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Intensive care: experiences of family & friendsArrow
Aged 70 +
Interview 25  

Interview 25

Age at Interview: 83
Sex: Male
Background: Retired from working for the milk marketing board, married with one adult daughter. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.
Brief outline:In 2006 his 79-year-old wife was admitted to intensive care. Their daughter was their main support and they are now moving to live near her.

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Male
He waited at his wife's bedside until the early hours of the morning but no one at that time could tell him whether she would survive.

 



So she was taken into intensive care?

Yes. 

And were the doctors able to tell you what was wrong at the time or didn't they know? 

No. They didn't make any comment. 

And where did you wait? Did you wait outside the intensive care unit or in a waiting room? 

I was in there with her. 

By the bed? 

By the bed yes. Yes. 

And had you been in an Intensive Care Unit before? 

No. Never. 

It was the first time. And did you know anything about the equipment that they used or did they explain? 

No. Nothing at all. 

So you sat by the bed? 

Yes. 

And how long did you stay there for? 

I was there until quarter to three in the morning. 

Oh then you drove back? 

And then they said, you know, “You may as well go home.” And she was obviously breathing all right with the machine doing the job. And I went home and got some sleep and I was back again in the morning, about half past ten I suppose. When I went back. 

And did you see the doctor then or was it a nurse? 

The nurse at that time yes. I saw the doctor later on. Obviously they put the thing through the mouth then, but then on the Friday morning about 12 o'clock the nurse said, “Can you leave us for a while. We are going to do a tracheotomy.” And go through that, so they did, and then I saw the doctor again.

And what did the doctor say to you? 

Well he says, “We've got to hope for the best.” 
Jonathan Miller - Intensive care
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