Must wear headphones on the metro!

When I first moved here, everyone encouraged me not to talk to anyone on the metro. I thought that was harsh, but I began to notice that the majority of the riders wore headphones. I have seen a few reading magazines or books but even many of them were wearing headphones. Hum?

So on my way to the baseball game tonight I had to ride the metro through about 10 stops, so I knew I had some time. I took an ICU fact book to read and study up a bit for an upcoming test that I must take. I learned that just a book alone; is not even close enough to keep someone crazy from talking to you.

All who know me, know I am a freak magnet. One stop in a lady sits down next to me with two canes. You may ask, why two canes? Well, she just got out of the hospital. Let's make this easy and call the lady Linda. Linda talked at me for 20 minutes about her health issues. I made no mention of being a nurse and I really don't believe that she saw the title of my book. I merely made the nice gesture of picking up a metro coin that fell out of her purse when she was putting her glasses away. That was the beginning of a very long journey for me.

Linda was just discharged from GW hospital. She never mentioned why she was just hospitalized but did mention that she doesn't need the metro coin because she rides for free because she is on Medicare. Why is she on Medicare? Well, let me tell you! She is on Medicare because 5 years ago she fell on an escalator and fell all the way to the bottom where the escalator did not stop and the belt broke and apparently somehow the rubber part that you hold onto, repeatedly hit her in the head for 45 minutes and her clothes were completely ripped off of her. It messed her face up really bad and she was not recognizable for quite some time. She then stated "this pretty mug you see now, was a lot of work to get back to." She also messed her right knee up so bad in the fall that she spent 5 years, 5 years doing water therapy 7 days a week. That is $240 of therapy/day. Somewhere in the mix of this her insurance quit paying one of her surgeons and he is quite miffed with her and she just saw him during this last hospitalization and she doesn't understand why he holds a grudge. It's not her fault her insurance company stopped paying her bills. Linda also has some injured vertebrae in her neck that are becoming arthritic. She also has two rods in her back. She was apparently becoming a bit psychotic during this admission and they threatened sending her to the psych unit. Her words, "I will behave, but if one of those crazy patients talk to me, I'm gonna mess them up." And the cherry on top of all of this is she has some diabetic ulcers on her titties!!!! What the heck lady?! After listening to all of this and chewing on her vicious cigarette breath, all I could gather to say, "Wow! That is quite the story!" As I pulled out a cinnamon disc for myself I offered her one too. Her comment, "I mentioned my diabetic ulcers on my titties didn't I?" Guess I will keep the candy for me, sorry. Wow! Lesson learned. People watch but talk to no one!

I also wanted to mention that I am pretty sure that in driver's ed here they teach the 10 and horn hand setting. Because, here when the light turns green, you literally have .00000000000000001 seconds to hit the gas and get your car moving forward before someone will politely honk their horn to let you know that the light is green and has been for .0000000000000001 seconds now. Come on! This makes me laugh every time I hear a horn honk.

Good Night Scouts!

A moment to reflect before the packing, moving, life on the road for a month begins!

As my nostalgia for my unbelievable time here in Arlington, Va is starting to hit me, I would like to reflect on a few things. What did I know about Arlington, Virginia prior to April 1, 2013? There is a really large cemetery there with a lot of famous people buried there. That pretty much sums it up.

I knew I was only going to be 3 miles from DC at my new residence, but I had no idea how cool it would be! Traveling to an area with public transportation was on my list for destinations. Well, Washington DC meets that agenda to a T. I have only driven 5 miles to work and back and then the distance for some of my day trips. I have only filled my car with gas twice in three months! Otherwise, this girl has pretty much conquered the metro and somewhat conquered the metro bus system. The metro was no problem. I still get a bit confused that so many buses can get me to the Pentagon where I pick up the metro. I learned that 22A, 25A, 7F, 7Y, and 10 something all can get me to the Pentagon in ten minutes or less. The single digit buses are red and the double digit buses are green. What does that indicate? I figured that out, no worries. My point: public transportation is awesome and great for people watching! Let's be honest. That is really why I enjoy it.

