this morning dani went to the hospital again she wasnt feeling very well and was throwing up like crazy. she was dehydrated and was givin an IV as well as some anti nausea pills. as soon as she got home she took a very long nap witch was good. sense she didnt get much the night befor. she slept for most of today and is doing much better than last night. we are waiting for her bupivcane block to finish so we can take it out.
more updates soon to come. cadet bubba
Monday, November 23, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
post-op
Hey every one this is Cadet Bubba. Just giving an update on Dani after her surgery. She had a 360 degree labrium tear. As well as a 100 percent dislocation. The surgery took 5 hours for the doc. to complete. they gave her a bupivcane block. witch has numbed her whole arm. and she isn't very happy about it. first night of sleep was a little rough. but she has taken a few naps and is doing a little better.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Q & A Day Answered
Sophie asked:
Where do you live?
Dani answers:
Hahaha. I've gotten this one a few times before. I will NOT give up my location. The banner is from a city I once lived in, not one that I am living in now.
Jeremy asked:
Where do you get inspiration for the blog?
Dani answers:
Honestly- before I clock in I pretend my life is a show worth watching. I think about how all the episodes of television shows have themes, and then I pay attention to my colleagues and patients. At that point it unfolds. If I am at a loss but know a topic- I pull from a once-upon-a-time patient.
Music is another huge inspiration. When I get up in the mornings I turn on CMT or GAC (yep, I'm a hick) and if a song catches my eye and my ears then I'll keep listening. Every now and then a song makes you cry, or feel strong, or even both. Thats when I post the lyrics on the sidebar. Those help me out when I re-read the blog, seeing the lyrics that got me through.
Justmyblog asked:
What is your opinion of using a Sager on a open femur fracture vs. a closed one.
Dani answers:
I'm sorry, what? I'm a CNA and an EMT-B...and I couldn't even google an image of this thing to make sure I wasn't missing something. Oh, and to top it off, I'm Blondie and left handed. Sorry to be useless with that one.
TEMTI asked:
What inspired you to create the blog?
Dani answers:
Actually my best friend. I have been through a hell of a year, and I was sitting outside the campus in march, pouting a little bit about how frustrated I was. I worked at one unit, was looking for another and am legally too young to work as an EMT. There are only about 3 of us who continued on with EMS, one is a firefighter in a small town and the other is an ER tech at a local hospital. Sadly, me working an ortho unit is the next best thing to working EMS. Everyone else gave up.
He read Peter Canning's books, 'Paramedic' and started his own blog. He gave me the link and asked me to read it and I agreed. I thought the idea was fantastic. Suddenly I started my own. He didn't get past one post before deleting it. I kept writing. Suddenly, the blog bloomed.
Kanoosh asks:
What do you like about your job? What do you hate about it?
Dani answers:
Good question!
A) I love the people, namely on the ortho unit. The patients are so awesome, always so nice, funny, polite, and even if their not, their still great! The staff is incredible, its definitely a family and I love being a part of it. I also love that they let me learn, I've been in on surgeries, I've seen scans and radiology reports and surgical images. Its been an amazing job.
B) I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE feeling like I'm working a care center. When I have 4 patients and all of them are dying, have brief changes every 5 minutes and are mean, ICK! In care centers the residents are sweet, in hospitals- ACK!
Archie asks:
What do you hope will come from this blog?
Dani answers:
Honestly I hope to take my best-of posts and turn it into a small book. I would love to turn this into something more for myself and my readers. I hope that somehow, someday I will have inspired someone to keep going in medicine, to start a career, or to wait another year before quitting. I hope that one day I can go into Barnes and noble and see one copy of my book on the shelf and smile, even if my mother is the only one who buys it.
Where do you live?
Dani answers:
Hahaha. I've gotten this one a few times before. I will NOT give up my location. The banner is from a city I once lived in, not one that I am living in now.
Jeremy asked:
Where do you get inspiration for the blog?
Dani answers:
Honestly- before I clock in I pretend my life is a show worth watching. I think about how all the episodes of television shows have themes, and then I pay attention to my colleagues and patients. At that point it unfolds. If I am at a loss but know a topic- I pull from a once-upon-a-time patient.
Music is another huge inspiration. When I get up in the mornings I turn on CMT or GAC (yep, I'm a hick) and if a song catches my eye and my ears then I'll keep listening. Every now and then a song makes you cry, or feel strong, or even both. Thats when I post the lyrics on the sidebar. Those help me out when I re-read the blog, seeing the lyrics that got me through.
Justmyblog asked:
What is your opinion of using a Sager on a open femur fracture vs. a closed one.
Dani answers:
I'm sorry, what? I'm a CNA and an EMT-B...and I couldn't even google an image of this thing to make sure I wasn't missing something. Oh, and to top it off, I'm Blondie and left handed. Sorry to be useless with that one.
TEMTI asked:
What inspired you to create the blog?
