Coma Support Group
A coma is a profound state of unconsciousness. A comatose patient cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to pain or light, does not have sleep-wake cycles, and does not take voluntary actions. Coma may result from a variety of conditions, including intoxication, metabolic abnormalities, central nervous system diseases, and hypoxia.
Hi, my name is Amy and I'm new to the group. I am looking for people to talk to that have gone through what I have been through--medically induced coma. I was placed in one on May 18, 2012 after my husband took me to the ER because I couldn't breathe. I had bacterial pneumonia, diabetic keto acidosis and collapsed my right lung. I don't even remember the drive to the hospital. I don't remember the helicopter ride I took to Indianapolis. My coma made me think different scenarios were happening to me for the 12 days I was in it.
I could go on and on but long story short, icu dementia set in and my poor husband worked so hard to get my head on straight.
I am the mom to a wonderful autistic 16 year old son. He also has Lennox Gastaut Syndrome, a terminal seizure disease. Most kids get it in infancy. My guy was diagnosed at the age of 10 after a 6 week long ear infection finally cleared up.
While in the coma I dreamed so many weird things, that the world had ended, I was in some Disney movie. There is nothing scarier then waking up in an ICU room with tubes and machines and nurses all rushing in so you don't freak out. My husband and I have this policy when it comes to our health, go home and take care of our son, pick me up when I am better. I don't have any family and there was no one to sit there in the hospital day after day with me. Not complaining, just the way it was/is.
As I said I need help. No one care truly understand what your mind does to you in a medical coma except someone who has been through it. It was/is a living nightmare. I don't have a good memory anymore. My body and thoughts seem very disconnected. I feel just so nervous all the time, so afraid I am still in the coma and dreaming all of this. Or maybe I'm dead. I ask my husband sometimes in seriousness if I am still in a coma or in another one and he just laughs. I don't know what is real anymore and what is a nightmare. I don't sleep since the coma. My body is still horribly weak. I feel like I'm whining but I know that the people here have been through or are going through this and know what I am saying. It has been almost 2 years.........how do I get back to my life???????????? HELP!!!!!!
I could go on and on but long story short, icu dementia set in and my poor husband worked so hard to get my head on straight.
I am the mom to a wonderful autistic 16 year old son. He also has Lennox Gastaut Syndrome, a terminal seizure disease. Most kids get it in infancy. My guy was diagnosed at the age of 10 after a 6 week long ear infection finally cleared up.
While in the coma I dreamed so many weird things, that the world had ended, I was in some Disney movie. There is nothing scarier then waking up in an ICU room with tubes and machines and nurses all rushing in so you don't freak out. My husband and I have this policy when it comes to our health, go home and take care of our son, pick me up when I am better. I don't have any family and there was no one to sit there in the hospital day after day with me. Not complaining, just the way it was/is.
As I said I need help. No one care truly understand what your mind does to you in a medical coma except someone who has been through it. It was/is a living nightmare. I don't have a good memory anymore. My body and thoughts seem very disconnected. I feel just so nervous all the time, so afraid I am still in the coma and dreaming all of this. Or maybe I'm dead. I ask my husband sometimes in seriousness if I am still in a coma or in another one and he just laughs. I don't know what is real anymore and what is a nightmare. I don't sleep since the coma. My body is still horribly weak. I feel like I'm whining but I know that the people here have been through or are going through this and know what I am saying. It has been almost 2 years.........how do I get back to my life???????????? HELP!!!!!!
I am sorry fr the delayed response,
real quick,
take a deep breath.
exhale,
and take another breath.
i do not know you, i do not know your entire journey. but if i can offer a moment in solidarity, i would feel much obliged. I hear your fear, and empathize greatly with your unrest in confusion and distrust for your current state of existence. I can not assure you that you are or are not dreaming, as much as you can not assure me of the same thing. what i can tell you however is that you hold, right now, the ability to influence how you feel in this moment and every moment. you ARE capable of influencing how your day unfolds, how you react to stimuli in your environment, and how you feel. i just wanted to remind you of your abilities. I too, absolutely, get scared, feel disconnected, and powerless to circumstance, it is natural and understandable, and also totally normal. more than anything else, its okay Amy. tools that i implement to help regain my sense of self are; yoga, meditation, exercise, laughter, mindful observation, practices in gratitude, and general self care of the physical, emotional, and spiritual states. therapy of any kind is highly recommended, physical therapy, psychotherapy, massage therapy. attuning to our needs is NOT a weakness, it is a profound strength. thank you for asking for help.
if you would like any further recommendations or ideas, i would be more than happy to help. i am a student massage therapist and an ambassador for personal well being, you may use me as a pillar of support if you choose.
for now i will leave you with an excerpt from my favorite spoken word piece by Marc Pinate, entitled 'Fred Calls'.
"...The moment is eternal, and eternal is the moment. The moment is eternal. And all eternity exists in this one moment. Therefore we are in heaven. And hell, hell is being in heaven and not realizing it. Lifetime, after lifetime, after life time...I am eternal. And thus do not exist, except as everything..."
i hope this helped as that is where my intention rests, if it did not help then please disregard.
in solidarity,
Mack.
Boulder, CO.