This photo was taken last Christmas. A few weeks later, he received a transfusion of red blood cells. Finn's veins were almost to the point of collapsing--the nurse attempted to insert the IV needle three times before getting a good connection on the fourth try. The inserts an even smaller made out of something that looks like thread. It leads out of the arm and connects to a gasket that screws onto another gasket which leads to to a tube going up to a bag of somebody's donated blood that is checked and double-checked to ensure that he can safely receive it.
The photo above is haunting. It is so easy to see all the warning signs, now. He is pale--almost flourescent--listless. That Christmas everybody observed how calm he was, how fair-skinned. We called him Buddha-Baby. He was happy, just very mellow. He wasn't eating well. The pediatrician observed it was most likely a bad case of acid reflux. We switched formulas. We tried everything. Then he began sleeping poorly. And, for the first time ever, Finn became really cranky. Bridget called the Doctor again--this didn't seem like just acid reflux. The receptionist squeezed Finn into the schedule. Minutes after the appointment began, the doctor ordered Bridget to take Finn to the emergency room at All Children's Hospital.
During the transfusion, Finn's lips grew red. The blue veins in his arms faded away as his skin became pink.
But, we did not know, then.
It takes about 10-15 minutes to get the IV all set up.
No comments:
Post a Comment