That wasn't the original plan for the title of tonight's post as I drove home from work less than 2 hours ago...thinking about how I was there for nearly 13 1/2 hours, drinking my breakfast on the run at 10 or so, taking my 10-15 minute lunch at 1500 in 5 minute intervals (I apologize to the housekeeper who met with my snotty remarks in the 14-1500 time frame when all I wanted to do was sit down and do something about my blood sugar...). While I HAVE complained about my weight a lot on here, this is NOT the way I want to lose it! I also have said a few times that my time to have a busy day was coming and today it arrived...I wasn't quite as prepared as I thought I was!
Anyway, after having dinner with my parents and telling them about my crazy busy day, I thought about all the other stuff. How I spoke with a mom who hasn't seen the inside of her home in 6 months, and this is not the first time she's had to do that, but she always has a smile on her face because each day her child is alive is a gift. How every time I work there is a story like that...parents moving away from their families, moms living apart from their other children, wives living apart from their husbands, families doing anything and everything to try and save their child. How can I walk around grouchy and stressed out when, really, my life is pretty much perfect, pretty much :o)
So, today was busy with this and that, procedures and LOTS of coordination (discharges on weekends can be quite the ordeal), but at the end of the day, I think each of my patients and their families received GREAT care! Of course, I didn't ALWAYS have a smile on my face, but for the most part I was happy to do whatever was needed. I started the day with a mom saying "yay, you haven't been our nurse for a long time!" The next patient's mom greeted me with a "yay" as well. I laughed a lot with my third patient's mom who speaks "broken English". One of the transplant coordinators showed much appreciation to me for not making her come in to help with a discharge (I told her to remember that the next time I'm crabby with her!). My day was deemed a complete success when I received a call at 2200 from the night shift nurse saying that third patient's mom wanted to talk to me. She got on the phone and told me thank you for taking such good care of her child. I am sure it was hard for her to say what she wanted to say (the phone is even more challenging than in person), but it was important for her to say it, and even more important for me to hear it. What a difference a simple thank you can do!
Just so it's clear, and so I can look back and read this if I have a "bad" day at work:
I LOVE MY JOB!!!
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