Anyone Who Had A Heart: A Case Study in Physiology 2

Part II—The Arrival




The ambulance that carried Jen sped through the crowded streets with
its sirens blasting and lights flashing. The traffic parted, and people
watched as the vehicle made its way to the hospital.

“My water had to break right in the middle of a meeting.”

“Don’t worry, Jen. I’m sure they understand.”

Her husband, Dave, was trying to comfort her, but then, true to form,
he said something wrong. “Anyway, it’ll give them something to talk
about around the coffee machine.”

Jen thought how lucky she was that her husband worked in the same
office, but she didn’t like the idea of being the topic of office
gossip. She was beginning to feel motion sickness from lying on a
stretcher in a moving vehicle. Just then the ambulance stopped, its
doors opened, and she was being wheeled down a long corridor.

Finally, the stretcher turned a corner and she felt Dave leave her
side as she entered a delivery room. She felt the sting of a needle in
her left hand. Then she felt Dave’s hand slip into hers and saw his eyes
like slits between the cap and the surgical mask he had put on.

Jen felt a needle go into her back and almost immediately the lower
half of her body felt numb; the epidural had taken effect. She looked up
into the mirror and saw the surgeon with a child in his hands. The
noise of first one crying baby and then another filled the room.

Jen held the babies and everyone, except Dave and the nurse, left the
room. The babies were passed between the two of them as the nurse
performed various tests.

“I came as quickly as I could,” Jim said as he entered the room like a
hurricane.

Jen thought that he had been late for almost everything in his life,
but she would forgive him this time. Jim kissed his sister, smiled at
his brother-in-law, and then went over to the nurse. Jen and Dave could
hear them talking softly.

“No problem, doctor.”

Jim came over to the new parents. “So, one of each. Any names picked
out?”

“Brianna and Christopher,” said Jen.

“OK, Doc.” Dave smiled because he knew that Jim hated being called Doc.
“Why were they blue when they were born?”

“That’s quite normal, but they should have changed to pink a minute
or so after they were born.”

“So why does Brianna still have blue finger tips and lips?” asked
Jen.

“It’s called cyanosis; it’s not uncommon. Don’t worry. One
advantage of being related to a doctor is that all three of you will get
first-class treatment.”

“I hope so, because Chris has pink lips, and he’s breathing at a much
slower rate than his sister.”

Questions

1. What vital signs or symptoms do the two babies exhibit?
   
2. What is cyanosis?
   
3. Would you be alarmed that Brianna has cyanosis and
   Christopher does not? Why?
   
4. Why would the cyanotic baby have a faster breathing
   rate?
   
5. What are the possible diagnoses for Brianna’s condition
   at this time? For each diagnosis that you come up with, describe the
   signs or symptoms that relate to that diagnosis.