maternity leave starts today

i'm bummed.  nursing just became a little harder and a bit more dull.  my bff (marian's debut blogpost) just discovered today that she is on pseudo bedrest.  she is due march 5th; but because her little girly is measuring VERY TINY, they are suggesting she stop working as a nurse - it's not like it's the easiest, most relaxing job.  marian has worked just as diligently her entire pregnancy as she did before she got knocked up.  and she's entertained me just as "hard" (that's a word she uses - all the time).  somehow, the days i work with marian are easier and more fun.  tomorrow starts marian's SEVEN months of maternity leave.  wish her luck.  i'll need some too - just to get through the 84 twelve hour shifts without her!  

liver transplant

one day this week, i was walking in to work.  i was probably rushing, running a few minutes late.  UW has one of the longest hallways in the nation.  and by the end of it, i'm usually sweating and grumpy, not wanting to be at work at 6:54 AM.  but i couldn't help but smile and feel privileged to work in medicine when i heard a man checking in at the information desk.  he was speaking with the volunteer front desk staff (who i know is a heart transplant survivor; he wears a mask and when i was doing my clinicals at UW while in nursing school, i spoke with him).  the patient said, "i'm checking in for my liver transplant.  the man on the phone this morning told me you'd be able to direct me."  it was serendipitous that i heard this interaction.  i could have been 10 minutes earlier or 5 seconds later.  but witnessing miracles in my place of work made me feel excited to be a nurse.  excited to provide care to sick people.  excited to participate in miracles.

eat your heart out

happy new year...

welcome to 2013!

i had planned on writing some inspiring post to start the new year; to re-ignite my passion for writing and nursing.  but instead, i have to share something totally insignificant (albeit hilarious).  i may have heard the best quote of the year, and it's only january 3rd.

my 380 pound patient, after having hallucinations about kanye west, said in a funny voice - "i'd like to eat dinner off of lil kim's ass!"  i don't know exactly what she meant by that.  i don't know if she actually meant to say it in front of me.  but it was all i could to do leave the room without cackling to myself. 

eat your heart out my sweet patient!