Thursday, August 27, 2009

Code Blue

"70 year old male, witnessed cardiac arrest, CPR in progress, peripheral IV line established, intubated, non-shockable rhythm. We'll see you in five." It is an eerie feeling, the waiting that is. You look the room over, equipment in place, personnel ready, white coat off, gloves on, then silence. It is not the normal quiet of the evening as you wind down before bed. This silence pierces your every thought, only interrupted by controlled breathing. The damn thing happens so quick. Someone says, "they're here." You peek down the hall to see paramedics and a gurney wheeling toward the room with one paramedic compressing a chest. With a blink, things fast forward, and now you are walking away from the room. Some of the team perhaps even you is sweating and physically tired from the compressions. You replay the entire course of events, questioning your decisions. Nevertheless, it is over. You don't forget. You try, but you don't forget.