when I started this blog five years ago, I was a pet sitter and the name animal-crackers made sense. now I'm a stay-at-home-dad and freelance writer, but rather than confuse everyone by getting a different blog, it's just easier to keep posting things here.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Drained
Last week was rough. As if it weren't enough to have Dylan in the hospital and Andree recovering from two major surgeries -- another source of stress darkened our doorstep.
Thursday was the worst of it. As mentioned previously, the doctors removed Dylan's breathing tube and replaced it with a nasal plug.
Soon after I arrived Dylan stopped breathing. It's apnea, something most people do in their sleep. Only our brains are wired to start breathing again. Dylan's is not.
The nurse rubbed his back, and he started breathing. Less than a minute later, his breathing stopped again and his blood-oxygen levels started dropping.
She rubbed his back more vigorously. He took a few more breaths. By now his whole body was turning purple. The nurse told someone to get Dr. Cho, who's at the other end of the ward.
Despite the nurse's rubbing, Dylan had stopped breathing all together. Dr. Cho arrived and busted out a hand-pump air mask -- the kind EMTs use on TV.
For the next five or 10 minutes the only thing keeping Dylan alive is the hand-pump. His heart rate was all over the place and his blood-oxygen was in the toilet.
"Are you sure you want to watch this?" Dr. Cho finally asked.
I hesitated.
"You can wait in the lobby," he suggested.
"Is he going to be okay?"
"He'll be okay. I'll have someone come get you in a few minutes."
After more than 20 minutes the nurse came out. They had replaced Dylan's nasal plug with nasal prongs. I had wanted to take a picture and figured this was the best opportunity.
Still, Dylan wasn't stable. His lungs were exhausted and not working. After another 10 minutes of adjusting the ventilating machine, he's set.
And I was out of there. That was enough for me.
That evening during dinner, someone threw a temper tantrum and a hamburger. Unbelievable.
He won't be returning. We have neither the time nor the energy.
Thursday was the worst of it. As mentioned previously, the doctors removed Dylan's breathing tube and replaced it with a nasal plug.
Soon after I arrived Dylan stopped breathing. It's apnea, something most people do in their sleep. Only our brains are wired to start breathing again. Dylan's is not.
The nurse rubbed his back, and he started breathing. Less than a minute later, his breathing stopped again and his blood-oxygen levels started dropping.
She rubbed his back more vigorously. He took a few more breaths. By now his whole body was turning purple. The nurse told someone to get Dr. Cho, who's at the other end of the ward.
Despite the nurse's rubbing, Dylan had stopped breathing all together. Dr. Cho arrived and busted out a hand-pump air mask -- the kind EMTs use on TV.
For the next five or 10 minutes the only thing keeping Dylan alive is the hand-pump. His heart rate was all over the place and his blood-oxygen was in the toilet.
"Are you sure you want to watch this?" Dr. Cho finally asked.
I hesitated.
"You can wait in the lobby," he suggested.
"Is he going to be okay?"
"He'll be okay. I'll have someone come get you in a few minutes."
After more than 20 minutes the nurse came out. They had replaced Dylan's nasal plug with nasal prongs. I had wanted to take a picture and figured this was the best opportunity.
Still, Dylan wasn't stable. His lungs were exhausted and not working. After another 10 minutes of adjusting the ventilating machine, he's set.
And I was out of there. That was enough for me.
That evening during dinner, someone threw a temper tantrum and a hamburger. Unbelievable.
He won't be returning. We have neither the time nor the energy.
2 Comments:
Certainly you all are worn out and moods must go up and down. I look at little Dylan and I see how hard he is trying to do his part and I can't imagine the stress it must be on all of your family to do your's, but you are doing good:) Copyediting, huh? Great!
Sorry, I was trying to be oblique because I feel bad about ragging on family members. It wasn't Andree, Josh, Dylan or me. It was a guest who was supposedly here to help with the situation but really just seemed to be on vacation.
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