450 Gram

by Christine Gleason

Di dalam boks itu terlihat sesosok bayi sangat kecil yang tersambung dengan kabel dan selang yang panjangnya terlihat seperti bermil-mil. Bayi itu masih berusia 24 minggu saat dilahirkan. Ia menderita sekian banyak komplikasi yang rasanya tak mungkin tertanggungkan untuk bayi prematur sepertinya. Mata sedihnya menatap Chris, dokter magang di Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Seketika Chris sadar, ia akan sering menemui bayi-bayi semacam itu sepanjang kariernya sebagai neonatologis.

Kelahiran prematur memang menimbulkan semua masalah yang memunculkan dilema medis dan moral bagi para dokter, perawat dan para orang tua, juga si bayi yang berjuang untuk hidup, mengisi paru-parunya dengan napas kehidupan atau memompa darah mereka supaya darah mengalir ke seluruh tubuh. Tak mudah pula untuk menjaga sikap profesional di tengah keadaan yang terkadang terlalu menyedihkan untuk dihadapi.

Buku ini berisi pengalaman yang menyentuh dari seorang neonatologis selama bertugas menangani bayi-bayi prematur yang dituturkan dengan jujur dan pasti membuat Anda meneteskan air mata.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Medical, Science

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written by a neonatalogist who has spent her career in the NICU. The overall path of the book takes you through her career while also touching somewhat on her personal life, but each chapter is devoted to a single NICU patient that she was involved in treating. It was a really interesting look into the life of the NICU, and I appreciated the fact that she did not shy away from sharing the hard stories where the patient doesn't survive and the outcomes are not good as well as writing about the uplifting overcoming the odds type cases.

[Ellie Revert · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wouldn't hurt any of us to read this book. How these doctors and nurses do the work they do, and get up and do it again the next day, is just about beyond me---

[Cymiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my world having a normal baby was just my view of the world. This book opened my eyes to the wonders of baby development and how so many mechanisms can go awry...leading to premature babies weighing no more than soup cans. Their struggles as seen through the NICU physician is both amazing and heartbreaking.

[Dina P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

tentang perjuangan bayi-bayi prematur dalam memulai kehidupan mereka. juga dokter-dokter yang membantu perjuangan mereka.

bagus banget!

[Doninaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of stories, often dramatic, based on Dr. Gleason's career experiences starting as a pediatric resident, and working up to Chief of Neonatology. All of the stories are about newborn babies, most often premature. I read this on my wife’s recommendation, not thinking I would appreciate it. I was wrong.

Comparing the treatment of newborns with adult hospitalizations, some commonalities exist, but also differences. First, preemies are subject to special complications because they are not fully developed. The earlier they are born, the more severe these complications are likely to be.

Also, I was amazed to learn that, beyond size, a newborn’s anatomy differs from a young child’s. For example, before birth, a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus shunts the blood from the heart, away from the lungs. No blood enters the lungs because a fetus does not breathe. But after birth, this structure is no longer needed. Normally, within one month this vessel closes and becomes a small ligament. However, in preemies the ductus arteriosus can remain open, a serious condition that causes an abnormal blood flow that robs the newborn of oxygenated air.

The book also reveals much about how a hospital’s neonatal equipment and facilities must be specialized for newborns.

The author does an excellent job describing the patients’ progressions, along with with her thoughts and feelings at the time. Otherwise, this would be a hard book to read since many of the stories have sad endings.

Since the stories are sprinkled with reoccurring medical terms, an index would have been helpful.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the acknowledgements, Gleason mentions that other publishers passed on this book thinking that it would be too difficult for readers. Having experienced so very many of the things shared in the book (including staged death and all the difficult decisions and the roller coaster ride of treatment ultimately to bring a child home after 304 days in the NICU) within the last 14 months, it was difficult for me to read. I cried often. At the same time, it was interesting to have a "behind the scenes" look at all of it. I remember thinking often during our journey how difficult the job must be for the nurses and doctors. The book confirmed some of that and it also shared how committed those who do it are. It is written as a series of short stories, each centered around one infant (or two in the case of twins), and organized to follow the author's career development. It could have been improved with some better editing around explanations of medical terminology and descriptions of procedure. Too often something that had previously been explained was explained again in a nearly identical manner, which I found to be distracting. In the end, I think I'm glad that I read it but would caution others who have experienced it to be ready to relive both the good and the bad should they choose to read this one.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A neonatologist recounts the stories of premature patients she has worked on.

One of the better books I have read in a long time. While the stories vacillated between hopeful and hopeless, it was completely engaging in every way. My only quibble would be that I wish there had been more of the more recent cases, instead of just one. I would have loved to read more about the newer technologies; instead we spend most of our time in the eighties.

[Sydney Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvelous book of multiple cases which truly altered the author personally and professionally. Christine Gleason includes some medical jargon without losing humanistic readers lost in the labyrinth. Though occasionally rough emotionally, the book is well worth a read.

[yummyulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku yang sangat luar biasa! Penuh dengan luapan emosi, memiliki penggambaran yang realistis tentang bagaimana rasanya hidup dan berada dalam lingkungan tenaga medis dan tentunya memberikanku banyak sekali pelajaran dalam hidup. Terima Kasih!

[Sally Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read! Dr. Gleason is a neonatologist who shares stories of hope, loss, renewal, and love in the intensive care unit housing the most fragile of humans --- little babies. I adored this book.

[Pam Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a lot about neonatology, preemies. Really brought to light the tough decisions that must be made by the parents, the docs, social workers. And became aware of the tremendous advances that have and are happening in medicine.
But found the writing style not quite up to par. At times situations were described very well, at others confusing. Procedures or acronyms sometimes explained, sometimes not. Could have used with better editing. A good read nevertheless.

[Sausan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was born prematurely as well, that's why I bought it.
I like it because maybe the stories were able to build an interconnection with the readers, especially those who born premature.

[Brynna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and those who will never set foot in the NICU, should read this book.

[Debby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of a neonatologist's career told through the stories of infants she worked with. (owned print copy)

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this quickly. My specialty genre that I love so much because I used to be an X-ray technician. Great stories of love and dedication.

[Molly Sargen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have wanted to be a neonatologist since I was in 4th grade (2008-09). I read this book for the first time in the summer before 6th grade. Since then, I have read it nearly 10 times and continue to love it. It has enough medical terminology to satisfy my desire for the knowledge. However, it is also written in stories that are enjoyable. When you read it thoroughly there is a good chance that you will cry.

[DJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was amazed at the medical professionals as well as the families go through with these tiny babies. The chapters are each named for one significant case in Dr. Gleason's career story and are quite moving in many ways. This is a small book, but really very important and interesting. It is a story of amazing triumphs and amazing sadness, too.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I don't have children, I ordinarily wouldn't be interested in a book about a Neonatal ICU, but it's the next one for my book group and once I started reading the preview on Amazon, I was hooked. I even bought it since I couldn't find it in the library.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of stories about babies in the NICU during Gleason's career.

[Allie Lyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading this book. This is definitely the right field of medicine for me.

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book! A NICU Doctor describes her experience with different premie patients. Well written and very informative. Highly recommended!

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfect if neonatology is actually something that interests you. The stories are nice and short and she balances the happy stories with the sad ones very well.

[Alicia Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good look at life in NICU.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional look into a Doctors life in the hospital

[Ofer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate the title, but I love the book.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great. I'm glad our library had it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very affecting.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Touching stories about some of a doctor's experience in a neonatal ICU.