Here in DC I have seen the monuments, seen the museums, hiked the trails in Virginia and Maryland, biked the roads and bike paths, left carnage on the bike path trails (by far my worst bike wreck to this point in my life. I am much better now though.), visited Mt. Vernon, toured the Pentagon and Capitol, trekked up to the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, learned a lot about diversity, the Sikh religion, Armenians, Pakistani's, Hispanics, and most of all learned a lot about myself; as I stepped out and took a leap of faith and made a big move. I would not have been able to do this without the support of my coworkers, my family, and my unbelievable friends! Great advice that was given: stay active, join groups, if anyone asks you to do something, even if it is not your cup of tea, do it, stay positive and just laugh and learn. I truly think I did that! I have had a blast!

I am looking forward to my next adventure at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Prior to that though, I am looking forward to seeing friends and family and enjoying a nice bike trip up in the beautiful state of Maine. Hence, I need to get my butt in the saddle and put in some miles to train for such the ride.

I had no idea when I moved here and started at Virginia Hospital Center that I would become as attached to my coworkers as I was at The Christ Hospital, minus a few years. The people here have been so nice and welcoming. The main icu here (medical, surgical, neuro) offered me a job the day after I accepted my job at Hopkins. I would have loved to stay here, because of the people, the area, and the opportunity to learn about neuro patients. But opportunity calls. I know that all assignments are not going to be this welcoming and appreciative of my help. That is why I would like to acknowledge this now. I couldn't have had a better, more positive first assignment for the beginning of my travel nurse career.

Over the next few weeks my posts may be a little more sporadic, but I can't thank everyone enough for following my adventure. I have really had fun with the blog and it actually helps me get out and do things. Thank you everyone!

A busy week of rehab, job searching, and good friends!

Well, the beginning of this week, I spent laid up on my couch watching time pass on the clock. I am lucky that nothing major was broken or further misconstrued from my bike accident. My left knee and right wrist really took the brunt of the damage. It took until about Thursday before I could really do the heel to toe action of walking, comfortably. My wrist is much improved but still sore with certain angles of motion. So after a day of nothing, I decided to start studying for a certification that I have been meaning to obtain for about 7 years now. Yes, I started studying for my CCRN. I only said that I started. Don't get too crazy with excitement yet. I also started speaking with my recruiter regarding possibilities of employment in Asheville, NC, Columbia, SC, and Chaleston, SC. My recruiter nonchalantly threw out a job in Baltimore. I really didn't have Baltimore on my radar. He mentioned that Johns Hopkins is seeking 2 travel nurses in the cardiac  icu. I got giddy with excitement at the thought of working at such a prestigious hospital and then I quickly had to evacuate my bowel at the thought of working at such a prestigious hospital. My recruiter went as far as connecting me with a nurse currently on staff there that once was a travel nurse with him. Nice touch Steve! So I agreed that he could submit me for the job and the manager contacted me the next day for an interview over the phone. Sounds like a very exciting unit with lots for me to learn. I am so excited! So after a month of play and visiting some family, I will start at Johns Hopkins University hospital for my next travel nursing adventure on July 29th. I am uber excited for this next adventure.

On Thursday, my good friends Rachel and Jim came into town with their daughter and her family for a DC adventure. I have been looking forward to this meeting since I was home last. As I said before, there is just no replacement for a familiar face and great friendships. They were gracious enough to let me tag along on a tour of the Pentagon and and tour of the Capitol. Both very cool to see. I would recommend them to anyone. Great sites and great company!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

This past Saturday, June 8th, I learned a valiant lesson in "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff." I awoke on Saturday and had planned to get a quick 30 mile ride in before enjoying the afternoon at a Washington Nationals baseball game. As I began my ride, I had no choice but to go through a couple of puddles in my first five miles of the trail. I decided to do the 15 mile ride down to Mt. Vernon and back for a nice round 30 miles. About a week ago, I spent a good three hours hours thoroughly cleaning my bike and putting new tires on her. She was looking real purty! So a puddle was not exactly what I wanted to encounter on my first ride out on her. The puddles were really small compared to the torrential downpour that I was riding in around 13/15 miles on my way to Mt. Vernon and then what was really to come of my day. I reached Mt. Vernon with no problem and was contemplating how lucky I am to be in such an awesome place and have such beautiful places to ride my bike. So I got back in the saddle and headed back home.

