![]() "It was very, very tough."ĭoctors who are studying the phenomenon of prolonged unresponsiveness are concerned that medical teams are not waiting long enough for these COVID-19 patients to wake up, especially when ICU beds are in high demand during the pandemic.Īs Frank's unresponsive condition continued, it prompted a new conversation between the medical team and his wife about whether to continue life support. "It was a long, difficult period of not - just not knowing whether he was going to come back to the Frank we knew and loved," says Leslie Cutitta. There's no official term for the problem, but it's being called a "prolonged" or "persistent" coma or unresponsiveness.įrank Cutitta, 68, was one of those patients. and in other countries have noted a troubling phenomenon associated with some COVID-19 cases: Even after extubation, some patients remain unconscious for days, weeks or longer. The body needs that time to clear the drugs that keep the patient sedated and comfortable - able to tolerate intubation and mechanical ventilation. On April 21, after 27 days on a ventilator, Frank's lungs had recovered enough to remove the breathing tube.Īfter the removal, it typically takes hours, maybe a day, for the patient to return to consciousness. So the Cutittas hung on and a small army of ICU caregivers kept working. ![]() It wasn't a serious end-of-life discussion, but Cutitta knew her husband would want every possible life-saving measure. "Frank used to joke that he wanted to be frozen, like Ted Williams, until they could figure out what was wrong with him if he died," says Leslie Cutitta. So she used stories to try to describe Frank's zest for life. Hospital visits were banned, so Leslie Cutitta couldn't be with her husband or discuss his wishes with the medical team in person. The second call was just a few days later. The first conversation, in late March, was about whether to let Frank go or to try some experimental drugs and treatments. ![]() Leslie Cutitta said yes, twice, when clinicians from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston called asking whether she wanted them to take - and then continue - extreme measures to keep her husband, Frank Cutitta, alive.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |