Survivor stories

Waverly

Paul and Tania

Maree

Sherene

Shannah

"When I was 17, I presented to my local hospital with suspected pneumonia. Shortly afterwards I was placed in an induced coma and woke up a couple of months later in the Alfred Hospital ICU. During my time in a coma I had been transferred to a couple of hospitals, had become septic with pneumonia in both lungs, infected with Staphylococcus aureus, and was given a 20% chance of survival. I was quickly taken to the Alfred where it was decided I needed to be placed on ECMO in order to survive. For almost two months I was surrounded by machines and specialists that treated me day and night as my body was slowly shutting down, until I finally I began to improve.

"After I woke up I was faced with a new challenge, recovery. I had lost a significant amount of muscle and weight, had bed sores, had food tubes, couldn’t talk due to a tracheoscopy, and could barely lift my arm up. Waking up so immobile, not knowing what had happened, was a confusing and terrifying time. After a couple of weeks of intense physiotherapy, including fine and mass muscle movement, and pure determination, I was able to sit up in bed, sit up in a chair and eventually with support, walk 15m along a corridor. Each milestone seemed so miniscule at the time, especially when I was so fit and healthy prior to being sick. But when I look back now I realise how far I’d come with each passing day.

"Eventually I was transferred to the ward where further intense physiotherapy included muscle movement, light weights, cardio workouts and breathing exercises several times a day. Without this care my recovery would have been months rather than weeks. Lucky for me, it was the combined expert care at The Alfred that enabled not only my survival, but also ensured I had the best chance of recovery to a relatively normal life."

Craig

"Hi, I’m Craig (53yo). My ECMO journey was extreme, my lungs failed. 67 days on ECMO, 6 weeks coma, 4 months I.C.U. 2 months rehab. I went from 78kg to about 45kg, I was skin, tendon and bone. I didn’t have the strength to lift my head from the pillow. My recovery was long and hard but curtail to 2nd chance with life.

"Rehabilitation at Caulfield was 3-4 times a day, strength, speech, mental health, stretching, occupational therapy etc. June 2022, I returned home (great day) now at home it was all up to me. I had to do all these things and more by myself. I met the rehab team weekly via Telehealth and this was always encouraging but it was still up to me.

"My recovery was as much mental as physical. The physical was obvious the mental not so much. Learning what I, the family and friends had experienced was challenging to hear. I experienced guilt, sadness and overwhelming joy. It comes from all angles all day. Unable to speak much more than a sentence expressing myself was difficult. Talking with family and friends was important for everyone’s recovery. We had been through trauma. Being me, I wasn’t great talking about it, I encourage others similar to me to talk more, it’s important.

"The physical recovery was really hard, painful. My joints had seized up, nothing worked, just moving hurt. But it’s up to me. You only have one chance with this new life and recovery so just get it done. Do the sessions same time every day without failure. Don’t do it later, do it now. Stick to the plan and routine. It’s hard, really hard.

"2 years on I am so proud of myself for rebuilding both mentally and physically. I’m still a work in progress and probably always will be.

"Life is great, make the most of it."