hello again!

So not too much has changed in the world of Chapel Hill or Carrington Hall...

We've successfully trekked through more exams, both Psych and Pediatric nursing. Now that those are behind us I think we can relax a little bit more. As of now the three of us are planning on a date/chick flick night on Sunday. We are considering "Dear John" and "Valentine's Day." Any suggestions?? I just know that I'm looking forward to the break.

I'm also starting a countdown with my roommate to SB'10 because we're going on a cruise (my first) and it will be sooo warm!!!

Since I've last talked to everyone I've had three more patient in the pediatrics floor. I think I've already talked about my adolescent, so I'll move on to the others.

My second week on the floor I had a 9 month old little girl who was born with a congenital anomaly, one that created a connection between her esophagus and her trachea. She is now suffering with feeding problems and struggles with normal growth rates. However, she was a doll baby! She was so peaceful and calm. Her mother was there the night I went to get my assignment and seemed very involved. However, her mom had to leave unexpectedly the day I was actually caring for her baby. When she got back I was able to talk with her for a little bit. I could tell that she and her daughter were very close and shared a loving relationship...something we've all learned is one of the most important parts of growing up healthily and to full potential.

My third week was a much more overwhelming. We got our assignments the morning of, because of the snow, and caught up on our patient and their stories on the fly. So I guess we were acting more like real nurses! I had 4 year old boy who knows the staff by name and the hospital is considered his second home (at least according to the unit staff...). He has a very rare mitochondrial disease, it's actually amazing that he is still alive. He stays in a room by himself most of the time, so he treats it like his kingdom. He wanted to help me out when I was giving some of his medicines, which surprised me! But he was funny about it! He really kept me on my toes, especially the time he started hitting at my hands. I just thought he wanted to give some high fives so I played some games with him. No. That wasn't the case. He just kept hitting my hands, then arms, then he hit me in the face. "Pause." That's what went through my mind in a split-second. Then I had to pull out the firm-tone-don't-mess attitude. Face hitting is not acceptable, he's just lacking the consistent discipline to actually know that. And when I figured that out, it made me kind of sad.
Funny story from this day: I went to take lunch for about 15 min and came back to the nursing station. The secretary looked at me and asked if I still had his room. I said yes and she just laughed. "Well whenever I can smell it from here....I know it's your boy." GREAT. So, I changed my first dirty diaper ever... gross.

This past week I tried to get a school aged kid, because that's the age group I haven't had yet, but that didn't happen. I got another little girl, 2 months old (adjusted for her prematurity), who was suffering from Short Bowel Syndrome after having about 25% of her intestines removed from chronic NEC. Soooo, I was dealing with GI problems in a little girl again, but I did get to practice some new skills with a great nurse! She went through everything step by step and explained why things were done the way they were. She was also always open for questions. That's really the first time I've seen this from the floor nurses. Anywho, I learned all about TPN (total parenteral nutrition...basically food that's infused into your blood stream) and central lines and changing lines and GI issues. I learned a lot, but it was kind of a slow day because she didn't require much care...just monitoring and loving.
Sad part of this day: The very first thing I did was carry my little baby down to x-ray / fluoroscopy so they could give a barium enema and look at her bowels. I can see why parents are emotionally unprepared for watching things like this. It was hard for me to see her suffering, and I only knew her for one day! Basically, they infuse this chalky white substance into her bowels through her little bum and then take multiple screens of it to check out the status of her GI tract. They had my poor little baby strapped to this wooden plank and restrained (that's the least invasive way to put it). I understand why it's necessary (so she won't squirm and mess up the process) but seeing / hearing her like that was crushing.

Ahhh so it's busy around here but I just try to take it all one day at a time.