Don't Call Me...

I have to admit it, I don't do well when someone is sick. I mean the throwing up kind of sick... You would think that someone who has worked in a nursing department for 9 years wouldn't have a problem with this.. Wrong!!!

And now for the rest of the story...

The other night was going really well until the phone started ringing. We got a call that a new admit was on the way in. I had to start getting ready to admit this pt. It was after hours and the nursing department had to take care of this late admission. Normally the admission office does this, but they were closed. When a new pt is admitted  they come to the detox unit first. If they don't need to detox they go into what we call the community. While I am getting things ready for the new admission the phone rings again. "You need to come and get  So N So. he is feeling dizzy and weak." "Ok, I'll be there in a min."  I was feeling put out because I had to stop what I am doing, to go get a pt that had been trying to leave all day. He was a community pt and had been here for awhile. He informed us he wasn't ready to stop using drugs. Does , "You can lead a horse to water , but you can't make him drink"  ring a bell? I decided to try and finish one last thing  before running out the door. I knew said pt would be ok, because there were staff members with him till I could get up the hill to pick him up.

The phone rings again.. the third time in about 3 min's . I answer it. "You need to come up here right away, So N So is throwing up all over the place!"  My night just got worse. I jump in the golf cart and headed up the hill. I get there and they are walking So N So out to the golf cart. 5 people are talking to me at once. Several want to know if they can come with us back to the unit and help. These are not staff members but pt's. I tell them one can ride with us, but other then that  I am thinking we need to keep things as calm as we can. I don't want to scare the new admission. Then a staff member was trying to tell me to make sure and drug test  So N So and another person was yelling @ me, "Do you have something you can clean this up with?" I stopped cold, threw up my hands up in the air and told this person "I can only do one thing at a time!"  To which she responded, "I was just asking a question!" I knew the question really was, "When are you cleaning this up?"

I take So N So back to the unit. He was sure he is dying, and refused to take a drug test. Hello, what does this say to you ??? Yes it's sad to say drugs do get into drug rehabs now and then. We can not police everyone that comes in the gate to visit. I grab some supplies to clean up the mess and headed back up the hill. Did I mention I had just eaten supper before this all started ? I walked in and everyone is standing.... hear me.. standing around the area that needs attention, waiting for me to clean it up. Let me tell you... I was having a talk with myself as I walked in. "You can do this. just don't breath for the next 5 min's!"  So N So was not just a little sick, he really planned this out I think. It looked like he had lost a weeks worth of food. I am still talking to myself , "You have to do this and don't embarrass  us." I did mentions I had just eaten right ? Well, I throw some rags on the floor, you know to cover it up so I don't have to see it.  I tell myself to think of it as oatmeal, lots and lots of oatmeal. Did I mention I was just a few feet away from  kitchen ? I bent down and started to wipe up the "Oatmeal." I had a plastic bag in my hand to put the rags in.  Wellllllllllllll me and the bag walked into the kitchen and I threw up in the bag !!!!  I'm not gonna let anyone see this is getting the best of me, so I walk out and pick up where I left off..........  After a few min's I made another trip to the kitchen and you can guess why.

I'm not having the best of nights! I did manage to get the mess cleaned up, the floor mopped and the bag safely tied up and put in the Bio Box. My question is "Why do I always seem to get the clean up duty?"  Don't these people realize that when I was  fixing to have my first child I was worried  about how I was going to change a dirty diaper without running to the bathroom ?????  And now you know my "dirty" little secret. I'll admit it, there are moments that I am such a wimp. This night was one of them, but no one seem to notice.

Note to myself, I will not be eating any"Oatmeal" anytime soon !  Signed : Please don't call me........ 

 

                       Simply _me