The Saga Continues

That first night in NICU seemed to last 124 hours instead of 12 hours. The neonatalogist in charge that month, Dr. Straandjord took time to talk with me and explain any questions I might have. This doctor who was doing a quick Saturday round spent a half hour with me. He was so kind. I'll never forget how he made me feel. My baby was important, our family was important and we were people not case numbers. Dr. S made one of the best impressions as an attending of all the doctors we eventually went through. I will thank him profusely one day for taking 30 minutes away from his family to make me feel more comfortable and less scared.

Later, the attending neurologist, Dr.Snarl, came in with 6 of his residents. He wanted me to leave but I asked to stay. He grumbled I could say as long as I didn't interrupt his rounds (pompous ass). Bren was still drugged into an unconscious state and there were more tests ordered. This was the beginning of the collective minds of UW Medical School and Childrens Hospital scratching their heads and going, "HUH? This kid presents atypical and we be clueless." It would have been amusing if I still had a sense of humor, which I didn't at this point. The all followed their guru to see other patients.

If one has to go into a teaching hospital I have two pieces of adice: NEVER go in the month of July~all the interns and residents are brand new and clueless. Next try not to get admitted on the weekend. The special labs are slower, in fact all labs are slower but that's ok because most docs aren't in on the weekend.

I did use one of the small rooms on the third floor to store my stuff, try and sleep Saturday night(I fell asleep after 72 hours of being awake and there was fire drill at 2am.) I was sure God hated me now! They had strob lights in every room including my closet. Scared the hell out of me. I had gotten 45 minutes of sleep. That was all she wrote.

So much of this experience reminds me of how they torture prisoners; no sleep, lights on 24/7 in ICU, the monitors beeps constantly and it was live being trapped in a sesory deprovation tank but with light, noise and sound. There were no tvs in NICU so I was completely out of my usual newspaper, news shows, HNN world.

I'll be writing in here when I have the time and the stamina. The story will continue, just at random intervals. If the muse hits I'll be in here in a flash. Thanks to all who who read this. I heart you.