*********************************Nurse's notes**************************
I went back to work after 4 glorious days off. I have to say, the 26th was an especially lovely day for me! Relaxed and just fun!
Covid is exploding here. We had 40 (FORTY!) holds in ER...this means 40 patients were waiting for beds in the hospital. JUST IN MY HOSPITAL ALONE! We had a total of 111 covid patients in-house yesterday. I was in charge and got calls from Abilene, Argyle, Corsicana, Oklahoma even, all wanting beds for covid patients. I just could not safely absorb any more patients. I feel that this will be so much worse before it gets better, after the Christmas surge and then the New Year's surge hits us. In Rockwall, our hospital reports all the administration is out on the floors, trying to help. Nurse directors and managers are all taking patients. All single rooms now have two patients in them, in that hospital. I have no idea where they are getting beds from, maybe renting them? They report 140% patient capacity in their hospital.
Wendy, my nurse friend on our floor, is out with covid. Olivier, our social worker, is out with it, and not doing well. Emily, James, and Shelly are also out sick with it. Many doctors are out with it, and this is where the tower could topple.
The atmosphere is one of desperation, of frantic-ness, of anger and aggravation, of fear, interspersed with the occasional joke and grin. Hugs are non-existent. I ran all day long, trying to help where the help was needed most. Never sat down once, except to do staffing. All I can say is, they get 12-14 hours of me, and then I go home. That is it, folks!! I will work as hard as I can for those hours, and no more...no more 16 hour shifts for me, although one dialysis nurse worked 24 hours straight with no relief, last week. Way to go, Robin, my sweet friend! Just more and more patients needed life sustaining dialysis, and they just kept on bringing her patients, so what could she do?? These patients were on the edge of death, high potassium levels, and HAD to have dialysis or face death. When your kidneys don't work, it is not good! 7 am to 7 am the next morning.
I get my second vaccine in the coming week, and that will be a good thing. I liken this to the Crimean War, for old Florence Nightingale, or Clara Barton, in the civil war, who formed the Red Cross. At least we do not have to cook, and grow our own food, and make our own bandages, as they did, as nurses, or the many other harsh realities of life on those times! They had little medicine, very few supplies. But this is our time to shine, and we are trying our very best to help each and every person who needs it.
Blood bank is over-run with requests for convalescent plasma and blood products. Lab is over maxed out. Radiology is using nuclear techs and ultrasound people to do x-rays on the floor. Overtime is mandated, now. Many are at 80-100 hours per week. Ambulance personnel are doing 48 hour shifts on, 24 off, and then back for another 48. Good thing those kids are made of energy and toughness, fueled by Red Bull and coffee!
We have received e-mails warning us that we will be expected to take twice the patient load per nurse as we usually have. We received 11 government nurses, in the general hospital side, to help us...I have no idea where they come from. So our paradigm is shifting, and we are taking more and more critical patients. The doctors are choosing who gets the machines...vents, CRRT machines, bipaps are all at a premium. Life and death, honestly... Our elective cases for surgery have been stopped, so we can use those resources to take care of covid patients.
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Just for me....someday, I will reflect on these musings and I wonder what I will think of them?
Julie
28 comments:
Sorry (and really scared) to hear about the surge!! And people STILL will gather and ignore the warnings!! Unbelievable!!
[on to lighter things]
Your quilt is looking so pretty--I love your applique and pieced blocks...and the Snowman adds just a bit of whimsy--which i love nice work...
hugs and stay as safe as you can--thank you for all your dedication and heart Julierose
Hi - I'm so glad you are vaccinated. I live in rural upstate NY and even here cases are exploding.
What state are you in??
Nancy
Dear Julie,
On behalf of those of us who are retired from bedside nursing and nurse manager positions, thank you! I hold so much guilt that I am no longer physically capable of caring for patients at the bedside when there is such tremendous, unprecedented need. Please know that I pray for all of you daily for safety, strength, courage, and stamina along with the compassion that defines the nursing profession. God bless you!
Most sincerely,
Missy
Holy toledo! I cannot imagine the hospital/covid situation! Bless you all for the effort!
It is so hard for me to fathom because we are not experiencing anything close to that here in Oregon. I know nurses who have had to find another job because there is not enough work.
I pray we get through this fairly quickly. I'm so glad you'll be getting the 2nd vaccine soon.
Love your quilt blocks!!
