Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves.....?

It's been a while since I last wrote anything....I had some topics for blogs in my mind, but I've just been so busy that I haven't really had time to sit down and write anything here.

It's been a busy month. I've had a pretty busy work schedule and it doesn't really look much better until next March. I did have a bit of a break about two weeks ago where I only had one shift here and there and then a couple of days off between shifts. I was so happy that I'll have free time before Christmas so that I can get a lot done (like, buy presents, wrap them, pack them, and send them to those they were for...make cookies, clean up, etc. etc.). I had a "to do" list ready for each day and I was determined to get the most out of each day. But of course just my luck...I got sick.

I started coughing and having chills and feeling miserable on the first day off, so I cancelled all my plans for that day and just stayed in bed, and hoped I could avoid getting sick if I rest (it has worked before, you see). I worked the next day and I was feeling miserable. So I came home from work, went straight to bed, and spent the next two days in bed. Then had another shift and I was a complete mess. I had a surgical mask on throughout the shift because I was scared I'll pass on some germs to the patients and fellow nurses. I kept coughing and sneezing and my chest hurt and my sides hurt and my back hurt and I had no energy. But I didn't want to call in sick because I had just the one shift and then a couple of days off again, so I thought I'll get through it somehow. Besides, it is REALLY difficult to find a replacement just before Christmas when everyone has SO MUCH to do anyways. So when I was not taking care of patients...I was taking care of myself. LOL! The nebulizer almost became "another part of me" during the shift! LOL! When I wasn't in a patient's room, I was in the staff room, sitting down with the nebulizer mask on my face so that I would be able to breathe for another hour. LOL! Finally that shift was over too, so I went home and CRASHED into my bed, and again, stayed in bed for a couple of days.

I had absolutely no energy for any "Christmas activities", so I got nothing done. But at that point I didn't really even care. I was happy if I was able to BREATHE. By that time I was feeling pretty miserable though, so I did almost call in sick, but then again I thought "Ah, it's just ONE DAY...I'll make it through somehow!". But when I woke up the next day and was getting ready for work, I felt SO WEAK and MISERABLE that I kept cursing myself for not having called work the day before to say I'm sick. Because there was no way I could call NOW... an hour before I should be at work!! So I dragged myself to work, put the surgical mask on and tried to be "tough" and get through the day somehow. I didn't tell anyone how miserable I was feeling because there was no point in "whining" because it had been my own choice to come to work. But apparently our head nurse noticed that I was not doing well at all and so around noon she took me aside and was like "Would you like to go home early today...? If the other nurse who was supposed to do a half a day today stays the whole day instead...would you like to go home?". I was actually SO GLAD she asked. I was like "Oh gosh, that would be really great, if that would be possible!! I don't really feel too well...I thought I'll be able to get through the day somehow, but I think I totally underestimated how sick I really am....". So she said I can go home and she even asked if I'd like to take one of the nebulizers home with me! I had been using one again several times on that day too. But that was actually because one of the nurses made me. LOL! She was so sweet. She was like "Hey, come into the staff room!". So I went...and she was like "Okay, sit down." And she put the nebulizer in front of me and handed me the mask, turned off the call button so that I can't see which room is calling a nurse and she was like "Okay...I'm gonna close the door so that no one is going to bother you and you are going to sit here for at least fifteen minutes with the nebulizer and rest!". I had to laugh because I thought that was so sweet but funny! I was like "Yes NURSE!" LOL! And then I said..."And we're even now...!!" (Because during one shift she got sick and we had to start an i.v. on her and she got a Ringer's Lactate drip and so I kept checking in on her and kept checking her vital signs and was like "Here...you need to eat this. You need to drink that. Are you comfortable? Do you need another pillow? Or a blanket? No, you can't go home alone. Someone needs to pick you up." etc. LOL!).

A child using a nebulizer:


I guess that's the benefit of being a nurse and working at a hospital. You don't always need to go to a doctor because you pretty much know what's wrong with you anyways from the symptoms you have and know what you need to do to get better. So you can pretty much take care of yourself, which is nice, because that way you don't have to go sit in some doctor's office for hours to know what's wrong with you. Anyways, so I left work around 3 p.m. and went home and straight to bed. And stayed in bed again for another two days.

Luckily I was "only" sick for about a week and a half and am doing better now. I have a crazy work schedule coming up so I was lucky that I got sick when I had several days off in between because I would have never been able to get through a 60-70 hour week in the kind of condition I was!

And since I am a nurse....I feel it is my duty to "educate" people....so here is some information on how to cough and sneeze "correctly". Our hands are the main "germ carriers" and most diseases are transmitted through our hands, believe it or not. So....don't forge to wash your hands regulary. When ever you come home (or before you eat)....the first thing you should do, would be to wash your hands. And don't forget that children should do that too. And I guess washing hands after you use the bathroom should be a given...but you'd be surprised how many people don't do that. Eeew!! So make sure you make it a habit!! And...if you are sick...refrain from shaking hands with someone. Say you're sick and don't want to pass on germs, that way people won't think you are not being rude. And especially if you have children....wash your hands before you touch them or their stuff.


Watch the video: "Why don't we do it in our sleeves?"

http://www.coughsafe.com/media.html