So glad you wrote on this topic. My husband was in the ICU for a month and kept in an artificial coma. When I visited him the health care team would reduce his anesthesia and he would wake up a bit. Every time I saw him I said the same three sentences: "You are alive. You are doing well. I love you." I kissed him and held his hand. Sometimes my husband squeezed my hand before he went back to sleep. Toward the end of my husband's stay, I asked the nurses to raise the shades so my husband could distinguish day from night. Anesthesia was reduced gradually and it took a week for my husband to regain full consciousness. During this time he confused the past with the present, but I ignored these comments because I didn't want to disturb him. I attended morning rounds when I could and asked questions. My daughter came with me one morning. "Is my father going to die?" she asked. The Mayo Clinic physician stood up tall, looked her in the eyes, and replied, "Not on my watch!" Everyone in the family is grateful for the loving care my husband received.