More About Me...Part 2

"Silent night all is calm all is bright..." Well, maybe not so calm.  While I was at work Saturday night (my shift is 7pm til 7am) a nor'easter blew in. I had heard that up to 18" was predicted. I was already dreading the thought of having to clean my car off in the morning.  Oh well, this is New England.  As the locals say, "if you don't like the weather wait a minute it'll change."

The shift started off pretty quiet, unfortunately that quiet would not last.  I went about my work monitoring stats,taking vital signs, administering nebulizer treatments, changing colostomy appliances, wound dressings & passing scheduled medications.  I began writing in the charts at 11pm when I heard weeping.  Upon entering the room Theresa was there very distressed. She asked, "Am I losing my mind?  If I am call Jimmy, I don't want to be here."  Theresa has Alzheimers. After trying to console her, I brought her down to the nurses station to visit with us. One cup of tea later & some TLC, Theresa relaxed, but not enough to go back to bed.  She spent the shift awake with us girls happily chatting away.  At midnight I heard moaning & then a voice, "Oh God, help me."  I ran in the room & one of our male residents was about to be sick. As I went for the basin, I saw that he was about to vomit... (It seemed as if I was in slow motion as I rushed back to him with the basin) My brain screamed N-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!!  I made it back in time, but I got the dreaded splash. (fingers crossed it's not the flu.) Yes, bodily fluids often hit parts of my body and I always pray "please,not in the eyes." As the vomit hit my wrist, I resisted the urge to immediately go wash my wrist and sterilize with an alcohol wipe; instead I pretended that nothing happened & stayed with him until he was done.  The night went downhill from there....