some patients just make me cry

Re: some patients just make me cry

Vicky RVN — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:17:28 GMT

[quote user="sal the 1st"]Its a roller coaster job sometimes[/quote]

How true that statement is. Many patients have made me cry. One was on a weekend, a young dog, collie i think. She was going to be trained as a drug search dog. The owner brought her in on the friday afternoon, fairly collapsed. Don't think we managed to get to the bottom of her problem. On the sunday her breathing got really rattly. She sounded very much like my nan when she had fluid on her lungs in her last hours...i remembered how scared my nan was so could imaginee the poor dog feeling that way. I sat in her kennel until the vet came to see her and then the owner came in for PTS. It was such a relief to see her at peace after the euth, as sad as it was. Before the vet had arrived i'd sat in the kennel with the dog laid on me and cried for the poor little thing and the fear she must have felt.

Re: some patients just make me cry

Claire Cameron — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:13:07 GMT

This time last year I nursed an English Springer called Thembe with Megasophageous and secondary aspiration pneumonia then PTS, had a few tears when I found out she was PTS. Only nursed her for half a day, but she was just a sweetie despite feeling so awful

Re: some patients just make me cry

Sal the 1st — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:07:09 GMT

I will never forget a 3 year old rottie called Lucy, lovely natured dog who came in collapsed with acute renal failure. We tried everything we could, she was in kennels with us for maybe only 3 or 4 hours. When it came time to say goodbye all the nursing staff were in tears, the owner was in tears, the vet was in tears - that was 18 years ago - these things stay with you for sure but also think of the other animals that you can help, that get better and make it home back to their own beds. Its a roller coaster job sometimes

Re: some patients just make me cry

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:54:25 GMT

I had such a similar case on fri, collie x, diarrhoea vomiting very low temp very lethargic so we put it on fluids and heat pads iv augmentin and metronidazole. I spent all morning sat with her cleaning up the diarrhoea trying to get her up and about carrying her out to run but by about 4pm she was completly collapsed , owners couldnt decide what to do so we just tried to keep her as comfortable as possible but by 5pm she was just screaming out in pain the whole time so I just sat with her and cuddled her she settle slightly when I was stroking and talking to her so luckily we were quite quiet so I just kept a vigle (spelling?) by her kennel stroking her. The owners phoned back at 6pm deciding on pts. While I was glad as she was no longer in pain and was at peace I was so sad cried my eyes out. She was only 3.

Re: some patients just make me cry

Claire Cameron — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:33:57 GMT

[quote user="les punton"]

sometimes wonder why we do it!

[/quote]

Because you made her feel better. The short time she spent with you would have made such a difference to her life.

I find I get really attached to some patients really easily

[quote user="les punton"]she was so fed up at least shes at peace [/quote]

Well said