Something to make you smile.

Today is the first day I've had in a REALLY long time at work where I actually enjoyed myself and was happy. Now don't expect this is a big change for me, and that it's going to be like this from now on because it was just a one day thing, but it was great. And I think I even did a little happy dance.

My patient was really sick. He was in a coma and not responding at all except to painful stimuli (i.e. if you pinched him, he would pull away from it). He wouldn't even open his eyes. This patient had a huge family, and when I say huge, I mean I had never seen a family this big before. It was awesome to see so many people loving and supporting him. They were at his bedside almost the whole day (probably 20 different people in one day).

One of his doctors came in to talk to the family today, and he bluntly told them that he thought he was doing terrible, and that it was his opinion that he would never wake up. In my experience, this conversation was completely premature. I have seen people that just needed a couple days, and when they were ready, they would wake up. The family was distraught all day, and they continually asked my opinion. I told them how I really felt which was that it really could go either way and he just might not wake up, but sometimes people just needed time to heal and rest, and that shutting down was their way of doing that. I told them that I felt it was too early to be losing faith and hope. I think they appreciated me being honest, yet still giving them something to cling to.

This is the most that I have ever hoped that someone I didn't even know would just wake up and be okay. I tried every hour and assessed him every hour, and he still showed no improvement.

The wife spent some time alone in his room, and I could hear her outside of the room yelling at him in tears to "WAKE UP! OPEN YOUR EYES! THIS ISN'T FAIR! WAKE UP AND TELL ME YOU LOVE ME!!" I almost cried myself.

One hour before my shift is over, and I once again go in to do my hourly neuro check. All of the sudden he opens his eyes. I got so excited, but thought for sure that he still wouldn't understand me. Sure enough, I asked him to squeeze my hands, and he did. Well, that had to just be a reflex. I told him to wiggle his toes, and he did just a little. It's a coincidence...he isn't really following commands. I asked him to hold up two fingers......he did. OMG! He's awake!! I was so ecstatic, and I just couldn't believe it. If any family deserved it, they sure did. I wanted so bad to give them the good news, but unfortunately they all left to have dinner! UGH! I looked at him, and I said "You're wife is going to be so happy that you're awake!!!"

And he smiled at me.