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Evelyne E.

Ms. Evelyn E. can no longer remember exactly when she was admitted to the intensive care unit. It all happened very quickly. When she woke up after the two weeks in the coma, she was very confused. She reports feelings of anger, questions or apologies, and the importance of communication in the ICU.

AUDIO

Unable to ask questions

Mrs. Evelyne E. explains that she didn't understand what was happening to her: she wasn't given any explanations, but she didn't have the strength to ask questions either.

Video Interview

TRANSCRIPT

I : OK. So during the entire intensive care stay, you were never really aware of what was happening? E : No, I didn't know what had happened to me. They didn't tell me that I had bled, that's why they were giving me blood, I don't know how I would have reacted if they had told me they were giving me blood because you had bled, but he didn't tell me anything at all. I : Was it because you were intubated or (-) or even after the tube was removed, you still didn't understand? E : No. I : And you didn't ask any questions? E : No. No, and then I was staring // in my head at what I was hearing, what I was seeing, what I thought I was seeing, but nothing // but my body was like it was inert, I wasn't doing anything, I was just there, I was moving, I don't know, I was // I : And you couldn't speak either? E : Yes, but it didn't occur to me to ask the slightest question. I wasn't asking myself any questions and I wasn't anxious, I was nothing at all, I was like in a dream, I don't know. I : And how do you explain it now? E : I think I was on drugs (before). In fact, later my daughter told me that she had taken a look at what I had, I was on huge doses of morphine, so I was still in that kind of thing. But I don't know how long // I didn't stay, in fact I don't feel like I stayed long. I feel like I was there for an afternoon or an evening. The next day, um what / yes they came to clean me up. Then when they ran the washcloth over my face with a very soft warm washcloth, I said ah that's really nice. I found it really pleasant, they // but I didn't ask myself why they were washing me. Why I was doing it didn't occur to me at all.

Other experiences by Evelyne E.

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Evelyne E.

Ms. Evelyn E. can no longer remember exactly when she was admitted to the intensive care unit. It all happened very quickly. When she woke up after the two weeks in the coma, she was very confused. She reports feelings of anger, questions or apologies, and the importance of communication in the ICU.

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Evelyne E.

Mrs. Eveline E has memory problems and feels that she was sometines unnoticed.

Ms Eveline E. listened to the private conversations of the nursing staff, who acted as if she was not present and sometimes felt unnoticed.

General perception / overview of the intensive care

Experiences in Intensive Care

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Evelyne E.

Evelyne E. recalls a confusion between reality and happy hallucinations.

Ms Evelyne E. describes the confusion, between perception of reality and moments of joyfull hallucinations.

State of consciousness and memory issues

Experiences in Intensive Care

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Evelyne E.

Mrs. Evelyne E. wakes up slowly and in confusion.

Mrs. Evelyne E. slowly woke up and was confused between hallucination and beginning perception of reality.

State of consciousness and memory issues

Experiences in Intensive Care

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Evelyne E.

Unable to ask questions

Mrs. Evelyne E. explains that she didn't understand what was happening to her: she wasn't given any explanations, but she didn't have the strength to ask questions either.

Communication issues in the intensive care unit (ICU)

Experiences in Intensive Care

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Evelyne E.

Memory gaps

Mrs. Evelyne E.'s fluctuating state of consciousness means that her memory of the children's visit is fragmentary.

Good to know to improve intensive care unit (ICU) patient experience

Experiences in Intensive Care

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Evelyne E.

Concentration problems

Mrs. Evelyn E. is aware of difficulties in concentrating and responding.

Emotional events and experiences to take home with you

Experiences in Intensive Care

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Evelyne E.

Feelings of inferiority.

Mrs. Evelyn E. had the perception of being "overruled" or “guilty”.

Emotional events and experiences to take home with you

Experiences in Intensive Care

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