We lost a mom

RochRN · Jun 22, 2005

I work in a high risk antepartum unit. On Wednesday night one of the pts was suddenly in excruciating pain. She squeezed my hands so tight, they started to go numb.
A resident came up and examined her but couldn't determine what was causing the pain. They took her to L&D and did a stat c-section. Coming out of anesthesia, she failed the neuro checks. They did a CAT scan and found a large brain bleed. She went to ICU and yesterday they took her off the vent and she died within 15 minutes. She was 34 yrs old.
I'm in shock. I can't believe she died. She was with us in AP with PROM for almost two months. She was such a sweet lady and a champion knitter. The pile of baby blankets is still in her room. She is survived by her husband, several young children and her newborn baby.
The doctors have said there was nothing that could have done to prevent this, but I can't help thinking about that night and wondering if there was anything I could have done differently.
I am so sad and keep wanting to cry. This is the first pt I have lost who wasn't elderly or terminally ill.

4 years ago this past June 7th I was involved in a housestaff on a term 36 yo mother who had arrested after having an amniotic fluid embolism. I think of this lady all the time- I still remember her name but cannot remember names of pts I had last week!! As an ICU nurse I am somewhat used to death but this one affected me more than any other one. When the code was called , my first reaction was"someone is overreacting to someone fainting." I wll never forget rounding the corner into the pts room and seeing it was a pt in full arrest. As we were working on the mother, i saw a baby being handed to a neonatologst. As an emergency echo was being done, there was silence in the room as everybody was waiting to hear a heartbeat but none would come. The next sound was everybody sobbing. We quickly got the body ready for viewing by the husband(who witnessed everything). The head of the OB/GYN department was wiping the blood off of her. Upon return to my unit, the first person I saw was my pregnant best friend. I immediately burst into tears. There was a hush all over our hospital that day. Other nursing units called ob to help them. We had a debriefing that afternoon, 1 wk later, 1 month later and then they stopped. The debriefing was much apprectiated by all involved. That night, by almost 2 yr old at the time got the biggest hug of her lifetime. I also layed on my bathroom floor that night and cried and vomited. I will never forget this lady. By the way, the baby survived, spent time in NICU but is okay. As for hte husband, rumor had it her parents wanted to sue the hospital, but the husband forbid it saying we did all we could to save her as he was an eyewitness.

rochRN in PA

porterwoman · Jun 22, 2005

Sigh.{{{{{hugs to everybody in the whole world}}}}}

Peace, everyone. Blessings all around.

Rebecca

LauraLou · Jun 23, 2005

Thank you all so much for your support. The hospital had a meeting on Tuesday to talk about what happened. The doctors still aren't sure what caused her death, so there wasn't a lot of closure. Her baby is doing really well, which is such a blessing.

At first I felt so guilty, like somehow I should have known what was going to happen and have been able to stop it. Talking with the other nurses helped me realize that everyone felt that way, which allowed me to let some of that guilt go.

Thinking about her still hurts, but I know in my heart that I did my best for her and tried to give her whatever comfort I could. At least she knew she wasn't alone and someone was there who cared for her.

Thank you again for all your thoughts and prayers.

Miltonrn · Jun 23, 2005

I work in a high risk antepartum unit. On Wednesday night one of the pts was suddenly in excruciating pain. She squeezed my hands so tight, they started to go numb.
A resident came up and examined her but couldn't determine what was causing the pain. They took her to L&D and did a stat c-section. Coming out of anesthesia, she failed the neuro checks. They did a CAT scan and found a large brain bleed. She went to ICU and yesterday they took her off the vent and she died within 15 minutes. She was 34 yrs old.
I'm in shock. I can't believe she died. She was with us in AP with PROM for almost two months. She was such a sweet lady and a champion knitter. The pile of baby blankets is still in her room. She is survived by her husband, several young children and her newborn baby.
The doctors have said there was nothing that could have done to prevent this, but I can't help thinking about that night and wondering if there was anything I could have done differently.
I am so sad and keep wanting to cry. This is the first pt I have lost who wasn't elderly or terminally ill.

