This is Not a Happy Post
If you are looking for my typical Susie Sunshine post about everything being great and wonderful, you won't find it here. Because right now, I'm madder than I have been since I have been here. I chose blue for this post because it's supposed to be calming. It's not working.
Soooooo it's 3 a.m. and I thought they were coming to do my vitals. Mildly annoying? Yes, because I get my meds @ 4 and they usually try to do them at the same time so I'm not woken up again, but whatever.
Oh no. This would be the phlebotomist coming to draw blood and start an IV. Am I contracting and need a new IV? No. Am I on any medicines that require immediate blood tests? No. Am I in a dead sleep, trying to count every minute between med wake-ups and doctors? Why yes, yes I am.
Seriously, I don't think people who work the night shift have any understanding of the sleeping patterns of normal people. What good do you think would come of drawing blood and putting an IV in at 3 a.m? Couldn't it wait until the morning like all of the other ones had?
I know I probably should have exercised my patient rights and flat-out refused to have it done until morning. At this point though, I was still trying to be respectful (mistake #1) and knew that she was just doing what she was told. Someone put the orders in and she was just following through.
So I told her that I have bad veins and while I'm sure she hears that a lot and doesn't really care, I really do. I mentioned that several phlebotomists hadn't been able to get it, so I was only giving her one shot. She seemed to ignore that entire statement.
I futilely asked for Lidocaine, knowing they don't use it. I was told that I was in the wrong hospital for that. I should have just sent her out right there. (mistake #2)
Story of my life: I get stuck, she digs around, and she doesn't get it. "Huh, it's right there. Why is it rolling?" You could probably write this part yourself by now, right?
Normally they put the gauze and a bandaid over it, right? Well, she uses the plastic stuff...the same plastic stuff that holds the IV down...the same plastic stuff that is ridiculously sticky and rips off all of your arm hair in that spot. Think waxing strips. I have patches of no hair on my arms, like a really bad shaving job.
I should have been paying more attention to what she was putting on there and asked for a bandaid (which I really shouldn't have to do---logical reasoning!!), but that was mistake #3. I'm on a roll now! I have already pulled it off because I know keeping it there would only make it worse. What's one more patch of hairless arm?
So she left saying that she would tell my nurse. I think she knew better than to even see if I'd let her try again. I just heard a call for my nurse (I heard my room # mentioned) but no one else is putting any needles in my arm until after 7 a.m.
Let's just say it is a really good thing that no one is staying with me tonight and I don't have any mode of transportation. This pretty much did it for me. Do you think the hospital shuttle goes to our house? Maybe I could bribe the driver with snacks...
Like I said, this wasn't a happy post. I tried not to write it. Seriously, I did. But then I thought that maybe people needed to know that I'm not always positive and optimistic. Like when people try to start IVs at 3 a.m. after I've been here a month and have proven that I have bad veins and then annoying people don't get the IV to go so they put plastic stuff on my arm that will tear off even more hair than is already missing.
Yeah, like that.
Optimistic people have bad days too.
The first item on my agenda as president of the United States will be to make the use of Lidocaine mandatory in all medical facilities. You're welcome.
4:30 a.m. Update: My nurse (whom I'd never had before) came in at 4 to check my vitals and give me my meds. When I asked why the phlebotomist came at 3:00 to do it when it's always been done in the daytime before, her reply was...
You ready for this?
"Oh, was that too early?"
No, actually 3:00 a.m. is the perfect time for people to repeatedly poke holes in my veins.
"I didn't realize you would want to sleep in."
Well, you're right. Normally, I'm up by now feeding the chickens, milking the cows, and mending the fence by the north pasture. Being in the hospital for so long has made me soft and lazy.
She said they put a request in for Ms. Pat, who was the phlebotomist who did such a great job before (see the post "On Why I Love Phlebotomists"...although maybe that needs to be amended based on my recent experience.)
AND, this nurse went to flush my current IV. Bet you can't guess what happened.
Yep, it blew. Lucky me. So now I am IV-less for the moment.