Dani answers:
Actually my best friend. I have been through a hell of a year, and I was sitting outside the campus in march, pouting a little bit about how frustrated I was. I worked at one unit, was looking for another and am legally too young to work as an EMT. There are only about 3 of us who continued on with EMS, one is a firefighter in a small town and the other is an ER tech at a local hospital. Sadly, me working an ortho unit is the next best thing to working EMS. Everyone else gave up.
He read Peter Canning's books, 'Paramedic' and started his own blog. He gave me the link and asked me to read it and I agreed. I thought the idea was fantastic. Suddenly I started my own. He didn't get past one post before deleting it. I kept writing. Suddenly, the blog bloomed.
Kanoosh asks:
What do you like about your job? What do you hate about it?
Dani answers:
Good question!
A) I love the people, namely on the ortho unit. The patients are so awesome, always so nice, funny, polite, and even if their not, their still great! The staff is incredible, its definitely a family and I love being a part of it. I also love that they let me learn, I've been in on surgeries, I've seen scans and radiology reports and surgical images. Its been an amazing job.
B) I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE feeling like I'm working a care center. When I have 4 patients and all of them are dying, have brief changes every 5 minutes and are mean, ICK! In care centers the residents are sweet, in hospitals- ACK!
Archie asks:
What do you hope will come from this blog?
Dani answers:
Honestly I hope to take my best-of posts and turn it into a small book. I would love to turn this into something more for myself and my readers. I hope that somehow, someday I will have inspired someone to keep going in medicine, to start a career, or to wait another year before quitting. I hope that one day I can go into Barnes and noble and see one copy of my book on the shelf and smile, even if my mother is the only one who buys it.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Time to Burn
If you have time to burn, I found a funny website. It is called faceinhole.com. You add your photo to any scene and ta-da! You've become famous. I've added two of the ones I did yesterday.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Scared. Worried. But Ok.
Last night was offically my last shift for the next 12 weeks. After that I am going to become an 'assistant' and do all the paperwork and such that the charges can't keep up with. It was an easy shift- all great patients who needed no lifts or special care. My problem was that I did some lifts and today I am hurting.
At this point I have accepted that I will be having surgery. I have also accepted the fact that its for a good reason. When Im awake only 3 hours and immediately need pain meds, it's a good thing. Somehow within he last few weeks it must have damaged more, but I'm gonna fix it.
Yep, I'm still terrified. I am still scared, but its not as bad. The fear of my boss seeing me naked isn't as bad. My catherter is in when I am out and is removed before I wake up. My bupivicane block will prevent pain for the first few days.
On the day of surgery I have asked that my fiance post for me. I may wake up early and post something. He will post photos, updates, and anything else he sees fit. I will see it all later on, so don't be afraid to comment or e-mail! As soon as I am used to the heavy narcs and can see straight (lortab makes me fuzzy) I will post again.
Until then guys, BSI
At this point I have accepted that I will be having surgery. I have also accepted the fact that its for a good reason. When Im awake only 3 hours and immediately need pain meds, it's a good thing. Somehow within he last few weeks it must have damaged more, but I'm gonna fix it.
Yep, I'm still terrified. I am still scared, but its not as bad. The fear of my boss seeing me naked isn't as bad. My catherter is in when I am out and is removed before I wake up. My bupivicane block will prevent pain for the first few days.
On the day of surgery I have asked that my fiance post for me. I may wake up early and post something. He will post photos, updates, and anything else he sees fit. I will see it all later on, so don't be afraid to comment or e-mail! As soon as I am used to the heavy narcs and can see straight (lortab makes me fuzzy) I will post again.
Until then guys, BSI
Sunday, November 15, 2009
One of my Last Shifts
He whimpered softly, being a man of only few words as he reached out and grabbed my hand. I took his hand and held it, letting his mind focus on that instead of the pain. We sat there quietly and after a moment I took the side rail down and sat on the edge of the bed.
The nurse came in and gave him his meds, as I let go to leave he whimpered again. Words didn't need to be said as I turned on my heel and returned to that exact same spot. He sighed in relief as he reached out his hand again, and I took it. The sound of the television drown out all the noise from the plexi-pulse boots, the IV pump and the pulse ox. His eyes stared at the television until they got incredibly heavy, and finally he dosed off to sleep.
"You're an old school kind of aide." My replacement tells me. I had been training her all night to do my job, however she had been an aide for almost as long as I have. I nodded my head, knowing full well I was not the norm nowadays when it comes to aides.
Her patient was on the call light every three minutes, with complaints like 'my pillow hurts', 'fix my ipod', 'talk to me, i cant sleep' and even inappropriate questions like, 'what does an orgasm feel like?' We both sighed at it. It felt as if we were working peds instead of an adult unit. However, she was incredibly patient with her and finally gotten her settled, so we hope.
The night flew by so incredibly fast. I watched it sadly. This wasn't my last shift at the hospital, but it was the last one at my favorite unit. Bitterly I sighed as it hit 6 a.m. One hour left to go.
The call light from my replacements patient continued to go off roughly every three minutes. I sighed and shook my head and tried to help her answer the call, but she wouldn't allow me in there, promising me that if I was seen, I wouldn't get out of there before 10 a.m.
