First Day Home!
Yesterday was a wild day but I am elated to report that we came home and we came home together as a family! We were nervous that Katrina was going to be discharged from the maternity ward and that our baby would have to be left behind in the NICU. Thankfully the NICU staff was able to accommodate us staying in their one single boarding room which is usually held for mothers who are discharged before their babies are allowed to go home.
Everly was able to start eating more in the NICU (each feeding she was averaging an ounce of formula with whatever amount of breast milk we could mix in the bottle). Also, there had been no more troubles with her breathing. She doesn't cry or make much fuss at all either. We know that the last part may be short lived but we want to believe the theory: chill parents make chill babies.
Katrina has been doing better and better each day with her breast pumping (producing more) and getting Everly to latch on is building strong habits. We are so lucky to have gotten to come home yesterday. Upon discharge of Everly we had a few pictures taken in the NICU and packed up the truck for leaving.
We exited the NICU. Katrina had to be wheeled down in a wheel chair while holding Everly who was wrapped up in a swaddle and covered with a blanket. I left them inside the doorway of the new Wilson Main Tower entrance so I could go get the truck which was parked over in east bumble...
I situated all of our bags and belongings in the front passenger seat and had the car seat installed in the rear passenger seat. I pulled the truck around and drove up the ramp to the doorway. I got out of the truck while Katrina (and Everly) were wheeled outside and up to the truck. Katrina stood up, handed me our baby, and got into the back of the truck while I set Ev into the car seat. Katrina said she would strap her in before we got moving so I went back up front and got into the driver seat.
I noticed a black truck pull up behind us. It was another discharged patient's relative doing the same thing I was. The driver of the truck was a man, who by the looks of him, was in his mid 60's. He finished loading up his relative without much of an issue. Meanwhile Katrina was in the back of our truck still trying to strap Everly into our new, unfamiliar car seat.
About a minute had passed and the guy in the truck waiting behind us decided to get out and walk up to my driver side window. I saw him coming so I rolled it down. He started off asking if we could get out of his way because his elderly mother had just been discharged and he did not think they should have to wait. I told him we just needed a minute and he then asked if we could just pull the truck up and move out of the way so they could pass us. I felt my blood pressure building.
Before I opened my mouth I decided it would be more polite of me to show him what was going on. I rolled the tinted back window down to show him the display of Katrina still working on strapping in our little baby who was just released from the NICU. Had I opened my mouth I probably would have said something along the lines of "If your mom can't wait 5 minutes maybe she ought to be re-admitted." That's what I was thinking but let me just remind you that Katrina and I haven't slept well in days, we haven't eaten well, and we haven't spent the time with our baby that we would have liked since she was in the NICU.
The man, clearly irritated, went back to his truck and waited until we could move. I hope he had a nap later in the day because he needed it more than our baby did at the time! We got down to business, I helped get the car seat adjusted and we went on our way. The stop we had to make before we headed home was to Walmart. We didn't anticipate our baby needing formula because we (like the majority of new parents) wanted our baby to breast feed. We got to Walmart and I left Katrina and Everly in the truck with it running. I went inside and went straight to the formula.
Formula in hand, I checked out of the store and had started walking back to the truck. I walked out the doors and turned towards the truck when I saw some people I knew from Greene and said hello. They asked me if I was in EMS which kind of took me off guard since I was wearing my work jacket. "Yes" I replied and that was when they pointed over my shoulder and said, "I think that guy needs help!".
Well 'that guy' did in fact need help. There was a man who was lying on the pavement on his back beside his pickup truck which was parked in the fire lane near the door. Knelt beside him was a Walmart associate who had began chest compressions and another woman who was knelt down next to the mans head.
I pushed my cart into a barrier pole by the door and I ran over. The Walmart associate was doing chest compressions and the other woman, who I quickly discovered was the mans wife, was giving the man rescue breaths. When I had gotten to them, I noticed another man there who was on talking to a 911 dispatcher on his cell phone.
Only seconds had gone by before a Vestal PD car rolled up and out hopped an officer with an AED. He handed it over to me and I went to work on getting it turned on and the pads placed. The officer took over compressions. The man's wife started using the rescue mask that was in the pouch attached to the AED.
We had a good jump on the situation and the elements of a save were there. The teamwork of our group was notable. The arrest was witnessed by the man's wife and the man had been on the ground less than 5 minutes before help was formed out of the group of us. Vestal EMS also had a quick response. Their ambulance pulled up to the scene and so did one of their fly cars. With them we had a bigger team working this man's code and everyone was communicating well.
Just as I felt there were enough 'cooks' in the 'kitchen' and realized I should probably get back to Katrina and our baby. I felt my phone begin to buzz in my pocket. I assumed it was Katrina so I asked the team if they had it from there. They were good so I went on my way. I called Katrina back as I walked toward the truck. She was patient with me and let me explain what was taking so long for me to come back.
I got back to the truck and we took off for home. As I drove I could feel the adrenaline dump starting to come on. It was an ass-kicker of a day just after an all out ass-kicker week. Sorry Everly.. cover your ears.
We got home and took Ev upstairs to our 3rd story apartment first. Then I went back for the bags. As I entered the apartment with the last bunch of bags I heard sirens outside. I looked out the window to see that the Vestal rig was transporting emergent to Wilson on Route 201.
I had a brief sigh of relief because a transport indicates a chance of survival. Our team did the best we good and it looked like the man from the parking lot was on his way to the best place you can be (around here) when suffering a heart attack, or having a baby: UHS Wilson.
The day went on and we started getting things we needed prepared for feeding Miss Everly. I'd tell you about the rest of the day but just beware that the crazy part of the story is over. We got dinner from Rossi's, took showers, fed baby Ev again, and took naps. It was a crazy day but it ended well for us.
It was a long day. I think I'll drop it here.
But before I leave you...
I must note that I read many posts on facebook that shared the news about the passing of Vice President of Eastern Broome EMS, Richard Smith. The man in the parking lot was him. My heart sank. Before I knew him, the man could have been anyone. To me he was an unknown patient and every patient gets the same treatment of care regardless of who they are. My goal is not to leave you more depressed than you were when you started reading but that might be the outcome. There are a few key take-aways.
For starters, the man was with his wife when he passed on and she knows just how much was effort was put forth to save the man because she was there and she even helped try. There was also a great team of people helping and a rapid response by all. Lastly, even though our community lost a hero of a man (from what I can tell by the mourning posts online) there was an extraordinary lifetime of service to people that he had dedicated. There is so much honor in the legacy that he leaves behind.
Rest in peace, Richard. We will hug our loved ones tighter and continue to live out our days remembering you and your legacy. Your family is in our hearts and prayers.