From the very beginning, Mr. Markus M. felt comfortable and secure.

Il signor Markus M si è sentito a suo agio e sicuro fin dall'inizio.

... e quando ero in terapia intensiva, i rumori delle macchine erano molto sgradevoli, ma sapevo che finché erano in funzione, anche io ero vivo, giusto?  Così sono stato in grado di metterlo via molto bene. Quindi era molto fastidioso il bip e tutto il resto e poi ho pensato ehi, ascolta, se non fanno più bip, allora sei andato. Ed è per questo che ho pensato, questo è buono! Che mi mostrano che stanno ancora lavorando, e sì. In realtà mi sono abituato, questo è molto sorprendente per me e anche un nuovo territorio per la mia persona. Non ho mai potuto visitare qualcuno in ospedale per più di 10 minuti, un quarto d'ora, perché mi metteva a disagio. E in realtà sono stato comodo per tutto il tempo che sono stato in ospedale, quasi cinque mesi. Mi sono sentito compreso e al sicuro.

Il signor Markus M si è sempre sentito sicuro.

Monsieur Markus M s'est  senti  à l'aise et en sécurité dès le début.

... et quand j'étais aux soins intensifs, les bruits des machines étaient très désagréables, mais je savais que tant qu'elles fonctionnaient, je vivais aussi, non? J'ai donc pu très bien mettre ça de côté. C'était très ennuyeux, les bips et tout ça, et puis j'ai pensé : "Écoute, s'ils ne font plus de bip, alors tu es parti". Et c'est pourquoi j'ai pensé, c'est bien ! Qu'ils sont là pour me montrer qu'ils travaillent encore, et ouais. En fait, je me suis habitué à la, c'est très étonnant pour moi, c'est aussi un nouveau territoire pour ma personne. Avant, je ne pouvais jamais rendre visite à quelqu'un à l'hôpital pendant plus de dix minutes, quinze minutes, cela me mettait mal à l'aise. Et maintenant, tout le temps que j'ai été à l'hôpital, presque cinq mois, j'ai été à l'aise. Je me suis sentie comprise et en sécurité.

M. Markus M s'est toujours senti en sécurité.

Von Anfang an fühlte sich Herr Markus M.  wohl und geborgen.

.. und als ich dann auf der Intensiv lag, waren die Geräusche von den Maschinen sehr unangenehm, aber ich wusste solange die laufen, leben, ich auch, oder? Also habe ich das sehr gut wegstecken können. Also es war sehr nervig das Gepiepse und all das Ganze und dann kam bei mir der Gedanke hey hör mal, wenn die nicht mehr piepsen, dann bist du weg. Und darum habe ich dann gefunden, das ist ja gut! Dass sie da mir zeigen, dass sie noch arbeiten, und ja. Ich habe mich eigentlich an das gewöhnt, das ist für mich sehr erstaunlich und auch Neuland für meine Person.Ich konnte sonst nie jemand im Spital besuchen länger als 10 Minuten, Viertelstunde, da wurde es mir unwohl. Und mir war es jetzt eigentlich die ganze Zeit, wo ich im Spital bin, bald fünf Monate, war es mir eigentlich wohl. Habe mich verstanden und geborgen gefühlt.

Herr Markus M. fühlte sich immer geborgen.

Susanne

.... and then when I was in the ICU, the sounds from the machines were very unpleasant, but I knew as long as they were running, I was alive,too right? So I was able to bear that away very well. So it was very annoying the beeping and all that and then I thought hey listen, when they don't beep anymore, then you're gone. And that's why I thought, that's good! That they show me that they are still working, and yes. I actually got used to the , that's very amazing for me also new territory for my person. I could never visit someone in the hospital for more than 10 minutes, fifteen minutes, I was uncomfortable. And I was actually comfortable the whole time I was in the hospital, soon five months. I felt understood and secure.

Mr Markus M always felt secure.

The intensive care unit is bustling with activity. Clinical teams are busy with intensive patient care and emergencies. The environment is dominated by machines and modern technology that enable survival in critical illness.  In addition, there are team conversations and sounds from neighboring patients. This leads to noise, light, which can be disturbing for the patients.

Perception of the environment of the intensive care unit

Today's medical and technological advances allow patients to survive serious and life-threatening illnesses. Experiencing such a serious illness that requires intensive care treatment can have a profound impact on one's life.

In this section, you can learn how other people experienced their time in an intensive care unit. In short video or text excerpts, patients and their families share their experiences with a serious, often life-threatening illness and treatment in an intensive care unit. You can also learn about the changes those affected deal with after their time in the intensive care unit.

Grazie alle possibilità mediche e tecniche offerte dalla terapia intensiva, oggi un paziente può sopravvivere a malattie gravi che in passato erano mortali. L’esperienza di queste gravi condizioni di salute e l’esperienza della terapia intensiva possono cambiare la vita in modo radicale, sia ai pazienti che ai loro cari.

In questa sezione potete capire come altri pazienti hanno vissuto il loro periodo in un reparto di terapia intensiva. In brevi video o estratti di testo, i pazienti raccontano la loro permanenza in questo reparto, il modo in cui hanno gestito questo periodo della loro vita, e come questa esperienza li ha cambiati.

