MaeveoSliabh
spinning yarns
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2006
- Posts
- 3,454
A disclaimer: before actually getting started, I want it to be known that this is a little bit of a rant, some internal mooshy goodies, and something that I most likely will not respond to again. I want no sympathy, if any was forthcoming.
Thank you.
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Sometimes life is hard.
I had the dubious honor of being a part of a death watch. It started last night, about 11 or so, and ended this morning at about 8:30.
The little man that died was ten years old.
He fell ill a couple of years ago, when he started having problems with his hips. He's had difficulty walking since then. At times he needed help even sitting up, or standing, and his weight had to be carefully monitored to make sure he didn't gain so much it would give him more problems.
He lay down last night, like he always did. We didn't realise anything was wrong until we went to check on him at about 11. We found him lieing in his own waste, breathing hard, with his eyes closed. He wouldn't open them when we rolled him over to clean him up. He wouldn't eat anything. Wouldn't drink water. Wouldn't take his medicine.
We moved him into the living room, where we could all sit up with him. He showed signs of awareness when we did. It looked like he would improve - he tried to sit up, was looking around, ate and drank a little bit, took his medicine... then got tired and lay back down. But these were all good signs. He had done this before, and every time he showed those signs of improvement, he was usually up within a few hours.
I am highly ashamed to admit having fallen asleep at some time between three and four, even though I did wake up every time somebody went over to see if there was any more improvement. About 6 this morning I was wakened and told to go take a shower so we could take him in.
I held him on the way there. Rested his head in my lap and petted it, and sang to him. There was nothing else I could do. His eyes were closed again, and he was so still...
He was taken back into a room, and I was asked to stay in the waiting area, but one of the assistants kept relaying what was going on to me. Low blood pressure, the put him on oxygen immediately, had him on an IV drip, inserted a catheter... they let me go back for a couple of minutes when they tried to take a blood sample to do a CBC.
They couldn't get any. There was no blood pressure.
His heart had stopped.
He wasn't breathing.
I am glad to say he went peacefully. He didn't fight it. He knew it was his time, and went with dignity.
He was good. And strong. And he will be missed.
May the Gods help him.
Thank you.
------------
Sometimes life is hard.
I had the dubious honor of being a part of a death watch. It started last night, about 11 or so, and ended this morning at about 8:30.
The little man that died was ten years old.
He fell ill a couple of years ago, when he started having problems with his hips. He's had difficulty walking since then. At times he needed help even sitting up, or standing, and his weight had to be carefully monitored to make sure he didn't gain so much it would give him more problems.
He lay down last night, like he always did. We didn't realise anything was wrong until we went to check on him at about 11. We found him lieing in his own waste, breathing hard, with his eyes closed. He wouldn't open them when we rolled him over to clean him up. He wouldn't eat anything. Wouldn't drink water. Wouldn't take his medicine.
We moved him into the living room, where we could all sit up with him. He showed signs of awareness when we did. It looked like he would improve - he tried to sit up, was looking around, ate and drank a little bit, took his medicine... then got tired and lay back down. But these were all good signs. He had done this before, and every time he showed those signs of improvement, he was usually up within a few hours.
I am highly ashamed to admit having fallen asleep at some time between three and four, even though I did wake up every time somebody went over to see if there was any more improvement. About 6 this morning I was wakened and told to go take a shower so we could take him in.
I held him on the way there. Rested his head in my lap and petted it, and sang to him. There was nothing else I could do. His eyes were closed again, and he was so still...
He was taken back into a room, and I was asked to stay in the waiting area, but one of the assistants kept relaying what was going on to me. Low blood pressure, the put him on oxygen immediately, had him on an IV drip, inserted a catheter... they let me go back for a couple of minutes when they tried to take a blood sample to do a CBC.
They couldn't get any. There was no blood pressure.
His heart had stopped.
He wasn't breathing.
I am glad to say he went peacefully. He didn't fight it. He knew it was his time, and went with dignity.
He was good. And strong. And he will be missed.
May the Gods help him.
