My dad came down with COVID pneumonia at the end of September. We did our best to treat him at home but eventually we realized we needed to get him to a hospital. After about four days in the hospital on oxygen he crashed and needed to be put on a ventilator. We were devastated.
When they put a person on a ventilator, hospital protocol generally is to sedate and paralyze the patient. My dad was sedated and paralyzed for a total of about 17 days. He was completely immobilized. One doctor told us that my dad had one of the worst cases of COVID pneumonia he had seen in a long time. We were, of course, extremely worried. As time went on, his condition worsened. Through a series of miracles, my dad stabilized enough that they were able to give him a tracheostomy. This was the turning point where he was able to get transferred to a LTAC facility (which is a critical care facility for COVID patients).
Fortunately, through a friend, we were put in touch with Kali Dayton. We were told she has had amazing success helping people come down off sedation and the paralytic. One of the side effects of sedation is the patients experience extreme delusions and hallucinations. While we were at the LTAC, Kali was extremely helpful in helping us understand the importance of getting my dad off the paralytic and sedation quickly. She informed us that every day he was on the sedation added weeks onto his recovery. We began pressuring the staff at the LTAC to get him off the sedation. Kali has found that it is critical to get a ventilated patient up and moving and you can’t unless they are off sedation. The staff at the LTAC were very hesitant to take my dad off sedation, at times even telling us he was off it, when in fact, he was still on sedation.
Finally, through much vigilance, we were able to get him off sedation. We then had the task of making sure we had physical therapy coming as much and as regularly as possible to ensure my dad was up and moving as much as possible. Now that he was off sedation we began dealing with the repercussions of having him on sedation meds for so long. My dad experienced horrible hallucinations.
Through the help of Kali, we were able to have discussions with the PA, who was caring for my dad, as to the best pain killers or anxiety meds that would ease him safely off his sedation meds. Eventually, Kali was very instrumental in helping us to get the PA to allow my dad to turn off the ventilator to see how he would handle it. The PA told us he would probably only be able to go about two minutes. My dad was able to be off the ventilator for the entire day! He probably could have gone the night, as well, but they put him back on the ventilator for the night to give him a rest. Within a couple weeks my dad was able to come completely off the ventilator! The PA and LTAC staff were blown away by how quickly he improved.
We do not believe my dad would be here with us today if it hadn’t been for Kali and her knowledge of the importance of getting my dad off the sedation and paralytic and getting him up and moving as soon as possible. We truly believe she was instrumental in helping to save my dad’s life. He spent a total of two months in the hospital (this included ICU, LTAC and acute physical therapy). He has been home for over a month and a half now and is doing awesome! He hasn’t been on oxygen for about two months now. He is getting to the point where he isn’t even using a cane to walk around anymore.
We truly believe Kali is one of the miracles that came into our lives to save my dad’s life. Thank you so much Kali! We will forever be indebted to you!
Heidi Lanthen
Utah, USA
Totally clueless is what my family and I would have been if I hadn’t reached out to Kali about my dad’s ICU journey. What started as a back surgery ended up turning into a three-month hospital stay which then ended up turning into three hospital stays from May through November 2021. Kali helped so much in understanding the ICU medications he was on and how the use of sedatives was in fact causing his delirium and agitation, and not actually his demeanor. We were able to talk to nursing staff and doctors to help gently wean him away from those medications. I have learned so much about ICU medication from Kali and I am not a medical professional. Without her consultation and knowledge, I wouldn’t know where to start when talking to the nurses and doctors.
Also, listening to her podcast helped me to understand the journey she took with her own patients who were being ventilated on high settings. This helped me understand my dad’s settings weren’t detrimental to his health and the issues were more related to the use of sedatives and being stationary in a hospital bed, which led to a longer hospital stay due to immobility and all the effects it can have on the human body.
With Kali’s advocacy and passion about ICU medicine she can change patient outcomes and improve their quality of life after an ICU hospital stay. I firmly know and believe EVERY single intensive care unit in EVERY single hospital needs to consult with Kali on how to change their practices, and EVERY single family who has a loved one in an intensive care unit needs to consult with Kali on the status of their loved one and how to improve their outcome.
Leah, Accounting professional and daughter of a beloved father
On the night of August 31, 2021, my husband was rushed to the hospital with COVID pneumonia and an O2 saturation of 52. He was put in a medically-induced coma and on a ventilator around 5:30 a.m. the next morning.
Kali Dayton was pivotal to myself and my family in explaining what all of the settings are and every step towards recovery. She spoke and advocated with the medical team on numerous occasions and even spoke with the hospital ethics committee. I believe she is an exceptional professional and helped save my husband’s life. She was huge in reducing the extreme amount of paralytic medication and made sure that we were all working together.
It was very difficult working with some of the hospital staff, but she was amazing and able to break through barriers that would have otherwise been impossible. I am eternally grateful for her. Her podcast, Walking Home From The ICU, was so beneficial and helpful. I encourage everyone who has a loved one in the ICU to listen to it.
Shannon West
Florida, USA
When patients are so ill that they require a ventilator in the ICU, the antiquated approach of heavy sedation and immobilization should be avoided in order to help prevent the immense burden of physical and cognitive disabilities suffered during survival. To understand this better, listen to Walking Home From The ICU. You will see what ICU consultant Kali Dayton provides to your team.