July: The Haunting

In Chinese culture, July (in Lunar Calendar) marks an important date. It is the date people speaks in hushed tone. It is the period of the month where we avoids going to travel and out-station. It is the month where undertakers' business is blooming. It is also known as the 'Hungry Ghost' month.

In my personal experience, I had seen more mortality case than usual. My days during on call usually blessed with less case and I am yet to see many mortalities during this rotation.

The first case happened during the first day of July. The sky was drizzling lazily. Yet what we were dealing in the resuscitation room is all but cold. There were a deadly accidents involving 2 cars and few motorcycles. Two victims is already dead. Another two were intubated when I was called upon from my fever zone. There was this guy, young guy in early 20's. He had gas trapped between the layers of his lung. My service was needed to insert a chest tube. After the procedur, patient started going down hill. Blood pressure dropped followed with respiratory arrest. Shortly, cardiac arrest ensues. Resuscitation was done. About an hour later, we had no choice but to pronouce his death. As for one of the intubated patient, she did not make it after the emergency operation to evacuate the blood clot in the cranium. So a total mortality of 4 cases.

A week had passed. During my shift in the resus room, There were one ambulance call, despatched to pick up a patient who involved in accident. 'Ting, Ting Ting'. The bell rang three times, The the patient was pushed in in troly, face covered with blood, and the medical asistant was bagging the patient. We sprang to life. Seeing this patient, she was not spontaneously breathing. Pulse was also absent from palpation and the cardiac monitor. Everyone was playing their role. I started the CPR. She was intubated and given fluids and blood, but she didn't make it. Another soul was taken.

Then, three days ago, another patient fallen for heart attack before my shift started.

Just be careful, people. Its is July now.

Unmasked!

It is funny to watch people in panic nowadays. In the height of H1N1, you can see the reaction of human beings. There are few things that caught my attention, though.

First, does the people know what’s the purpose of wearing a mask? It is to prevent the spread of disease to other people, not really prevent from contracting the disease. Unless you are speaking of N95 or N100 respirator. One day, I saw a couple waiting beside me for the traffic light, Both of them wore mask even when they were in car! You gotta look at their face, they were so proud wearing mask in the car! How on earth… Maybe that makes them a Mask Rider.

Then came along people that wear mask, just enough to cover the mouth only. The nostrils were staring at me. When they start talking, they just pull their mask even lower, to show me their mouth. I would say: “Hey there! Wait a second. Put back your mask!” They indeed wore mask, but only to cover the neck only. These are the ‘Neck Masker’.

Maybe it is a market hype, or latest fashion trends. Some patient wear a weird mask, or shall I say, a fancy mask? I have seen one that was black in colour, come with side gills and a pretty red linings. It might look trendy, and fashionable in a way, but I can’t say it confers protections against the miniscule virus particles. The side gill is indeed holes that is perforated, that permeates the passage of air in and out, way too large for a filter actions.

Mask is indeed an important object in term of self protection. Wear it correctly, it become a protection. Wear it wrongly, it might become a nuisance. Your choice.