Interview 07

Their son was admitted to ICU in 2005 with bacterial meningitis. It was a traumatic time but he is now back home and has made excellent progress.

Their son was admitted to ICU in July 2005 because of bacterial meningitis. He was 28-years-old and spent 4 weeks in ICU and 8 weeks in a ward, before being transferred to a specialist rehabilitation centre which he attended daily as an out-patient.

During their son’s stay in ICU they spent every day in hospital, often 12 hours a day at his bedside, uncertain of whether he’d survive. They felt they were asked to think about having his ventilator switched off and told that, if their son did survive, he would be left in a persistent vegetative state. They felt that some of the doctors and nurses were more positive than others and that healthcare professionals would benefit from having training in communicating bad news. They themselves continued talking to their son, and gradually he started improving. On the ward he started walking unaided, despite having been in ICU for 4 weeks. He made progress daily and, at the time of interview, was having some speech therapy, going out with friends again and getting his life back to normal.

As a result of her son’s illness, she had post-traumatic stress disorder and found counselling extremely helpful. They felt their son had made a miraculous recovery and advised parents in a similar situation to be as positive as possible and to get all the information they needed by talking to the health professionals caring for their child, as often as they needed to.

Although their son had to have some minor surgery and is still making progress, he has made a…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

She had post-traumatic stress disorder and counselling helped her focus on the present, whilst…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

Get as much information as you can, ask questions if there is anything you don’t understand, and…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

They were disappointed that nurses were not doing more for their son and she ended up feeding,…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

Although their son was very weak, one day, completely out of the blue, he got up and walked…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

Their son went to a rehabilitation unit during the day and came home in the evenings, and they…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

They would have liked to speak to people further along the road to recovery than their son was…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

They felt confused and upset and didn’t understand why doctors were asking them to think about…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

They were devastated about the possibility that their son’s life support machine could be…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

They watched the monitors and treatments being given to their son in the hope they’d gain some…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

One of the nurses took her son outside when he was in HDU and having so much more to look at…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

After a whole day of hospital visiting, she sent out an email to friends and family and received…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

They felt the nurses were brilliant apart from a few, including one who told them their son was…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male

She and her husband were desperate for news of their son’s illness, and waited anxiously at the…

Age at interview 51

Gender Male