One of THOSE days

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I knew today was going to be a crazy day. All week I knew it. Yesterday morning as I was doing my schedule, I realized I had eight patients including an admission to do today. I moved appointments around several times before I finally figured out an order I thought would work. One of my patients got admitted to the hospital and he was the furthest out of my way so I thought my day might be a little easier when I found that out. BUT, then I found out after I'd moved everything around that the supplies for my admission wouldn't be arriving until 10:30 am which didn't work with my plan to see him between 8:30-9:00. So I figured I could easily change my second appointment of the day and then swing back to the admission.

So, get to my first visit no problem. Call visit #2 to let them know I'm actually running earlier (he is usually my first visit so they are used to expecting me early on Friday mornings) and his mom says "actually, I'm bringing him to the ER." Ok, cancel that visit. Turn around and head back to a patient who I changed yesterday to the afternoon. Call the mom who says "sure come now." Get there, spend an hour with him and he throws up on me twice while I'm there.

Moving on, head over to my non-compliant family hoping they'll actually answer the door this time. Text the admission as I'm leaving house #2 and say "I'll be to you once I'm done with this next patient and the supplies should be there by then." Nope, mom has her own MD appointment and needs to leave for an hour. So I say, "OK, I'll go do one more patient and then come back to you." See patient 3 then head over to patient 4 before admission. Spend an hour with patient 4 who was recently discharged after a prolonged hospitalization. Walk out of her apartment and BAM- my car is gone. I call her to ask her if cars are commonly towed in this area and she says "yes". Call the management company to find out what happened to my car and explain the situation, their response is basically "Oh someone with cancer who needs a visiting nurse lives in our building? Too bad so sad well your car got towed." Call the towing company who confirm that they have my car, ask for directions and the girl working the desks tells me only what part of town they're in (this is a major city with 21 official neighborhoods). When I ask her for more information- are you close to the train? the bus? She doesn't know and says "we're next to this drug store." Thanks because there aren't a thousand chain drug stores in this city. Oh and they only take cash and it will be $130 for you to get back your own car. Walk a mile to get there while carrying my giant nursing bag, stop at the sketchiest convenience store ever to go to the ATM and get cash, finally make it over to get my car back and deal with the rudest most obnoxious person working the window who can't count and doesn't give me correct change but I'm too mad to argue over $0.88.

Ugh, didn't even get home until after 7pm tonight. Just needed to vent.

[sapphire18]

Ouch:/. Sorry, Kel. I've been towed multiple times- that place is notorious for it- it's always a fiasco to get the car back. Hugs!

[EaglesWings21, ASN, RN]

Just FYI, if you were parked legally you do not owe them any money and could take that to small claims court. I HATE tow truck companies...

[itsnowornever, BSN, RN]

Here in CA you have to be parked in a spot for over an hour or else it's grand theft...ultimately has to be proven in small claims because it becomes civil, but if you can prove it there then it can be carried for criminal charges.