it's much more common than we realize.
http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Hospital-Delirium/25090/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
This article cites last Sunday's New York Times article, "Hallucinations in Hospital Pose Risk to Elderly":
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/science/21delirium.html?scp=1&sq=delirium&st=cse
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Just like in the article, I had a good friend who had surgery and suffered from what they called "ICU delirium". The healtcare team was pretty matter-of-fact about it, saying it happens frequently to patients in the ICU because of all the noises and sleep deprivation. BUT, it was terrifying for him (he ended up restrained, which should NOT have happened!!). So, it has a really ugly side as well. His trust in the staff actually caring for him was destroyed and it was a horrible situation for those of us at his bedside! Fortunately, he doesn't remember the worst of it . . . It is good this article puts it "out there"! Thanks, Lori -
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