HE’S not going to make it. Call palliative care.” The instruction was given in a neutral tone, as if asking us to book a chest X-ray or get a dietetics opinion. I exhaled sharply with relief. I had been the registrar looking after the boy in the bed in front of us for over four weeks, and I was at my wits’ end.
Jason was a seven-year-old boy who had a metabolic condition that caused a slow degeneration of his brain and central nervous system. There are different variations of this disease, some more treatable than others.
Because no one knew Jason’s underlying issue, or what condition he had, he was kept on “full intervention” in the paediatric ICU while we worked to properly diagnose him. This meant that everything that was needed to keep him alive, no matter how invasive or painful, was on the table, with no effort spared in the attempt to save him.
Throughout it all, his mother, Agnes, sat quietly by Jason’s bedside, occasionally placing her hand tenderly on his forehead.
The hope was that we would discover that he had something that was reversible. But as time went on, this seemed more and more unlikely. The tests may have been equivocal, but messages from Jason’s own body couldn’t have been any clearer: it was shutting down.
While he was surrounded by doctors and nurses who all wanted what was best for him, it wasn’t working. We were making him miserable. Deep down, I knew there had to be a better way. So when the consultant suggested we contact the palliative care team (Paedspal), I was both relieved and confused.
“I didn’t know that the hospital had a palliative care team,” I said.
“It’s new,” the consultant replied. “I don’t usually like giving up on patients, but have you got any better ideas?”
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
PUSHED TO THE LIMIT
The unusual relationship between an heiress and her husband has taken a sinister twist
HOW TO MAKE A SUPERBABY
Noor Siddiqui says her company can test embryos for hundreds of conditions from diabetes to Alzheimer's. Critics call it social engineering but she insists she's just giving prospective parents the means to avoid a lot of future heartache
THE GROWN-UP BRAIN
If you think your brain deteriorates as you age, think again!
THE eyes HAVE IT
They're the windows to our soul - and the first place to show the stresses of everyday life. Juliette Winter reveals expert tips to de-puff, brighten and smooth this delicate area
WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER
It hasn't been an easy road but now this bodybuilding couple are making waves in the industry
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!
Annetjie's about to get effective treatment for the skin condition that has blighted her life and she's looking forward to hitting the shops and facing the world
'SHE NO THREAT TO ANYONE'
When SA boxer Chris van Heerden's Russian girlfriend went to visit her parents she was thrown in jail and accused of treasonnow he's in a fight to free her
SUNK IN 16 MINUTES!
A sun-drenched holiday turned into a living nightmare for those aboard this luxury vessel
READY TO SMILE AGAIN
A groundbreaking surgical procedure will restore this Limpopo teen's badly damaged jaw and teeth
HARRY AT A CROSSROADS
As the prince turns 40, royal experts paint a picture of a troubled soul- isolated, homesick and struggling to find a purpose in life