Tiny little hands and feet! Puckered mouths as they fell into sleep. And the scariest part is seeing their tiny lifeless bodies on the table once they are under.
I always enjoyed cuddling up to my little one when he was an infant. I could feel the warmth of the body, his breath on my neck, his little sigh as he turned in his sleep. As I was working today, it brought back those tender moments.
The parents bring the children into the room when they have surgery so they are not frightened. I wish I had my parent there today with me so I could feel that same comfort. I was scared to assist today. Most of the children today were under 1 year old.
The youngest today was 2 months old! Cute as a button but very sick. He was jaundiced and we almost cancelled the case. He was scheduled for laparoscopic surgery. Imagine a scope/camera no thicker than a refill for a stick pen! The instruments are very small and fragile, just like the baby. This baby had biliary atresia, which means the duct from the liver to the gallbladder is very small or closed and we must open it or the liver becomes backed up and sick. We could see the back up on the screen. Usually the liver is a ruddy reddish purple color. This one had a green hue to it.
These cases are very popular among the staff. We had 2 surgeons, 1 medical resident, and 1 surgical tech scrubbed in but we also had 1 attending surgeon, 1 fellow surgeon, 1 nurse, and 1 tech in the room for help. In addition, we had 2 anesthesia persons and x-ray in the room. It was definitely crowded!
The surgeons decided it would be best to do an open procedure, which means we get rid of the scope and make a larger incision. The baby's belly was no bigger than my hand! How were they going to do this? These babies become unstable very quickly and putting that much trauma on this little one scared me.
I didn't get to finish the case but I won't forget that brave little cutie. I hope he gets better soon. There is a big beautiful world waiting for him!
ninibud92 posted on Sep 29, 2006
| views: 380
Comments
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dailyachesandpains said on Sep 29, 2006....
Hi ninibud,
I ejoyed reading your post.
Just know that parent's like me, never forget the medical staff that saved their child.
Our baby had cardiac surgery, large incision, at 7 months of age, and we were terrified. I can say as a parent, we don't know how to thank the doctor's and staff enough for saving our baby! She went un-diagnosed for months so they did save our baby! I didn't really know if I wanted them to do the procedure because I was SO scared and I thought she would die during the operation. She's perfect now:-)
We have had her story printed in several MAJOR, national parenting magazines and news articles. Every single one of them made mention of her doctor's by name and organization. My only mistake was making their names nationally known, now it's hard to get an appointment ;-)
Thanks for all that you do!
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ninibud92 said on Sep 29, 2006....
I can't tell you how much this type of surgery touches my heart. As a parent, I feel like each baby is mine. They are so tender and trusting. Even though it is scary for me, I love being in those rooms.
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dailyachesandpains said on Sep 29, 2006....
That's so nice to hear. You are giving not only our children a chance at life, but allowing us parent's to live. I couldn't imagine living without my baby.
Thank you, thank you for all that you do!
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MikoFabulous said on Sep 30, 2006....
I think you're a very caring medical professional (I don't know whether to call you a doctor or nurse?) because you really look not just at the illness, not even just at the patient, but at what their condition means to the rest of what could be the rest of their life. I think that's both very profound and wise. It takes more than big brains to speak the way you do, it takes someone with a heart. I wish you good luck in your work curing and caring!
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ninibud92 said on Sep 30, 2006....
There are many times I wonder if I did all I could. Even though I am limited in what I can do (because I am neither a doctor nor a nurse, I am a surgical technologist), I care just as much as a doctor or nurse. I frequently talk about patients as if they were "mine". I consider myself the problem solver or trouble shooter in the room. I stand right next to the surgeon in the operating room and assist them with their job. And, if something is not going according to plan, I troubleshoot the equipment, the instruments, I make suggestions of other things they could do.
(If you want more info about my title, please read my second post "What is a CST")
Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone!
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secretlife said on Sep 30, 2006....
ninibud: my first daughter also had open heart surgery at 6 months of age. Prior to the operation, she was hositalized 4 times with congestive heart failures. I can tell you that this was the most frightening time in my life. That fear was like a real being that sat next to me on a daily basis for a very long time.
I remember the anesthesilogist who took her from my arms as we entered the operating room. He must have been close to 7 feet tall and looked like abraham lincoln. He was so very gentle and compassionate. I see him now in my mind's eye...so tall with my tiny baby; walking away with my baby.
I remember the surgeon and the cariologist each Christmas by sending pictures with a card to remind them that i remember what they did for us and to say thank you again. I hope they realize there is just no way to repay them for the gift of her life. Just as there is no way for me to thank those nameless faceless others who cared for my baby.
Please know, that although we can't thank you personally, that we truly are grateful for your caring and compassion and for taking care of our babies.
And since I can, I will say thank you for this little one you helped this week!
SL
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totally_cd said on Oct 06, 2006....
hi doctor ninibud92!
i once ran a charitable foundation that caters to children in different circumstances meaning kids in orphanges, kids under protective custodies and indigent kids in government hospitals.
mostly, the pediatricians usually request equipment that the hospitals cannot afford to buy like complete set of videoscopes for infants, the life saving incubators and ventilators, vga machine etc. we were able to donate new life saving equipments to these hospitals. sometimes we were shown the recuperating babies and kids(till 18 years of age) who benefited the equipments that we donated.
it is so heart warming to know that these kids will be given a new lease on life thru the generosity of the doctors using our donated equipments, medicines and medical supplies.
though i must tell you that i have encountered several corrupt doctors, there are still many who are generous and dedicated to their sworn duties.
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lewiemanchewie said on Nov 06, 2006....
Thanks for this tender post. Our now-healthy daughter, Rose, was one of those little babies with biliary atresia. Her first 16 months of life was quite dicey, but then she turned the corner, and she hasn't looked back. We were so lucky to have many compassionate and talented health professionals keeping her alive. I'm subscribing to your blog - thanks again! Lynne, Australia www.biliaryatresiababy.blogspot.com -
lewiemanchewie said on Nov 06, 2006....
Comment on "Pediatric surgery"
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