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Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) - Let's talk
Intensive Care (ICU) | Last Active: Sep 16 7:52pm | Replies (609)Comment receiving replies
It has been ten days since my last statement about the way I am. I become more and more in touch with the ways I experience PICS after severe septic shock (2016) and septic shock (2017). I hope I am not repeating myself when I say that frankly I am cognitively and emotionally worse than I was before I experienced the second incident of septic shock. My concentration certainly is worse, as is my depression. Of course, depression can diminish concentration and diminished concentration can exacerbate depression.
It is positive that I finally accept that my depression is substantial and thus, I am more patient with myself and less judgmental of my cognitive disfunction. (Pat me on the back, please.) The uneasiness that I have is not knowing if in the future, I will return at least to the level of cognitive/emotional healing that I experienced before the second experience of septic shock. In other words, I am concerned about whether or not I will be able to function in a more 'normal' fashion. (Please pray for me.)
Tonight my brain is weary. I need to rest... and that is a subject about which I later will comment. My dreams seem long and complicated. I wish they were simple ones. Anyway, I continue to be thankful to be alive and as very-well as I am! My dear husband and I laugh about some of the silliness in my changes and our adjustments. Thanks for listening! M.H.
Replies to "It has been ten days since my last statement about the way I am. I become..."
@rckj I am doing great right now. So good in fact, you'd never guess I had any illness. I am infection free at this time and trying to remain that way. I have to be on antibiotics indefinitely to keep mirorganisms from invading my lungs. I was out of town for two weeks so I am enjoying being home and picking up my hobbies again. I am currently making jewelry to sell at a big artisan street fair in October. (I sold out last year). So, you have FOUR cats? I LOVE cats but cannot have them due to my lung issues. I have a 5 lb teacup poodle. She is adorable and smart. Your exercise regimen sounded good until you mentioned a long staircase! I have a two story home and I tell ya, my staircase is going to be the end of me! I have 37% lung function, which isn't too bad until one goes up and down stairs all day. I invariably forget my cell phone etc. It's always something.... My optimistic self says "that's exercise baby!" Your excercise sounds like a delicate balancing act. Get your strength up so you can get to the Mayo next month. I want you to know that I think about you often and just know that there is a gal in South Carolina that is rooting for team Rhoda!
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@windwalker hi Terri, so happy to be with the kitties (4 of them!)and my husband and friends. The home care service tends to keep a close eye on me because of the suddenness and severity of the episodes. Also we are fighting deconditioning and trying to keep up my muscle strength. Physical therapy at this stage is exercises for core strength, walking around the house with the walker, practicing the few steps to get in and out of the house for doctors appointments. I have to raise my hydrocortisone dose for exercise so everything has to be paced so I don’t get tired or ill, another balancing act. Later on when I’m a bit better, we will do the long staircase to my office, walk outside, maybe exercise bike. Swimming is out because the pic line can’t get wet. It’s hard after each episode to get strength back but I have a great physical therapist. We always have to balance to make sure it’s not too much for the adrenal insufficiency. I used to be really fit before this illness and hope to gradually get more strength back. Thank you for all the support. It’s hard sometimes. How are you doing? Rhoda