Did my brain Turn to Mush???

I really had an awesomely crazy night the other night. I arrived at shift and there was no one there to give me report. I was confused. My pod was empty, no patients, no nurse, nada....was there some kinda mistake. Did the House Supervisor have a brain fart, what the hell? Within seconds I realized I was living my worst nightmare..without Vaseline. I was alone because I was "opening" the pod for all the patients that had been holding all day in ER.

I got a direct admit that was being wheeled out of the elevator as I was scratching my head in confusion (over the "empty" pod). One minute later they are wheeling my transfer from ICU, as the phone was ringing for me to take report from Day Patient on "my" patient that has been waiting for a bed for over an hour. Oh, then the aide calmly informs me I have two new admits waiting in ER.

Pause, take a breath here, hummm, usually in ICU, or even PCU, you will only get one and possibly two admits in a night, and one of those is usually a transfer. Transfers are the easiest because they already have their database done and most of the paperwork has been completed. Next easiest is the ER admits, even though they come with a billion orders at least they have a IV access and a rudimentary history and some meds have usually been given, and the patient is relatively stable. Direct admits are the hardest. Not only do you have all the paperwork to do, but you also have to try to twist Pharmacy's arm to get their first dose medications issued, and you have to start an IV.

Well, I get the gal from the elevator. Reception did not bother to put a mask on her, or to inform us that she had a nasty cough, which of course she did not cover. What is it with people? Do they think they sound sicker if they don't cover their cough? I certainly hope she had a benign case of bronchitis or something, because if it was H1N1 or TB, everybody in the lobby, on the elevator or in the hallway were exposed. I immediately introduced myself, fetched myself a mask and put her on isolation.Then I popped into the next room to meet and greet my ICU transfer. Then I popped into the next room to get it ready for the Day Patient.

Two hours later I was transferring my ICU transfer to the Medical Floor and getting that room cleaned. I discharged my Day patient home. I had started an IV on my Direct Admit and I was talking to Pharmacy for the umpteenth time for...you got it...my first dose medications. I then proceeded to get THREE ADMITS FROM ER. Count them...THREE. I was so tired at the end of shift, I was trying to catch up my charting.

This was my charting. Patient received from ER via streacher (scratched that out), via strecher (scratched that out), strechar (scratched that out)....scratched my head...Patient received from ER via gurney.....

Then I went home and slept.

Wide Awake in Texas

I worked Monday and Tuesday nights, and was off yesterday. I came home and caught a few zzz's then had to get up and go the eye doc to get a recheck on the bifocal contacts. If anybody has actually learned how to wear the mono-focal's ....shish, I sure hope they start working for me. My right eye is for far away vision and my left for reading...the only part he didn't tell me is that my already poor depth perception would become practically non-existent. I am working on driving without running into anybody, and walking like one leg is not shorter than the other. Updates to follow.

The Christmas Dress

What we did around Christmas.

Dave unloaded the propane, so we could cook Christmas dinner. It had rained torrents of rain..for days. Note the stylish "hog" boots he is wearing.

Then we cooked out and ate fahita's. It was all good.