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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Busy at work! Who cares! I'm on Vacation now!

It's the middle of July. The weather is beautiful up her in Shoreline, Michigan. In fact, I don't think it can get any better -- not too hot, not too cool. And, yet, instead of being out and enjoying it, it seems many individuals are getting sick -- or faking it for attentjion -- and visiting me at the hospital.

It seems to me in that most summers I work business is slow. In fact, in years past I remember telling my friends that I'm never going to take a vacation in the summer again because it's so slow at work in the summer that going to work is like a vacation in itself. I sit there all night and play on the Internet, get caught up on my personal projects -- like this blog and my check book -- and simply enjoy it.

This year, however, it seems the summer vacation at work is not going to happen. Why? Does the economic circumstance lead to depression and hence sickness? I don't know, but that's what I'm beginning to wonder.

We actually got down to 4 patients last Tuesday, but as soon as I stepped in the door Thursday evening (7-p.m. exactly) a Code Blue was called over head. After spending an hour at that, I spent the next two hours in the ER, and it seems every patient I saw was admitted, including Mr. Montague who seems to get pneumonia once every two months. While I was giving him his tx in the ER, his wife says, "He wants to be admitted." It's not very often people come right out and admit that.

Mrs. Cocrain in the critical care has been on a ventilator for the better part of three months. I've written about her on this blog, but I can't seem to find it. She initially had a DNR order the family did not respect. So, now she has to live this way until she dies. Although she hated the vent dependend unit down state, so she gets anxious, a feeling of air hunger befalls her, and she finds herself admitted for the three millionth time. And when she is here, she gets treated as though she were in a VDU: on the vent at night, off during the day.

And then it seems we have at least 12 other patients all admitted for some reason not related to bronchospasm, and yet they all must have breathing treatmtns because???? Your guess is as good as mine. My boss says we should all quit complaining (not that I am), and be happy we have jobs. Well, she has a point, but it would be better to at least enjoy the off season, the usual vacation season that comes with summer.

Normally this time of year it's 90 degrees with 100% humidity this time a year (either that or it's coming soon), and since I don't have air at home I look forward to coming to work where I can enjoy the cool air. Perhaps if it's slow enough I can sit in an empty patient waiting room and watch the Detroit Tigers.

But, none of that seems to be happening this summer. By Monday Morning I'm running around like a chicken with it's head chopped off on my 4th straight day, and, you guessed it, Code Blue! wails overhead. My long weekend ends the same way it began. The code went well, and then just as I'm getting ready to leave I get word my relief forgot she had to work today. No prob.

Either way, I'm happy to be on a real vacation now. My feet are aching and my eyes are weary. It may take a few days into this free time to recoup. So, since I will be on vacation this week, don't expect anything too thought provoking at the RT Cave. In fact, I think I might spend the bulk of it just loafing around and pretending the Internet doesn't exist.

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