Just call me The Rented Mule

Because I’m beat.  I was looking forward to endoscopy yesterday but…

Well, I didn’t get to play in any guts.  In fact, I barely saw any yesterday.

As to what I did get to do at clinical, the day was rough.  I didn’t get to play in guts, or even see anything beyond a scope of a dude’s stomach.  That was pretty cool, but I know I don’t want to work in that field.  Then I went to wound care.

I got supposedly some rough treatment there, but they were disappointed in the outcome.  A lady came in and immediately the “shuffle” started- “I can’t get her, I’ve got too many patients right now.  You take her”.  “No, I have too many patients, give her to ____”, etc…

Finally, they decided *I* should deal with her.  The doc was coming along about that time and gave them dirty looks and told them/me that HE would deal with it and I’d assist.

I could hear the nurses talking as I went to the room about how one bet someone as “nice/nasty” as me would last maybe 30 seconds.  Another said one minute, another said they were both wrong and I wouldn’t make it but a few seconds w/o either puking or running.

Wound turned out to be an unhealed stump from a below the knee amputation done last year.  It was literally green & black and rotted and oozing and smelled, um, unique.

I never acted like I was shocked, grossed out, bothered by it.  Mainly because I wasn’t. When the doc went to get more supplies, I didn’t take the opportunity to leave, but sat there and talked to her.  She wasn’t very happy because they’ve decided the best thing will be to amputate more- above the knee and hope it will heal from there.  I stayed with her the entire time she was there and “argued” with her when she started saying God didn’t love her and how she should just go off and die.  The doc commended me for my professionalism, that I didn’t take the chance to “escape” when I could, and more importantly for my care and then wanted my name.  I didn’t even know who he was- turns out he is the head honcho for the burn/wound unit.  He did it in front of all the *real* nurses too….

Needless to say, I rode home with a smile you couldn’t have knocked off with a brick.