Dr. Ziad Marzouk a resident doctor in Internal Medicine wrote:
As much suffering as it is, as dangerous as all daily tragedies, it’s like you’re in a race against time to save whoever you can and to prevent the deterioration of others. When Doctors tell the ICU assistants, “transfer this patient to the ward, he’s in a safe situation now,” doctors forget the tiredness of standing for hours and being under psychological and physical stress for long periods of time.
- The doctor says: “Hey Dad, come with us to the ward, You don’t need to be in the ICU …..”
- Replay the old man patient: “Why my son?”
- The doctor says: “Thank God your situation has improved, and the Vital Signs have become stable and must be placed in the ward for pre-graduation rehabilitation within a few days”.
A wonderful feeling that makes you thank God for choosing you to be among these patients and within this tragedy, and to be a reason to save their lives.
All fatigue disappears when you see the patient’s smile of happiness, when getting out of a room, in which he witnesses how the death snatched people around him one by one.
Patients who have been in the hospital for 25 days or more, and who have been followed up according to the most updated studies on Covid-19 patients all over the world, have given us a lot of knowledge and experience in the use of invasive and non-invasive ventilation for the right patient at the right time. Some patients have approached death’s door more than once, and the Godly ability has been accredited for restoring their health.
Patient T.B, a type 2 diabetes patient in his 50s, was discharged a few days ago after the decision to intubate him was very close. Since he had arrived the hospital with a 55% oxygenation, and had been monitored daily, actively using non-invasive ventilation, on an automated multi- systems ventilation device based on his condition, strict glucose control, and maintaining fluid balance to prevent any deterioration, until his clinical condition improved despite the poor clinical, laboratory and radiological condition on admission. He is now practicing his life normally after several days of discharging.
B. B., a 70-year-old patient who spent 17 days in the intensive care unit, one week on the ward, and then was discharged home, called me a few days ago to express his appreciation for the treatment and the care he received. He is one of the cooperating patients who benefited from non-invasive ventilation with CPAP BIPAP systems and was spared intubation despite the clinical and laboratory deterioration of his condition and despite the accompanying diseases.
One of the lovely cases treated in Covid’s critical care unit was that of a 16-year-old girl. She had type 1 diabetes and ketonic diabetic acidosis with covid; when she arrived the hospital, she had severe metabolic acidosis incompatible with life (PH 6.7), then she was transferred to the ward three days later when her condition had stabilized; she then discharged home.
Despite the fact that healing instances outnumber fatalities, certain cases have an influence on our souls.
One of the catastrophic examples was a 38-year-old pregnant woman who presented at the hospital with 60% oxygenation and respiratory discomfort. The fetus died due to hypoxia as shown with the abdominal echo, the mother died the next day despite all attempts and consultations.
Another 14-year-old girl arrived the hospital after the midnight with a 35% oxygen saturation and a very poor overall situation, she was intubated and died in the next day.
Also tragic is a 30-year-old young man who arrived yesterday at the hospital with a 20% oxygenation with a very bad condition, his heart stopped 3 minutes after admission.
May God bless those who have died, and may God heal those who are still alive.
The dangers of this extremely hazardous virus should be warned about, and prophylactic strategies such as social spacing, mask wearing, and getting the vaccination as soon as possible should be implemented.
We haven’t encountered any vaccinated patients who need to be admitted to the ICU in practice.