Two Funerals

It's been a long week.  Two funerals in less than 10 days.

I've never seen death like this before.  So fresh.  So painful.  So raw.

I'm glad to be family.

I called off work for the first time yesterday, after working at my job for 8 months, for the funeral.

I don't feel like going back to work today.

I'll get off my butt and get ready soon though.  Pack a lunch.  Wash my face.  Put a smile on.  And get back to life....

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:3

Hey Nurse!

It's hard to ignore your patients when they scream your name instead of "Hey nurse!"

"Oh give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people." Psalm 105:1

Pain Pills But Nausea

Pancreatitis Patient: *questionable dry heaving* I. Need. Pain. Medicine.
Me: I'll get you some Zofran for your nausea, but since your pain meds are pills, I can't give you anything until you stop feeling so nauseous.

15 minutes later.

PP: I'm not nauseous anymore. I want pain medicine.
Me: Okay. How bad is your pain on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain you can imagine?
PP: 10.
Me: Okay, I'll be back.

"But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn." Job 14:22

Worried

Sometimes I worry about being sued.

About being stuck with a dirty needle.

Being hit by a crazy drunk.

That's in order of least likely to happen to most likely to happen.

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7

Six Months

This morning the manager comes to me during report and tells me she has a paper for me to sign in her office before I go home.

It was my permanent employment papers.  Like what I've been doing for the last six months was provisional employment.

So, yeah, I get to keep my job. =)

Totally didn't realized that until this morning when I signed the paper.

She said I didn't act like a new nurse.

"What does that mean?"
"It's a complement."
"Thanks!"

Six months.  Wow.

"Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise." Psalm 33:3

That Makes Three

I kissed another patient last night.

That makes 3 patient now I think.

I'm going to get a reputation doing things like that.

"Salute one another with an holy kiss." Romans 16:16a

Best Memories of 2012

Best memories of 2012:

• Playing around on an internet dating website, and meeting my boyfriend of almost 10 months now,
• Graduating from nursing school with my friends,
• Visiting my grandma in Ohio,
• Getting a phone call about getting my first job while I was there,
• Going to the West Side Market with my cousins and Grandma,
• Coming out of the NCLEX and not being able to hide my excitement from my Dad because I knew I had just passed the most important test of my life thus far,
• Starting my first real job,
• Getting my first paycheck,
• Recognizing my patient was having a stroke right in front of me,
• Thanksgiving,
• Christmas Eve,
• Christmas,
• New Years Eve.

"For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised." Psalm 96:4

"Everyday I will bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.... They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness." Psalm 145:2 and 7