Sunday Blues

9th November (Sunday) - Ever heard of Sunday Blues? I think I do. I actually dread Sundays more than Mondays. Yes, Mondays are when the profs come, with oncoming admissions, but I think I actually like Monday more than Sunday. Even though Sunday may seem crazy, but it'll never be as crazy as Sundays. The rushing for discharges, for instance. Patients are all keen to go back home on Sundays, so they'll usually demand to go back home fast. Well, if you are using cash, then the process can go much faster, if you're insurance, well, then the process is really slow.
The day started off with showering that lady. Let's just say there's no one willing to shower her, and so I had to do it. From what I witnessed that day, she's ten times worse. Really. I asked her whether she can stand up to walk to the bathroom since I saw her sitting outside yesterday with the physiotherapist. She looked at me all funnily and said, "She never taught me how to walk." Liar. I read her notes before I entered. Everything the physiotherapist did with her, she recorded down in the notes. My friend who followed me also shook her head in disbelief. We both struggled with her, because, she's not light, and we are both really small sized. I brought the commode chair for her and she awkwardly pulled herself to the chair, but she did it. Shower her is also an easy task cause she's able to move her hands, but she depended on me too much. Since I couldn't get her to move a lot, I forced her to sit on the chair for an hour as an excuse as her hair was soaking wet, even after I dried it.
After an hour, I came to try help her alone since everyone was busy. She didn't want to help herself to stand up, seriously. She kept giving me answers like, "Difficulty to breathe, chest pain, my hands and legs no energy, you help carry me, girl." I cannot afford to be nice and pamper her, so I said firmly, "You already had physio that teaches you how to move up and down from bed to chair, madam. So all you have to do is use your hip and hand to support you and up you go." After four, five attempts, she couldn't stand, the last part I tried helping her and she still can't. Urgh. I have no choice but to get one senior nurse to help me out. She tried too persuade her to walk as well, but she just kept saying she can't. What can we do, but to help her. And surprisingly, my friend is pregnant. WHAT?!!! She doesn't look pregnant. I confronted her about this after we left the room and she said, "Yep, it's true. Just confirmed." Oh my goodness. She married back in around September and she's already pregnant. Wow, congratulations, friend. Take care of yourself, girl, for your little baby's sake as well.
Then I followed a new doctor around, who's covering for one of the senior professor's patient, After a quick examination, he nodded and said, "Bladder washout, then remove the catheter, inspect the urine and then discharge." Wow, I'm so excited. Ahm, I never done a bladder washout, and remove a catheter from a male patient before. It's quite simple, according to the senior, a 50cc and 20cc syringe, water for irrigation, bed pan, clinical waste bag and gloves and you are all set. First, I flushed through the spigotted tube, the guy looked as though he's suppressing pain, but when I asked him, he gave me a weak smile and muttered, "Nervous." Ah, it's normal. After the second flushing, I emptied his urine bag, and then the moment of truth. I syringe out the water in the balloon and was about to pull it out when the guy stopped me. "WAIT, GIRL! Have you done this thing before?" I gave him my honest answer. "For ladies, I had done it many times, but for men, it's my first. But don't worry, sir, it's exactly the same." After instructing him to relax, breathe in and out, I gave it a gentle straight forward tug and ta-da, it's out. ^^ And the man yelled, well not out of pain, but out of nervousness that the whole ordeal is finally over. Oh dear. I kept assuring him don't worry, it's totally normal to feel like that. Even ladies felt that same way, as his wife kept assuring him.
Then I had to top up a patient's cryo-cuff since it wasn't cold. So after throwing all the excess water, and chipping and shoving all the ice cubes and tossing them into the container, I hurried to the room, only to find the professor inside. Oh, oh, dang. I stood outside like a fool waiting for the prof to come out when my friend prodded me gently. "No need to wait outside, just go on in. He won't mind." While talking, he wanted to take some blood, but he couldn't get a nice vein from the patient's right hand. And the daughter, she had to rub it in by going, "Prof, you're going for the wrong vein. I'll do it." Oh my, she actually challenged the prof, and even draw the blood from her mother. Judging from how she talks, confidence but with a tint of arrogance, after the prof shrugged and left, I asked her gently, whether she's a doctor and she answered, "Yes, Master's holder, just waiting for my thesis." Oho, so that's why she can stand up to prof. Man, I feel bad for him. Getting rubbed in the face by a patient's daughter who is also a doctor. No matter, at least I applied the cryo cuff correctly, while she admitted she had been applying it wrongly for the past few days. Hmmm.
Then besides topping up drip, I was left to do odd jobs since everyone had to do their reports. Running to billing to quicken the discharge, hand over appointment cards, attending call bells and such. Okay, end of shift, now off to sleep. I'm really sleepy.