The last two miles of the bike path headed to Mt. Vernon are in and out of a forested area. Let me say that there are signs posted everywhere stating "Slippery when wet." So I really was going slow and using caution. I got around a couple curves and the path straightened out so I let up on my brakes. Well my friends, wet pavement with a small slime of moss on it + new shiny tires on my bike equaled disaster. I have never wrecked like I did that day! My right side took the brunt of the road rash and bang up. My left foot that stayed clipped in of course; which proved disastrous for my left knee. So I was about 13 miles from home at this point. I did what a Roddy would do. After checking everything out and surveying the damage, my right wrist was a bit sore and my left knee felt a bit twisted but nothing like torn ligament pain. So I jumped back in the saddle and rode home SLOWLY. It took me twice as long to get home. After thanking the very kind people that stopped to help, I moved on.

After about 10 minutes back on the trail a gentleman roughly around the age of 85 comes up behind me stating "Steam machine rolling up behind you and on your left to pass you behind." I should be honest and say I cursed him a bit under my breath. About five minutes later I passed him ,off his bike, crossing the path to pick something up. His exact words were, "I dropped my pill bottle. It has my viagra in it. My girlfriend would be so upset if I lost that." I was speechless and decided to hold my sarcasm. Not ten minutes later, guess whom is hot on the injured soul's trail? This time he is yelling "Come on green machine! You can do it!" My thought, "I don't care if you do have erectile dysfunction. I am going to beat your behind if you don't shut up!" I held my tongue again as I chalked my bad mood up to the blood running down my leg onto my new white sock and the fear of how torn up my bike really is.

So I really didn't think I needed to see a doctor or anything, because I am a nurse after all. I awoke on Sunday and began to get ready for work. I knew it wouldn't be pretty, but I figured I could gimp around for the day. I got in the shower and moments after getting under the water the all too familiar feeling of passing out came over me, so because I am a nurse and know that drowning is a horrible death, I turned the water off and then grabbed the bar at the rear of the shower. Let's just skip to the fact that I awoke on the floor of the bathroom almost to the door wrapped up in the shower curtain like a burrito. Passing out is such a weird feeling. That made me cry uncle and I went to the ER to get checked out. No broken wrist, which I had feared. Nothing broken in the knee and MD agreed not painful enough to have torn any ligaments. EKG (heart rhythm) was normal. CT scan of head due to the swan dive out of the shower just revealed a large and amazing brain. So just some R&R recommended and advil. Luckily, it has been raining so I don't feel eager to get out there and get going. Very weird to be off work though. I have only called in twice in almost ten years of nursing. I have used my time to study for a certification that I have wanted to obtain and to look for my next adventure. I still love biking but dang road rash burns and I have to mend quickly as I have an awesome bike tour in Maine in July.

Stay safe everyone!

The Perfect Storm

This week at work, I was working night shift and three shifts in a row. My least favorite. Nonetheless, I survived it. I received a call at 4:20 pm asking if I could float to the ICU tonight. By the way, for full time day walkers, 4:20 pm is my 4:20 am when I am on night shift. Are you awake at 4:20 am prior to going to work. I didn't think so. A very hard concept for full time day walkers to understand.

I arrived on the 28 bed unit and was quickly greeted by several nurses very appreciative of being willing to help them out for the night. I continue to say that the people at Virginia Hospital Center are freakishly nice. I would highly recommend this hospital to anyone.

I was assigned "the easiest assignment" on the floor. Always the kiss of death for a nurse. Never say that. Something always go wrong. I had two patients, one of which yes was a very easy patient. The other patient was a dear patient 74 year old that I spoke genuinely about the fact that she was angry that she survived a colon surgery; as she faced her life as she knew before with a new colostomy. She was an active gardener, dancer, and full of life. She discussed with me how her husband made her promise to not give up. She told me she had prayed that she would not wake up from surgery. I am always amazed at the honesty in conversation and emotions that one will express to a nurse. She was a cute lady and her fear, anger, and moments of confusion were palpable. The passing of my father really made me stop and listen to those around me. It taught that everyone has a story and they are really just looking for someone to listen and validate their feelings and emotions. We too often are too wrapped up in our technology driven, self satisfying, and future driven lives to just be and enjoy the sights and sounds of today. Though, it is always the the cute enjoyable patients that you soon learn that have transfer orders and you must move out of the ICU. So I transferred her to another floor.

