GSW--->A 26wkr!!!

Nurses General Nursing

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Teenage mom last night shot x2 through the uterus. Had been sitting in a car w/2guys--they're both dead. The baby got hit in the arm, and was bleeding, too. Both doing fairly ok today.

Unbelievable!!! :eek: :( :mad:

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Will keep NICU baby and Mother in my prayers. Sending nursing spirit Prmenrs to help you in caring for the child.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I was @ work today. He's doing ok--basic premie stuff and actually progressing nicely. But his arm is still a concern. Little tiny arm, great big bullet. His humerus is broken, and he's not moving it very much. ? of possible wrist drop.

We worked on splinting it today, but it's hard talking to the ortho guys, they don't know what normal IS for a 26 wkr as far as strength is concerned! :eek: He's probably NOT going to move it very much. They wanted us to use a shirt to immobilize his arm like you do for a broken clavicle--only one problem: he's under bili lights!! Also took a little 2x2 and made a hand roll for him. For some reason, we couldn't splint the lower arm w/an arm board like normal.

Tomorrow, I'm going to suggest they either ask OT to make a splint, or have the Ortho tech to help make him something. I also remember making a splint for a humerus with tongue blades. I broke them to the length of the baby's arm, then lined them up on a length of 2"adhesive tape.

I was looking at his blood gas sheet--his 1st gas was WORSE than I thought: pH 6.66, base deficit of -37!

Thanks, everybody, for the prayers. Always helps!!

"It's always something." Rosannadanna

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Specializes in Obstetrics, perioperative, Infection Con.

The trick with the tongue depressors works really well for splinting, although I have never tried it on the arm of a 26 weeker.

The news about those gasses was depressing, the last thing the poor kid needs is brain damage as a result of all this nasty stuff. However this little one seems to be a survivor.

Marijke

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Update: Mom went home, then came back w/?SBO; Baby doing ok re:wound; his radial nerve palsy is very much improved; had a set-back b/o of possible sepsis evidenced by increased Apnea of Prematurity episodes, so he had to be re-intubated. He's beter after a rest on the vent and antibiotics. He'l probably be extubated again soon.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Will keep your little one in thoughts and prayers. Thanks for update!

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WOW!!! I spent three years in a Level 1 ER/Trauma and never saw anything like this happen. How the bullett only hit the baby's arm is an absolute miracle, this whole incident is a miracle. Keep us posted on the outcome. Did I understand correctly who ever did this died?? What a sad sad situation. :o

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Wow! Poor bebe. He could only go where his Mom took him. The volumes this story speaks-tennage Mom, violence, guns, probably drugs. What a legacy for a little one, and he gets exposed to it in utero! I feel for the poor little fellow, but it makes me angry about all of the poor choices the others made. People go on about environment, lack of money, and lack of education being the cause of so many societal problems. Everybody, from kindergarten on up KNOWS that drugs and violence are wrong> Contraception is taught from middle school on, sometimes earlier. Why will our younger folks intentionally disregard safety measures, and put themselves (and in this case) their baby in harm's way?

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

The FOB died, and another man who was shot also died. The police believe the other man was the intended target, but the 2 kids in the car (mom and dad) were witnesses, ergo... I do not think the teenagers intentionally put themselves in harm's way.

I really hate to make too many judgements. I'm too old, and it takes too much energy. Teenage girls are often very passive w/boyfriends--they want the boyfriend, so where he goes and what he does, so do they. They are also the undisputed champs at denial, which means "I'm NOT pregnant!!!" and no amennorhea and a big tummy can't MAKE me be pregnant!. Especially if they're not sure how the boyfriend will react.

Lastly, what we know doesn't mean we won't do, no matter how old we are. At least age makes us a little more cautious, thank goodness.

I have not met Mom in person, yet; when I talked to her on the phone, she sounded like she felt like s**t (as I said before, readmitted w/? SBO), and was very worried about her baby.

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:confused: I may be getting old what is SBO????/
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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

small bowel obstruction

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:rolleyes: Oh duh!!! Thanks
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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

What a terrible, terrible thing to have happened to a little baby who had to be delivered prematurely because of adult issues "this side of the world" that he had no control over. One day the baby is safe in his mother's womb, and boom...the next, he is suffering from an injury inflicted by a gunshot womb as he lay peacefully in his amniotic fluid without a care in the world. My prayers are with mother and baby! So sad!

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