helping to breathe

Tonight I was called to a critical care room.  The nurse explained the Mr. C was struggling to breathe.  They were preparing a mixture of medicines and transfusions and were going to try a *BiPAP to help his breathing.  If that didn't work he would be intubated and be on a breathing machine.  Mr. C was winded and panting and scared.  I stood next to him as two nurses took the nasal cannula off and fitted him for the BiPAP.  We couldn't talk, we couldn't pray.  I didn't know what to do.  Then I noticed the look of fear in his eyes.  Suddenly this 80 year old man reminded me of my little boys.  I sidled up next to him and put my hand in his.  He gripped hard.  I held on while the change was made.  Oxygen pumped in.  He began to breathe in a rhythm. He began to relax.  He hung on.


A few minutes later, when he had stabilized, his family was brought in.  I slipped aside as they came to him.  Through their reunion, he craned his neck around and then pointed to me.  His wife asked if he knew me.  He spoke haltingly.  "She held my hand."

...even there your hand will guide me,  your right hand will hold me fast.  Psalm 139:10


 *For my fellow novices - BiPAP stands for Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure.  It is a breathing apparatus that helps people get more air into their lungs. Created in the 1990s, it developed out of the C-PAP, which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.