Advice for a friend in the ICU

[LaughClown]

Ok, my friends little sister (about 13yrs old) was in an auto/pedestrian accident last thursday. She broke her right femur and left tibia and fibula and right hip. Also, though (and the reason Im posting here) is that her aorta ruptured on the descending portion just below the heart. They had to go in through her left side for emergency heart surgery.
Im mainly looking for some recovery/advice info for recovering from at least that surgery or stays in the icu in general. They are trying to see if she can breathe on her own without the tube today, so I was going to bring some cough drops and Ive been reading up on the posts for the icu and its giving me some ideas, but any info could be appreciated. Im just not sure on the recovery differences in going through the side vs a full sternotomy.
Thanks alot.

 

[Nancy]

I'm not sure if you were intending the cough drops for her, but don't bring them, if that is the case. She could choke on them. No doubt, if she gets off the vent, she will only be allowed some water on a tiny mouth sponge, until they are sure she can swallow liquids without choking. Choking is something to be avoided at all costs, since it could cause inspiration pneumonia, and that could be deadly.

The staff in the ICU will handle all the transitioning off the vent.

The one thing I can say about ICU ar any other hospitalization is have someone there who can watch over you (her in this case). Keep an eye on EVERYTHING, and i mean everything.

She will be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Kate]

Hi Laughing Clown!
If your friends' sister has an MP3 player (and if the ICU will allow it), that might be helpful. She will have already downloaded her favorite music to it and might find it a comfort. Other than that (or a walkman and her favorite CD if she doesn't have an MP3), there really isn't much that ICU's allow to be brought in. As Nancy says, her family can watch over her but that's about it. Sounds like she was very lucky that they were able to repair her aorta in time. Hopefully, her luck will continue, and she'll be in a regular room within a few days. Best, Kate

 

[Lynlw]

Hi I think it is great you want to help her, she must be so scared. I agree w/ what nancy and kate said, My only suggestions would be some flavored lip balm and maybe a small throw pillow we have given both things to a few CCUs and they always appreciate them, the chapstick is good for the dried lips even on the vent. Justin alwasy likes new fleece blankets when he is in the unit, since the hospital blankets don't do much for you. from what i have heard for people that have had both the sternal incision or thru the side, the side hurts alittle more in the beginning.
If you would like to help the family, either change or one dollar bills are great to have for the vending machines, or even a gift cert to a close restraunt. As she starts to heal, you probably could do more for her. Lyn

 

[geebee]

She is so young, a stuffed animal (if allowed) might bring comfort. At 13, I am sure she acts older in the real world but she will be scared and closer to a little girl than adult in this situation.

Also, if she wears glasses, make sure her family gets them to her. Not being able to see is very scary (at least it always was for me).

The really important other thing is to have someone she knows there at all the times that are allowed. A simple hand holding is the best medicine in the world.

I will pray for her and her family.

 

[Susan BAV]

Wow! What an ordeal!

When I had my first heart surgery to repair my aorta, at age 17, the incision was on the left, up through my back, and it's a foot long -- MUCH more painful than the sternum cut for open heart surgery, in fact it was terribly painful and I was one enormous swollen ghastly-looking bruise from what I could see in the mirror which is depressing in itself for a young girl, (although none of that is nearly as horrendous to what this young 13 year old is going through with all of the broken bones too.)

I recall being very lonely and depressed every morning until my parents would get to the hospital -- evenings weren't as depressing but I really needed to feel the love and comfort of my folks first thing in the morning; it would have helped me then if they had come to the hospital earlier each morning. Remind your little friend to do her spirometer exercises, once they are assigned to her. They also had some other funny exercises for me to do with my arm so the muscles would grow back well, walking my fingers up a wall and such. I didn't do them very well, as I didn't appreciate the importance of such silly and simple exercises at age 17, and I'm not very balanced or even in my upper body growth and strength today; in fact that shoulder blade muscle never grew back smoothly.

The early recovery, as far as pain and weak lungs (I could barely speak), was much more difficult for that incision through the back than the OHS incisions through the front.

Your young friend may need a loving reminder that every day will probably be a little better than the day before for her and all the therapy they eventually give her will truly help her, and even if the exercises seem silly and too simple, for her to be sure and do them.

One more thing, the salt free diet following that cut through the aorta was difficult and also depressing for [me as] a young girl too; most young people don't have much understanding or appreciation for the delicacies of nutritional needs and may need gentle coaxing reminders.

Oh, and another thing that was really upsetting to me at that time was that since I was a pediatric, I kept getting infant and toddler roommates. That was just the snotty reaction from me as a young girl but I remember that it was humiliating and made me feel kind of like a sickly freak at the time.

I hope things go well in her recovery. Young people often bounce back much more quickly from traumatic events than older ones, of course.

 

[KimC]

LaughClown,

I'm not sure music would be a good idead just yet. They really try to keep stimulation to a minimum in the ICU. It's a great thought down the long road to recovery, though!

I bought my eight-year-old a stuffed cat for her stay in the hospital and she still sleeps with it. She named the animal after her nurse! (She had minor surgery on her ureters).

Again, after she's out of ICU, bring her some of her favorite movies, a smoothie or other favorite food. It meant the world to my daughter when her grandfather showed up with her favorite smoothie.

I'm so sorry your friend had to go through this. I would be a mess. I'll be praying her you guys.

 

[Arlyss]

So sorry to read of what happened to this child. It is indeed amazing that they were able to save her following the damage to her aorta. This is a "real life" example of one of the risks of any accident where there is rapid deceleration of the body. The part of the aorta just past the arch, as it begins to bend down into the body, is where this type of injury occurs and emergency rooms should be aware of it. One only hopes that the hospital one is taken to has the ability to first of all find it and then to perform surgery to save your life.

It is something to be aware of if your loved one is in an accident. This link describes it a little further, in the section about aortic injury (trauma)
http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/3866.html#tai

Best wishes,
Arlyss

 

[LaughClown]

I was talking to her parents and they said when she first woke up she still had here breathing tube in (which is out now, so progress...). The parents had to leave and she kept motioning with her hands for her to go with her parents. It took a couple times before she realized she wasnt going to be able to go home for awhile and was stuck in the hospital bed. She was noticably disheartened after that which was really painful to see. She has the her tube out and they set her bones and all went well.
Its hard for me to sit by since she is such an exceptionally nice girl and is always looking to put you in a good mood. she is a big dance dance revolution fan and liked to thoroughly kick my butt. She thought it was funny. I brought some little indoor plants and drew a card. I am starting an art project I think she will like. Ive wanted to do it for a long time and this gives good incentive. She is still in the icu, but i think more will be possible when she gets her own room. I need stuff to keep me busy anyways.
yeah, keep the prayers and the good thoughts coming, she really appreciates them.