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About Wesley
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
I can translate the jargon and answer the complex emotional and medical questions related to an ICU stay. I am a constant student of the changing face of Medicine, and hopefully I can help you come to a better understanding about what you can expect during your stressful time. I find that once the language is explained a little clearer, the puzzle comes more into focus. Usually, just to know that you are not alone may help. I am familar with all facets of critical care except transplant and neonatal care. Questions about Sepsis, ventilation, gall bladders, hemodialysis, complicated cancer surgery and alcohol withdrawal, suicide/overdose attempts are welcome. Students are welcome

Experience
12 years as an ICU nurse and 2 yrs on Neurosurgery. Mentor, teacher, been there in your shoes myself.

Education/Credentials
BSN from Clemson, 15yrs grunt medic in the ARMY.

   

You are here:  Experts > Health/Fitness > Medical Specialists > ICU/Critical Care

SubjectDate AskedExpert

dilantin and persistent vegitative state11/9/2009Wesley
  Q: My mother has been in a persistent vegetative state for one year. She has recently been taken off ...
  A: My short answer is to be cautious in assigning 'alert and responsive' to a once vegetative patient. ...
Mother on a vent from emphysema/pneumonia and heart attacks.11/4/2009Wesley
  Q: Last Thursday on the 22nd my mom was rushed to the hospital with chest pains. We went there and ...
  A: I hope you have had time to read some of the many posts about the trach I have answered. They are ...
Father11/4/2009Wesley
  Q: my father is 80 years old. Diabetic, Heart problems, altimers, high blood pressure etc.... Fell ...
  A: Actually it looks like the answer was cut, which happens in the input interface as I type sometimes. ...
My friend is on a ventilator-how long can she be on it for?11/1/2009Wesley
  Q: My very close family friend has been on a ventilator for 5 days now. The doctors decided to sedate ...
  A: I'm not sure what the statistics are in the UK, but this is a dangerous time for 19yo asthmatics in ...
waking up after surgery11/1/2009Wesley
  Q: mom is 74 had aorta valve replacement,during surgery they popped hole in esophagus!found 4 days ...
  A: Dave I'm sorry things didn't go as planned. To say the least. Simply at this point her metabolism ...
during and after effects of induced coma10/31/2009Wesley
  Q: Three years ago, I caught flu which quickly deteriorated my lung capacity (i am chronically ...
  A: Well this is all quite possible. Some people, for a undetermined reason, become 'zombies' but not ...
Mother on a vent from emphysema/pneumonia and heart attacks.10/31/2009Wesley
  Q: Last Thursday on the 22nd my mom was rushed to the hospital with chest pains. We went there and ...
  A: Actually, Nick this all sounds by the book. She lost a lot of weight, I bet her lipids are really ...
Alcohol Withdrawal, Acute Kidney Failure, Pneumonia, Stroke10/31/2009Wesley
  Q: My father went to the ER w/ symptoms of a Severe Headache (had it off and on for 4 weeks) Black ...
  A: Kristin let me make a few points up front. If you drink regularly, at all, no matter the amount you ...
Hemophobia?10/30/2009Wesley
  Q: I decided to contact you because there were no blood guys (and I LOOKED) and I figured there must be ...
  A: This is called passing out. Neurogenic shock. White wash. New nurse syncope. Lots of other cute ...
dad10/30/2009Wesley
  Q: my dad has been in icu 2 months now. it started out with infected tonsils, which drained down to ...
  A: Okay Molly, for such a long stay you boil this down very well. Short answer is this happens ...
Father10/29/2009Wesley
  Q: my father is 80 years old. Diabetic, Heart problems, altimers, high blood pressure etc.... Fell ...
  A: Joan I'm sorry you're having to face such a hard time. First, blood in the chest is infection so ...
Lupus/Pneumonia- surgery to remove fluid sacs10/29/2009Wesley
  Q: I am 800 miles away from my best friend and she is in intensive care right now. Here is what I know ...
  A: I will start by saying sorry to be so long in getting back to you, I was out of town. Lupus offers ...
ICU/MRSA Pneumonia/Ventilator10/23/2009Wesley
  Q: The said he has pneumonia. He is heavily sedated to the point he is not awake...ever. They did a ...
  A: You don't say how old your brother is or if he has other medical problems. It is strange to get MRSA ...
Alcohol Withdrawl10/23/2009Wesley
  Q: The last two months my Dad who is an Alcoholic and lately has been drinking alot more than his ...
  A: Pauline, this a great question. Nobody ever asks. Think of alcohol as a dark filter. To get a light ...
Medical Issue on Grey's Anatomy10/23/2009Wesley
  Q: On tonight's episode of Grey's Anatomy (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1497732/), a woman died of ...
  A: I had to Hulu this episode. Okay, think when you have seen Firefighters sitting on the side of the ...
Ventilator Weaning10/20/2009Wesley
  Q: My brother-in-law had bypass heart surgery on Sept. 29, 2009. It was successful. Unfortunately, ...
  A: In terms of his lungs, yes they should 'recover'. Unfortunately, they are not usually the real ...
Intubation failed prior to CABG10/19/2009Wesley
  Q: My father recently had a minor heart attack. Following the diagnosis and a cardio cat we were ...
  A: 1. Not often. Never if you try hard enough. We use cameras and imaging devices to find the airway. ...
Tracheal Tube weaning process10/15/2009Wesley
  Q: My husband is not on a respirator, but still has a tracheal tube with about 28% oxygen (humidified) ...
