I'm an NHS consultant anaesthetist. I see the terror in my Covid patients' eyes

[babylonsister]

I'm an NHS consultant anaesthetist. I see the terror in my Covid patients' eyes
As a hospital consultant working in intensive care, the reality of coronavirus and patients’ fear is brought home to me every day
Sun 31 Jan 2021 05.30 EST


I’m not ready,” the patient implores me through her CPAP [continuous positive airway pressure] hood. She’s breathing at more than triple her normal rate and I’ve been asked to intubate her as she’s deteriorating, despite three days in intensive care. She is 42 years old.

There’s terror in her eyes. A tear runs down her cheek. She’s looking at the patient opposite who is in an induced coma, intubated and ventilated, and isn’t doing well.

The noise of 30-litres-a-minute of oxygen in her CPAP hood makes communication almost impossible. She repeats, “I’m not ready”, and raises trembling hands.

But her oxygen saturation is only at 84%, when it should be close to 100%, and she’s becoming exhausted and agitated. She tries to rip off her hood. “I need to phone my family,” she gasps. I nod and say OK, almost shouting to be heard over the noise of the alarms.

I’m wearing clawingly claustrophobic PPE for this aerosol-generating procedure: an FFP3 respirator face mask, face visor, gown and double gloves. I’m starting to sweat, and realise that, due to her obesity, it is likely to be a difficult intubation.

The patient tries to talk to her family on FaceTime. She is extremely breathless and looks like she is dry drowning in thin air. Tears pour down her face. I hear someone on the phone crying and saying “I love you”.

more...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/31/im-an-nhs-consultant-anaesthetist-i-see-the-terror-in-my-covid-patients-eyes

[Alpeduez21]

1. Fuck you republicans

Fuck you all to hell

I’m editing this to say thank you for all your hard work I can’t even imagine. You are incredibly brave. The emotional toll must be devastating. You are an inspiration. Thank you

[lpbk2713]

2. Make America Great Again my ass.

They tore it down at every opportunity.

Traitors.

[malaise]

3. Damn that was painful

[appalachiablue]

4. Very powerful article, thanks for posting.

[spinbaby]

5. I have a friend who's a respiratory therapist

She describes the terror of her elderly patients who know they’ve been handed a death sentence. I don’t know how she does it.

[handmade34]

6. what a sad and horrific essay to read

I blame republicans for so many deaths that could have been prevented