You all tried sooo hard.
Wow. I have no words.
Remarkable...I cannot comprehend how difficult and perplexing it must be to work in an hospital ER.
Hi, Hospice nurse here. My biggest fear in the field is pronouncing someone dead who is not dead..YIKES.
We just use all the old fashion stuff out there in the homes, stethescope, eyes, and fingers to touch. What a remarkable experience, and sadly, the young woman was killing probably killing herself slowly for many years. I enjoy reading your blog.
Hi Marie. Thanks for stopping by.
I have had a tremendous amount of respect for hospice nurses ever since I observed the nurse who tended to my dad some years ago when he was dying of cancer. The dignity and respect with which she cared for my dad won me over to the discipline- although my heart has always been in the ER.
You folks are awesome. Thanks for what you do.
That was well written and like the first commenter said: Wow.
Can I call you "Bacon"? Thanks for stopping by my blog. Feel free to come around and park your opinions as you please. I delight in open and engaging discussion.
Thanks, again, for writing. You must continue steward this talent and watch it help change the world as God intended.
Read my response to you over at my blog in the comment box of "Limousine Liberal". This is all I can post toight. Happy New Year NurseWilliam and may God Bless you and keep you
What a riveting story! I am sorry for the woman, but you wrote so well that I could see it all in my mind.
Isn't the ER amazing? I mean you think you have seen it all and then something comes in that is impossible to believe. The weird part is that you now moved on and finished the rest of your shift like this never happened. Thats the nature of ER medicine. Is this what keeps us coming back?
SusieQ, Thanks for your visit. I was sad, too. This was somebody's little girl once. She was somebody to somebody somewhere. She had made some very bad choices, and because of that she died young.
But the clinical part of me keeps going. It has to. I can settle down and mull it over later- and I do, in healthy ways.
Hi, Sue. Yeah, you have it right. One of the things I love about emergency nursing is that I never know what will come through the door next. Every day is full of new challenges, and I am tested in new ways. That's what life ought to be. I am one of those rare fellows who actually gets excited about putting on the scrubs and going to work. How fortunate I am!
absolutely amazing. That is what I love about the ER, just when you think you have seen everything.....YOU HAVEN'T!!
All I can say is... wow!
Great post, William. Welcome to Change of Shift. Please keep submitting posts. You are a wonderful writer.
MJ
Man that was an excellent post. I would have given almost anything to have worked that patient. Keep up the good writing!
Astonishing experience! Excellent writing! Reminds me that life can sometimes be at its most baffling and sobering as it leaves.
Any word from the autopsy?
I have not heard anything of the ME report. I've been told by some staffers that I would probably not find anything out. I have been too busy to really pursue it seriously.
It's probably not that unusual for some part of a body to die while other parts continue to live.
Spleens die, livers die, frontal cortexes die, bowel sections die, yet the heart lives.
In the case you cite it seems only that the heart kept beating for a bit after everything else went.
We tend to define death as the cessation of cardiac function. Perhaps that is wrong. It's a democratic process. Each vital organ gets a vote: when the majority are dead, you're dead. Even if you don't think so.
Shrimplate, I take your point. The thing about this patient was, she was all dead except for her heart. She was completely stiff and cold. Yet her heart just tripped merrily along for over an hour. I know what you mean, but this was just completely crazy.
Wow... I still wonder what happened. Did you ever find out? drop me a line via e-mail hardline@comcast.net
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