I do have a positive side to all of this though. My blood pressure was higher than it has ever been in the middle of the night while I've been on these meds. I wonder why...
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Monday, October 18, 2010 2:48 PM, EDT
Things Are Looking Up, it's a Great Little World We Live in...
Name that tune and that musical! (I live my life if song!)
Anyway, I am in a much better humor now. Why, you ask? Well, because I talked to my team of doctors when they came to round today and they all agreed that I am really not much of a risk anymore, so they don't see any reason to keep my IV in 24/7! When I need it again (like when I am in active labor), I can have it put in. After checking out my veins, they all quickly agreed that they needed a bit of a break if the LD nurses were to be able to find one when it was really needed!
I am IV freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
Other reasons why I am in a much better mood now:
* My dad came to visit me today and I really enjoyed his company. He's a good dad. :)
* I ordered Caleb and Abby super cute brother-sister shirts from this great little Etsy shop that does custom printing. I have shopped there before and have been really happy with the products.
* I located a great camera bag (that doesn't look like a camera bag--I have fears of being mugged if I were to buy something with NIKON scrawled across it) on Ebay and won the auction, nabbing it at a pretty good price!
* Caleb filled me in all about habitats today, complete with examples. I've got a pretty bright kiddo on my hands! He is also thoroughly enjoying a new reading program my mom introduced him to where he gets points for reading or listening to books, then trades the points in to buy things for his space rocket! It's really cool--think Farmville for little kids!
So, I am back to my usually optimistic self...and I won't be sneaking out of the hospital today. :)
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010 6:57 PM, EDT
The rumors are true: I am home!!!!!!!!!!!
I just wrote a really long post all about it and lost it. I don't have the energy to rewrite the entire thing, so just know that I am home until Abby is born and enjoying famly time! Caleb was super excited to see me and has spent most of the day attached to my hip. He has been very sweet and cuddly!
If I don't go before then, I will be induced on November 8th.
We don't currently have internet at home, so don't look for too many new posts for a while. Just remember, no news is good news!
If you are looking for my typical Susie Sunshine post about everything being great and wonderful, you won't find it here. Because right now, I'm madder than I have been since I have been here. I chose blue for this post because it's supposed to be calming. It's not working.
Soooooo it's 3 a.m. and I thought they were coming to do my vitals. Mildly annoying? Yes, because I get my meds @ 4 and they usually try to do them at the same time so I'm not woken up again, but whatever.
Oh no. This would be the phlebotomist coming to draw blood and start an IV. Am I contracting and need a new IV? No. Am I on any medicines that require immediate blood tests? No. Am I in a dead sleep, trying to count every minute between med wake-ups and doctors? Why yes, yes I am.
Seriously, I don't think people who work the night shift have any understanding of the sleeping patterns of normal people. What good do you think would come of drawing blood and putting an IV in at 3 a.m? Couldn't it wait until the morning like all of the other ones had?
I know I probably should have exercised my patient rights and flat-out refused to have it done until morning. At this point though, I was still trying to be respectful (mistake #1) and knew that she was just doing what she was told. Someone put the orders in and she was just following through.
So I told her that I have bad veins and while I'm sure she hears that a lot and doesn't really care, I really do. I mentioned that several phlebotomists hadn't been able to get it, so I was only giving her one shot. She seemed to ignore that entire statement.
I futilely asked for Lidocaine, knowing they don't use it. I was told that I was in the wrong hospital for that. I should have just sent her out right there. (mistake #2)
Story of my life: I get stuck, she digs around, and she doesn't get it. "Huh, it's right there. Why is it rolling?" You could probably write this part yourself by now, right?
Normally they put the gauze and a bandaid over it, right? Well, she uses the plastic stuff...the same plastic stuff that holds the IV down...the same plastic stuff that is ridiculously sticky and rips off all of your arm hair in that spot. Think waxing strips. I have patches of no hair on my arms, like a really bad shaving job.
I should have been paying more attention to what she was putting on there and asked for a bandaid (which I really shouldn't have to do---logical reasoning!!), but that was mistake #3. I'm on a roll now! I have already pulled it off because I know keeping it there would only make it worse. What's one more patch of hairless arm?
