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In which I post about a bit of this, and a bit of that..
Work has been pretty hectic of late; yesterday I remarked that it felt like a real ICU again, after the third code blue in as many hours was called. My day started out in top gear; got report and was just getting sorted out when I got a call from Radiology with directions to bring my patient down for a chest tube insertion under fleuroscopy..and they wanted him there 5 minutes ago. Needless to say, my organization was disrupted big time. So we were down in XRay for about an hour then back just in time to start rounds, and then coffee break and then...on went the day. I didn't feel caught up until almost the end of the shift! Everybody else in the room was equally busy, and the whole unit had that "putting out fires" vibe. It was actually kind of fun, in a weird kind of adrenalin rush way.
My patient was such a sweet old guy; I had him the day before, when we extubated him and hoped he would fly, breathing on his own. He's not actually that old, only in his late sixties, but his body has a lot more mileage on it. He did well initially, but by midafternoon it was clear that he was failing, and might need to have the breathing tube back in, so the doctors and I tried to find out what he wanted (he'd made it very clear he didn't like the breathing tube, by his actions..he pulled it out the day before and was reintubated). It was hard to figure out exactly what he wanted, and he was not really mentally clear enough for us to be sure he knew exactly what the implications were, so it was a bit hard to decide what to do. (He did say "I'm an old man, I live in an old folks' home" and made a throat cutting sign.) In the meantime, he was getting more restless and a bit scared because of his shortness of breath, so I was sitting by his bed holding his hand to reassure him; he patted my hand, and whispered, "thank you for trying". I got quite choked up. Unfortunately, he did end up having to be reintubated that evening. I hope he does better than I think he will, but I won't know until I go back to work.
We occasionally have patients come back to see us after they've left ICU and been discharged from hospital. Yesterday a man came in to say thank you, and I was amazed - I didn't recognize him as the man who was at death's door for about a month in the unit. He was one of the sickest people we've had in ages, and it was wonderful to see him walking down the hall looking healthy and fit. Makes what we do worthwhile.
Today was day one for getting my taxes done. I have such a headache. Got everything organized and sorted out; want to get it done and mailed by next week. I should get some money back, so Yay. Should be able to buy some aspirin.
The rain is supposed to be back tomorrow, just in time for Kelly's day off so I have stalls to clean. Good thing I have raingear and rubber boots.
So that's my week in a nutshell. Sometimes I feel like a gerbil on a big wheel, get up, go to work, come home, rinse and repeat. I would really love a time out..a week on a sunny beach would be nice. Guess I'll just have to take an imaginary holiday for now..flying away to a beach beside clear warm water now. Pass me that margarita!
Work has been pretty hectic of late; yesterday I remarked that it felt like a real ICU again, after the third code blue in as many hours was called. My day started out in top gear; got report and was just getting sorted out when I got a call from Radiology with directions to bring my patient down for a chest tube insertion under fleuroscopy..and they wanted him there 5 minutes ago. Needless to say, my organization was disrupted big time. So we were down in XRay for about an hour then back just in time to start rounds, and then coffee break and then...on went the day. I didn't feel caught up until almost the end of the shift! Everybody else in the room was equally busy, and the whole unit had that "putting out fires" vibe. It was actually kind of fun, in a weird kind of adrenalin rush way.
My patient was such a sweet old guy; I had him the day before, when we extubated him and hoped he would fly, breathing on his own. He's not actually that old, only in his late sixties, but his body has a lot more mileage on it. He did well initially, but by midafternoon it was clear that he was failing, and might need to have the breathing tube back in, so the doctors and I tried to find out what he wanted (he'd made it very clear he didn't like the breathing tube, by his actions..he pulled it out the day before and was reintubated). It was hard to figure out exactly what he wanted, and he was not really mentally clear enough for us to be sure he knew exactly what the implications were, so it was a bit hard to decide what to do. (He did say "I'm an old man, I live in an old folks' home" and made a throat cutting sign.) In the meantime, he was getting more restless and a bit scared because of his shortness of breath, so I was sitting by his bed holding his hand to reassure him; he patted my hand, and whispered, "thank you for trying". I got quite choked up. Unfortunately, he did end up having to be reintubated that evening. I hope he does better than I think he will, but I won't know until I go back to work.
We occasionally have patients come back to see us after they've left ICU and been discharged from hospital. Yesterday a man came in to say thank you, and I was amazed - I didn't recognize him as the man who was at death's door for about a month in the unit. He was one of the sickest people we've had in ages, and it was wonderful to see him walking down the hall looking healthy and fit. Makes what we do worthwhile.
Today was day one for getting my taxes done. I have such a headache. Got everything organized and sorted out; want to get it done and mailed by next week. I should get some money back, so Yay. Should be able to buy some aspirin.
The rain is supposed to be back tomorrow, just in time for Kelly's day off so I have stalls to clean. Good thing I have raingear and rubber boots.
So that's my week in a nutshell. Sometimes I feel like a gerbil on a big wheel, get up, go to work, come home, rinse and repeat. I would really love a time out..a week on a sunny beach would be nice. Guess I'll just have to take an imaginary holiday for now..flying away to a beach beside clear warm water now. Pass me that margarita!