I’m exhausted with a capital “E” after the last 3 days of work I’ve had. I shouldn’t complain since I had 4 days off in a row while my sister was visiting, but man was it difficult to go back to such a chaotic scene. Tuesday’s shift whizzed by so fast I was playing catch up for 12 hours straight (the unit was good busy, not shoot-myself-in-the-head busy), on Wednesday I cried (more on THAT later…), and Thursday I was called to the ICU to cover a patient who had taken a turn for the worse…I was literally shaking the entire shift long because I was so nervous about the unstable state my patient was in. Details? You ask and you shall receive (no HIPAA violations here of course).
3 days of lunches:
Tues
Wed
I’ve heard not good things about these PB+J MoJo Dipped bars…but I rather enjoyed it! Nutritional stats below.
Thurs
Best flavor PoP chips yet…
Add in 6 hundred pounds of Starbucks coffee, and there you have it for the day time eats. Work is exhausting, so I’m not even going to TRY and justify my caffeine addiction. It is what it is.
I so wish I could go into a play by play, but I don’t have the time or energy [and I’m not sure anyone cares, either, for that matter].
Let’s just say, I have had a certain patient for nearly 2 months now…(FYI, that’s 45 days longer than a typical post-op stay). This patient has been the most delightful person to care for. I had him as a pre-op, which is rare, but again, I can’t go into too much more. His family is also so sweet and kind, they have nearly adopted me. So, it goes without saying that I’m emotionally attached to this patient, and even though I have other patients, too, he has a major part of my focus heart. He was briefly well enough to be discharged (to a rehab facility but still…), but that only lasted 10 hours, and he had to be readmitted. He has gone back and forth between the ICU and the step-down (my normal floor) so many times, I’ve lost track…and on Wednesday I really thought I was losing him. I brought him back, but barely, and the whole time, I was just trying to stay composed and hold it together for the family members. But inside, I was on the verge of tears. Clearly, he had to be transferred back to the ICU. I am normally pretty good at separating work from my personal life. When the clock strikes 7 and I give report to the next shift nurse, I’m outta there faster than you can say dinner hummus. But with this patient it was different. All Wednesday night (after work) I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Kyle was also away on business, so I had no distractions either. Anyways, I am going to stop with Wednesday’s shift there.
Thursday I went to the ICU and I had another (different) very precarious patient. He had to go for a procedure that is normally done at the bedside for patients on ventilators and the cardiac drips that he was on…but that’s neither here nor there. So there I was, in the elevator manually bagging him with oxygen via a trach, listening to the defibrillator ding over and over and over just PRAYING I wouldn’t have to give the emergency IV meds I was storing in my pocket. Yeah, I was sweating balls.
At one point during the procedure, I had to burst in, which wasn’t a treat for them, me OR the patient…but all ended well, and he made it back to the ICU in one piece. I can’t really talk about any more without getting super specific, but his vitals were well outside the normal range at several points of the day, so I was constantly trying to reel him back in. Lordy!
After 3 days in a row of such intensity, all I wanted to do was curl up into a ball and sleep. Since I was about to pass out, I decided to high tail it home…or so I thought…
Surprise!!
Kyle was at the hospital entrance waiting for me when I got off! In that moment, our eyes locked, and without a SINGLE word spoken, we both knew EXACTLY what we were doing for the night.
At long last!!! WHOLE FOODS is in my NEIGHBORHOOD! The Upper West Side finally opened the long awaited, HUGELY anticipated store.
I may be biased, but I have got to say, this store has a vegan presence like NO OTHER! It was the only thing (short of a 50 kilo vat of hummus) that could have rescued my mood sanity.
I found so many new things!! Balsamic glazed tofu with spinach and red bell peppers, and a ginger curry carrot salad with black sesame seeds. Of course, I went with some standards, too.
Quinoa, brown rice, edamame, carrots, chickpeas, and dried cranz. It’s a combo that CANNOT be beat!
The rest of the weeks dinners will follow. For now, this post will have to do. Thanks for listening loves!
