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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Impact on work and finances >> Impact on work and finances

Impact on work and finances

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• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 01 >> Since her sister's illness, she has found a new, less stressful job.

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 >> Her colleagues were very supportive and going into work helped take her mind off intensive care for a few hours.

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 33 >> She and her husband now have a better perspective on life and he has gone back to being the humorous man she'd married.

Her husband was admitted to ICU after having emergency surgery. It was particularly difficult looking after other family members as well as visiting her husband.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 35 >> As well as visiting ICU she tried to keep life as normal as possible for her children and, somehow, found the energy to do both.

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 61-70 >> Interview 14 >> She felt emotionally exhausted and work helped take her mind off her husband's illness for a few hours each day.

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 31-40 >> Interview 02 >> She felt helpless sitting by the bedside so went back to work part-time when her husband started improving, and his family stayed with him whenever sh

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 35 >> She kept notes on her mother's ICU stay and turned them into a diary, which she gave her mother on the second anniversary of her illness.

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 01 >> Her sister is now much better, more independent and has spent a lot of time visiting friends before she eases herself back into work.

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 23 >> His partner regained physical strength quite quickly and is back to work but still asks questions about her time in ICU.

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 61-70 >> Interview 14 >> She gave up work to look after her husband full time and encourages him when he feels depressed about the things he can no longer do.

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 51-60 >> Interview 20 >> At first he was worried that he'd become his wife's carer rather than her husband but that didn't become an issue.

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 41-50 >> Interview 33 >> She saw a counsellor a month after her husband came back from hospital when feelings from the time he was ill came up again and upset her.

Her husband was admitted to ICU after having emergency surgery. It was particularly difficult looking after other family members as well as visiting her husband.

• Intensive care >> Intensive care: experiences of family & friends >> Aged 31-40 >> Interview 02 >> After a while she had to go back to work and, because of financial concerns, her husband also eased himself back into to work, part-time to start with

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 61-70 >> Interview 14 >> She gave up work to look after her husband full-time and, because neither she nor her husband are earning, this has had a big impact on them and they

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 31-40 >> Interview 35 >> Leave updates for other people on the answer phone so you can rest, and try and maintain balance and routine so it is easier to get back to normality

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.