ShiLiuyun/Xinjiang Daily reporter Ye Xiaomin
"My baby is 3 days old and can't breathe normally." On the morning of March 8, Shaur Khan Tilyuwu Khan, who lives in Jimunai County, Altay Region, sent a transfer request to Urumqi Children's Hospital.
What is in front of us is the one-way distance from Altay City to Urumqi City, which is more than 500 kilometers, and the breathing equipment and vehicle requirements that are inseparable from the transfer of babies.
At 1:30 p.m. on the same day, two drivers from Urumqi Children's Hospital drove a well-equipped transfer ambulance, taking Yang Yuexia, head of the neonatology department, and Liu Hui, a nurse, from Wushi to the Altay Regional People's Hospital to complete the task of picking up sick babies.
Inside the ambulance, Yang Yuexia, head of the department of neonatology at Urumqi Children's Hospital, and Liu Hui, a nurse, continued to provide uninterrupted care for sick babies. Image courtesy of Urumqi Children's Hospital
After a 6-hour drive, the transfer team arrived at the Altay Regional People's Hospital, where Shaur Khan was already standing at the entrance of the hospital to greet them.
"How is the child now?" Yang Yuexia got out of the car and walked towards the baby waiting in the incubator for transport treatment. The affected infant, who is only 3 days old, has a history of asphyxia at birth, has mild dyspnea under continuous noninvasive respiratory support, and has viscous and heavy air tract secretions, making the condition critical and untenable.
Yang Yuexia skillfully inserted the child's lung tube, moved the sick baby to the transport ambulance, and connected to ventilators, ECG monitors, infusion pumps and other equipment.
Half an hour later, the transport team drove away from the Altay Regional People's Hospital with the sick baby and Shaur Khan.
On the car, Yang Yuexia and Liu Hui have been guarding the baby's side, closely observing the breathing, circulation and fluid infusion of the sick baby, cleaning up the airway secretions in time, and keeping their eyes on the baby at any time.
With continuous ventilator assisted ventilation and careful care by medical staff, the sick baby breathes smoothly on the road, does not cry or make trouble. Shaur Khan looked at the sleeping child, got a moment of relaxation and comfort, and fell asleep.
The sick baby was transferred to Urumqi Children's Hospital for meticulous treatment and care by medical staff. Photo by Ye Xiaomin, reporter of Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily
In the car for a long time, Yang Yuexia and Liu Hui both had different degrees of motion sickness reactions, and the two forcibly suppressed their discomfort and insisted on going to the hospital.
Lasting 13 hours and spanning more than 1,000 kilometers, Yang Yuexia, Liu Hui and two drivers nibbled on some bread when they were hungry on the way, tirelessly, and successfully transferred the sick baby to Urumqi Children's Hospital in the early morning of the 9th.
"The moment I handed the baby over to the other doctors in the department, my hanging heart was released." Yang Yuexia said.
After a preliminary diagnosis, doctors give the baby anti-infective therapy and noninvasive respiratory support. That night, the affected infant monitored the blood gas analysis normally, the dyspnea condition improved, and the respiratory parameters were gradually downregulated.
On March 13, when the reporter saw the sick baby, he was out of danger of life, the milk volume increased from 7 milliliters at the beginning to 40 milliliters, and the vital signs of ECG monitoring were relatively stable.
Yang Yuexia (first from right) is carefully inspecting the recovery of the sick baby. Photo by Ye Xiaomin, reporter of Shiliuyun/Xinjiang Daily
Shaul Khan looked at the 24-hour care workers who cared for the children, and there was a deep sense of gratitude in his eyes.
In the later stage, after the condition of the sick baby continues to be stable, the medical staff will evaluate the brain function, improve the prognosis of the sick baby, and follow up regularly to ensure the survival and quality of life of the sick baby.