Sleeping has been a lot better recently. Thanks to everyone who has prayed for me. December was a rough month, but I've been a lot better at adjusting my schedule. However, on my nights off, I only take a nap after work and then force myself to stay up so that I can quickly adjust to a day schedule. It works well, but then I end up sleepy and my thought processes aren't the most logical or rational. Here's the result.
My latest theory is that God was having a lot of fun when He created people. He made sure that things down here don't get too boring. Not only are we incredibly different when it comes to appearance, but the plethora of ways that the human mind can deal with the same kind of things astound me.
One person can be in their 40s and extremely ill because they haven't taken their medications or followed their diet. They are going to have major surgery because their heart is failing, but they still tell you what you can and can't do. They argue with their doctors and refuse treatments because they feel too tired.
Another person can have cancer 4 times and still be the sweetest human being to walk the earth. She can make you laugh out loud at 3am when you have to take her vital signs. She can ask you to call her 'auntie' and make a toast to 'our futures' with her midnight ice water and graham crackers. Another can be in the manic stage of her bipolar disorder and make your life miserable for 12 hours. Another patient might sleep the entire time you're there and wake up to take his medications and then fall back asleep.
Walking into work can be a little scary. You never know what you're going to get.
Oh how I wish I could let each of you join me on the floor for a night. Can you imagine how different the world would be if we could all live one day in another person's life? How would I treat my neighbor/teacher/cashier/waitress differently if I knew what their day looked like? I am positive that if some of my patients lived a day as a nurse, they would be very different.
I'm going to jot down a quick list off the top of my head on how to be a good patient:
- Bring a list of medications with you.
- Try your very best not to ask for anything when the nurses are changing shift. This is their busiest time.
-If they tell you that you can get up, please do. If they tell you not to get up without help, DON'T!
- Try to pee when the nurse or nurse assistant is already in the room.
- Don't get upset with the nurse if they can't give you something right away. We need to call the doctors and get an order. We can't give you even a tylenol or a sandwich without an order. Sometimes the doctors take a long time to call back. We're sorry.
-When the hospital calls you after you go home, give honest feedback. If you had a great nurse, say so. If you weren't satisfied, tell them why.
-If you're having pain, describe it. It can be sharp, throbbing, stabbing, aching, cramping, pressure, burning, dull, radiating... use your words!
That's all for now. See ya soon!
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