Thursday... Oh, Thursday. I was Dr. Al's assistant in the OR. He is one of our anesthesiologists, and a very good one at that. He taught me quite a bit and let me help with a lot. (No, I haven't done a spinal yet, but I'm going to next week!) One of our patients actually needed to be mechanically vented during surgery and I had the pleasure of keeping him alive during that. It was fun!
The real happening, however, was with one of our easy lumps and bumps patients. Unfortunately, she had eaten prior to surgery and none of our staff was informed of this. We don't know when, perhaps she has some sort of digestive problem, but during her surgery she aspirated on her stomach content. She showed no signs of distress during surgery as we kept a close eye on her, but as we were taking her LMA out, we noticed the bottom was clogged with mucous... We began to see a decline in her condition and went to figure out the problem. After putting several various tubes down her and listening to her lungs, we realized what had happened and did our very best to prevent the seemingly inevitable. We suctioned as much as we could out of her lungs and stomach... Which was sooo much. We all really thought she was going to die. Dr. Al and I stayed with the patient the whole way through (as he says, "never leave a case until it is completely over"). The other doctors, nurses, and our chaplain all came in to offer help. Eventually it was decided that we had done all we could do. The staff not in the OR was outside praying with the patient's family, and we were praying inside. She was breathing with the tubes but resources were not available for us to help her improve her condition. It was decided that Dr. Al would stay with the patient over night and the rest of the non-medical staff (and nursing students) would take shifts throughout the night, after dinner, to sit with the patient and with Dr. Al.
As we were eating dinner and getting ready for the first shift to head to the hospital, Dr. Al, Amy (the real one who is in charge, not me, haha), and the chaplains came back and explained that she had miraculously taken a turn for the better! She was stable and able to be transferred to the ward and we didn't need to stay with her overnight. Praise God!! I had been so worried about her and on the verge of crying since it happened (of course, I got attached to her and wouldn't let go of her the whole time I was in there) and this came as an incredible relief. A wonderful answered prayer!!
The coolest part of this whole thing (I promise, I'm almost done), was that one of my best friends had written me a letter a week ago to be read on June 7. She basically said that she didn't know for what reason, but she knew June 7 would be a particularly hard day and something was going to happen to a patient or our team or to me that would be extremely hard. That Satan was going to try and use it to tear us down and it would take a huge amount of faith and trust in the Lord to endure (paraphrased). She wrote a list of people (those that I know and don't know) that would be praying for me and us on this particular day. Wow!!!! I praise the Lord for His provision and mighty hand that was on display yesterday! I didn't remember the letter until I was leaving the OR to load the bus. I had been fighting back tears all day and nearly lost it as I thought about how God was really in control and had been planning on this day long before it ever came. It is an incredible testimony to the power of prayer, obedience, and the community we have in Christ. Ah! I serve an awesome God!
Today, I just spent the day starting IVs so I could practice. We got out early and have been laying by the beach resting, reading, and me typing out this blog.
Love to all of you and thank you for your prayers! They saved a woman's life and moved many hearts. Praise Him!
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