abigdumbrocket

abigdumbrocket t1_j8zrab7 wrote

One time my partner took her mom to the ER after a syncope. She got triaged in, they did an ECG, drew some labs, got a line going and gave her some fluids. After a while, the resident ER doc comes in. He's young, mid-20s, and looks like a train hit him. Just absolutely exhausted, no real rest for days, total warmed-over shit. He looks at my partner and says, "Yeah, so, it turns out your mom is just dehydrated. She needs to drink more urine."

"What?"

"Your mom's dehydrated. She needs to drink more urine."

"My mom needs to 'drink more urine'?"

The resident paused, stared into space for a moment, sat down on a chair in the room and silently put his face in his hands and then his head between his knees. He stayed like that for a minute, then just stood up and left the room.

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abigdumbrocket t1_ixyz2cj wrote

Going to second this as the best response. While high-quality chest compressions take practice, it isn't rocket science and even if someone had no idea what they're doing, anything is better than nothing. If someone's heart isn't beating their brain is dying by the second. It's not like if you did the worst CPR in the world you could hasten their rapidly advancing brain death.

To OP, I understand your frustration. I had a similar experience years ago. If you feel guilty, try not to. You did what you could with what you had. Thank you.

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