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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 16 >> She felt her son still needed one to one nursing care because he couldn't move his fingers or head when he was well but, after being in ICU, was even

She cares for her 13-year-old son, who has congenital muscular dystrophy. In 2003 he had a serious chest infection and was admitted to a peadiatric ICU.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 37 >> Doctors were happy to answer all his questions and phoned him to explain exactly what was wrong with his wife as soon as they'd found out themselves.

His wife spent 49 days in ICU because of severe lung problems. After her illness, he became involved in helping improve services for ICU patients.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 22 >> He found it hard to understand the information doctors gave him and to retain the information under stress.

His wife had emergency surgery to remove a kidney. He found it difficult to discuss his feelings but received comfort from sitting alone in the hospital chapel.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 11 >> Throughout her husband's stay in hospital and afterwards, she received conflicting information about whether he'd had MRSA, though she understands why

Her husband was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was happy with the nursing care he received in ICU but concerned about information and one of his treatments.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 07 >> They felt the nurses were brilliant apart from a few, including one who told them their son was responding when he wasn't and another who didn't take

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.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 30 >> Both he and his mother noticed that some nurses were more diligent at cleaning and preventing the spread of infection than others.

His father died in ICU, aged 83. Being an intensive care doctor, he was able to provide information and support to his mother and brother.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 19 >> She wishes she had taken photos so her brother could see how ill he'd been and why it was taking so long to recover.

Her brother had an accident while cleaning his motorbike. He had severe head injuries and spent almost four weeks in ICU, where she visited him daily.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 04 >> Her son had to have his own room because he had MRSA but she felt he was in danger of injuring himself whenever he tried to walk and that he needed su

In October 2004, her son had a motorbike accident and was admitted to ICU. He had a serious head injury and broken jaw.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 27 >> Her husband was improving but became dehydrated and developed a kidney infection, which set him back again.

Her husband had cardiac arrest and was admitted to ICU. She is his full-time carer and worries about leaving him on his own because of his memory.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 20 >> Their relative had an infection and, when it spread, she needed to have more surgery and another leg amputation.

In 2004 his wife and her mother spent six months in hospital and was admitted to ICU three times because of sepsis and heart problems.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 14 >> Support and encourage the ill person, including when they feel low or frustrated and it feels difficult for you.

She has cared for her husband full-time since he had a heart attack and life threatening infection that meant he had to have his leg amputated.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 70 + >> Interview 26 >> Her sister-in-law got better and worse so many times she felt embarrassed giving updates to others, though people were very understanding.

In 2006 her sister-in-law sadly died in ICU after having an accident in her car. She visited her daily and took care of all the practical matters.