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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 19 >> He felt safe in the hands of the healthcare professionals and chose not to visit ICU before surgery for cancer.

Was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004. Short stay in intensive care following surgery was planned. Spent 4 days in ICU and about 2 weeks in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 33 >> He felt that everything about the surgery was explained thoroughly but would have liked more information about catheters.

Had planned triple heart bypass surgery in 2004. After surgery, spent 1 day in intensive care, 2 days in a High Dependency Unit, and 2 days in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 33 >> He might not have survived surgery to see his children grow up: he now wants to make the most of his life.

Had planned triple heart bypass surgery in 2004. After surgery, spent 1 day in intensive care, 2 days in a High Dependency Unit, and 2 days in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 13 >> She prepared herself psychologically but her first date for surgery was cancelled because of a shortage of beds.

Had planned surgery in 1998 to remove kidney because of ongoing problems with kidney stones and infections. ICU stay after surgery was also planned. Stayed in intensive care for 2 days. Spent about five weeks in hospital after surgery.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 26 >> He panicked because having a tracheostomy triggered memories from his childhood and his father's experience of illness.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of severe pneumonia. Spent 30 days in intensive care and 8 days in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 24 >> She was waiting to have some counselling to help her deal with feelings of guilt.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of severe pneumonia. Spent about 5 weeks in intensive care and nearly 2 weeks in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 08 >> He was concerned about the experience of nurses on the ward and said mistakes were made with his medication.

Was admitted to ICU four times between 1994 and 2004 because of heart attack, angina, pneumonia and heart failure. In 2004, heart failure and chest infection led to a stay in ICU of about 10 days. Sadly, he died in February 2006.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 71 plus >> Interview 10 >> Some of the nurses couldn't understand what she was saying because English was their second language and she found this difficult when she was extreme

Was diagnosed with pancreatitis in 2004. Spent over a week in intensive care and 1 week in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 24 >> Her family were her 'rock' during a difficult time in hospital.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of severe pneumonia. Spent about 5 weeks in intensive care and nearly 2 weeks in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 71 plus >> Interview 10 >> She was glad to get back home because she found the noise from other patients, their visitors and nursing staff distressing.

Was diagnosed with pancreatitis in 2004. Spent over a week in intensive care and 1 week in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 06 >> She was anxious about moving to a general ward because she was too weak to do anything for herself and had no energy to press the buzzer.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2003 because of pneumonia, and developed septicaemia. Spent 3 weeks in ICU, 36 hours in a High Dependency Unit and 5 weeks on a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 04 >> She felt worried about catching an infection that might take her into hospital again.

Had bowel complications and septicaemia. Was in intensive care for nearly 5 weeks. Spent 1 week in a High Dependency Unit and was then discharged.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 05 >> She felt emotional when she saw her children perform in a play because she might not have been alive to see them grow up if she hadn't survived her il

Had pneumonia and severe sepsis. Was in intensive care for 22 days, the High Dependency Unit for 10 days and just over a week on a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 04 >> She felt reassured when she discussed her feelings with a nurse and learnt that how she felt was normal after critical illness.

Had bowel complications and septicaemia. Was in intensive care for nearly 5 weeks. Spent 1 week in a High Dependency Unit and was then discharged.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 30 >> She wished she'd been given her ICU diary sooner because she learnt so much from it.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of epiglottitis and severe sepsis. Spent about 6 days in intensive care and 5 days in a High Dependency Unit.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 05 >> She wants to go back to work but is worried she won't be able to cope with the pace, the stress and the physical demands of her job.

Had pneumonia and severe sepsis. Was in intensive care for 22 days, the High Dependency Unit for 10 days and just over a week on a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 30 >> She lost a lot of confidence when she first went back to work because of the pace and precision of her job and having to work nights.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of epiglottitis and severe sepsis. Spent about 6 days in intensive care and 5 days in a High Dependency Unit.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 37 >> He was disappointed that his pay would be reduced if he continued working part-time, but later realised that returning to full-time hours had made him

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 after having a motorbike accident. Spent 9 days in intensive care and 16 days in a trauma ward.