Tuesday, April 28, 2009

My heart hurts

I got an email from a old coworker yesterday that worked with me at Medical City. She knew I had taken care of this little girl many many times over the 3 years that I worked there. She was someone that would stand out to anyone. Partly because of her medical condition, she was so young and had a trach. She would be left alone all the time, over night and everything. She was only 6 when I started taking care of her. She had a hard time sleeping alone, she always wanted me in the room with her, and she would have me sit by her and she would rub my rubber gloves til she could fall asleep. As she got older, she got more ok with being alone. By the time she was 8, she was so used to being neglected that it didn't even phase her to sleep alone in her room at night. What did bother her was that her parents would put her in diapers everytime she went into the hospital. They didn't like dealing with her going the bathroom, when she was hooked up to an iv and such, the little time they were there. Well I found out from this coworker that she has been in the PICU for quite a while with pneumonia. I guess she isn't getting better, she is on a ventalator and her family has given up on her. They have signed a DNR and they are just waiting for her to pass or they will take her off the vent and basically just pull the plug. They don't care about their child. They always made excuses when it come to being there for her. Her mom actually said she couldn't come to the hospital because she was dusting. They don't care and they have given up. And now the sweetest little 9 year old girl is going to die. It just breaks my heart.

2 comments:

Holly said...

Oh my gosh, Rachel. That makes my heart hurt. People like that just don't deserve to have children (sorry, I hope my strong opinions on this don't bother you.) At least she has had great nurses that love her and will sit and take care of her. I so admire you; once again I am reminded that I could NOT do your job. It's heartwrenching to hear these stories; I can't even imagine having to witness them. How do you not just go postal on those parents?! Poor girl...

Snarky Belle said...

I'm so sorry your heart is breaking. This story is beyond sad. It makes me evem more thankful for and appreciative of nurses like you. (((hugs)))