What's that smell?

If you are easily grossed out, this is not a post for you.  If you are a nurse you will die laughing, after you finish retching. 

Friday was Valentine's Day.  It was a great day for me.  I had an unexpected present from my parents and an unexpected email that had me smiling all day.  And I can happily say this story did not happen to me.

It was towards the end of shift and a a patient had decided to have a GI Bleed.  For those not in health care this produces a very distinct odor.  The nurse of this patient continued to complain that she could still smell it, even though those sitting by her no longer could.  Just before end of shift, as night shift was arriving, she happened to look down as someone commented on her badge only to realize she had GI Bleed on her badge and shirt.  This produced quite a bit of hysteria for her and muscle cramping laughter for the rest of us, even as we tried to fix the situation.  Guess she wasn't lying about that smell.

And today I found a reason no hospital should have double rooms, ever.  I was getting an admission into a semi-private room.  There are really only 2 rules for patients in semi-private rooms according to our unit secretary: neither patient can be in contact isolation and they must be the same gender.  Doesn't seem too complicated, really.

My patient arrived while I was busy giving medications, and the patient was placed in the room.  The patients daughter approached the desk shortly after their arrival to notify the charge nurse that the patient who was already in the room was not the same gender as my new patient.  Thankfully my patient had a good sense of humor about it and we shortly had them in a private room.

The best part was the cardiologist sitting next to me.  His comment "Welcome to Obamacare, we are all just citizens"  I told him that comment would end up in my blog, he said he didn't mind being quoted. 

Anyway, I think from now on I will try to avoid working 4 shifts in a row during the full moon.  I am just not sure what else to blame for all the craziness that was the last four days.  I just know I don't know how any of that actually happened.

Still shaking my head about that...

So I think I must say "did that really just happen" more than the average person.  I cannot believe the list of things that have happened in the last week that I'm still not sure actually happened!  I now wonder if I wander around looking confused all the time because of all the things I see that make me double take and shake my head.

Last week at work I had a few of these moments in one day.  I was reading a physician dictation that said the patient had failed a medication treatment in the future.  I still haven't figured that one out.  And then the psychiatrist saw my patient and came to me to tell me the patient was acting really weird.  Isn't weird his specialty?? 

My folks got to enjoy Arizona weather for a few days, and I was off to enjoy it with them.  Another shaking my head moment here:  I go pick them up from the airport.  I pull up beside them and they are still looking at the oncoming traffic.  I guess 5 weeks is all it takes to forget what the car looks like.

We did have a wonderful whirlwind time.  We saw an Esteban gig (concert seems too formal), we visited Sedona which even cloudy was gorgeous.  We took the scenic route up to Flagstaff and decided we were not appropriately dressed for snow once we got there and promptly headed back to Scottsdale.  Sunday was my favorite, dad was the speaker for the IMPACT church service.  He did a great job and I cannot explain how humbled I am by God's direction in my life that allowed me to be here and experience that.  I do feel awful they had to go back to the arctic, but still thankful I got to stay here to soak up more sun.  I'm trying quite hard to get enough Vitamin D for everyone back home.

Today at Starbucks I watched with some alarm as a man went straight into the women's bathroom.  I almost said something, but am so glad I didn't, because the girl next to me moved and I saw the sign on the men's door saying out of order.

Tonight at Albertsons was my favorite moment.  I was getting in line to pay and I noticed an employee open the refrigerated beverage unit, pull out a water, take a drink and put it back.  It truly took a few seconds to realize I had indeed just seen that happen.  So I backed up a few steps to take a look and she had her water laying on top of the drinks for sale.  I guess that's how she keeps her water cool, but I think it's disturbing and I will not be buying beverages from the end unit ever again.


If you want to see pictures of the latest adventures here is the link.  There are some from Esteban, Sedona and the Biosphere 2, which I saw yesterday with another gypsy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35077813@N03/

I will be a snowbird for life!

I cannot get over how sunny and warm it is all the time here in Mesa.  I totally get the snowbird thing so much better now.  Forget waiting until I'm older, I think I want to do this every winter from here on out!!

So far I have been to Tombstone with family and friends, Sedona with a group of gypsies, hiking in the Superstitions with gypsies, shooting in Tonto National forest and out to eat at some fantastic new restaurants!

Tombstone was such a fun day.  We did see the OK Corral reenactment and it was worth it.  I wouldn't mind seeing it again!  Sedona was a blast and so beautiful.  I could definitely go back there.  Hiking in the Superstitions was absolutely breathtaking, literally, and I will get back there to see some more.  Shooting was a wonderful experience.  I've shot rifles, but now feel confident with a handgun.

Work is going well, too.  I know I could probably pick up OT, but I am having way too much fun running around outside to want stay inside.  I have met some wonderful people from all over as many of my patients are snowbird.  I even had some folks from Fargo and the wife and I reminisced about sauce from Mexican Village.

Funny story so far, I was helping an older gentleman to the bathroom and he was hooked to the IV and it was finished.  He was eager to go and I kept saying wait and he kept moving.  I finally said it more loudly and firmly "Wait!" and he said "That's what made the bridge fall"  I cracked up, he did as well.  It was so fun.

If you want to see my photos so far, here are the links.  I don't know if you need an account or not!

Tombstone: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35077813@N03/sets/72157640354491573/
Sedona: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35077813@N03/sets/72157640352472465/
Tonto National Forest: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35077813@N03/sets/72157640353128435/

Enjoying the sun

So here's my flip flop shot that I promised everyone before I left.  With getting moved in it took a few days to get a pedicure, and I really did feel a little bad that I was wearing flip flops during the arctic blast my northern friends were suffering.

