I have two chronic conditions that have been an incredible hassle over recent weeks. One of them has been a huge part of my recent employment issues (epilepsy, which rears its stupid, ugly face when I lack adequate sleep, though that wasn't everything at work). Both (epilepsy and spondylolisthesis) have made this week the suck!
What have I learned?
1. Don't go to Disney if you have any type of ortho or neuro issue that restricts your ability to ride almost everything. You'll be in pain and watching your vacation fly by from the sidelines.
2. If your inlaws are selfish jerks, do not tell them how your handicapped arm band works. They WILL hijack your pass (and your entire days making you unable to do anything you want) and treat you like ess when you shut that crap down because you're tired of sitting around waiting for a turn to use it (never happened until the end).
3. It makes my blood boil that people do NOT understand chronic medical issues, or at least open their minds to the fact that they may not understand what they are seeing. Instead, people go straight to, "I bet it's her meds for her back. That is not what epilepsy looks like." No, I didn't learn this one. I was reminded of it. My husband loved being called a liar. PEOPLE! EPILEPSY LOOKS LIKE "EPILEPSY" LESS THAN IT DOESN'T.
4. Girl Child has anxiety. This rips my heart out. My husband needs some coaching on this, but so far he's done okay.
5. Winning a fitbit workweek challenge against people who regularly go >20k is the best feat ever consider all the stuff above going on. I had a 28k day! Nurses, get a pedometer (if you don't have one) and challenge yourselves!
I have so few health/nursey (somewhat) things to add. Mostly I share this to help others when working with patients who share similar conditions. Lived experiences can sometimes trump textbook learning. So, ditch the inlaws early, get plenty of medicine, get benzos in case of persistent seizure episodes, and going to Disney right before spinal fusion is stupid. Wait a year.
I hope you all have had great weeks! I have not kept up at all.
Do you write the quote yourself? Or do you find something someone else wrote?
If the former, how creative are you at writing?
I vote a very short, 2-4 liner poem to inspire people to maintain contact precautions. The more disgusting, the better.
I guess I could write one myself. I'm good at writing but our only guidance for quotes was to choose an "inspirational quote". What inspires me are demotivational quotes, so I'm not sure if that would be accepted.
Do you mean all three separately placed into the same treatment? Or that any combo of those meds is off limits? DuoNeb/Combivent is good stuff.
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Now, while we are on the topic of nebs, can you recall what sucks about albuterol in someone with SVT, ST, or AF w/ RVR?
Xopenex/Levalbuterol is one substitute, although it does have albuterol still.
Can albuterol help with stuff totally unrelated to the respiratory system?
Ipratropium albuterol is its own mixture. I think she administered that first, made sure the med was all inhaled and the air was clear (not sure the exact term for this) before giving the budenoside. She said that if the med wasn't completely inhaled, it could foam.
I guess I could write one myself. I'm good at writing but our only guidance for quotes was to choose an "inspirational quote". What inspires me are demotivational quotes, so I'm not sure if that would be accepted.
Look - so much of what's going to happen in the first year after licensure really is demotivational. Whenever I get in one of those devastated/shocked/depressed new grad "I hate my job because I suck at it" posts, I tell them, "You have to go through this to get through this". They have no idea how hard things are about to get, and I wish I realized that sooner. Once I put that thought in my brain and believed it, I allowed myself to be wrong and to be okay with sucking on days I felt like a failure. My goal was to get through it. You're not through it after orientation, either. You have to get through those first, scary, horrible months to get through them. Over time you gain confidence. One day you just realize... I got through it! So that's my vote - you have to go through this to get through this, and put your own thoughts in there to give it your own meaning and context. Btw, I have a not so nice opinion regarding the need to have all the students come up with motivational quotes for pinning.
Ipratropium albuterol is its own mixture. I think she administered that first, made sure the med was all inhaled and the air was clear (not sure the exact term for this) before giving the budenoside. She said that if the med wasn't completely inhaled, it could foam.