  A: Well the only real answer is that there is no schedule for these things. He will need to be able to ...
weaning from vent for chf pt10/15/2009Wesley
  Q: My husband had an ascending aortic aneurysm repair 2 weeks ago. Though he was a redo ...had cabg in ...
  A: Prognosis is always a hard to predict from a limited view. I can tell you that as a impression from ...
grandmother on respirator secondary to pneumonia10/13/2009Wesley
  Q: I am hoping you can help with this bad situation. My grandmother was admitted to the hospital on ...
  A: I cannot tell exactly, but from this bit of information the likelihood of bad things going on is ...
venilator10/4/2009Wesley
  Q: My mom got real sick and they started treating her for Pneumonia then they started treating her for ...
  A: As a statistical variance this happens about 3-5% of the time to people. It probably has to do with ...
Head Trama ?????10/3/2009Wesley
  Q: My mother was found at home unresponsive. We think she had been that way for around 18 hours. She is ...
  A: She probably has an infection. It's not 'trauma' because there would be trauma. Pneumonia, a UTI ...
Ventilator for paralyzed diaphragm10/3/2009Wesley
  Q: I have been diagnosed with Post Polio Syndrome and have paralyzed vocal cords and once side of my ...
  A: No, you don't. I use Christopher Reeve as an example alot to tell people that a vent is not a 'iron ...
Cancer9/29/2009Wesley
  Q: My mother in law gone through brest cancer and than to bone cancer chemotherapy and it spread over ...
  A: I think i may be answering this question twice, so if you get two answers to this I apoligize. In ...
cancer/infection and icu care9/20/2009Wesley
  Q: my father was diagnosed with AML and died 3 weeks later after developing an infection post inductive ...
  A: In persons who have a progressive and uncontrolled cancer, chemotherapy is both a blessing and a ...
Ventilator9/13/2009Wesley
  Q: My mother was in ICU at the hospital for a month. She went to the hospital for pain in her right ...
  A: Me either really. Every day they should be trying to wake her up. If she becomes confused, agitated ...
vent/trach9/12/2009Wesley
  Q: End of July my mother and I were at a red light when we were hit head on. Mother broke her neck and ...
  A: Actually, I have no idea what a internal or external lung is. How about inferior and superior or ...
vent/trach9/6/2009Wesley
  Q: End of July my mother and I were at a red light when we were hit head on. Mother broke her neck and ...
  A: Lyn there are lots of subtle problems with your story, I hope you understand that I empathize, but ...
please decipher9/2/2009Wesley
  Q: I had a Chest CT scan... hx of dvt x2 and pe, on coumadin lifelong ct results: there is a mosiac ...
  A: Most people don't think of this but when you have a PE, you lose lung tissue. It dies. So this ...
ventilator vs tracheostomy9/1/2009Wesley
  Q: My mother who is 67 years old, a diabetic, has high blood pressure, underwent surgery to remove part ...
  A: Brittany sorry to be so long getting back to you. Simply put, yes it is. I answer this question ...
my mom is currently on a ventilator9/1/2009Wesley
  Q: my mom is a 290 lb. woman who has been diagnosed with c.o.p.d., emphasema, sleep apnea and has had ...
  A: Well I am late in returning this post, I apologize. Two things to be short, cause I feel that this ...
Asthma attack and upper abdomin pain following attack8/30/2009Wesley
  Q: I had an asthma attack last Thursday that woke me up at 3 am with fever feeling, burning lungs. I ...
  A: Eric, I would not be surprised to hear that you also suffer the occasional bout of heartburn? ...
Legionairre pneumonia8/22/2009Wesley
  Q: My best friend Jeff (35-light drinker, non-smoker, athletic, 25lbs overweight at best) is in ICU for ...
  A: Well, first of all, Legionnaires is contagious. Very contagious. It should be reported to the Health ...
Grandfather in ICU for almost 2 months8/17/2009Wesley
  Q: My grandfather was admitted into the ICU on July 4th after being taken to the hospital with severe ...
  A: You have provided a lot of information so I think I can throw some things out to think about. I am ...
Undiagnosed cancer- in ICU on resparator8/16/2009Wesley
  Q: My mother was having chest and back pains about 3 weeks ago. She admitted herself into the hospital ...
  A: Unfortunately, they are not ending her life, the cancer is. It will be isolated eventually. This ...
urgent query!!!8/9/2009Wesley
  Q: Please answer me!my father is currently in med ICU for the past 1 wk.it all started by fever and ...
  A: Reeves everything here sounds very complete. I lean towards the thought that, based on this cascade ...
Removing ICU Patient from Ventilator8/7/2009Wesley
  Q: If a patient is in the ICU on a ventilator and it is known that the patient desires not to be on the ...
  A: Susan, it's a catch-22. Could she, could you, did all of that really happen, is the whole thing ...
Removing ICU Patient from Ventilator8/6/2009Wesley
  Q: If a patient is in the ICU on a ventilator and it is known that the patient desires not to be on the ...
  A: Susan this is a delicate question to answer. If everyone is in agreement that the patient is awake ...
ICU/Ventilator8/5/2009Wesley
  Q: Very close friend dx with Swine flu, then pneumonia, now on a ventilator and they are saying ...
  A: Susan, I feel much like you after reading your letter. It might be this, it could be that is very ...
ventilator8/4/2009Wesley
  Q: What is the maximum time that a person can be on a ventilator? The hospital wants to do a trach, ...
  A: 6 to 7 months 5 years, it's really all relative. Unless they had underlying 'terminal lung disease', ...

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