I swear - one of these days I’m going to go temporarily insane and take my pager and smash it with a great big sledge hammer until it completely loses it’s ability to beep!
I’m on call tonight (this morning? what time is it? what day is it?) - - did you guess?
It’s been one horrific night on call, let me just say. I worked my normal hours today from 8am - 4:30pm - - then on-call for the night started at 4:30. My first page came at 4:45. The beeper hasn’t stopped since. Once, earlier - around 1am, I finally stripped down and settled myself into bed. I just got all comfy..curled up with Chris on one side and my full length body pillow on the other. I was just hitting that blissful edge of sleep….and the damn thing did it again.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
Ignore it, I thought. I’m only human…how much can a person take in a day? That little devil on my right shoulder kept whispering…..pssst! ignore it - it’ll go away.
I didn’t ignore it. All grumpy, tired and disheveled - - I wrapped myself up in sheet and headed to my office to make the phone call. One of our patient’s died and I needed to go. He lives 1 hour away from here. Made a cup of coffee - - put it in a go cup, and off I went. Still grumpy, still tired - - not quite as dishevelled….oh, and I left the sheet at home and opted for customary clothing.
I got to the patient’s house and his wife was waiting for me on the porch. I approached and she stood - - then simply crumbled in my arms and cried. She had been alone with him since our nurse left 2 hours ago….and held his hand while he died. She spent so many weeks being strong, holding it together…holding it in - the floodgates just let go when I arrived.
I had never met her before. I never knew her husband. He was the patient of another nurse. But she was tired. Exhausted. Sad. I hugged her and we talked for a good long time before I called the funeral home for transport.
Somehow - amid the tears, hugs, talks and maybe even a few smiles prompted by pleasant memories - - I lost my grumpy face…I wasn’t tired anymore and my pager didn’t seem like my sworn enemy any longer.
I spent about 2 1/2 hours with her before I left. On my drive home - I’m thinking it’s times like these that really give you that reality boost that things can always be worse that what they seem to be at the time…and thanked my lucky stars that I had Chris and the kids to come home to in a house filled with warmth and comfort.
Next time I’m on call - - I’m sure I’ll forget those feelings when it’s 1am and my pager is beeping incessantly and I’m closing in on the edge of temporary insanity and searching for that sledge hammer…but….what I like about this job so much is that it brings me back into reality with incredibly humbling moments like this one. It offers me a view of humanity that I’ve not been afforded elsewhere….complain as I may about my boss, about office politics and my pager - - when it boils right down to it, I do love this job.
Going back to bed now….keeping sledge hammer handy.
7:24 am on June 26th, 2004
Sleep well - - and be careful with that sledge hammer - - I wouldn’t want you to accidentally, in a state of sleep, swing it at something instead of your beeper
5:06 pm on June 26th, 2004
Lisa, you’re a good person. Enjoy your sleep. Tomorrow will be a better day.
6:37 pm on June 26th, 2004
Ahhh those dammed life lessons! They always come at the most inconvenient and unexpected times don’t they?
6:59 pm on June 27th, 2004
A stellar reminder as to why being there for another human is such a vital, healing thing.
Get some rest.
7:37 pm on June 27th, 2004
Sleep well my friend. You are such a good person Lisa. It is these reminders we need from time to time that allows us continue to grow and strive daily as we do.:!:
9:12 pm on June 27th, 2004
I am new to your blog. I think it is nice. I am sorry that you didn’t get much sleep. Have a good nights one.
10:26 pm on June 27th, 2004
Thank you for the encouraging and nice words, you guys
You rock!
3:28 pm on June 28th, 2004
Hope you got a little rest by now. What is the latest with the job situation:?:
5:25 pm on June 28th, 2004
Thank you Vickie - - I did get some good rest over the weekend
The job situation is still solid - it’s just taking a bit of time to settle all the details. This time next month, however..it should be signed, sealed and done.
1:56 pm on June 29th, 2004
On my first visit, I must say what a lovely post. Nurses really are saints.
1:57 pm on June 29th, 2004
Lisa, my father just died one week ago today under the care of Hospice and I just want to say that you are ALL angels!
I can’t imagine what we would have done without the Hospice nurses and aides.
There are special crowns in heaven waiting for all of you!