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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 39 >> Her husband's moods and behaviour were hard to deal with in the first few weeks after he had come home.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 after having an accident in the home. Spent about 4 days in intensive care and 3 days in a trauma ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 18 >> She had to clean up after her husband because nurses took so long to attend to him.

Was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in 2004. 2-day stay in ICU was planned, following surgery. Transferred to general ward in private hospital. Had to have a second operation and, because of complications, was admitted to ICU in NHS hospital. Spent 18 days in ICU. Had several more operations. In hospital for 5 weeks.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 71 plus >> Interview 21 >> He got through his illness with the help of family, friends and the power of prayer.

Was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in 2001. Was admitted to ICU because of organ failure (heart). Was in ICU for almost 4 weeks and general ward for 1 week.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 34 >> He now values spending more time with family and the memories they share and create together.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2001 because of acute pancreatitis. Spent 46 days in intensive care and 1 month in general ward. Needed to have surgery and was transferred to another hospital. Spent 4 weeks in hospital before surgery, 30 days in intensive care and 3 months in general ward. Overall length of stay in 2 hospitals was 7 ½ months.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 02 >> He got tired quickly and recommends visitors only stay for short periods of time.

Had very severe cold and coughing in 2005, which turned out to be pneumonia. Was in intensive care for nearly a month and in general ward for about 4 days. Has now fully recovered.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 37 >> He felt like a child the first time his brother took him out and was very emotional.

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.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 24 >> She remembered hearing voices, having treatments and coming round unable to do anything for herself (she had pneumonia).

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 04 >> He stayed at the hospital day and night when his partner was first ill, and felt frightened.

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 41-50 >> Interview 04 >> She asked some of her family not to visit so she could have the energy to do her physiotherapy.

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 61-70 >> Interview 27 >> He adored some of the nurses but felt others were very busy and uncaring and, on one occasion, left him in his chair for twelve hours.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of pancreatitis and septicaemia. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 2 weeks in a High Dependency Unit; 6 weeks in a general ward, and 2 weeks in a rehabilitation hospital.

• 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 30 and under >> Interview 12 >> She still felt confused after being transferred and had to keep asking questions to understand what was happening.

Was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Had to have surgery to remove colon. Had kidney failure and was in intensive care for about 21 days, High Dependency Unit for about 2 weeks and a general ward for 2 weeks.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 01 >> She was extremely weak and her family worried that if she needed anything during the night, no one would be around to help.

Was admitted to intensive care in 1998 because of a complication during pregnancy, leading to septic shock. Was in ICU for 11 days and in general ward for 2 weeks. Recovered well and has had no further problems related to that illness.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 27 >> Learning to walk again felt like a big step forwards and he always told his family how he was doing.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of pancreatitis and septicaemia. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 2 weeks in a High Dependency Unit; 6 weeks in a general ward, and 2 weeks in a rehabilitation hospital.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 06 >> She had to rebuild her strength to do normal daily activities and missed her new baby.

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 31-40 >> Interview 15 >> She asked her family to find out more about Crohn's and looked on the Internet when she got home.

Was admitted to ICU three times in 2004 and spent, in total, about 1 month in intensive care. Spent several months in hospital, in different wards and had a hospital transfer. Was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and, shortly afterwards, had an ileostomy.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 29 >> She asked to be discharged and was allowed home because her husband was off work and could look after her.

Had a planned hysterectomy in 2004. Complications led to a second operation. Was admitted to intensive care because of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 1 day in High Dependence Unit and 1 week in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 28 >> Doctors agreed to discharge him after talking to his wife, and he surprised his children by turning up at home without telling them first.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of septicaemia. Spent about 7 weeks in intensive care and 4 weeks in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 27 >> He felt very emotional when he came home and was unprepared for adjusting to being with his wife again.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of pancreatitis and septicaemia. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 2 weeks in a High Dependency Unit; 6 weeks in a general ward, and 2 weeks in a rehabilitation hospital.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 37 >> He had to accept what others told him because he couldn't remember what had happened to him and so couldn't understand why he felt so ill.

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.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 24 >> She found it difficult to climb the steps leading to her front door and had to be wheeled around on an office chair inside the house.

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 04 >> He didn't know how much to tell his partner in case it worried her and hindered her recovery.

