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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 03 >> Every day her son improved in some small way and slowly started regaining weight.

In 2004 her 17-year-old son was a passenger in a car that was involved in a serious accident. He spent 17 days in ICU.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 02 >> When they lessened the sedation, her husband was so violently agitated they had to increase it again, but he soon started improving and would communic

In 2003 her husband had an accident while cycling on his mountain bike in woods close to their home. The accident left him with a serious head injury, fractures to his neck and spine, and a collapsed lung.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 01 >> Gradually her sister was able to communicate, sit up in a chair and go outside for short periods of time.

In March 2005 her sister was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome. This is a rare disorder of the peripheral nerves, those outside the brain and spinal chord.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 35 >> Although her mother had good and bad days, she was overjoyed when she saw her sit up, smile and talk again.

Her mother was admitted to ICU because of gallstones and other complications. She visited her every day, often with her two young daughters, and kept a diary.

• 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 51-60 >> Interview 07 >> One of the nurses took her son outside when he was in HDU and having so much more to look at helped him become more alert and aware.

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 31-40 >> Interview 18 >> Although she was very weak, gradually her friend was able to sit up, stand, walk with a Zimmer frame and have nutritional drinks to help her recovery.

Her best friend spent two weeks in ICU. She was the closest person to her, visited her daily and is now her main carer.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 18 >> Her friend was scared about being on a busy ward and having to do more for herself when she was still very weak.

Her best friend spent two weeks in ICU. She was the closest person to her, visited her daily and is now her main carer.

• 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 >> She felt her husband needed specialist support for his brain injury but wasn't getting this on the ward he was moved to.

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 07 >> They were disappointed that nurses were not doing more for their son and she ended up feeding, washing, changing and shaving him every day.

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 61-70 >> Interview 31 >> Because his wife was too weak to feed herself and the nurses were too busy to feed each patient individually, he was allowed to come in and help with

He cares full-time for his wife, who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 1998. She has been admitted to ICU several times and recently had a stroke.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 29 >> He felt his partner's mother was transferred to a ward too soon and if her husband hadn't been there, she might not have got the help she needed.

His partner's mother was admitted to ICU after an accident in the home. He lived with them at the time and tried to provide emotional support.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 08 >> He felt there was a lack of communication between ICU and ward staff but, once the nurses on the ward knew how ill his wife was, they gave her more su

His wife was admitted to ICU after having complications during emergency surgery. During her time in hospital he had a lot of support from family and his local community.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 17 >> She felt more reassured when her husband was transferred to a specialist hospital, because he was still very weak, confused and needed a lot of care.

Her husband was admitted to ICU because of a brain aneurysm. She spent eight weeks visiting him in two different hospitals, sometimes staying overnight.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 23 >> His partner stayed on a ward for one night before moving to a private hospital, where he felt she would get more care and support.

In 2006 his partner spent four weeks in ICU because of pneumonia. He visited her every day, sharing the visiting with his partner's parents.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 30 & under >> Interview 06 >> His father was likely to stay in hospital for quite some time and would only be discharged after having a further bowel operation.

In May 2006 his father was admitted to ICU because of pneumonia and was still in hospital at the time of interview.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 31 >> His wife needed a lot of support and, in the rehabilitation unit, nurses had time to spend with her and physiotherapists helped her become mobile agai

He cares full-time for his wife, who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 1998. She has been admitted to ICU several times and recently had a stroke.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 30 & under >> Interview 21 >> She was glad to have her partner back home but he had just begun to realise how weak and debilitated he'd become.

In 2005 her partner had a car accident and spent over four months in ICU. She visited daily while her mother looked after her new baby.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 02 >> Shortly after taking her husband home, he received physiotherapy and occupational therapy, and she had two weeks off work to look after him.

In 2003 her husband had an accident while cycling on his mountain bike in woods close to their home. The accident left him with a serious head injury, fractures to his neck and spine, and a collapsed lung.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 51-60 >> Interview 05 >> He and his daughter looked after his wife when she was discharged from hospital, and she'd needed help with walking, washing and personal care.

In 2003 his wife was involved in an accident in the home. He stayed at the hospital for two weeks while his wife was in the first ICU.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 35 >> Her mother has made a good recovery but still has good and bad days.

Her mother was admitted to ICU because of gallstones and other complications. She visited her every day, often with her two young daughters, and kept a diary.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 18 >> Her friend needed a lot of help at first and, five years on, is still weaker than before and gets depressed about the way her life has changed.

Her best friend spent two weeks in ICU. She was the closest person to her, visited her daily and is now her main carer.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 29 >> He felt that his partner's mother should have stayed longer in hospital to gain more strength and received more support when she came back home.

His partner's mother was admitted to ICU after an accident in the home. He lived with them at the time and tried to provide emotional support.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 31 >> Because of problems with personal care, mobility and eyesight, he cares for his wife full time.

He cares full-time for his wife, who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 1998. She has been admitted to ICU several times and recently had a stroke.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 41-50 >> Interview 16 >> A carer helps her son during the week and she cares for him the rest of the time, including giving him some physiotherapy and extra oxygen.

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 31-40 >> Interview 15 >> When her husband first came back home she used to check that he was still breathing while he was asleep and still phones him regularly if he's away to

Her husband was admitted to ICU because of an emergency heart problem, which was never diagnosed. She praised the care and professionalism of the ICU staff.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 61-70 >> Interview 37 >> He felt strongly about there being more support for ICU patients, including ICU follow-up clinics, physiotherapy and psychological support.

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 61-70 >> Interview 31 >> His wife is very dependent now and he feels that no one could understand her needs and problems without spending a lot of time with her first.

He cares full-time for his wife, who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 1998. She has been admitted to ICU several times and recently had a stroke.