Dedication To Alex Braes
The early hours of a Wednesday morning in a small country town.
An 18-year-old boy struggles to sleep
He had pain so bad
all he could do was weep
he, knee was so painful
he had to go to the hospital
his father took him there
once there it seemed
nobody was to care
the failure in regional hospitals
is undeniable in this story
this ending has
no glory
the odds were against Alex
from the start
with lack of medical resources
and staff
before his death
management refused to listen
to critical concerns about safety
with no concern of patients
and no liability
20/09/2017, 3.18 am
Alex arrived in Emergency
In pain, hoping for attention
Was neglected and sent home
Left to lay in bed
And grown
No-one did vitals, no-one checked anything
He was told to come back in the morning
They played the downswing
Wednesday 8 am
Back he came, for an ultrasound
Couldn’t get results
No-one could see him
Claiming they were busy
He sat there feeling grim
Vital signs not checked again
Told to go home, come back later
By this time, Alex’s pain
Was getting greater
Wednesday 6 pm
Where they going to be seen
They didn’t know when
Alarm bells should have been ringing
This boy was deteriorating
All check points were missing
Failure to do vital signs were indefensible
The results came and
showed possible torn ligament
sent home again
this hospital is impotent
come back in two weeks
it maybe too late
for Alex’s feet
Thursday 10 am
In excruciating pain, he could not walk,
The pain was so bad, he could barely talk
His father called an ambulance
But none was available
Who could he find
That was attainable
Put into the family car
For another round trip
This story is hard to write
It sounds like a Hollywood script
Alex couldn’t get out of the car
It took 25 minutes to get him
A wheelchair
How much can this hospital
Actually, not care
Thursday 11.39 am
Arrived in reception and was told to wait
He complained and told them
He was going to faint
Asking for a pillow
That they did not get
Alex was clammy
Beginning to sweat
Thursday 12.17 pm
Thirty-three hours after he first
Walked in the doors
Staff finally did vitals
A little too late
His family had lost
Their faith
Thursday 12.28 pm
Vitals got severely worse
Rapid response team
Where called
By this time, he family
Was appalled
Cold, clammy, significantly blue, mottled
And not responding
Meant he had been unwell for hours
And his leg left rotting
Barley conscious, Alex’s pain
Finally discovered,
Infected Toenail, no-one picked up on
This poor young boy suffered
Alex now in toxic shock for a deadly skin eating disease
Necrotising fasciitis
Lies on a bed lifeless
Kidney failing with sepsis
Not having the right resources
This whole trauma is senseless
Thursday 1.25 pm
Resuscitated
Thursday 1.47 pm
Ready to fly Alex to another hospital
Royal Adelaide had no beds, by this time
The family where banging their heads
Traumatised of what was happening
To their beautiful boy
It did destroy
Thursday 2.05 pm
The royal flying doctors
Could not fly Alex
Now they were all sick
To the stomach
The Pilot had reached his
Maximum hours
Regulations
By the Civil Aviation’s
Thursday 2.32 pm
Sydney Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Found a bed and an air ambulance came to collect him
Chances for Alex, are very slim
A five-hour round trip
I told you
This is like a script
His parents shell shocked, just sat there
grasping the reality
of what they were facing
the whole time
their heart racing
Thursday 5.30 pm
Suddenly deteriorating sharply
Alex needed life support before
He plane trip
This was critical
There could be no slip
Alex fighting for his life
He was unsure if
He was going to survive
Thursday 9.30 pm
The plane took off, with his mum on board
Declined so quickly
They prayed to the Lord
How horrifying for his mum
The feeling of hopelessness
She couldn’t succumb
Friday 12.50 am
14 hours after the father
Called the ambulance
They finally arrived at hospital
The journey to get there
Was despicable
It was way too late
He had a cardiac arrest
The doctors felt hard pressed
Friday 2 am
18-year-old Alex Braes was
Pronounced dead
Had he had help
From the first time
The disease wouldn’t of spread.
A preventable death
That no one is accountable for
Makes me sick to stomach
Forever more
I will never forget writing this
As I think of the family
Giving their final kiss.
Copyright © Janelle Barker | Year Posted 2020
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