Predictable... yet...indigestable.

The moment I stepped into ED,
The ambo's arrived with a guy on the stretcher,
Provisional diagnosis: L) stroke, as he had dense R) sided weakness...
Took a history from him... he was obviously dysarthric, but he still understood me.
Took a collateral history from the ambo's and rang his wife.
Cardiovascular risk factors, not on any anticoagulants...
? Maybe an ischaemia stroke?

Organised for a CT brain...
To my surprise, he had a massive haemorrhage,
With midline shift!!
A prognosis that I'm not excited to convey to her.
She looked at me, anxious for an answer.
I had to walk towards her with an NFR form.

She was shocked, but not very surprised...
Took the news like a very brave woman indeed...
and asked me if she should ring his kids?
"It's probably a good idea, m'am".
And gave her a hug...
She kept thanking me profusely for all I'm doing.

He then started to deteriorate and started seizing.
GCS was down to 5.
Started a phenytoin infusion and then transferred him to a single room when stabilised.
She was there, right next to him... accompanying him the whole time.
I knew that she knew...

In the arvo, I got a call...
"Could you please come and certify this man, please?"
It was quick... He went within hours.

She went home cause she had to feed the dogs,
The kids didn't make it because they were interstate.

But I guess, that was the way he wanted to go...
He didn't want his family to see him go...
He waited,
Waited till she left...
So that he could leave peacefully...

I couldn't help but feel that a part of my heart departed with him...
And... I teared...