Sunday, June 26, 2011

Weekend reruns

I got called to the hospital on Monday to see an elderly man, who lives with his kids.

On Friday night he fell asleep on the couch while watching TV. He looked so comfortable the family put a blanket over him and left him there.

He slept all day Saturday, barely moving. They left him alone.

And Sunday morning.

It wasn't until early Sunday afternoon that somebody thought, "Hey, Gramps hasn't woken up in over 40 hours. Maybe we should try to wake him".

Not surprisingly, they discovered they couldn't wake him up, and called 911.

So that's today's medical advice: It is NOT normal to sleep for almost 48 continuous hours.
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17 comments:

  1. DragonflyJune 26, 2011 at 8:39 AM

    Even post call and post nights I've never managed better than 36.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mr MobiusJune 26, 2011 at 8:48 AM

    Not even after a week of nights on-call?

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  3. UnknownJune 26, 2011 at 8:53 AM

    Sheesh! I take a second look at my geriatric DOG if he doesn't stir when I walk through a room!

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  4. Officer CynicalJune 26, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    That doesn't mean I won't try.

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  5. Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O)June 26, 2011 at 9:26 AM

    That’s great !~! We all want to “die in our sleep” so it’s a good thing.

    right... ?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Solitary Diner (Also Known as The Frugalish Physician)June 26, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    Unless of course you're a medical resident coming off of a long run of call. Then 48 hours of sleeping is acceptable as long as the person gets up at least once every 24 hours to pee.

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  7. JulieJune 26, 2011 at 9:45 AM

    there are some times when i would like to ... like now ..................

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  8. AnonymousJune 26, 2011 at 11:39 AM

    If he was "barely moving" on Saturday then he WAS moving, meaning he was still alive, meaning that maybe he could have been saved if someone had bothered to check him.

    ReplyDelete
  9. JeffJune 26, 2011 at 11:54 AM

    My roommate (who seems to have some form of Autism) sometimes sleeps for 48 hours or more when he has days off from work. He doesn't seem to be ill during those times...he just sleeps.

    So, it seems that sleeping for 48 hours straight is normal and of no concern for SOME people.

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  10. JessJune 26, 2011 at 2:08 PM

    It's a proven fact you save on food costs when grandparents sleep, instead of eating.

    Geez. Doesn't anybody wonder if Grandpa might be getting deyhdrated?

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  11. JliahJune 26, 2011 at 3:04 PM

    but then on the other side, he seems to have had a peaceful death in his own home...

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  12. PackerJune 27, 2011 at 10:10 AM

    Tis for collegians.

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  13. AnonymousJune 27, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    But if Dr Grumpy was called to see him on Monday, one assumes he was still alive. Even the best neurologist can't do much for a deceased patient...

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  14. AnonymousJune 27, 2011 at 1:16 PM

    No one else wanted to sit on the couch that entire 48 hours?? Geez, my kids get upset on Saturday mornings if another one of them sleeps late!

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  15. MockingbirdJune 27, 2011 at 2:41 PM

    What anonymous said.

    ReplyDelete
  16. dr_dreddJune 28, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    1.) I did the 48 hour thing after a week of cramming for finals freshman year of college.

    2.) I did it again after a marathon ICU call 2nd year residency.

    The first time my parents freaked out when I wouldn't wake up. The second time they didn't even react when I mumbled half-asleep nonsense into the phone when they called.

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousJune 28, 2011 at 8:04 PM

    I'd be worrying that Gramps' bladder might be getting a little full.

    ReplyDelete

So wadda you think?