While I was getting my pedicure I was asked if I wanted a sea salt scrub.  I said "maybe next time" which I guess sounded like "that's fine" because I got the sea salt scrub.  During the manicure I was asked what color polish and I said none, so I got clear.  But it was really cheap and completely relaxing, so I am definitely going back!

Quirks I've noticed while driving is many people seem to be in the wrong lane, usually by several lanes.  I find that very unnerving.  Also, I see blinkers go on to merge into a lane, someone is there so the blinker goes off and the person comes over anyway.  Keeps me alert for sure!!

This is Charlie, my roommate's dog.  He is not as cute as my grandpa Charlie, but he is a pretty good dog.  He rarely barks, he doesn't beg too much, and he is friendly.  My roommate is great, too.  She has great stories to share and she is funny.  

Anyway, I'm off to try yoga with some other travel nurses.  I'm a little nervous and promise I'll share if it all goes horribly awry. 

 

New Year, new locations, new people

Happy New Year!  What is it about this day?  It's a Wednesday, normal snowy day in Iowa.  Yet it's a day that has so much significance to so many people.  A fresh start on goals.  This year I will.....?

Well, today I will not attempt to start a diet as we have snack food galore ready to go for all day football.  Today I will enjoy the snow falling because I know that come Monday, when the high in Des Moines is forecast to be -2, I will be in sunny Arizona wearing flip flops!!  Today I will cheer for the Hawkeyes in the Outback bowl, and I most likely will not start an exercise regimen.  Today I will enjoy a day with my folks, because these are few of these left this visit.

Next up is Mesa, AZ.  I am so excited about this contract.  I know people in the area, I know people that will be visiting the area and it's going to be warm!!  I get to work day shift which means I may even get a slight tan, or at least look a little less pasty.

And here is a laugh to start off your new year:

I was watching the heart monitors and realized my patient had leads off.  I went in to check and found said patient in the bathroom, with the heart monitor on the floor, IV line on the floor, pulling off various dressings.  I stood staring unsure what to even say or where to start and the patient looked at me and said "It's a mystery"   

Interesting sights and heart stopping moments

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and I think this is true, because I think even nothingness is bigger in Texas.  That's what driving across west Texas felt like, but it still isn't as boring as Nebraska!  I even saw new road kill: a hog and a mountain lion (which was actually sad).

I made it to Mesa without mishap, just short on sleep.  I received a call early in the day about troubles with my flight.  I had to wait an hour to talk to a representative and they pretty much said I would have better luck at the airport.  Delta wasn't going to get me home Friday as promised, so they put me on the red eye with US Airways, which I had not booked specifically because I do not care for that airline.

Airports bring out a lot of interesting behaviors in people.  I was haunting the gate of the earlier direct flight in the hopes of getting home sooner and got to see a spectacular meltdown and parenting fail.  I think I watched a sociopath in the making, and while I am a firm believer in 2 parent homes, I truly hope this kid only sees his dad on the weekends.  They had missed their connection, and the dad went on a quite vulgar rant.  The little boy at first thought dad was mad at him, but after being reassured that wasn't the case the dad then proceeded to yell at the attendant when she came back up the Jetway, and the little boy mimicked his attitude and volume, but thankfully not his words.  I was sitting by 2 other individuals and we speculated with equal horror about the future of that little boy.  

So I did make get a ticket for the earlier flight, which of course was promptly delayed.  I spent the flight home being abused by everyone on the flight.  The flight attendant threw a cup at my head and everyone tripped on me.  We had freezing rain in Des Moines, and I'm pretty sure we almost overshot the runway on landing.  Then I get to our neighborhood and no matter that I'm going 5 miles an hour I'm sliding.  I had to park on the street and skate to the lawn just to make it to the house!!

I pray you all have time to reflect on what we are celebrating: The coming of our Savior.  From birth in a stable He came to die in our place for our sins so that we might have eternal life with Him. 
Merry Christmas!

Count down is on!

Down to 10 shifts left at Hendrick Medical Center.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the floor I work on, the people I work with and the overtime I've been able to work....but I am ready to be home and move on to somewhere new.  My dad tells me I have a bad habit of taking my marbles and going somewhere else when I don't like things.  I suppose that is part of the appeal of travel nursing!  By the time I start to understand where the lines in the sand are, I'm moving on!

So things I dislike about Abilene: no one seems to know where they are going as they all slam on their brakes and turn at the very last second.  I do this too because I often don't know where I'm going, but I also have out of state plates to explain my erratic driving.  Not sure what the excuse is for the natives.

Also, it is nearly impossible to get a drink from either Starbucks location (yes, they have a grand total of 2) in less then ten minutes.   I talked to someone who works there last night and she explained they'd been without a manager for quite some time and even with the new manager they have a hard time keeping employees.  This explains why I get very pleasant service every time, it's just really slow.

Things I like about Abilene:  having family style dinner at work.  This is a P3 tradition, and I really like that there are 4 meals a week I don't eat alone.  Eating alone is definitely one of the harder parts of traveling solo.

Another plus is that I have owls now living on the roof of my apartment.  There presence has greatly discouraged other birds from hanging out up there which keeps the chirping to a minimum while I'm sleeping.  The downside of that is I can hear them up there at night and I worry about the integrity of the roof.  Another traveler had a good laugh just imagining me sitting in me apartment and an owl falling through my ceiling.  I would have laughed except I have a real fear it will happen.

So since I'm quite certain there is a owl sitting directly above me right this second I'm going to find something to do in another part of the apartment....closer to the door!