Esperienze in terapia intensiva

Les possibilités médicales et techniques permettent de plus en plus souvent aux patients de survivre à des maladies graves et autrefois mortelles. L’expérience par les patients de ces maladies graves et de leur prise en charge médicale en soins intensifs peuvent changer la vie d’une manière très mémorable.

Dans cette section, vous découvrirez comment d’autres personnes ont vécu leur séjour dans une unité de soins intensifs. Dans de courts extraits vidéo ou textuels, les patients rendent compte de leur séjour à l’unité de soins intensifs. Ils témoignent également des changements qui peuvent se produire dans la vie d’une personne après les soins intensifs.

Expérience en médecine de soins intensifs

Die heutigen medizinischen und technischen Möglichkeiten lassen Patient*innen schwere und lebensbedrohliche Erkrankungen überstehen. Die Erfahrung einer so schweren Erkrankung, die eine intensivmedizinischen Behandlung benötigt, kann das Leben sehr einprägsam verändern.

Wie andere Menschen die Zeit auf einer Intensivstation erlebt haben, können Sie in dieser Sektion erfahren. In kurzen Video- oder Textausschnitten berichten Patient*innen und Angehörige,  über die Erfahrungen einer schweren oft lebensbedrohlichen Erkrankung und einer Behandlung auf einer Intensivstation. Ebenso können Sie erfahren, mit welchen Veränderungen die Betroffenen sich nach der Zeit auf der Intensivstation auseinandersetzen.

Erfahrungen Intensivmedizin

Experiences in Intensive Care

Corine

Mr. Markus has a six-week memory gap when he wakes up. But he remembers individual moments when he was supposedly still unconscious.

So from the calendar I miss the six weeks, but I have my visit / I have experienced. So I have witnessed my wife, where washed my legs. My two children. A couple of friends, they even sang a song at the bedside, I witnessed that and I also witnessed the care in between. And what was really exciting for me was that I was in the room with the people, I wasn't in pain, but then my wife cried and said: please stay here. That moved me emotionally. And saddened, but I never had pain and the room was a warm, bright light. And I felt um it may sound crazy now but amazingly very comfortable in that light. And the / like I said, the nurses I came with. One of them was very funny, he had a curly beard, curly hair and was very, very sensitive, I noticed that. And then a male nurse approached me. He said to the other, they were then two in the relief, then he said I think he comes something with the experiences something. And then he told me, if I hear him, I should move with my eyes // although they were closed. And so I gave them the sign and he was very happy. But also my friends who later came to visit me in the intensive care unit, they almost fell off their chairs when I first thanked them for being there and singing the song. Because they thought I hadn't even noticed. And yes, at some point it was very intense, because my wife and children said stay here, stay here. And then I just prayed to God that He would give me another chance, that I would be allowed to return again and then the light got brighter and brighter and suddenly I realized that I opened my eyes and they were so glued shut. And then there was a bit of a commotion in the room because they had then washed my eyes and so, and were all very happy that I was back.

When he wakes up, Mr. Markus is missing 6 weeks in his memory.

There is no typical way to wake up in an ICU after coma or sedation. In fact, patients are usually confused, have lost track of time and do not immediately know where they are.  Their unfamiliar surroundings take them by surprise and are sometimes unpleasant: In some cases, patients cannot speak, are thirsty and feel helpless.

Waking up in the ICU.

Mr. Markus M. was confident in his medical decisions, he could count on his wife.

I : Who decided for you in the coma?
E : That was my wife. So the family, children and wife.
I : Did you ever have the feeling that you had been ignored?
E : Not at all.
I : Did they report that?
E : Not at all.
 I : They were always involved in decisions.
E : Yes. Yes.
I : Do you have the feeling that you were well informed?
E : You'd have to ask my wife. Before I fell into a coma, I was certainly informed, x-rayed in (location 1), and then it had to be done quickly. And then I was flown by Rega to (location 3). And from there, my wife was the leader. But afterwards, when I was back, I was always kept informed. I even know the values that the ...must have in my blood. I know my sugar levels, so I don't have any sugar. At first they thought I had type 1 (diabetes mellitus) or something like that. And when they take my blood here too, then I get the results. No, it's effectively open communication between the patient and the doctors.

Trust

Family and friends are helpful during the ICU stay. But patients want to be able to choose their visitors. It is therefore important that the team informs and involves the family.

Contact with family

Mr. Markus M. perceived empathy from the team.

(I wish ) that the nursing staff and doctors are the way I experienced them. Very empathetic, open, honest when you ask questions, that you also get honest answers. 
Because the patient who realises that something is wrong and is told ‘yes, everything is fine, don't worry’ then the worries become even greater. It was the same for me, I asked questions and got honest answers. And the empathy and passion that the doctors and nurses, whether male or female, invest. That it stays that way, because that is enormous. And on the other hand, that the patient also appreciates this. I've experienced other things in intensive care and here too. And I think that's a shame. But, yes. I can't say it was a nice time in intensive care, logically not. You'd rather be out and about, healthy. But I was there now, I can't change it, but I experienced a lot of beautiful human, interpersonal moments.

Empathy

Most patients praise the clinical team. It was a difficult time and they are grateful to have survived.

Markus M.

Mr Markus M always felt secure.

Video Interview

Related experiences

Other experiences by Markus M.

Markus M.