Friday, June 10, 2005

jet lagged? ...all nightered? ...confused as normal?

Well good morning! How's everyone doing? Gee...it's pretty dark outside...and doesn't it usually storm in the evenings here? OH man, maybe today was when the eclipse was supposed to happen. Well, I guess I just got home too late last night. ...no wait, that was this morning! morning? afternoon? lunchtime? midnight?

Welcome to "summer Morgan"--the person I am destined to be for the rest of the season. Then again, I did survive back to back night shifts...so that's something! No actually, the last 48 hours have been craziness but great to...let me tell you about it all.

Wednesday night was hard because I just wasn't used to it, but we had a great time. The floor was SUPER busy...and frankly I like it that way...there's always something to do. You would be surprised about how much...in fact, we really don't let these people sleep! I asked an RN about it the other night and he just laughed...."no way, this isn't the Holiday Inn...we're on a schedule here!!" never mind that people are sick and just need rest, never mind that normal people don't enjoy giving shots at 3:30 am...vitals every 4 hours! empty urine at 11 and 5! admit patients at all times! draw blood at 3! and get those EKG's (really annoying though painless) started by 4:30! Oh, and could you get 51 bed 2 up at 5am to be weighed? I need to ask a doctor somewhere about whether it's healthy...seems a little crazy to me. It's funny all you hear though as patients are coming out of sleep and to see them just stick their arm up for blood pressure and open thier mouths when you walk in the room...they know the drill!

I'm learning a whole ton...how to measure intake and outtake and chart it carefully, how to assist patients into and out of bed, how to give EKG's, how to keep the nurses happy, how to build up a repore with the patients, how to ease frustration and fear, and to always ask a lot of questions. We've encountered a few fiesty patients (always those little 65 lb old ladies who survived the depression...they are firey!)...that's been interesting to handle but I'm learning a lot by watching my supervisors there.

There are boring times, there are times when you have to do three things at once, but all in all things are pretty laid back. Sometime around about 3 last night I was getting someone water when I realized that I was really enjoying myself...it was great. Sure, I don't want to do this for the rest of my life, but for now it's the closest I can get to what I want to do...I am so excited. So, keep praying for energy and that I don't go show up to church at 4 in the afternoon some day. My clock is so messed up...it's funny :)

Tomorrow I head for St. Louis for a missions trip there...I am so excited to go work on some roofs or something cool, and have some time for evangelism and fellowship in the evenings. Again pray for energy!

much love to you all as you celebrate this Christmas season...I'll see you at the fireworks!

1 comment:

joeljohnson said...

morgan you are awesome