The program consisted of an informative part, there was music and plenty of room to talk to each other. Jolente: ‘So contact with fellow sufferers. We saw this especially with the relatives of patients who had been in the ICU with corona. Especially when it comes to patients from the first wave. We knew little about corona at the time and patients were not allowed to receive visitors. That has been very tough. For everyone.’
Very impressed
The informative part consisted of presentations by an intensivist, a rehabilitation specialist and a social worker. Jolente: ‘They explained what a recording does to you. What kind of complaints can you get from it. But also how it affects your family. During the afternoon for former corona patients, ICU doctor Karel Zuur told what it was like for us as healthcare providers in the ICU. We saw the images of Italy… were we going to experience that too? He also showed images that we made at that time. That made a big impression on both the nurses and the guests.’
No visitors
‘Absolutely’, confirms Gerdien Zandink. Her partner Frank was admitted to ICU during the first wave in March 2020. “I haven’t seen him for eight weeks,” Gerdien continues. ‘During the meeting, the doctor said very frankly that it was not good not to allow visitors at the time. I was glad he said that. I spoke to a woman who later, in the second wave, was able to visit her husband in the ICU. I noticed that I was confronted with the difficult fact that I couldn’t do that at the time.’ Her husband Frank didn’t get much from his time in the ICU. ‘When I was awake again and stable enough, I first went to the Corona nursing ward and then to IJsselheem for rehabilitation. No visitors were allowed there either. Due to lack of (physical) contact, I felt lonely. In the end my daughter was allowed to come by very exceptionally. Gerdien and I still talk a lot about that time. This return day gave us both recognition and recognition. The substantive presentations also appealed to us’
Last call
Former patients wore a blue name sticker and the next of kin an orange. Gerdien: ‘I found that extremely practical. It was so easy to get into conversation with each other and half a word is enough. For example, about that last phone call from Frank just before he was put to sleep. The message was that I had to say goodbye to him and that they did not know if he would wake up again. The ground sank under my feet, it came so unexpectedly. I still talk about it with friends or family, but it was also nice to talk to people who have been through the same thing.
Respect
Gerdien and Frank: ‘We thought it was a wonderful and heart-warming day. We saw the people behind the caregivers. I think they also learned a lot from the experiences the attendees shared. The doctor’s story about how the care had experienced it touched us. We already had a lot of respect for healthcare, but that has only grown.’
Big black hole
Ramona and Peter Veldman were guests at the meeting for ICU patients who were in ICU for a reason other than corona. Peter: ‘Together with a colleague and my son I had a serious car accident. We were driving with a trailer and we ended up on the wrong side of the road. We were hit by a truck full.’ Ramona: ‘He spent nine days in the ICU. He was kept asleep. When he woke up, two more days of MC, then the trauma ward and a long rehabilitation process.’ Peter: ‘I can’t remember anything about the IC and MC. It’s one big black hole. When we received the invitation for this meeting, I saw that we also received an explanation from a doctor about what an ICU admission means for your body. I wanted to hear that. He said that for many patients it is a black tunnel. So I’m not the only one who feels that way. I also suffered a brain injury. So that happens more often. I liked that recognition. In your environment you hear that you should be happy that you are still here, meanwhile ghosts in my head all those questions. Luckily I got answers.’
Bizarre
When Peter was in ICU, Ramona and his daughter often sat by his bedside. His son who was also involved in the accident was picked up from the children’s ward by Ramona. They took pictures and kept a diary. Ramona: ‘Sometimes he gave a reaction, reacted to voices or to a touch. Bizarre, really, because he wasn’t awake. I spent a lot of time in the ICU and also called regularly to ask how things were going. Glad this was possible.’
Aftermath
Ramona and Peter shared a table with other couples during the meeting. Ramona: ‘We were by far the youngest. At our table were people who ended up in the ICU after heart surgery or a cerebral haemorrhage. That is different.’ Peter: ‘I did recognize what people said about the aftermath. Others don’t always see something in you, that doesn’t alter the fact that you can still have complaints. So more ex-patients had that. What I also liked is that you could tell your story. In their own environment it is sometimes that people start bidding against each other… who has experienced the worst? That wasn’t the case here at all.’
IC-kamer
At the end of the evening, those who wished could visit an IC room. This was a unit where there are no patients now. However, an entire patient setting was built with all equipment connected to a manikin. Peter: ‘It was very unreal to see that. So that’s how I was there. I could hardly imagine it. It didn’t really affect me to be in the department. I found the photos Ramona had taken of me in bed much more intense.’ Ramona: ‘I noticed that I was feeling sick when I was back in an IC room. I had seen enough. Strange, I worked in healthcare myself…but when it comes to your own husband it’s very different.’