Happy Birthday To Me!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! Well technically I don't turn 30 until 1245 but it's after midnight on the 24th so I'm celebrating!! There have been a few times I have cried about turning 30. There have been times I have been embarrassed to admit I'm turning 30. While I still don't plan on announcing to EVERYONE my age, I'm actually excited about it!! This evening at work (well I guess technically last night at work), I was told in report that one of my patients had died at about 0300. He was only 20 yrs old. His death was unexpected, sudden and left everyone in shock. At about 1600, the charge nurse came up to me to let me know that something that had never been done before was going to be done tonight. On my floor we have a balcony that overlooks the city. It has flowers and a water fountain. It's really pretty and relaxing. Anyway, PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) called wanting to reserve it and we allowed it. A 5 week old baby was going to be dying tonight. The baby had not left the hospital or been outside since it was born. It had been staying alive thanks to machines. Tonight the family decided to take the baby off the machines. They wanted to do it outside so the baby could be outside for a little bit before dying. I was discharging a patient when the family of the baby got off the elevator. The mom was in a wheel chair holding the baby which was slightly blue in color. A nurse was walking along side the mom squeezing air into the baby's tiny lungs through an ambu bag. There wasn't a dry eye. Both deaths were so sad. Both made me realize a bit more how excited I should be about my birthday. I am getting older and what an awesome thing! Not everyone makes it to live 30 years!! I have been so blessed. Ecc 3 talks about how there is a time for everything. I dont' know why today was the time for the 20 yr old boy and the 5 week old baby to die. I don't know why I have been blessed with 30 yrs of life. I just know that I have been so I should celebrate!! With that said....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!! Thank you Lord for blessing me with 30 great years of life!!