Gotta Love YouTube
Well, last night I think I participated in the most unusual use of YouTube I've ever seen. I was IMing with a good friend of mine (hi Kim!) and sharing in the woes of parenting sick children when she shared with me how concerned she was about her son's breathing. I am blessed by the fact that, so far, my kids have never been seriously ill. Kim has not been so lucky. By late last night, she had already administered a couple of nebulizer treatments to her little boy, but it didn't seem to be working very well.
We talked about whether or not a trip to the ER would be necessary. She just wasn't sure. It seemed a simple decision, since she works in a doctors' office and could get her son seen first thing in the morning, but should she wait? His heart rate had finally slowed enough for him to drift off to sleep, yet Kim hovered and watching his breathing with deepening concern.
Finally, she made a video recording of the rapid rise and fall of his chest, uploaded it to YouTube and asked me to watch it to get my opinion. This is not her first time on this carnival ride (how many folks do you know who keep a portable nebulizer at home?) She's made too many trips to the ER in her two kids' short lives. Another hospital bill at this stage of the game would not be a good thing...but that worry falls to the bottom of the list when your child is in distress. One look at that video, even knowing the hardship it would cause, and I didn't hesitate to voice my opinion. Bring him in.
Luckily another friend who is a nurse also logged on about that time, saw the video and agreed with me. A second opinion from a medical professional always helps and she agreed with me. So off to the hospital they went. Sure enough, the baby was admitted. They suspect pneumonia.
I wonder if the developers of YouTube ever thought about this particular use of their service when they designed it. It's nice to be there for a friend, even from 7 states away. Oh, and please keep my friend Kim and her baby in your thoughts. They could use some positive vibes right about now.
We talked about whether or not a trip to the ER would be necessary. She just wasn't sure. It seemed a simple decision, since she works in a doctors' office and could get her son seen first thing in the morning, but should she wait? His heart rate had finally slowed enough for him to drift off to sleep, yet Kim hovered and watching his breathing with deepening concern.
Finally, she made a video recording of the rapid rise and fall of his chest, uploaded it to YouTube and asked me to watch it to get my opinion. This is not her first time on this carnival ride (how many folks do you know who keep a portable nebulizer at home?) She's made too many trips to the ER in her two kids' short lives. Another hospital bill at this stage of the game would not be a good thing...but that worry falls to the bottom of the list when your child is in distress. One look at that video, even knowing the hardship it would cause, and I didn't hesitate to voice my opinion. Bring him in.
Luckily another friend who is a nurse also logged on about that time, saw the video and agreed with me. A second opinion from a medical professional always helps and she agreed with me. So off to the hospital they went. Sure enough, the baby was admitted. They suspect pneumonia.
I wonder if the developers of YouTube ever thought about this particular use of their service when they designed it. It's nice to be there for a friend, even from 7 states away. Oh, and please keep my friend Kim and her baby in your thoughts. They could use some positive vibes right about now.
Comments
YouTube is great for connecting! I send our former exchange student (also known as "our other daughter") updates on our family that way.
Carol