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No Mental Status

Submitted by RTBeverly on Sun, 2023-12-31 12:51

I woke at 4:30 am, started at 7.
Got to clincals and took a deep breath in.
I bagged breaths, evading another day of
envitable deaths.
My preceptor moves the vent adjacent
so the patient's neck and head can have a different placement.

There's no mental status.
People just couldn't isolate
causing all this madness.

I suctioned the old covid junk
from 6 people's lungs.
Every round, I plug 'n' plunge.
All while doing oral care
and holding their hand.
Getting a trach tomorrow
that's the surgeon's plan.

I perform chest percussion
and alternate metaneb,
with some more suction.
No open eyes, nothing is said,
no brain function.

There is still no mental status???
People don't isolate,
which keeps us in this madness

Are they snowed?
Or are they just gone?
I do not ask, as I know
by the swelling of their tongue.
It is the latter.
I bare this, but bottle up the matter.
Other people to see,
no time to grieve.

This is post covid.
Wondering the outcome
of who coded.

The RRTs in raging covid rooms
do all this plus prone, supine, and swim.
They still die alone.
This is not the flu, it's more grim.
We can't keep up so we come together as a team and sadly other stuff takes more priority.
At the end of the day we are accomplished
yet defeated.
At the same time, astonished and depleted.
Knowing we did good but remembering all the things we forgot.
Trying to balance clincal settings
and what is NBRC taught.

I help where I can and manage the clean vents.
We are 2020 Respiratory therapy students
Gaining so much experience.
I want to do more,
but it's not safe behind that door.
You worry about your freedoms and refuse the masks.
Why isn't Grandma coming home? A sad dismayed child asks.

There's no mental status.
People don't isolate,
which keeps us in this madness.

Thinking up new ways to
change their fate.
Don't worry, there's a 99 percent survival rate.
We're getting good at saving people these days.
With tears in the back of my throat,
all I can say is...throw me in coach.
I get home, shower, hug my family and decompress.
I realize not one person on this planet can escape their own death,
but we can try with the mental status we still have left.

~Beverly Pippin

Style / type:

Free verse

Review Request (Intensity):

I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Last few words:

I know many have points of view surrounding Covid. This is just the view of a healthcare student who saw the fatigue and all the work that went into caring for patients during this time.

Editing stage:

Editing - rough draft

Contest:

Neopoet Weekly 12/31/23 to 01/06/24

Content level:

Explicit Content

Opt-in: Neopoet AI will critique your poem.

Comments

neopoet

Sun, 2023-12-31 18:51

Neopoet AI 5-29-23 version

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet's computer artificial intelligence:

This poem effectively communicates the emotional and physical toll of working in healthcare during a pandemic. The use of specific medical terminology and procedures lends authenticity to the narrative, and the repeated refrain of "There's no mental status" effectively underscores the theme of mental exhaustion and despair.

However, the poem could benefit from a more consistent rhythm and meter. The irregular line lengths and varying syllable counts can make the poem feel disjointed and difficult to read. Establishing a more consistent rhythm could enhance the poem's flow and make it more engaging for the reader.

The poem also tends to tell rather than show. For example, the lines "I bare this, but bottle up the matter. Other people to see, no time to grieve" tell the reader directly about the speaker's emotional state. Instead, consider using more imagery and metaphor to convey these emotions indirectly. This can create a more immersive and emotionally resonant experience for the reader.

Lastly, the poem could benefit from a more focused narrative. While the poem effectively conveys the general experience of working in healthcare during a pandemic, it lacks a specific narrative thread to guide the reader through the poem. Consider focusing on a specific patient, day, or event to give the poem a clearer structure and make it more engaging for the reader.

Please send feedback about Neo (our computer generated critique system) to https://www.neopoet.com/contact

Lavender

Mon, 2024-01-01 21:31

No Mental Status

Hello, Beverly, and welcome to Neopoet,
Your poem is staggering with its raw honesty. Our world was overwhelmed and full of fear during that time. Still is a bit. I cannot imagine how it was for those seeing the pandemic's wrath and casualties first hand. I hope writing this has helped heal some of the heartache and suffering you witnessed and aided.
Best to you, and I look forward to reading more of your work.
Lavender

RTBeverly

Fri, 2024-01-05 02:00

Thank you very much. It was a

Thank you very much. It was a daunting time, but what a time to learn Respiratory things!

author comment

Ruby Lord

Fri, 2024-01-05 05:41

Your poem gave the raw truth

Your poem gave the raw truth of the events and I appreciate that you wrote this. It must have been harrowing and painful.
I can't imagine the turmoil you and those you worked with were going through.
I hope you found writing this helped you on your way to recovering. I doubt any of us will ever really get over this, as we try to return to normaility.
Stay safe and take care, I applaud you for writing this, well done. Ruby :) xx

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Neopoet

No Mental Status