A good thing to make friends with

Tonight when I talked to Doug, he told me that the Resident-who-we-can-never-remember-his-name-even-though-he’s introduced- himself -20- times, (you know..the tall guy) came in to check on him and assess his progress.

WELL, he said the drain is working well, and told Doug to become goooood friends with the drain, because it’s going to be there for the next few days.

Ok. fine. Sounds good to us.

It seems that this abcess was BIG. We’re talking honkin’ big and pressing on his liver which accounts for a lot of the pain he’s been in.  We’re not sure if it was there (we think it was) when he left the hospital last time…but we know it’s draining nicely now.

and the one resident and medical student are still talking about my description of what was in the wound vac when I saw it…They asked me what it looked like. I gently reminded them that my normal job is teaching middle schoolers…mostly juvies…and told them it looked like snot.

The other reason you know you have a preschooler…

So, last night, while Doug was in the ER, the nurse asked him if some EMT students could do his blood draws and start his IV, supervised, of course.

Let’s just call these 3 students Larry, Moe and Curly. *

So, Larry does the blood and IV stuff, while Moe and Curly hang around and watch, and their instructor yells at them…or as I shall call it…Loudly guides them.

WELL, after 1 botched blood draw, lots of sideways glances from me and the nurses (prime example…Larry got hte flash of blood…and took too long and let it clot…and didn’t advance the angiocath. Cripes! I’m not even a nurse and I know this crap!) he moved over to the other arm. Well, after he had to be TOLD to advance the angiocath again, and put his finger on it, and watch Doug bleed profusely…his instructor starts to tell him

“Look! With your finger there, now you can move your arm up, get your drug bag, down, get some stuff off the floor, up…down…up…down…”

So, my tired brain chimes in…

“get back up and turn around. Can you point your fingers and do the twist!”

Yes, I was that exhausted that I quoted the freaky Aussies.

The nurse died. She has a 4 year old. The stooges missed the joke.  Doug was snickering, as he was trying not to move.

Yeah, this proves 2 things. I was that tired and I am the mom of a preschooler.

*I have nothing against EMT students or nursing students at all. These 3 were just the not-so-brightest I’ve ever met. They po’d the charge nurse, 2 doctors and pretty much stood around with their thumbs up their butts, oogling the sock I was knitting. It was like attack of the “duh-s.” Even Doug’s nurse was irritated with them.  Personally, I like students, usually they’re a fountain of knowledge and pay a lot more attention. These 3, just..well…Larry, Moe and Curly!