Friday 11.26.2010

The morning phone call told me I was "on-call". I heard Daniel leave for work and was sleeping pretty good when I heard the phone ring. I had to go in. It was a little after 6.

I got up and ready to go, with a safe drive down in the cold, windy, snow-flurrying early light of day.

It was my turn to "float"--to work in an area other than your home unit. I ended up on 7NW as an extra pair of hands. We don't take assignments when we float. The first thing I did was meet the shift supervisor, who was going in to discontinue (remove) a wound drain in someone's head/brain. Cool. I helped him. Next, I passed waters to all the patients that could have it. The remainder of the morning I was directed to "assist" someone with a bath. That translated to washing up an 83 year old woman who hasn't had more than a "spit wash" for many years, according to her. Ooookaaay. I fixed a basin of warm water and did what I could. An hour later, she was definitely cleaner than how I found her, but would have benefitted her more (and been easier and faster) if the other staff person would have helped get her in the shower and hose her off. Her roommate was also in her 80's and was calling out, confused. I fixed a basin of water for her, next.

It was almost noon, and I hadn't had a break. My phone rang, and my unit was calling me back. Ok, but I haven't had a break... So I got my lunch and sat in our break room. And we had a patient go bad. Real bad. They called a "code" and got her straightened around and transferred to ICU. I took my lunch over to the other wing to get out of their way. I didn't know anything about the patient, and there was plenty of staff to do what needed to be done.

The rest of the afternoon was just as crazy. Isn't it interesting how many personalities there are? I had to leave a patient who was having a behavioral crisis for the oncoming shift to take over. That's difficult to do, but it's how shift work is. I took her new nurse in and introduced her, hoping to make the transition a little better for them both. I can say I was happy to clock out.

A safe drive home, thanks again. It is way dark now at 7:30 pm.

Dan was up, working on his resume, and we got it fine-tuned.

Tomorrow I have a hair appointment, and maybe an oil change on the car.

I've felt pretty good today, though I've had hot flashes and irregular heart rates. And the other discomforts. But I'm happy to be alive and cancer free.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.