How could a morning going so good end up being so bad?

How could a morning that started off so good end up going so bad?  I was in the middle of my am medicine pass this morning and checked the clock.  It was 6:05.  “Good,” I thought, “I am running about 20 minutes ahead.”  That meant I would have time for more in-depth interaction with some residents, which is my favorite part of the job.  At that exact instant, my cell rang.  It was the nurse working the other side of the building.  “Girl, come quick.  I think I have a code,” she says.  I rushed over and with one look at the patient, I knew she was dead.  She didn’t have the sticker over her bed that represents DNR, so I knew we had to do CPR.  The other nurse was upset saying, “I don’t know what to do!  What do we do?  I have never worked a code before!” So I told her “calm down, you have been taught this many times, you know what to do.  Just take a deep breath and do what you know.”  I had to do a quick refresher for the cna on doing chest compressions because she has never done CPR on a real person before either.  After making sure they were doing CPR correctly, I went to call 911 and make that dreaded call to the family.  I called the daughter.  As my luck would have it, she says, “Oh my gosh.  I am in the parking lot.  I came to see Mom before work.”  I hung up and hurried towards the room, intending to intercept her in the hall.  Her cries of  “Mom!  Don’t leave, Mom.  You have to fight!” let me know I hadn’t reached her in time.  I re-entered the room and sent the other nurse to make copies of paperwork.  I tried to keep the CNA focused on giving correct CPR, as the daughter’s heart-wrenching cries filled the room.  After what seemed like an eternity, the EMT showed up and took over the code.  They left for the hospital without getting a pulse or respirations going.  About 20 minutes later, the other nurse came to tell me the patient hadn’t made it.  She was upset.  I reminded her that even if someone collapses in front of you, CPR is only successful in very rare cases.  This resident was relatively young and still full of life.  My mom is the same way and we are very, very close.  I can imagine the anguish I would feel had I been in that daughter’s shoes.  I’m sure her cries will echo in my mind for quite a while.  My job is usually great and I enjoy it.  But sometimes, like this morning, it just sucks!