Would you want to be present during a 'Code Blue'?

[crwmike 0]

Someone you love is in the ER and they 'code'

Would you want to be there?

My philosophy is that I won't kick you out of the room as long as you are not impeding the process. However ...you'd better strong.

On the one hand, I understand the desire to not desert them in their last moments. In the rush to try and save a live ...well, some pretty nasty things happen.

What you see is quite likely to be appear to be a horror beyond imagining. Are those the last memories you want?

How bout it? Yes or No

Michael

[metalslug 36]

Yes, I would.
If I was married and it's my wife, the vow said: "Till death do us part."
Until she's declared dead then I'm not going anywhere.

Another reason to stay would be to witness the efforts of the medical staff, so that when they tell you they "...did everything they could", I could take some consolation from seeing that for myself and be assured that they weren't standing around undecided.

[Squeak 17]

YUP without a doubt.
I've got a bit of training and I've seen a few open bodies, (I know it's different for a loved one) but I'd never fogive myself if I left her and she died in my absence

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[bbarnhouse 0]

I dunno Mike. I've been there, and I've been there again when life support has been disconnected.(3 seperate instances)
I don't think I wanted to be in any of those situations but one does what must be done when it needs to be done.

[Morcyk 0]

I would have to say no. I don't know as much as the doctor's do.... hopefully and being such a control freak I'd be more likely to cause an issue than save a life.

[shropshire 0]

Yes if it's my better half (I'd rather be there, not that I could help, but just for support).

No if it's ME being coded

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[skybytch 273]

I don't know.

Only because I don't know how I'd handle it. I've watched someone die while being given CPR on the side of the road after a car accident. I handled that fine, but I didn't know him.

I wouldn't want to get in the way of the people working to save his/her life. I think if I were there when it happened I'd back away and let them do their jobs; if I couldn't deal with what was happening I'd leave the room, if I could I'd stay.

I'd like to think I'd be strong enough. I hope I never have to find out.

[d_squared431 0]

I would not want to be in the room. So my answer would be no. I have seen 1st hand and have been there when someone is being resuscitated and it isn't anything you can image. I have also been in the room when family members have passed away. The images stay with you forever. So really think twice about what you would do. I don't regret being in the room I just wish the last time I saw the person wasn't that way.

TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1
I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH
You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

I've been there when they were working on someone I knew who eventually died. That is now the lasting image I have. The nightmares still come back to haunt me from time to time. But then again, I saw all they did to help my friend and I know there wasn't anything else that could have been done.

Would I do it again? I am not sure. Some of it is pretty violent to watch what they do and that alone is upsetting. I would make that decision only if I happened upon it again...but my gut reaction is "no."

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[kelel01 1]

I've been there twice with people I didn't know. That sucked more than enough for me. For a loved one, I think I would need to be in the next room or something. I just don't think I could keep my cool, so they'd probably have to throw me out anyway.

[crwmike 0]

Quote

I dunno Mike. I've been there, and I've been there again when life support has been disconnected.(3 seperate instances)
I don't think I wanted to be in any of those situations but one does what must be done when it needs to be done.

Betsy,

I guess if you feel you have to be there ...you have to do it. Unfortunately, most people don't realize what they're buying into. Most codes are not the nice, tidy affairs seen on E.R..

I'll have to admit, my preference is to not have family present. Selfishly speaking, it's just ...so much harder for me. Over the decades, I've learned to detach when working a code. With a wife/husband/? present, it's really hard to close your heart to their suffering as well.

But then, codes aren't about me and I won't deprive someone of their last moments with the one they love if they choose to be there. I've been in codes where all of us have tears running down our faces as we do our work ...bear witness to a family member unraveling. I can't go to them. I can't comfort them. My duty lies elsewhere. Over the years, it empties your soul.

Michael

[Lindsey 0]

It depends on who it is. If it were my almost-ex husband....then YEAH! I'd be there... But I think you specified someone you love. In that case, no. I would absolutely NOT want to be in the room. I can see nothing that would be gained by my standing across the room watching. If someone I loved were dying (without a code going on) then I'd surely want to be there to hold that person's hand or whatever....just to be there as they moved on (and I have been). But that situation is very different from a code imho.

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[ACMESkydiver 0]

I was the code blue...at 12 years old.

So in that instance, NO I would have preferred not to have been around!!!

As you can tell things worked out Ok...I think my mom aged 20 years that day though.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[Nightingale 0]

I'd want to be there.

[mailin 0]

Nope... and if it were me I wouldn't want my family there either. I want to have (and my family if it were me) pleasant memories.


Jen

Arianna Frances

[peregrinerose 0]

Me too. If it was my husband, he's my best friend. Although I could do nothing, at least I could be there for him. Even if it is to say goodbye.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda