Thread by @HeartOTXHeartMD

On this day, 20 years ago #September11 , I was attending the CVICU Service @BSWHTemple_IMED .

It was a very busy service and I was pre-rounding.

While listening to a patient’s chest, she gasped.

I took my stethoscope out of my ears and looked at a face of a woman in shock🧵

…not #CardiogenicShock , but this shock.

I sat on her bed and we watched together…in shock

I don’t know how many more minutes it was, but I eventually turned back to her.

She hugged me harder than I’ve ever been hugged before or since.

We cried a few tears 2/

I told her that she was going to be alright…that WE were going to be alright & pat her on the shoulder as I resumed my exam.

As I turned to leave the room, the other plane hit. I looked at her & asked her if she was okay we me leaving. She said, “Yes, you have work to do” 3/

I quickly walked out and paged the team together then called my wife while I was awaiting for them to arrive at the nurses station.

One of my nurses put an arm around my waist as I tried to calm my voice and speak to Suzi.

“It’s going to be a long day”, I said. “I love you”3/

Suzi told me she loved me, too and that she would talk to the boys and reassure them that “God’s got this”.

I hugged my nurse and told her the same 4/

My team arrived…ALL in shock having had similar experiences in different patient rooms.

I told them to recognize that we are human & that this most definitely would affect our performance and that we must be mindful of that & that we must concentrate extra hard on our tasks 5/

“Our pts are counting on us to be the calm & their peace”

I asked each of them to debrief on what they were feeling & whether they felt confident in their ability to perform.

I told each to come to me if that confidence waned…& we went on together to save lives that day 6/

A few hours later, my brother called to say that my nephew had been born- healthy and happy.

I checked in on my whole family & my whole team multiple times that day. 7/

I didn’t get home until the wee hours of September 12th & fell asleep in Suzi’s arms.

The STEMI pager went off about 2 hours later and we went on…

…as we have in every day of the #TwentyYears since #September11 2001

I love y’all. ALL of y’all!

Fin/

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