Whats on my mind? Well I would have to say a little brown eyed, brown haired boy. He laid down to take a nap at preschool. 911 was called and units were dispatched to Goddard school for a 2 year old in full cardiac arrest. EMS, FIRE, and myself worked quickly, intubation, epinephrine down the tube, Compressions continued while I placed a tibial intraosseous line, which was used to push the second dose of epi, His dark eyes never reacted and his skin color remained an overwhelmingly depressing gray.By the time I looked up we were backing in to the ambulance bay at the ER. As I pushed back the thoughts that I was now in the same trauma room where my father was wheeled in full arrest a few years ago, the work continued on. 8 more people in the room, monitors applied, dosages determined and sequential boluses of epinephrine, atropine, and sodium bicarbonate were given. I drew arterial blood out of his groin for sampling which showed worrisome results. I watched his parents brought in to the room, The poor mother lasted about 15 seconds before being assisted out. The father leaned down to his son, kissed him gently, begged him to wake up, and bribed him with candy. The knot in my chest grew tighter. 10 minutes later I was carrying the father out of the room with his pail sweaty skin and lips that had disappeared. After an additional 45 minutes of working on the boy, we had a pulse again, a blood pressure, and pink skin. He again looked like a little boy sleeping, if you could ignore all of the tubes, but not very good brain activity as evidenced by his little fixed and dilated pupils as well as his complete lack of spontaneous respirations. The neonatal unit was enroute from Childrens for the little boy to be transferred. When I looked at the monitors I was encouraged. When I looked at his newly pink face, it let me breathe a little easier, I walked out of the exam room to find a ride back to my cruiser. A nurse handed me the latest blood gas result, which did not appear to be compatible with life. I looked down the hall at the wailing parents. I stepped through the automatic doors in to the bright , warm sunlight and said a little prayer. So, that is what is on my mind: a little two year old brown haired boy that woke up this morning to go to preschool.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 04:36:11 +0000
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