Thursday, December 11, 2008

The nurse as her own patient

I worked my 16.5 hr shift on Tuesday night. I started dragging much sooner than usual and I was chalking it up to not sleeping enough on Monday. I don't think my bed has ever felt so good to me as mine did when I crawled into it yesterday morning at 8:15. At 10:30 I woke up with that horrible feeling that my stomach was not going to hold on to anything I'd put in it in the past 24 hours. You know that way that your mouth starts watering and you just know that your soon going to be on your knees in front of the porcelain pedestal, yeah that one! I don't think there is another person on the planet that hates to throw up more than I do. I mean some people will run their finger down their throat to get it over with already. I am the complete opposite of that. I will bargain with God, sell my children or anything else that comes to mind at such a time to avoid that disgusting exercise. So, I did deep breathing exercises, prayed, bargained, cried (yes, I cried!), and then remembered I had some Phenergan suppositories left over from a surgery 5 yrs ago in the refrigerator. So I did the suppository thing (sorry, just keeping it real here!) in a few minutes my mouth stopped that awful watering and then the cold chills hit. So I did my very favorite thing by climbing into a very deep and hot bathtub. This was my undoing!!! I managed to fall asleep in that hot bath for about 1/2 hour. All of a sudden the feeling came back with a vengeance! Why, because I got HOT. Oh Lord, I couldn't get out of that bathtub quick enough! I tried to get myself dried off and throw my nightgown over my head on my way to the porcelain pedestal. Suffice it to say that I wasn't able to do so many things at once. So there I was half dressed, still wet from my bath and assuming the position with absolutely no dignity. It wasn't pretty people, it wasn't pretty at alllll.

So the rest of the day yesterday I slept the sleep of the dead. When I woke up around 4:00 I had a fever, and felt muscles aching that I had forgotten that I even had. What a great way to spend my day off in between 16.5 hr shifts. I took some Advil and went back to sleep and slept fitfully from 5:00 pm till 11:00 this morning. My stomach feels much better and my fever is gone but I sure don't feel like working 16.5 hours tonight. But, nurses aren't' allowed to be sick so I'm getting ready to get my shower and hit it again.

I just talked to Sarah Kate and she had her blood drawn at 10:00 this morning and should have results around 2:30. I will let you know what her numbers were. She is still feeling nauseated and very tired so we're still very optimistic. I can't wait to hear from her. I will post an update from work later so you all won't have to wait till tomorrow to hear.

UPDATE: The census went down at the hospital! Staffing office just called and put me on call for the first 8 hours of my shift tonight. Thank you, God! I have until 11:00 to get back on top of my game!






15 comments:

Beth said...

Ugh, that sounds like a nasty bug. What an amazing thing that you got to be on call and got a few more hours of recuperation time! You must be living right!

Awesome news about Sarah's HCG levels. That is really encouraging!

Beth

Remo said...

Oddly enough, I found the whole rendition midly arousing. It reminded me of some really bad first dates I've had.
Everything except the bathrobe thing.

Hope you feel better!

Cindi said...

sorry to hear you feeling poorly, but you had me giggling the whole time....I had a similar experience like that about 8 years ago...we were on vacation in Laughlin NV...the porcelain felt good, what was better was the granite floor, I was spread all over... hubby came in and thought I had died...which I felt I had...he covered me up, and went back to bed..lol I didnt want to move....hope you feel better!

Missie said...

We have those suppositories here as well. LOL

emmapeelDallas said...

We WERE separated at birth. I just had the same bug this past weekend, and it's HORRIBLE, and my bathroom experience...well, I don't need to tell you.

Hope you're feeling MUCH better now, and I will get around to posting the Superior Scribbler Award and giving you proper thanks, but between work, being sick, & getting ready to go to Chicago to see Alex, I've been busy...

garnett109 said...

Praying to the porceilin God ain't a good way to start the day

kbear said...

O i hate it too-YUK!! happy you got some extra rest before work. those porcelain pedestal visits totally drain me so i can't imagine you working a 16+hr shift after that. Hope it's all over for at least another decade..lol. hugz~kbear

Leslie said...

I recently got over a stomach flu too, yuck!!! hate um. I hope you feel better.

RYak said...

I am also a member of the "Oh Please Nooooo...I Don't Want to Throw Up" team. Pleased to meet you.

My best friend is an RN and I just left my job of 13 years working in the Medical Administration office of a merged community hospital. Very glad to have found your blog. Anyone whose pic includes the doggie is OK by me!

Hope you're over and done with the pukies and are feeling better.

PS: That Remo...he's a freak. ;-)

Terri said...

I cry too when I throw up..LOL I'm a big ol' baby...

Hope you are feeling better...

I can work 10hrs if I have to even 12...but I don't think i can do 16...sheww! Glad you were finally able to get some rest...

Hugs
Terri

cw2smom said...

Melissa...Yes! I mean NO you're not too late! I am thrilled to have you take part in the Pay it Forward! Please send me your snail mail address via a comment to my blog...which I won't publish! I will get your special gift out right after the holidays! Blessings! Lisa

Unknown said...

Im sorry to hear you feeling poorly, hope you feel better soon

Mrs. L said...

It figures -- the first time I have a minute to read one of your entires, it's a throw up story. Luckily I couldn't smell it or I'd be joining the barfarama. Haaaaaaa.

cw2smom said...

Just to clarify...I am really not that unfeeling, to put an earlier comment without even mentioning your illness...but frankly I didn't read it at the time! I was just excited about having another person to send something to in the Pay if Forward! Sorry! Hope you are feeling much better today Melissa! Blessings, Lisa

Debbie said...

Oh gosh I hope you are feeling better now. Lots of viruses going around here in our part of Kentucky too. Wherever you live I hope ya'll nip it in the bud before it gets here cause I don't want it, lol.
Hugs
Debbie