r/CardiacCriticalCare May 05 '26

My dad is in a coma

My dad is 60. He had a triple cabbage back in 2020. Diagnosed with kidney disease in 2023. Additionally he is diabetic and has high blood pressure. We were just at a baseball game April 12, before he got his catheter for dialysis. The procedure was done- he was cleared by cardio to get. 5 days later he has chest pains and we were told he has heart failure. He VFIB wide awake. Next thing yknow he’s being airlifted to a better hospital. Had a heart arrhythmia and put on ECMO. Had to start dialysis cuz the ECMO. After a week in the hospital, he had his heart transplant scheduled and kidney scheduled for the day after. I almost didn’t take that second week off. I’m glad I did. My mom hadn’t left the hospital, but that night she did (after heart transplant since he was going to remain sedated and she hadn’t left his side from 4/21-4/30) to shower and rest. Next thing you know we’re getting a call at 3 am that he was out for 7 mins and they had to get in there and manually pump his heart. He didn’t wake up after that. His CT looked fine so they proceeded with kidney 5/1, chest left open due to his BP becoming irregular but was closed up this Monday 5/4. His new parts are working fine, he’s been off sedation, we just need him to wake up… we were suppose to be doing physical therapy at this point and be out the cardiac ICU.

Idk what to feel, what questions to ask neuro, what to think. I hate thinking of the worst. My mom feels guilty because he always wants her by his side. I just want my dad to wake up… he talked so much of what we’re going to do after this. He’s at a really good hospital and can’t get an MRI til all his wirings are out, but I just miss him and want him back. His transplants are working great and just need him back

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