Wow – what an intense day…I think that it is hard to always separate oneself completely from work, esp. in the health care setting no matter how hard you try…it’s a struggle for me.
Jeezy chreezy lady, I don’t know how you do it.
I am SO excited for WF! Isn’t there a TJ’s coming in too? And there’s a new Hummus Place, too… I’m going to be going home a lot more often, now!
What a life you lead with your job. Dear lord I don’t know how you do it. All I can say, is Bless You! Bless your heart and soul for being that person who cares for the sick people amongst us who need love, care, and TLC. Thank you, I hope I have someone like you if I am ever in need caring for me.
Onto your eats, congrats on the new WF!!!! Woo-hoo, that’s awesome. Hopefully you dont spend your WholePaycheck there now that it’s so close!
Well I’m a newbie reader and missed your updates the last few days, as stressful as it has all been at work you really do make a difference in people’s lives every day, and you enliven mine too, take care of yourself and thank you !
Tabitha
You are such a strong woman to have a job like that. I don’t think I could do it.
My WF has almost no vegan options at the hot bar. It’s very depressing
Oh my goodness. Your job sounds so stressfull. People are so lucky to have you caring for them!
I am so behind on my blog reading but I wanted to let you know that during my exploits in London earlier this week, I found a place called Hummus Bros and totally thought of you and Miss K! It was an entire HUMMUS BUFFET place!! 🙂
Wow–I have SO much respect for what you do! I had open heart surgery a few years ago, and the nurses that cared for me were AMAZING. We went back and took them bagels and hummus (yep!) and fruit once I was discharged, and I felt like there was nothing I could do to truly express my gratitude to them for their care while I was in the hospital. You rock! It sounds like you definitely had a rough couple of days, but you got through it and I am sure no one knew how exhausted/nervous/etc. you were 🙂
Awww…Kyle met you at work?! How cute is that?! I am glad you were able to end the day on a high note with you very own brand new Whole Foods. Could there BE a yummier way to treat yourself after a demanding day?!
Courtney
I know you don’t know me, but I officially blame you for my absurd hummus consumption over the past 3 days.
=)
I went to the new Whole Foods yesterday as well!!! It was totally awesome, especially all the free samples:)
Gosh, I don’t know how you do what you do. Once I was transporting a patient and he crashed in the elevator and it was one of the scariest things in my life! I really admire you for doing what you do:)
Wow… you’ve had a very stressful few days!! I could never, ever do what you do. It’s incredible.
I saw that there is going to be a Sabra Mediterranean Village Tour in Union Square Park on Sunday… free hummus!! 😉
BTW, my post on Wednesday was practically dedicated to you. :p
<3 <3
Dang E that sounds pretty rough!! I hope everything perked up, and u got a teeeeeny bit of sanity back 😀
omg, are you for real?! im SO there!!!! catching up on posts now 🙂
Wow your job must be so stressful. Caffeine is completely okay in times like that! Omg I must visit this new Whole Foods! Very exciting! And hummus at Union Square?? AAh!
Ack 🙁 That sounds really rough…and is why I would probably last about 10 seconds working in a hospital. I don’t know how you guys do it, but I know you are, for the most part, majorly unappreacciated. I apprecciate you 😀 (and no, I can’t spell ‘apprecciate’).
Um, okay. Oct 6th- meet you at WF around 6? 😀
I FULLY SUPPORT your caffeine addiction! I broke yesterday and enjoyed a HUGE cup of the black gold after 3 pm – it was very much needed!
Oh my goodness – you are Super Nurse! What an emotionally draining span of days!! Kyle sounds like your savior! I hope everything is okay with your patient – I’ll be thinking about all of you!
PS. Thanks for answering my question about the vegan eats. I have started to trick the boys and my family with vegan baked goods (VG’s banana bread was the “best they ever had”) muahaha 😉
YES!
hahaha, well done homes!
And, um, YEAH I’m going to that hummusfest! Holy crap.
WF to the rescue like WHOA. So sorry you’ve been stressed to tears, but I guess it comes with the territory. We’re all glad there are down homies like you in the world! Thanks be to Bob for you!