Hi Laura,

I just wanted to let you know I've questioned myself just as you have. Our next door neighbor had a L occipital aneurism 4 years ago and I still think about him. After hearing the same response and researching and reading the probable outcome in numerous books time has helped me to accept that there wasn't anything I could have done to change the outcome. I understand how hard it is. Please know you're in my thoughts and prayers.

Jenzee · Jun 23, 2005

I can't help but respond to the post about the lady who wanted to go to nursing school but got pregnant,so she put it off.and is now debating on when she should go thru with it .I don't know how anyone can do this with little ones.it's very hard to study i'm assuming you want to pass with good grades and you have to really study alot cause nursing ain't no joke ,it can get hard.I have three kids 12,6,3 years and i'm still debating if i will ever get the opportunity to go to school to be an lvn.kids wear you out mentally and physically.I'm not getting any younger either.

It is not easy by any means but it is possible. I am a current student who is on a 2 semester break while I have my fourth baby and then will re-enter the program. I have been attending school with three kids..... 6, almost three and almost 2 and good grades (A's and B's). I study in the very early mornings while they are sleeping or late, late at night. Sure the kids wear me out, but any thing is possible just depends on how much you want it. Look at it this way......it is a very short period of time in your life to be a bit tired and busy.....but you get an education that will last you a life time. Also, in case you were wondering......I am still able to spend lots of time with the kids, I just do not get a ton of sleep while I am in school. Also, I am not all that young either, I will be 29 in a month.

Jenzee · Jun 23, 2005

LauraLou,

Just wanted to let you know you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

MTK · Jun 24, 2005

I work in a high risk antepartum unit. On Wednesday night one of the pts was suddenly in excruciating pain. She squeezed my hands so tight, they started to go numb.
A resident came up and examined her but couldn't determine what was causing the pain. They took her to L&D and did a stat c-section. Coming out of anesthesia, she failed the neuro checks. They did a CAT scan and found a large brain bleed. She went to ICU and yesterday they took her off the vent and she died within 15 minutes. She was 34 yrs old.
I'm in shock. I can't believe she died. She was with us in AP with PROM for almost two months. She was such a sweet lady and a champion knitter. The pile of baby blankets is still in her room. She is survived by her husband, several young children and her newborn baby.
The doctors have said there was nothing that could have done to prevent this, but I can't help thinking about that night and wondering if there was anything I could have done differently.
I am so sad and keep wanting to cry. This is the first pt I have lost who wasn't elderly or terminally ill.

When I was 19 and working as an aide in a small community hospital OB unit, we also had an experience with a post partum Mom (of twin boys) who died of a cerebral aneuryism. Those boys are now 31 year old men and I will never forget their mother.

RNnL&D · Jun 24, 2005

I am so sorry you have had to deal with this. Hopefully, it's not something you'll have to go through again.

We lost a Mom a year and half ago to an amniotic embolism about an hour after her water broke in triage. Then a few months ago, a Mom that we had on the unit for 8 weeks for PTL, died from a PE, two months after she delivered.

military girl · Jul 3, 2005

Let me add my sympathies, not only to the family of the patient that died, but to you as well.

I personally know that this is a hard time for you. Having been in a similiar situation(not OB) you do wonder if you could have done anything different or intervened earlier.

Keep your chin up. We nurses have to stick together. And yes, there should be a debriefing so that everyone involved can vent, cry, but more importantly, come together.

Sending a hug via email.

Love to you.

I work in a high risk antepartum unit. On Wednesday night one of the pts was suddenly in excruciating pain. She squeezed my hands so tight, they started to go numb.
A resident came up and examined her but couldn't determine what was causing the pain. They took her to L&D and did a stat c-section. Coming out of anesthesia, she failed the neuro checks. They did a CAT scan and found a large brain bleed. She went to ICU and yesterday they took her off the vent and she died within 15 minutes. She was 34 yrs old.
I'm in shock. I can't believe she died. She was with us in AP with PROM for almost two months. She was such a sweet lady and a champion knitter. The pile of baby blankets is still in her room. She is survived by her husband, several young children and her newborn baby.
The doctors have said there was nothing that could have done to prevent this, but I can't help thinking about that night and wondering if there was anything I could have done differently.
I am so sad and keep wanting to cry. This is the first pt I have lost who wasn't elderly or terminally ill.