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 41-50 >> Interview 28 >> It took him four months before he could walk without a stick but he slowly regained mobility and put on weight.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of septicaemia. Spent about 7 weeks in intensive care and 4 weeks in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 25 >> He felt emotional when he thought about young people who had died and how close to death he himself came, and was grateful for all the support he rece

Was admitted to intensive care in 2003 because of severe pneumonia, septicaemia, liver abcess and kidney failure. Spent about 4 weeks in intensive care and 2 weeks in a general ward.

• 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 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 51-60 >> Interview 19 >> A few days after getting home he felt depressed and accepted that recovery from major surgery would take some time.

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 31-40 >> Interview 05 >> She learned more about her ICU experience by talking to her sister, and about her husband's feelings because he found them hard to discuss.

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 61-70 >> Interview 27 >> For him, moving on and recovering included talking with relatives about what had happened and seeing the funny side of the hallucinations.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of pancreatitis and septicaemia. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 2 weeks in a High Dependency Unit; 6 weeks in a general ward, and 2 weeks in a rehabilitation hospital.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 24 >> She got snippets of information from family and nurses and from reading her cards and letters.

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 29 >> She would have liked to know which hospital she was in and why, and to have this information repeated.

Had a planned hysterectomy in 2004. Complications led to a second operation. Was admitted to intensive care because of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 1 day in High Dependence Unit 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 31-40 >> Interview 06 >> She appreciated talking to a nurse about her psychological recovery but would have liked more on-going support while she was at home.

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 51-60 >> Interview 30 >> She wants to downsize and enjoy life more but worries about growing older.

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 41-50 >> Interview 28 >> He and his family treated each other differently for a while but they have now gone back to normal.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of septicaemia. Spent about 7 weeks in intensive care and 4 weeks in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 11 >> She and her husband were shocked when they saw their 14-month-old daughter in intensive care, even though she was a nurse and knew what to expect.

Her 14-month-old daughter was admitted to intensive care in 2002 because of pneumococcal meningitis. Sadly, she died. Her organs were donated to help two other children survive.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 35 >> His wife found it difficult spending all day at the hospital, and then coming home and phoning family and friends.

Was admitted to intensive care in 2004 because of Guillain-Barre Syndrome. This is a rare disorder of the peripheral nerves, those outside the brain and the spinal chord. Spent 17 days in intensive care and about 1 week in general ward. Was then transferred to rehabilitation ward in another hospital, and spent about 3 months there.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 29 >> She cried when she read her ICU diary because she realised for the first time just how her illness had affected her family and friends.

Had a planned hysterectomy in 2004. Complications led to a second operation. Was admitted to intensive care because of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 1 day in High Dependence Unit and 1 week in a general ward.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 14 >> Her husband talked more about his own feelings when she'd recovered, and is still dealing with everything that happened in his own way.

Had a planned caesarean in 2005. Had a complication (placenta accreta) after she'd delivered and had to have a hysterectomy. Following hysterectomy, was in ICU for nearly 2 days, then spent 2 days in her own room in the hospital with her new baby. Discharged herself and has had no problems since.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 27 >> She would have liked to know more about how much to encourage her husband to do things when he was recovering and how to change his surgical dressings

Was admitted to intensive care in 2005 because of pancreatitis and septicaemia. Spent 2 weeks in intensive care, 2 weeks in a High Dependency Unit; 6 weeks in a general ward, and 2 weeks in a rehabilitation hospital.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 05 >> Her younger son was a lot quieter than normal at school and the older one wanted to help her, keen for her to get back to normal.

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 26 >> He and his wife grew closer after his illness and have both talked about their feelings at different stages.

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 31-40 >> Interview 14 >> Her mother and her friends helped with cooking, cleaning and looking after her baby, so that she could rest during the day.

Had a planned caesarean in 2005. Had a complication (placenta accreta) after she'd delivered and had to have a hysterectomy. Following hysterectomy, was in ICU for nearly 2 days, then spent 2 days in her own room in the hospital with her new baby. Discharged herself and has had no problems since.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 05 >> She advises people to talk about their experiences, and relatives to tell them what happened because the more they know, the easier it is to deal with

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 30 and under >> Interview 17 >> He advises relatives to keep giving love and encouragement to their loved ones because it will help their recovery.

Has sickle cell anaemia and was experiencing chest pain, which turned out to be pneumonia. Breathing difficulties led to ICU admission and, because of multiple organ failure, spent about 12 days in ICU. Following ICU, spent 2 weeks in general ward.

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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: Patients' experiences >> Impact on family >> Impact on family

Impact on family