So she left saying that she would tell my nurse. I think she knew better than to even see if I'd let her try again. I just heard a call for my nurse (I heard my room # mentioned) but no one else is putting any needles in my arm until after 7 a.m.
Let's just say it is a really good thing that no one is staying with me tonight and I don't have any mode of transportation. This pretty much did it for me. Do you think the hospital shuttle goes to our house? Maybe I could bribe the driver with snacks...
Like I said, this wasn't a happy post. I tried not to write it. Seriously, I did. But then I thought that maybe people needed to know that I'm not always positive and optimistic. Like when people try to start IVs at 3 a.m. after I've been here a month and have proven that I have bad veins and then annoying people don't get the IV to go so they put plastic stuff on my arm that will tear off even more hair than is already missing.
Yeah, like that.
Optimistic people have bad days too.
The first item on my agenda as president of the United States will be to make the use of Lidocaine mandatory in all medical facilities. You're welcome.
4:30 a.m. Update: My nurse (whom I'd never had before) came in at 4 to check my vitals and give me my meds. When I asked why the phlebotomist came at 3:00 to do it when it's always been done in the daytime before, her reply was...
You ready for this?
"Oh, was that too early?"
No, actually 3:00 a.m. is the perfect time for people to repeatedly poke holes in my veins.
"I didn't realize you would want to sleep in."
Well, you're right. Normally, I'm up by now feeding the chickens, milking the cows, and mending the fence by the north pasture. Being in the hospital for so long has made me soft and lazy.
She said they put a request in for Ms. Pat, who was the phlebotomist who did such a great job before (see the post "On Why I Love Phlebotomists"...although maybe that needs to be amended based on my recent experience.)
AND, this nurse went to flush my current IV. Bet you can't guess what happened.
Yep, it blew. Lucky me. So now I am IV-less for the moment.
I do have a positive side to all of this though. My blood pressure was higher than it has ever been in the middle of the night while I've been on these meds. I wonder why...
Sign My Guestbook Read Tributes
Monday, October 18, 2010 2:48 PM, EDT
Things Are Looking Up, it's a Great Little World We Live in...
Name that tune and that musical! (I live my life if song!)
Anyway, I am in a much better humor now. Why, you ask? Well, because I talked to my team of doctors when they came to round today and they all agreed that I am really not much of a risk anymore, so they don't see any reason to keep my IV in 24/7! When I need it again (like when I am in active labor), I can have it put in. After checking out my veins, they all quickly agreed that they needed a bit of a break if the LD nurses were to be able to find one when it was really needed!
I am IV freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
Other reasons why I am in a much better mood now:
* My dad came to visit me today and I really enjoyed his company. He's a good dad. :)
* I ordered Caleb and Abby super cute brother-sister shirts from this great little Etsy shop that does custom printing. I have shopped there before and have been really happy with the products.
* I located a great camera bag (that doesn't look like a camera bag--I have fears of being mugged if I were to buy something with NIKON scrawled across it) on Ebay and won the auction, nabbing it at a pretty good price!
* Caleb filled me in all about habitats today, complete with examples. I've got a pretty bright kiddo on my hands! He is also thoroughly enjoying a new reading program my mom introduced him to where he gets points for reading or listening to books, then trades the points in to buy things for his space rocket! It's really cool--think Farmville for little kids!
So, I am back to my usually optimistic self...and I won't be sneaking out of the hospital today. :)
Sign My Guestbook Read Tributes
Wednesday, October 20, 2010 6:57 PM, EDT
The rumors are true: I am home!!!!!!!!!!!
I just wrote a really long post all about it and lost it. I don't have the energy to rewrite the entire thing, so just know that I am home until Abby is born and enjoying famly time! Caleb was super excited to see me and has spent most of the day attached to my hip. He has been very sweet and cuddly!
If I don't go before then, I will be induced on November 8th.
We don't currently have internet at home, so don't look for too many new posts for a while. Just remember, no news is good news!
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