Sunday, June 08, 2003
Been up since 3.30 am with a sick babe. (it's now 11.30 am BH time). This baby isn't going to make it - part of its brain is outside its skull (a birth defect) and it cannot breathe for itself because its brain does not function. We are waiting for the father to get here from Melbourne so he can say goodbye before we let nature take its course. In the meantime I have to stay here in case something goes wrong with the ventilator.
This night brought back a lot of memories for me, but I was surprised that it wasn't as painful as I had expected. It was still very sad though. I really can feel for the grandparents who have a nursing background and already knew what was going to be said to them in that interview room, and also know what an autopsy means. And I know some of what the father is going through, with a long wait before the next planes (at least two separate flights) can take him to Broken Hill - in the meantime he is all alone, without friends or family.
However, I was able to intubate the baby and stay in that room with the ventilator without getting too stressed, so I have hopes that I won't find my upcoming Paediatric Intensive Care term too hard to deal with. How many times though in the next 6 months will I see tragedy and loss like this?? I still think it is amazing how people seem to cope.
Piokiwi 2:25 pm
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