Yup! The first med opens the airways in order to ensure the second med is able to get past bronchospasm as much as possible.
This week I learned that "imposter syndrome" is still alive and well in my brain. I start a new job in the my same specialty in a few weeks, and I keep thinking-what if I really don't know what I'm doing?, what if I've just been coasting these past few years?, etc. Does that ever go away?
Sending hugs and warm thoughts to Ixchel and all who are ailing.
Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, Infection, Home Health, and LTC.
I learned that if you hurt your back and you have never ever had back trouble you find a whole new level of understanding for your prior and present back patients.
I learned that physical therapy should be called Physical Torture... and that you should never eat any foods that can cause gassiness the day before. If you do I can promise you that you will be embarrassed while your therapist is bending you into pretzel configurations and doing push up.
I have learned that when you are already behind on deadlines and getting fussed at about overtime hours they reward you by giving you yet a new full time job that is time consuming.
I have learned that when you explain you are not full time position and are only a 36 hour a week it means nothing. They will give you the new job and position with no increase in hours or pay. I feel like writing "WELCOME" across my forehead and lying down like a door mat. Does it say "SUCKER" under my bangs and I just can't see it?
Cheyenne, I was like that with migraines. Always skeptical inside until I had one. Walking around with my fist pressed into my left eye for 48 hours was hell.
Sorry about your back. I have herniation from L1-3. I can say PT has saved my life many a time.
I like beans and broccoli, and never had an issue. Maybe I have a really strong sphincter.
Gosh, it sounds like the AN peeps either had a super awesome week or a super sucky week
I learned this week:
What my breaking point is. Exhaustion + ridiculous patient situation + doctor being an a$$hat = me crying in the med room. I hate that I did that. Hate it. God bless the people I work with who did not judge me LOL. I am a "never let them see you sweat it" kind of person so this was a completely crazy moment for me. In addition I learned that the hospital supervisor involved totally had my back. It's nice to know in a sticky situation that I didn't get thrown under the bus.
I learned that some family members think that having their loved one use a bedpan is worse than having them fall in an attempt to use the bathroom When the patient's legs literally give way when they try to stand up, I am not getting a wheelchair (what the family wanted) to take the person to the bathroom.
A confused patient can, in a matter of about 0.7 seconds, have their venti mask off and attempt to use it as a urinal
It's very satisfying to hear bowel sounds and hear a patient finally start passing gas after surgery for SBO.
There are patients who still drive with medical conditions which should preclude them from doing so.
I am anxiously awaiting the day when I do not have to suck up imposter ladybugs in the shopvac. Every day for the past week our south-facing windows are full of the nasty bugs
I am anxiously awaiting the day when I do not have to suck up imposter ladybugs in the shopvac. Every day for the past week our south-facing windows are full of the nasty bugs
:)
Oh gracious I remember when I was a kid and we lived in Ohio ohhhhhh the imposter ladybugs. They would COVER that side of the house on the outside, and like you said, the windows would constantly be full of them. Ugh. I feel for you, I do lol
Oh gracious I remember when I was a kid and we lived in Ohio ohhhhhh the imposter ladybugs. They would COVER that side of the house on the outside, and like you said, the windows would constantly be full of them. Ugh. I feel for you, I do lol
Well, now I know what I'm going to put for next week's WILTW post. Imposter Ladybug...I never knew of such a thing until just now.
When the patient's legs literally give way when they try to stand up, I am not getting a wheelchair (what the family wanted) to take the person to the bathroom. 
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cracklingkraken, ASN, RN
1,855 Posts
I guess I could write one myself. I'm good at writing but our only guidance for quotes was to choose an "inspirational quote". What inspires me are demotivational quotes, so I'm not sure if that would be accepted.
Ipratropium albuterol is its own mixture. I think she administered that first, made sure the med was all inhaled and the air was clear (not sure the exact term for this) before giving the budenoside. She said that if the med wasn't completely inhaled, it could foam.