"my" favorite patient

in my last post, i mentioned one of "my" very favorite patients - my dad. like i said, he's not really a patient of mine. i mean, i do boss him around. i tell him when and how to take his meds. i lecture him on his diet and salt intake. but thankfully, he's not really a patient of mine. his doctor is a brilliant cardiologist we met almost 12 years ago when my dad's heart started to fail him. and his nurse is named kelly; she puts up with my dad and his harem of women who worry about him (meaning me, my mom, and my sister).

anyway...

december 23rd started just like any other day on my unit. i was assigned three patients; the day would be busy. but my dad had a doctor's appointment at 11:00 and i was determined to attend. so, i begged a friend of mine to watch my patients while i escaped from the unit. and boy am i glad i did.

turns out, my dad's heart was acting up! more so than usual. instead of beating regularly, it was beating irregularly - in a rhythm called atrial flutter. the heart is supposed to act like a well oiled machine; it has a certain way of behaving that is the most efficient and the most effective. and let's just say, atrial flutter is neither. when kelly heard the irregularity, she immediately called for confirmation. within minutes, we had an EKG to verify the rhythm and both my dad's cardiologist and electrophysiologist convened to determine a plan of action. my dad would soon be admitted. he needed a trans-esophageal echocardiogram and a cardioversion. translation - they needed to put a tube down my dad's esophagus to look through the back side of the heart for blood clots. if indeed, there were no clots (potentially formed by the lazy and quivering atria), then they could use paddles (ie. a defibrillator) to shock his heart back into normal rhythm.

ugh. sometimes being a nurse is irritating. i know too much. i knew to worry. i know that shocking someone can be potentially dangerous. it certainly sounds terrifying. and it's much scarrier when it's someone you know and love - when it's your dad.

by 12:15, i ran back up to my unit and quit. not forever. just for the day. and instead of being a nurse to my three patients, i became a nurse to my dad! once again, not really. other nurses took care of him. but i waited all day with him in the hospital. i called the troops (my mom and sister). and when needed, i explained and re-explained the procedure to any and all worriers.

thankfully, my patient behaved. and so did his heart. there were no blood clots. and the electric shock converted my dad's heart rate from his naughty rhythm to the proper one.

but i think i prefer being a nurse to strangers.