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Originally Posted by Bytor Peltor
Started an 18 hours hospital shift at 2:00 PM this afternoon. At 9:45 PM tonight, I almost watched my father-in-law die. The Respiratory Therapist started a breathing collar as they wanted my father-in-law to go another three hours off the ventalator (successfully completed three hours this morning).
The first hour passes with no problems. Ten minutes into hour number two, my father-in-law becomes panicked mouthing he can't breath. I stand at his bedside trying to reasure him by reminding him to breath and he sakes his head in agreement. A few minutes later, his heart rate drops very low and the color is gone from his face and foam starts flowing from his mouth (oh so scarry). Several nurses entered the room (one with a crash cart) and the Respiratory Therapist bags his throat. More foam out of the mouth, the eyes open and he is halfway smiling at all the people standing around his bed.
One nurse said, "you scared us" and he mouthed, "me too." Let me type, "me three." It happened soooo fast.
WOW WOW WOW - don't know how I could have called my wife or mother-in-law and told them he died during my watch.
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OUCH. the ICU is a terrifying place, it is the modern world's hospice, the modern world's death bed of Isaac, where like a sheepish Jacob we must face inevitably. I spent several weeks caring for my grandfather as he died of lung cancer in the ICU. Every day, every single day, somebody dies in there. It is depressing. But such is life. These are the cycles, and the noblest, most honorably, must truly human thing any human can do for another human is face the pains and fears of death together. Such is the dignity of humanity, and what makes us all either true men or women. God bless you in this experience, they never get easier even as they become routine