I feeeeeel like I just watched an INTENSE episode of Greys. You are my hero girl! Get some sewious R&R this weekend it’s well deserved 🙂
We ALMOST were in the same WF but not last night. My Mom, sis and I were going to go to the one in the bowery but then they didn’t want to BUT we were thinking about the uws one but we didnt know it was open! My bro lives upper west side and now my sis lives upper east side educational housing!
Your man is a serious catch! meeting you after work to take you to WF = prince charming.
May I just say that I love love your blog and look forward to it daily and I’m so sorry about your last 3 days. Hurray for Kile, Whole Foods, anniversary and Laurita coming in.
p.s. your blog was my therapy today. i heart you!
heart you too ate! besos amor mio
Sorry for your crazy intense 3 days of work! I respect and admire you so much for what you do, and I think it takes a truly caring and compassionate person to be as dedicated as you are. Kudos!
So sorry you had such an intense couple of days. You are one bomb ass nurse though, that is for certain!
I like the mojo bar too, and I’m sorely jealous of your whole foods mecca.
you eat so well. and are always so prepared with your meals. love it! sorry work has been super stressful on you though! i can’t imagine working in a hospital because i always get attached to people easily, it would be hard. oh~but hooray for surprise show ups from the boy AND whole foods locations! xoxo get some rest this weekend, if you can.
Just wanted to say way to go for putting your heart and soul into your patients! They are lucky to have you.
You have one whirlwind job! I’m amazed that you are still a super amazing blogger and make awesome packed lunches!! Love your packed lunches by the way…love that there is not one by two bars to munch on! Delish!
thanks. i like options 🙂
thanks you so so much. that really means more than you know.
thank you!! hes a stud huh!
it was a good one. im sorry you are whole foods-less 🙁
THANK YOU!!!
come visit me!! where does your bro live? i think we need a UWS WF date 🙂
thanks love 🙂
sweet! hummus heaven here we come…
me too…im so scared and nervous. i wont be back for a while, and im tempted to call a coworker and ask. :/
yeah dude, im going to maul the sabra samples like it’s my J-O-Bizzle!
new TJs around 71st and broadway…i think its still a while til it opens, but also VERY exciting! i noticed a hummus place up in the 100s and broadway – which i have yetto hit up, but its only a matter of time…
thanks so much. it means a lot to me to hear such amazing words.
thank you thank you thank you! such dear comments. it makes me happy to know that im affecting the lives of others in a positive way…and sometimes i forget it, but kind words like yours send me to cloud nine 🙂 i should just start a tab at WFs…seriously, i can tell its going to be bad!
boo! tell them to get on top of that!
hahaha, yeahhhh. i think i could eat hummus alone for the rest of my life and be happy.
first of all, “knowing” you makes me think you were probably a dream patient. compliant and eager to get better. second of all, what did you have done? (feel free to email me these answers later), third of all, there is no better thank you treat than hummus 🙂 oh and thanks for the sweet words!
I’m confused…
“He has gone back and forth between the ICU and the step-down (my normal floor) so many times, I’ve lost track…”
So do you work CCU or step down?
I can totally understand where those tears and anxiety came from Elise!! Before psych I worked 7 years on cardiac and orthopedic floors and I could pretty much separate work from personal life too but then I had an elderly man who got a joint replacement ( he wanted to move better to care for his wife) post-op who was headed to PT, doing wonderful and then he threw a clot during therapy and died. Talk about a wreck. It wasn’t my fault but I felt so terrible and cried the rest of the day. I think it makes us good nurses though, really and truly. Much love!
I know…its kinda confusing. I work on both technically since we are so closely affiliated it just depends on staffing. But I typically work on the step down. Our step down is called the CPCU (cardio pulmonary care unit) and our ICU is called the CSICU (cardiac surgical ICU). The CCU for us is the cath lab. Stupid acronyms…
No, it makes sense! I worked progressive care (ie-tele) for a year, but just began an internship in the MSICU (med-surg ICU). Acronyms are super annoying when you’re trying to explain to your family where you work who are non-medical people, haha!