A week ago, we had a 20 yr old woman in the ICU, who was 5 months pregnant. She was a high risk patient. We tried saving both the mother & child. Obstetricians, intensivists, anesthetists all were extensively discussing her line of treatment.
(1)
One day, while on rounds, her O2 saturation started dropping. We increased the O2 flow, calmed her, asked her to take deep breaths. She became stable only to deteriorate a few hours later.
With no option left, we had to sedate her & put her on mechanical ventilation.
(2)
There she was, a 20 year old, who was soon going to be a mother, lying on the bed with tubes in her mouth and IV lines running from her hands. We waited for her to get better in the following days, but ultimately had to deliver the baby through a C section.
(3)
5 month old babies don't survive. But there's still hope, we can save the mother.
I completed my shift at 8 am went back to my room. When I came back in the night at 8 pm, I discovered that she didn't make it.
12 hours ago, I saw her. Sent her blood samples.
(4)
And now this young lady, who's only 2 years younger than me didn't survive. I was devastated. Numb. Blank.
I didn't know who to tell this to. Everyone around me was busy with their work!
There was a new patient on her cot. Some 40 year old gentleman.
(5)
I closed my eyes
took a deep breath
and resumed my duty. For him and other patients needed me to do my job.
(6)

#COVIDSecondWave
#COVIDEmergency2021
#COVID19India
#FrontlineWarriors
#COVIDEmergencyIndia

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More from @AlishaAkhani

3 May
I am posted in COVID ICU for 12 hours (night shift).
This duty has been extremely brutal for a no. of reasons-
Seeing more young people die.
Have to restrain a lot of them as they're uncooperative or self extubate. They cry and beg us to remove the restrains but we can't
(1)
We're just jumping from 1 pt to another throughout the night as they deteriorate.
Staying in ICUs for so long have their own complications. So many pricks, procedures done on them everyday.
(2)
I don't know where to prick while taking an ABG sample cause their hands are thrombosed/ edematous.
I go at 8 pm and come back to my room at 9 am. Barely getting half an hour of sleep in between. Losing an average of 5-6 patients per shift (3)
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