I would not have survived.   4.8cm  would not be treated as imminant risk I was told the threshold is 5.5 or greater. part of my problem was I had spent two weeks loosing fluid from both ends.  What happened to me was made a lot worse by blood poisoning, dehydration and repetative sickness for two weeks pushed my body to its limit. Any you have had some bad luck I feel its your time for some good luck.  I want you to lift your head up and look ahead positively - things will get better they alway do.  I hang about the forum but I also am on facebook - Jim Drummond england - take care now tomorrow is a new day with new opportunities.  I have had three jobs when we first got married in 1975 - and I have got to 65 - you have years in front of you like me - you can do this.   
    • Posted

      Yes, i went through that stage that I kept asking why me. After times of searching for answers, i started to thank God that it was me who bear this illness. Because I can't stand to see any of my siblings undergo the sufferring that I went through right now. I'll try to check you on fb. Thanks for the kind words... God bless!
  • Posted

    Wow! How old were you at the time?
    • Posted

      age 60  6 months 14 days lol  - how can anyone live that has almost no blood pressure - 2 hours bleeding out into my abdomen before they got me into surgery.  No wonder the consultant kept telling me I was remarkable and the odd you shouldn't be here Mr D fgs.

       

  • Posted

    Hello Jim, thanks for your "battle report" and well done surviving that testing time. Few enough survive AAA rupture from a starting point outside major vascular surgical centres. As can be seen from your account, even in such a unit, the odds are stacked against on actual rupture. Hence the development of the elective EVAR pathway, which seeks to intervene before rupture to successfully contol the aneurysm. Long term Anaesthesia during major ops can come with its own price tag, as you experienced in your "dream world" post-op. Your story will serve to give hope to those in similar circumstances. Again, many thanks.

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