Day 1

1st day of rotation today. At the good sam’s. My preceptor is really quite awesome. She is a fellow Sherwood Parkian and very neat. Not a very exciting rotation. Half way through the shift I thought it must be at least 10 pm, nope, it was just 6:30. Evil. I am learning things though. Trash care and suctioning. Suctioning is disgusting. It hasn’t even been bad yet but several times I have caught my gag reflex and stopped myself from making a mess.

Interesting patients. Interesting stories for all of them. There is a man in there whose wife is there with him to take care of him. They are Ukrainian and ever so sweet. She was making head cheese, whatever that is, I’m not so sure, and the whole hallway smelt pleasantly of garlic. There’s this one real evil sort of guy who likes no one but he seems all right with me. My precept says it’s probably because I’m young and blonde. Oh well, I’ll take it if I means I get more experience. There is a lady there I know from my rotation last year at U of A! Funny, just last week I was wondering about her because she was really the only face I could remember from all my patients. She’s there and doing well. She does not remember me. I sang a guy “Hush Little Baby” as he was getting into bed. He’s a funny one. Mentality of an 8 year old, though he’s 40-some. He was in foster homes his entire life before ending up at Sam’s. Very sweet. People are so interesting.

Muscular diseases are extremely sad things. 30 year old men dying of ALS. Former bodybuilders crippled by muscular dystrophy. 35 year old women stricken with MS… and nothing anyone can do.

Probably the most unfortunate thing is a police officer who had a stroke. He seems all-good, but he is not. He’s very confused and when you introduce yourself to him he says “Hello (what his name is).” He’s not living at home, though he requires minimal assistance, because it’s just too difficult for his wife. I imagine he’s like how Grandpa was when Grandma decided to hospitalize him for his Alzheimer’s. The stroke was stress related. Oh stress, the great evil!

Aaron did her first blood gas today on her rotation. Got it first try. I’m so happy for her! And a tad jealous. My time will come.