I'm chuffed for you.....but surprised at the restrictiions on visiting. We
believe parents 'own' the kids and we are only caretakers. Parents can visit
for as long as they like up to 24/7 - we do ask them to ring in case there
is a crisis in progress. Also we like to encourage parents to go and sleep,
eat etc [especially if BF as they may want to ensure optimal flow!]
TOny Knox
----- Original Message -----
From: "Donna Cookson Martin" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 8:04 AM
Subject: BF in CICU
> Tony --
>
> Your description of your work in pediatric cardiac critical care
moved
> me deeply. Exactly four weeks ago today my 18-year-old son Philip lay in
> cardiac intensive care, recovering from surgery to replace the aortic
> root and spare and repair the aortic valve, a very exacting procedure,
> performed by only a few highly skilled cardiovascular surgeons. Philip
> is young and strong; the surgery went well, and he spent only one night
> in intensive care. But that one night was more than enough to convince
> me that, if he had been my newborn, lost in all those tubes and wires,
> surrounded by monitors and monster machines, breastfeeding or even
> breast milk, though dear to my heart, would not have been uppermost in
> my mind or in my priorities.
>
> That said, an incident occurred in that CICU cubicle which I think
> Lactnetters might appreciate. Visitors were permitted only once every
> hour, only for five minutes per visit, and only when the nurse summoned
> us from the waiting room. On my last visit for the evening, the
> nurse--CICU has one-to-one nursing--was joined by a second nurse. She
> explained that she had come in early to brush up and be briefed because
> this was her first shift after her maternity leave. She said she was
> breastfeeding, and, of course, I asked if she had contacted La Leche
> League, and told her I was a Leader. She immediately began asking
> questions about storing her milk. The conversation progressed, and the
> other nurse, herself a former breastfeeding mother, joined in.
>
> One thing led to another, and I pointed out that, Philip,
supposedly
> sedated and unaware but apparently recovering very nicely, had been
> breastfed for fully two years, and this was undoubtedly the reason that
> he was doing so well. Now Philip, in good teenage boy fashion, is always
> embarrassed, or pretends to be, when his mother discusses breastfeeding,
> at all, not to mention HIS breastfeeding. At this point Philip, our
> supposedly sedated and unaware patient, raised his hand, shook his
> fingers, and commanded in a voice strong enough to be heard in the next
> cubicle, "Go, Mum, go."
>
> We needed no further assurance that Philip was going to be just
fine.
>
> Donna Cookson Martin,
> thankful for the wonderful medical staff at Toronto General Hospital,
> but so glad to be back home with my convalescing son in Sedgewick, Alberta
>
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