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You Have Survived
You Have Survived
Surviving ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) is a remarkable accomplishment, but the road to recovery can often be more complex than physical healing. For many, the emotional and psychological challenges that arise after an ECMO journey can feel overwhelming. It's important to recognize that the effects on mental health are real and valid, and they deserve attention just as much as the body’s physical recovery.
Post-ECMO Rehabilitation
Post-ECMO Rehabilitation
POST ECMO rehabilitation will look different for every patient. From occupational therapy, to physical therapy, to speech pathology, a range of different rehabs will be used to integrate a survivor back into normal life.
Read more below!
Neurocognitive and Psychological Outcomes
Neurocognitive and Psychological Outcomes
With invasive procedures such as ECMO, there are multiple risks for not only mental health disorders but also neurocognitave and physiological disorders related to the event. Read more below!
Long-Term Follow-Up Care
Long-Term Follow-Up Care
Varying on a case by case basis, there will be several factors that determine what your follow up or long term care may look like. For most, these are instances like the patient's underlying illness, the duration of ECMO support, and the development of post-ECMO complications. Read more below!
Understanding the Impact on Mental Health
The trauma of a critical illness, extended hospital stay, and the sheer intensity of ECMO treatment can lead to a range of mental health challenges. Survivors may experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, or confusion. Flashbacks, nightmares, and feelings of isolation are common, and these struggles can often be compounded by physical limitations during recovery.
Loved ones also face their own emotional struggles. Watching someone you care about endure such an intense experience can bring up feelings of helplessness, fear, and even guilt. These emotions are natural, but it’s important to acknowledge them and seek support as part of the healing process.
Understanding common questions after ECMO
Understanding common questions after ECMO
Learn about common physical and neurological challenges survivors may face and feel after de-cannulation, extubation, and waking up.
Why did I experience such intense, outrageous memories? They felt so real to me...
My family tells me that something I remember happening, did not happen. What does this mean? Who do I believe?
I feel alone, like nobody understands my experience. Where am I supposed to turn?
I don’t understand what happened. All I keep hearing is a bunch of medical talk that I cannot comprehend.
My head feels foggy, and there are holes in my memory.
I am having pain in certain areas.
I am starting to have panic attacks related to this event. It is affecting my daily life. When will things go back to normal?
In short, these are all normal questions to be having after going through the experience of being on ECMO. These are all valid, and although some memories may not have happened, please understand that it is okay and normal to hold them as real as any other- it is your experience, and something that only you witnessed and only you can understand.
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