Emergency Room Series - Code Black

One thing about the emergency unit is that its activities are very unpredictable.

 You can't even try to estimate the number of patients that would be rushed in during your shift, unlike other units. Some days would be less busy and a little calm but other days would look like the devil and his entourages have intensified their mission and decided to just make the ER staffs suffer, I dread days like that. We call it code black.

 The unit would be so full of bad cases that we begin to run out of resources to use. Some cases would be BID (brought in dead), we don't accept such cases into the unit. 

Anyways, last night was one of those 'code black' nights. I'll pick a case which I find sensitive to share.

 At about 2am, a colleague and I were called to the entrance of the hospital by the security men. Getting close, there were two exotic cars packed upfront at the entrance with the Doctor on call and family relatives standing close, I could sense their panic.

 In one of the cars was a young woman, she looked like she was in her late thirties. She wasn't moving, i asked the doctor what I could get, he calmly said I shouldn't bother that he had checked but there was no heartbeat and she was gone. Gone ke?. Immediately he said that, there were heart-wrenching cries from the family members, a man who I suppose was her husband stood back and just bowed his head in maybe grief. 

I later learnt she committed suicide, injected herself with Sniper intravenously

She didn't even drink it. I wonder how she got her IV access. Was she a doctor, a nurse, a lab worker?, I wondered. Why did she kill herself? Was she depressed? The doctor asked, a relative said "something like that'. The doctor further asked if she ever saw a psychiatrist, they said no. 

He simply told them they killed her because if she had had one session with a psychiatrist she wouldn't be dead and she would have been managed with drugs and therapy. I sensed a dispute between the husband and the lady because the doctor said she must have been dead over an hour ago because she was already getting rigid. Apparently they had an argument that night and never settled it and she went somewhere in the house to kill herself and no one noticed until it was late.

 I feel most Nigerians dont see depression or mental illness as a medical condition that needs adequate attention and treatment. The suicide rates have increased recently. There was once upon a time when a Nigerian would never commit suicide no matter what he/she is going through, we would keep pushing. 

Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way a person eats, sleeps, feels about himself or herself, and thinks about things. Depression is not the same as a passing blue mood or mood swings. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be wished away. 

People with depression cannot merely 'pull themselves together' and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people with depression.

 The signs and symptoms of depression include loss of interest in activities that were once interesting or enjoyable, including sex; loss of appetite, with weight loss, or overeating, with weight gain; loss of emotional expression (flat affect); a persistently sad, anxious, or empty mood; feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness; social withdrawal; unusual fatigue, low energy level, a feeling of being slowed down; sleep disturbance and insomnia, early-morning awakening or oversleeping; trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions; unusual restlessness or irritability; persistent physical problems such as headaches, digestive disorders, or chronic pain that do not respond to treatment, and thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts. 

Suicide is never an option.

 If you are suicidal or depressed, please seek help fast. Suicide doesn't make the pain go away. Speak to someone you confide in about your challenges and never bottle them up in your mind. It only makes matters worse. The more you speak about them and get help, the lighter the burden. 

Suicide is a sin. 

Have a good day.

*Oh Dear,Oh Dear.......Thank you so much dear.this article will definitely help some people.