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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
Hello!
My journey to find you started with a massive saddle PE, DVTs, emergency open heart surgery, life flight to an ecmo machine, 2 months ICU/CCU, countless surgeries, dialysis, medical coma, transfusions, drainage tubes, lines, respiratory therapists who beat me with a jack hammer. I am a year and a half out. Very happy to be alive. It was frightening. PICS is real. It’s terrifying. I have a zoom support group through Vanderbilt but am always always always wanting more friends who have been through it, more information about it, and more ways I can learn to give back to help others who suffer from it. A big shout out to the medical community who saved me.
Replies to "Hello! My journey to find you started with a massive saddle PE, DVTs, emergency open heart..."
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A big WELCOME @mattiew! Welcome to Mayo Connect. I'm so happy you are here...it sounds like you almost were not here at all. How wonderful you are and what a blessing you have a second chance. I did not have the same life threatening conditions you had. Wow. That's incredible. I am glad you are here to share with others your experience. I was in ICU after open heart surgery and I agree with you. They don't call it "intensive" for nothing. I was not prepared to have terrible memories of being in ICU, but I sure did. I was able to work through them, but it took me months to even let myself think about it. And I was only there one day! I can't imagine 2 months! You are a super star! And you give the glory to the amazing medical team. They are amazing. Hopefully others who experienced your long journey in ICU will pop in here and say hi too. What have you found to be the biggest help accepting PICS happened to you? Do you have some thoughts you can share with others who may be going through the same thing?