We had a serious one come in last night.  Things for this particular man aren't looking that good at the moment.

The man in question is diabetic, morbidly obese, and has numerous health issues in addition to the diabetes and obesity.  He is only forty years old.  He came to the hospital last night in the same shape he is in at the current time.  He came by ambulance and was sent up here directly from the Emergency department after they treated him.

The man is in our MICU ward, hooked up to tubes, machiens, and all sorts of monitoring equipment.  His condition at the present time is borderlining on critical.

The man's family is in the hallway, waiting for the latest news.  They look at us like we are gods:  they expect us to save their stricken family member. 

They remind me of vultures.

I don't know how to tell them that their family member isn't doing well.  I am afraid that if I do tell them, I will be shark bait.  They don't look too happy.  Well, leave that up for the doctor, anyway.  It's his job to tell them what's going on with Joe*, not me. 

I'm just a lowly nurse; I'm not the doctor.

Just checked on Joe.  Condition remains the same:  there's been no change.  No reaction to light or pain stimuli.  He remains unresponsive, flaccid.  Totally unaware of what is happening to him or what is going on around him.  Am waiting for Dr. Jagadish to see him; he is not going to be very happy when he sees our latest findings.

Joe's blood pressure remains through the roof.  He could have something neurological going on; it's up to Dr. Jagadish to decide that factor.  Whatever is going on with Joe, it isn't normal, and we don't like it one bit.

I step out into the hallway, where I see some of Joe's family.  They come at me from all sides.  "Well?"  one lady demands.  "What's going on with Joe?"  I tell them; they demand answers, wonder why we aren't doing anything more to help their stricken family member.  I patiently tell them we are doing everything we can to help the man; they don't seem to buy it or understand what I am telling them.  They might as well be talking in Spanish while I talk to them in English.

Somehow, the communication factor isn't being met.

Until Dr. Jagadish sees Joe, we know nothing more other than the fact that Joe is a very sick man and needs our help.  Lots of it.  All we can do now is hope and pray for a miracle; if Joe survives the coma with all his faculties intact, then it will be an answer to prayer.  Until then, all we can do is wait.

*not patient's real name.

*to be continued.*