It’s about to get very crowded in here.
I didn’t think much of it. I had spent the last 7 hours with my Dad and just making sure he was being looked after as best as possible. It had been decided that he was to have a surgical procedure done and all the doctors were confident that this would eliminate the source of the infection plaguing his body.
It was some 5-10 minutes later when the doors flung open. A bed was wheeled in completely surrounded by doctors. The patient,Ken was in his mid to late sixties. One doctor was operating a ventilator, another was performing chest compressions whilst another kept count all whilst moving. When they settled into position Mark, the senior doctor on shift took control. Handing out instructions with a professionalism and ease which just blew me away. Cool under pressure would be an understatement.Here was someone who had clearly been in this role on more than one occasion.
They continued to administer CPR for well over an hour. During which time they administered numerous injections of adrenalin, hooked up a multitude of sensors, inserted tubes down his throat, in his arms, all the while continuing the compressions. A queue of doctors had formed at the end of the bed and they were lined up to take turns at doing the compressions. At one stage I counted twelve doctors. Whilst some of them were waiting for their turn to do compressions they helped keep count. Others ensured that nothing had been missed. They were all covering each others arse. Nothing like the movies or TV. A few compressions a quick zap with the good old “CLEAR” pads and we all live happily ever after. It was clear to me that this was going to be a long and exhausting process that would go on for some time.
I turned to Jenny “the Gem nurse” and asked what she thought.
“It doesn’t look good” she replied.
This was the closest I had ever been to someone who was “knocking on heavan’s door”. I felt certain that the door would soon open.
We chatted somewhat casually whilst all this was going on.
“It can all change just like that hey” I said to her.
“Yep. People in the waiting room don’t understand that when something like this is going on all the docs are helping out. Imagine two or three at once.”
I found it hard to imagine but the likelihood was all to real.
Whilst all this was going on. I heard a loud moaning coming from the corridor outside. A few moments later an ambulance officer stuck his head in.
“I’ve got two bottles of Vodka, a swim at North Beach and washed up on the rocks for ya”
Shortly after they wheeled him in. Jenny went over to attend to him at which point all she got was “FUCK OFF” which was shortly followed by him spitting in her face. He then got up and took off down the corridor in only his underwear. I couldn’t believe it. I wanted to give chase and knock him out. How dare he do such a thing.
Quite frankly it was all becoming a bit too much for me. My father was delirious with fever, the guy next to him had just spent the last couple of hours having his chest pumped by a team of doctors and now this pisshead maniac had come in and caused havoc in the middle of it all. I would be glad to see the back of this place.
They soon had the maniac back…. with the aid of two security guards. They proceeded to sedate him and look after his various injuries. It was around this time that I overheard a discussion between Mark,the head doctor and one of the others. They were going outside to talk to Ken’s partner and his sister. It was around this point that we got the call that theatre was ready for my dad. Jenny,myself and an assistant began to make our way out just as Ken’s partner and sister walked in. I turned and watched them as they stood for a moment at the end of his bed turned and walked out.
I had arrived at 3pm it was now 11:45pm.
to be continued.