Educating even while not working

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

Last week was one of my toughest weeks ever. My oldest daughters best friend died suddenly from a brain aneurysm, she was only 28. There were many questions about what had happened and how it could have been prevented. My past experience in neuro helped me reassure everyone that the possibility of seeing the aneurysm prior to rupture was slim plus it being in an inoperable site was also a probable issue. She had gone to the ER a few weeks prior with a raging headache but the pills they gave her made the headache go away. It came back intermittently during the next few weeks and she never went for a follow up appointment with her primary doc.

We got a call from her mom early one morning saying that she was basically brain dead. The questions continued about if she was dead why was she still in the hospital in ICU? She was a potential organ donor which is something she would have wanted. The time frame of declaring brain death and the tests were explained to those concerned.

The viewing added more questions, why doesn't she look like herself she is so bloated. The organ donor nursing necessitiy of keeping adequate blood pressure required lots of IV fluids so she was just carrying that with her.

Understanding the grievinig process and assuring those who cared about her made me glad I had experience to help them along.

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I am so sorry to hear about your daughter's friend. Reminds me to live every day like you're going to die tomorrow.

But I am also glad that you felt you were able to help ease their grieving process. That's not an easy thing to do.

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Specializes in ICU.

the information you dispersed was good. good information and helping people understand what's going on does not decrease the grief people feel, but does limit the torture of imagining things on their own. my condolences to all concerned. :icon_hug:

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Specializes in School Nursing.

definitely a hard week for you, your daughter and her best friend's family. keeping you all in prayer. :heartbeat

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