I then took a few moments to meet another nurse on the unit, whom was very appreciative for my help, and even taught her a few tricks with their tele monitors that were in the middle of the unit. After speaking with her, I said "see ya later" and turned to go back to my patient and my pocket on my cargo scrub pants caught the corner of the desk and literally ripped my pants from my front pocket back to where my back pocket would be. I have never laughed so hard at myself. After regaining my composure, I said to the nurse, "I guess they didn't share with you  that I am usually pantless by morning." It was definitely a much needed laugh prior to the patient that I was admitting next. Since nurses rarely have time to use the bathroom, I just taped my pants back together and went to admit my next patient.

I admitted a lady from the floor that was coming to the ICU for a change in mental status, acute renal failure, and respiratory decomposition. (In lay mans terms, she wasn't breathing well, so her CO2 level was high which makes you very sleepy. Her kidneys were all of a sudden not working as they should and her kidney function was very poor.) The kidneys are tricky to treat as you play a constant game of are they not working properly because one is dehydrated or do they need some help with a diuretic to make the person pee more. If you think hydrating the person is the best way to go, you have to use caution if they are also having breathing issues. It's a very fine line. And sometimes all logic goes out the window and they just plum stop breathing on you! My patient became increasingly restless and her color was getting worse. My nursing instinct of almost 10 years, told me this wasn't going to end well. As I could see her breathing slowing down, I ran out into the hallway and yelled for Cris and Connie whom were also working on my end of the hall. I merely heard crickets. I ran back into my room to begin bagging the lady and bagged her a couple times only to run back into the hall and this time I yelled, "Cris, Connie, I need help over here. I don't know where over here is though." I was in a huge ICU and in the moment could not recall my room number. Help quickly responded and the lady was promptly intubated and placed on a ventilator to breathe for her. I had awesome nurses around me to help. Thank goodness! The lady has a multitude of issues to resolve before she will start to feel better. My job here is done though. She is breathing.

I told the charge nurse when leaving, "if this is any indication that I should never float over here again, I completely understand." She responded with, "no this has just shown me that when your travel assignment is finished in the CVICU that you need to come over here." Shucks! A great group of people to meet though.

I am continuing to look at where my next home shall be. I only hope the people are as nice as they are here.

The intersection of rich American history and ain't no hills here to kick up any wind.

It hit me yesterday when I was at Mount Vernon just how rich the Washington D.C. area is with American history. Luckily, I picked a 95 degree day to visit Washington's Estate. Ninety-five degrees and zero breeze! I have never seen so many sweaty people. I was laughing at hearing several children beg to visit the museum, because the museum was air conditioned. The begging was answered by their parents saying, "No. Visiting the museum is your reward for seeing all of the sites outside." This was followed by "we are here and we still have ALL of this to see." Those were some unhappy children. I would much rather listen to these kids than little Julia whom screamed the entire time right next to me when I toured the Washington mansion. When she wasn't crying, I had the pleasure of hearing her mom count steps, sing the alphabet, sing nursery rhymes, and speak of how tired the little one was and how many hours past nap time we were. Thanks lady, I really enjoyed the mansion!

I can say that I did remember visiting Mt. Vernon in middle school. Let me clarify that I remember the view of the river and the blacksmith building. I really didn't recall any of the details regarding George Washington. I know I was not super interested in history in school, but I am really starting to wonder what exactly I did in history class. I think I adopted the "learn it and dump it" technique. Needless to say, I learned a lot yesterday, but I was most amazed that Washington had the option of becoming a king and he chose to give the power back to the people; which is the America that we know today. I sure hope he got the notoriety he deserved because he seemed like a pretty awesome guy.

After visiting Mt. Vernon, I grilled dinner at home, and finished the evening out with a bike ride downtown viewing the monuments at nightfall. This was really cool. I was curious about the safety, but figured I was not the only one with this curiosity. Let me tell, the monuments were packed and there was even an overnight marathon going on. This city and it's activity! I just continue to be amazed. If you have not seen the monuments at nightfall, I highly recommend it. I didn't make it to all of them, as I plan to do another night time ride.