coming out of my shell

coming out of my shell

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Hero Nurse to the rescue

I remember a nurse who made a difference in my life. She went that extra mile because she cared, she loved her work, and she was intellectually curious about it.

Once upon a time, I was in hospital for a surgical procedure. At first I was sick from the morphine; however, the nausea and headache didn't stop when the morphine did. I could not get up to shuffle down the hall with my I.V. bag hooked to a walker like the other patients on my floor. I could not keep anything down. I had an excruciating headache. I saw stars. I was not thriving. The nurses were distraught, and I got the distinct feeling they were annoyed that I wasn't getting better.

Because I was in the hospital so long with nothing to do, I eavesdropped on the nurse conversations in the hallway. They gossiped, bitched, moaned and laughed. They didn't realize patients could hear them and I sure wasn't going to tell them! It was better than a soap opera.

They made fun of one nurse for being over-the-hill and old fashioned. I had not yet met her when she walked into my room on day three and introduced herself. She looked old enough to be my mother, and I NEEDED a mother! She placed her hand on my shoulder, bent down to me and said quietly but firmly, "You've been real sick, honey. Now we're going to get you well." 

I'm not sure if it was the non-invasive touch, or her words of hope that moved me so completely. Or maybe it was the reassuring gray hair and the deep laugh lines? Anyway, I cried like a baby. I knew the worst was over and, like Mighty Mouse, Hero Nurse had come to save the day.

She went out and brought my anesthesiologist back with her. Like Hero Nurse, he had a passion for helping people. Also like Hero Nurse, he thought outside of that stupid, damn box. He asked if I was a heavy coffee drinker? I replied I was, but was unable to drink it since the surgery. He diagnosed me with caffeine withdrawal. He hooked my I.V. up to a liter of caffeinated fluid and had me drink cans of Coke. Within a few hours, I was well. 


Ostensibly, the reason for this story was Hero Nurse. However, I DO want credit for having mainlined caffeine. Many fantasize, but few actually do it.

29 comments:

  1. Hero Nurse was a gem. The care she gave is what a nurse should do and so many don't.

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    1. I will never forget her great kindness in caring about a complete stranger.

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  2. I have never heard of a caffeine IV ! It gives me hope that Nutella IVs are possible. I'm sure they would cure whatever ails me : )

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  3. I do know caffeine withdrawal. It's lower than horrid. Hero nurse and sidekick anesthesiologist are heroes. But, couldn't they fix you with a cup of coffee? Or two or three.

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    1. I couldn't keep it down until he hooked me up. For some reason the cold sweetness of the soft drink was easier for me to manage. I then quickly went back to hot coffee.

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    2. Of course. Your stomach wanted to throw up, your brain wanted caffeine. It was a stand off.

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  4. I often wonder why the nurses who care for us in hospitals and are at our bedside with a push of a button are paid so much less than a doctor who sticks his head in the door for a three minute quick observation.

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    1. Having a vocation to help others is what makes certain people outstanding nurses and doctors. Unfortunately, the absurd income U.S. doctors earn may attract some whose purpose in life is to accumulate wealth.

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  5. I love your story! There are Hero Nurses and Doctors. I am grateful to them, too. I've experienced caffeine withdrawal on several occasions and don't want to experience that again!

    What you described happening as a result of caffeine withdrawal also happens in a similar way with some alcohol drinkers in a hospital setting. When I was working as a medical transcriptionist, I learned that some patients that were not known to be alcoholic developed mysterious life-threatening seizures after being taken to the hospital for other issues. Those seizures turned out to be the result of alcohol withdrawal and required the patient to be detoxed. I learned that benzodiazepines such as chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan) or oxazepam (Serax) are the most commonly used drugs used to reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms in those situations.

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    1. So interesting. Perhaps we should live our lives as if we might unexpectedly end up in the hospital tomorrow and have to face our addictions head on, at the worst possible moment.

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  6. Mary Ellen from Wisconsin - Best nurse ever - caffeine withdrawal - who would think?- She's what a nurse should be - my husband just came out of the hospital and the nurses were not so nice or caring.

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    1. Hi Mary Ellen. I'm sorry your husband was in the hospital, AND that the nurses weren't great. Some hospitals have nurses on awful schedules where they work 10 hours shifts. I have seen research claiming people cannot be consistently productive longer than 6 hours at a time. I used to have a hard time working 8 hours/day. I just don't see how someone can do a good job working four 10 hours/days in a row.

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  7. I remember your telling me this story eons ago and it horrified me enough then that each time Beloved is in the hospital, I take him a thermos of coffee made the way he likes it every day until he's out of there. You have personally made Beloved's hospital stays better. Just so you know.

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  8. Too funny. I don't drink coffee. I didn't know it could get that bad.

    I had a patient once who drank anti-freeze which is methanol. One of the treatments for methanol ingestion is an ethanol drip. The patient was wandering around drunk with an IV of ethanol:)

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  9. Oh lucky you - eventually. Certainly a hero nurse. And just in time. I wonder what would have happened without her help.

    When I was in hospital with atrial fib in 2015 they literally flooded me with coffee at the ICU. Apparently the latest research etc.

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    1. I imagine I would have eventually kicked the withdrawal but I doubt my insurance would have allowed me to stay in the hospital long enough to feel better. Interesting about the atrial fib and coffee. You must have been a nervous wreck afterwards.

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  10. Oh, how I hope to be that nurse with the people I care for. What an absolutely beautiful soul she was. As for the nurse, we have a saying. Nurses are the only ones who eat their own young and shoot their own wounded. Nurses can be angels but they can also bring down someone with a few choice words.

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    1. People in the nursing profession often make such a difference in someone's life. When someone is kind to you during an illness or convalescence, when you are at your absolute most vulnerable, you don't forget it. It reinforces your faith in humanity. I often marvel at the stories you tell of your job, and envy you the opportunity to help people who really need help.

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  11. A thoughtful attentive kind-hearted nurse often makes all the difference in the world. I'm so glad she walked into you room that day.

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  12. I felt so grateful to the nurses in my life I went out and married one. Given that no one ever needs a journalist as spouse, you may suspect this was pure self-interest. I offer nothing in my own defence other that it has lasted 57 years so far. I do, however, wash up.

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    1. OK, that made me smile REALLY big. 57 years is quite an accomplishment. I'm happy for you both. Glad to hear you wash up.

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  13. What a Wonderful Story, it is so common for so many to marginalize those who are different and not appreciate the very Genius in their ways! It was those like Hero Nurse who Mentored me in my Corporate Lives and attributed to my very early successes in each Industry, those with the mantle of Gray and the Wisdom of an Elder. I'm so Thankful my Native American Dad and European Mom taught me that the Elders can give you the best Free Education money can't buy and yet they so graciously Give if you ask them to be your Mentor! I've had caffeine withdrawal, ain't no Fun... I bow down to you who got to Mainline it... Fantasy indeed! *winks*

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  14. Another Angel encounter. The best!

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So, whadayathink?