buddy in icu
 

Need some Docs to comment.

My friend went into the hospital due to shortness of breath. He is recovering from his second bout of cancer and chemo. His wife went home and during the night he stopped breathing and he was intubated. He has been on a respirator for a week. Signs were hopeful yesterday, but today his organs are giving up.

They never got to say anything. Can he be brought back to consciousness to say goodbye? Family is flying in from around the globe to be here tomorrow for perhaps a decision day.

That sucks.
Unfortunately if he has whole body shutdown it is not likely he can wake up because of the toxins of the body not getting cleared. Called toxic encephalopathy. Sometimes, there can be a brief period of lucidity, but it is not something that can be arranged unless they are giving him meds to sedate.
Sorry to hear this.

When they intubated, they sedated him and have kept him sedated.

Well then they might try to reverse the sedation, but he may or may not wake up if the liver isnt processing drugs

Right now his lungs seem deeply affected and he is on 100% O2 and his blood pressure is dropping. They did a dialysis on Sunday.
No word on his liver.

thanks for the response.

Hearing is the last to go. Keep talking to him.

If they remove the tube to the ventilator, then he'll pass.

Hard to know what's going on there, could be a pneumonia, heart failure, or any number of things from your description. The most important thing is that it sounds grave, and might be rapidly progressive. One of the downsides of trying to wake him up might be pain or breathlessness, which wouldn't be pleasant as a last sensation.
Sorry for your friend's illness.

Steve,

Prayers out to you and yours! I wish your friend the best!

Damn...:(

I am sorry to hear of your friend Steve.
Regards,
Sandy

sorry to hear about your friend..
doesn't sound good..
at this point or real soon..
it should be about him & his comfort..
folks had yrs to get it right /make it right..

talk to him...
let him know it's okay..
you will help handle stuff that comes his spouses way..
he's not worried about himself..he knows..
he's most likely worried about her..

+1
Very sorry about this Steve. Losing a friend is so hard.

steve, sorry about your friend.

So sorry to hear this...

Very sad news steve, sorry to hear this.

Thanks guys. He is only 61. He was able to make it to my oldest daughter's wedding in April. She is like a daughter to them. They had only 2 sons.

We'll see what happens tonight.

Got the call last night, he has passed. He had a rough last three years. Heart attack and two rounds of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In 32 years I never heard a harsh word from him and nary a criticism of anyone. He will be missed.

So sorry for your loss...

Sorry Steve.
Regards,
Sandy

Sorry Steve,

Dan