Pneumonia and hospital stay.

[b37d45]

Hiya. I am writing a fic where my main character has pneumonia and could do with some help on a few technicalities. It is set in Oxford,U.K, in the not too distant future. About 30yrs. I'm aware that things could have changed by then but I'd like to get an idea of what it's like now to build on

Comments

[xolo]

I'm 56, and I had mild pneumonia back in December, which resulted in a hospital stay of three days. I was put in a regular private room, and given vast quantities of assorted antibiotics through an IV drip. I also wore a wifi heart monitor*, and had a CAT scan as part of the initial admission process, to see how far the infection had spread (one lobe of one lung, so much better than it could have been). I was allowed to get out of bed and walk around the hospital, so long as I took my IV stand with me (it had wheels). Oddly, when it came time for me to leave, I had to sit in a wheelchair and be pushed to the front entrance. That's apparently a rule.

*Which apparently went into some novel failure mode at about 3 in the morning, which resulted in brief excitement.

[b37d45]

Thank you for your comment and sharing your experience. I'll draw on that when my character is recovered enough to move around.

It does sound like a malfunctioning heart monitor would provide some excitement. But better malfunctioning than alerting to an emergency I guess.

[lilacsigil]

It's important for pneumonia patients to be at least semi-seated so he will be propped up at all times, even if he's too weak to sit unaided. Likewise, the staff will try to have him up and walking around ASAP, even if it's just bed to chair and back again; he will also be doing a lot of physio and exercises (mostly coughing!) to help clear his lungs. He will be assessed as to whether he is safe to walk with just a stick, or needs other support - most likely he'll have a frame and then a stick, but be taken on his bed or in a wheelchair to have scans etc. He will not have muscle wastage after 5 days in ICU but he will feel very weak: he should be able to do everything he normally can, but in very short bursts with a lot of effort. Generally people on full ventilation are unconscious, so while that won't be setting off his PTSD, the oxygen mask and then nasal cannula afterwards might

[b37d45]

Thank you for your reply. That's loads of great information

[lilacsigil]

They'll assess how much to prop him up, but yes, he will be at least slightly elevated when asleep. And yes, he should be able to eat and drink by himself, but then have to have a sleep and be incredibly exhausted.

[b37d45]

Thank you. I guess inferring from that, that he is unlikely to stay awake for the whole visiting time as well then.

Edited to add a question if someone sees it.

If he was to have a fever that kept coming back how would that present itself? Would it be a case of he's pretty much the same but the monitors and readings are showing a raised temperature? Or would he be lethargic and confused and such? What I'm getting at I suppose is will they just know he has a temperature from the monitoring equipment, or will he present with symptoms that will cause them to look and find out?

Thanks.

Old guy in ICU

[anonymous]

Any time anybody has to stay in bed for five days straight, you're not going to be in great shape when you stand up. 4 days on a ventilator - which is basically a plastic tube shoved down your throat - is not going to help. He would be on IV fluid - probably normal saline and an antibiotic to fight the pneumonia. From the minute you stop moving, your muscles start to atrophy. Muscle mass decreases. If you can't eat, even worse. You need protein and fat intake to maintain body weight. Even with IV fats and maybe feeding through a naso-gastric tube, you're probably going to loose weight. The upside is a healthy guy will probably regain his strength in 4-5 days. You're older guy- it's anybody's guess. Probably would need at least a cane. He would be wobbly. Falling for older people can be a disaster. They break bones easily

[b37d45]

Thank you for your reply. I figured that he wpuld be very tired and weak after a long stay in ICU.

He doesn't end up with lung damage although he will end up on Oxygen later in life for something else.

He already has a walking stick before he goes into hospital.

Thank you again for your insight into the arranging of the patients on the wards.