Wednesday, September 28, 2005

9/28/05 WARNING: GRAPHIC/DISTURBING

9:28 a.m. I am getting ready to head to the MEO for an autopsy this morning. Last night they brought in an alcoholic who likely died from what is called esphogeal verices. (I don't have time to spell check that, so be gentle.)

Esphogeal verices is a tear in the esophegus that is brought on from years of constant alcohol burn. Esentially, the person bleeds to death. Exsanguination. People don't realize what a horrific death that is.

I remember the first time I walked into an alcoholic death. I thought at first it was as murder scene because of all the blood. The guy had been living in a motor home for about a month after his wife kicked him out of the house when he refused to quit drinking. She'd finally had enough.

I remember opening the door to the trailer and finding the floor, walls, bathroom, victim..smeared with bright red blood. Generally, the bleed is so sudden and severe that the person doesn't even have time to call 911. They take off their clothes (I never once found one who wasn't naked) because they start bleeding from every orifice...nose, mouth, anus.

The toilet is usually full of blood. The sink. Trails of bloody footprints run from one room to another as the panicking victim tries to figure out what is happening to them.

And when I find them, their wasted, malnourished bodies (never once found a fat one, either) are as pale as a sheet. Usually collapsed on the floor face-down amongst a collection of bottles and cans.

It is horrible.

I had to jump up on the couch and a table and straddle them to get pictures of the guy. He was lying on the floor right in the middle of a narrow walk-through. When I walked out, his estranged wife was there. I had to talk to her to get some medical history and find out more about his condition.

I'll never forget the wife telling me, "I don't feel sorry for him. He got what he deserved. He chose alcohol over his family."

I remember thinking that I understood her anger, but that if she'd seen that trailer...his pathetic last moments...how he must have been terrified and yet realized that he'd done this to himself... maybe she would feel sorry for him.

I did.

10 comments:

Cap'n Bob said...

It may sound ghoulish to say it but reading accounts such as this are what make this blog so interesting. You are what make it so humane.

Anonymous said...

What cap' bob napier said. x 10 to the 23rd or something that sounds mathematically savvy.

My mom used to take one look at blood (ours - her kids), and she would hit the ground before you could count 10.

Thankfully you can handle yourself in that kind of situation, Polly.

Bleeding from every orifice - Ewwwww, I thought that was ebola or something. (What tamara said about learning stuff).

Mike Weasel said...

Wow...

Anonymous said...

I imagine that the estranged wife had gone through years of hell. How many times did he forget the kids' birthdays, anniversary, ball games, special events? How many times was there not enough money for electricity, rent, or presents because he selfishly drank the dollars away? Did she have to put her kids to bed hungry because daddy had drank all their food money?

Her heart had been seared from all she had invested in him, from all she had done to shield others (kids) from knowing about how bad it really was, from all her own tears. I can understand how she could be so detached at his death, however horrific it was.

Anonymous said...

What MOTW says is undoubterdly true and I'm sure the wife was right - he did do it to himself and undoubtedly put his family through hell for years.

But that doesn't mean it wasn't a horrible way to go and that Polly wasn't right to feel bad for the guy.

Would Esophageal Varices BAGNFARB?

Probably not.

Anonymous said...

I did not mean to say anything against Polly or her feelings, nor that having your veins involuntarily unplugged (even if of your own devices) is a good thing. Just that I can understand the wife's perspective. It's never easy watching someone you care for self-destruct.

Higgy said...

Wild story. I'm with Olga as to that now being on my list of the worst way to die.

The best way, of course, continues to be of a massive brain aneurysm IMMEDIATELY after having sex with the entire Dallas Cheerleading squad...

What??? A guy can have dreams, can't he???

Anonymous said...

Worst way to die: check.

Maybe AGNFA(Ozzie Osbourne)RB.

Anonymous said...

About nearly a month ago I had a esophageal varices and I bleed out. I wasn't an acholic, not drunk in 26 years, and even then it just once. But, I nearly died from this as they had me on life support for 4 days, even my kidneys were failing due to the shock of blood lost. All I remember was getting to the university of Louisville ICU unit, and throwing up blood, & it was lights out.

Unknown said...

My close friend she was also alcoholic drank day and night for years. She had no health issues however I knew it was false sense of security. She was found dead face down in small pool blood appears she bled internally still awaiting results of autopsy. Hopefully it was quick and painless .There was only blood in and around her mouth from what I was told. Very sad and so preventable she was a beautiful woman.