The day shift came in and waited to get report. The night had been spent talking, exchanging funny medical stories and our thoughts on everything from kids to Obama. I let the replacement give report on our three patients, and then waited quietly. Everyone else was doing their own thing, and in this small family everyone was always so sweet and knew what was going on in every ones lives. I waited for my nurse to return so I could say goodbye- I wouldn't see them until Feburary 10th at least- but she never did.
I said my goodbyes, but no one said anything in return. I left quietly, the weight of the world on my shoulders, worried about my patients, my replacements and my surgery.
Two nights have passed and I don't sleep anymore. I sneak out of bed in the middle of the night and watch the snow fall quietly outside. I bundle up in my pajama pants and my blankets, turning on medical shows and movies, trying to drown out the worry. All of it is unsuccessful.
I'll be doing everything so much slower, but I'll have time to do it slower. I'm ordered to a immobilizing sling for 6 weeks. I'm not allowed to lift over 2 lbs for 12 weeks. I return to work and can only lift things under 10 lbs. Impossible for an aide. I worry about work- will they fire me when I can't keep up? Will they work with me? I worry about my mental health- 12 weeks not doing anything is a long time. 6 weeks in a sling- not being able to do anything will drive me insane! Yet I just keep trying to calm myself down. I listen to bagpipes and world tunes, singing loudly to German melodies and relaxing to Hawaiian songs. We go for car rides every day, letting the road run over my stress.
This is for a reason - this is so that I can qualify the fitness portion of Paramedic school. This is so that I can keep going on with my life. Without it I won't be able to lift babies out of a crib, let alone patients into an ambulance. Without it I would be disabled in less than three years. With it, and alot of P.T. I will be in the best shape of my life, because for the first time in five years, I won't be babying a large injury.
I just gotta keep reminding myself that.
The nurse came in and gave him his meds, as I let go to leave he whimpered again. Words didn't need to be said as I turned on my heel and returned to that exact same spot. He sighed in relief as he reached out his hand again, and I took it. The sound of the television drown out all the noise from the plexi-pulse boots, the IV pump and the pulse ox. His eyes stared at the television until they got incredibly heavy, and finally he dosed off to sleep.
"You're an old school kind of aide." My replacement tells me. I had been training her all night to do my job, however she had been an aide for almost as long as I have. I nodded my head, knowing full well I was not the norm nowadays when it comes to aides.
Her patient was on the call light every three minutes, with complaints like 'my pillow hurts', 'fix my ipod', 'talk to me, i cant sleep' and even inappropriate questions like, 'what does an orgasm feel like?' We both sighed at it. It felt as if we were working peds instead of an adult unit. However, she was incredibly patient with her and finally gotten her settled, so we hope.
The night flew by so incredibly fast. I watched it sadly. This wasn't my last shift at the hospital, but it was the last one at my favorite unit. Bitterly I sighed as it hit 6 a.m. One hour left to go.
The call light from my replacements patient continued to go off roughly every three minutes. I sighed and shook my head and tried to help her answer the call, but she wouldn't allow me in there, promising me that if I was seen, I wouldn't get out of there before 10 a.m.
The day shift came in and waited to get report. The night had been spent talking, exchanging funny medical stories and our thoughts on everything from kids to Obama. I let the replacement give report on our three patients, and then waited quietly. Everyone else was doing their own thing, and in this small family everyone was always so sweet and knew what was going on in every ones lives. I waited for my nurse to return so I could say goodbye- I wouldn't see them until Feburary 10th at least- but she never did.
I said my goodbyes, but no one said anything in return. I left quietly, the weight of the world on my shoulders, worried about my patients, my replacements and my surgery.
Two nights have passed and I don't sleep anymore. I sneak out of bed in the middle of the night and watch the snow fall quietly outside. I bundle up in my pajama pants and my blankets, turning on medical shows and movies, trying to drown out the worry. All of it is unsuccessful.
I'll be doing everything so much slower, but I'll have time to do it slower. I'm ordered to a immobilizing sling for 6 weeks. I'm not allowed to lift over 2 lbs for 12 weeks. I return to work and can only lift things under 10 lbs. Impossible for an aide. I worry about work- will they fire me when I can't keep up? Will they work with me? I worry about my mental health- 12 weeks not doing anything is a long time. 6 weeks in a sling- not being able to do anything will drive me insane! Yet I just keep trying to calm myself down. I listen to bagpipes and world tunes, singing loudly to German melodies and relaxing to Hawaiian songs. We go for car rides every day, letting the road run over my stress.
This is for a reason - this is so that I can qualify the fitness portion of Paramedic school. This is so that I can keep going on with my life. Without it I won't be able to lift babies out of a crib, let alone patients into an ambulance. Without it I would be disabled in less than three years. With it, and alot of P.T. I will be in the best shape of my life, because for the first time in five years, I won't be babying a large injury.
I just gotta keep reminding myself that.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wanna Chat?
Ever wanted to chat with me? Well I finally got this blog an IM account!
emtdani@hotmail.com
Hope to hear from you soon!
emtdani@hotmail.com
Hope to hear from you soon!
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