I’ll Save You the Worry
By: Bob Umberhandt, MD
My senior resident told me
“pay attention, that old dude is slicker than owl shit”
Like I was supposed to know
It was the first time I’d ever seen an infant under anesthesia.
Only, this one had never known life without it
Peach skin. The smallest fingers. A little boy.
Bloated belly and terrible pressure. Dead bowel and all that comes with it
I fumbled gowning and gloving. Contaminated and embarrassed.
I’ll save you the worry, he said. This baby will not survive.
Will is a fragile concept. I looked away.
He kept working, slight sway, hovering over the child, silently moving through him
Recomposed, redressed, I looked inside. Excised. Redirected. Held hook. Coagulated.
Empty and swollen.
He hummed, swayed, and sutured.
Dr. Umberhandt is a practicing pediatric orthopaedic attending physician. He notes, more importantly, he is a partner, father, and advocate for kids. He enjoys writing about moments that help him comprehend the world around him. He likes bikes, music, and teaching.