You have been so in the middle of it...for so long! It has pulled on every strength you have. You really have shown brightly just moving forward and doing the best you can. It's hard to think the end of this is near when this huge flood is still surging but hope is so important. Still praying for your safe health and for your hope, comfort, peace, wisdom and strength...and more sleep! I know about that early morning (middle of the night) awakening thing. Just crazy making sometimes!
I texted a picture to my boss once. My stethoscope which I wore in a holder at my pant waist, the hospital phone I was to carry at my waist and a couple of other things I can't remember... were pulling my pants down with the weight. LOL Being in charge for the day was a very cluttered look!
I so appreciate your updates on both your sewing and the Covid situation at your hospital.
Sending big hugs to you and all the hospital staff. Thank you for being there, every one of you. I'm so thankful for the vaccine, but know it is still a long road. At least those caring for us will be safer, but it is still scary and a hard road. Your quilt blocks are wonderful and I suspect you are like me and once you get going, focus shifts and it is a welcome break from the worry. The longer this goes, the more fantastic our stories will be in 100 years, but sadly we have to trudge through this before we can get there.
I don’t know how you and your coworkers manage to recharge and mentally prepare for a long shift, day after day. I hope all the hospital staff knows just how much they are loved and appreciated.
Your quilt looks great. I love the orange tulip. I hope you can get some good rest soon. So glad you're still well.
Bless you for all you do at work--
you are in my heart and prayers--
luv, di
Wow! I am so thankful for the frontline workers--you are precious beyond price. Thanks for caring for others.
Love your applique blocks, so nice to see them all together.
Your quilt is looking so pretty and happy, Julie.
With all of the hard things going on at work (bless you my sweet angel nurse friend), you come home and create such sunshine from fabric pieces!
Praying for you and your coworkers!!!
The four of us--husband, daughter, 5 yr old granddaughter, and I--self-quarantined for up to 2 weeks, so we could have Christmas together without masks, and so Hazel could spend a few nights with us. We hadn't spent more than an hour or two together since March, always with masks, and I cried when I got to hug them Christmas Day.
I understand the need for mandatory overtime, but I also know what a toll this takes on a body--mentally, physically, emotionally and how the risk for error soars, which always scared me as a bedside nurse. I simply cannot multi-task the way I used to, and I don't know how you all do it under the pressures you have these days. It's no wonder you can't sleep.
My heart breaks for you all, and I hope the end of the crisis comes soon, so you can all begin to slow down, breathe, and have regular offdays again. God bless all of you and your families, too, for I know they worry about you, and miss you.
Loving the quilting updates. It's nice to have an outlet, something you can accomplish, and you do it so well! Your quilts are always so colorful and cheerful.
I appreciate the update as sad and frustrating as it is. Take care.
I am so glad you are getting vaccinated! Thank you for your caring and your devotion to your profession. I'm glad you had 4 days off and praying for you to hang in there. Take care of yourself. Love the quilt too.
I have the pattern but haven't started the sampler. Yours is gorgeous and encouraging. =) That's a cute sign! Who cares what the young ones say if that apron helps with the pull on your shoulders and back? They'll learn the hard way. =) It seems like Covid is exploding everywhere! I'm trying to stay within my zipcode, because in my county it's one of the lowest levels, but everyone across the country is talking about how high the cases are going. Fortunately, except for one couple, every one I know who's gotten it has recovered, and usually quickly and without the hospital. I hope that the vaccines are soon bringing numbers down.
P. S. In a future time, when you think back on this, you are going to wonder how you ever did all that you are doing. It will be a marvel and a miracle to you that you had the strength to carry on through all of this. I know, from my own past. You are doing a great job. Take the best care of yourself you can. I hope Robin has no more 24-hr. shifts!
Dear Sweet Julie, hard to put into words how I am feeling on reading your nurse notes.Words seems so inadequate just know I will always be there for you hugs and love
Bless you bless you! Such a very difficult time. I'm extremely happy you are getting your second vaccine. Hope that is how it is for the entire medical personnel. Friends of ours didn't take this disease serious. They are healthy and didn't think they would get sick. They gathered with 60 at Thanksgiving and two weeks later husband and wife were sick. Dan is slowly recovering but sweet Nancy passed last week. Just unbelievable how quickly and severely it hit. Why don't people think this is real or why do they think their rights are being infringed on?! We are in our 70's (as are/were our friends) and have only gone for groceries or hardware store since March. It has been very hard not seeing our family and only talking on the phone with them and friends but thankfully we are still healthy. Really, bless you and all those who show up for work during this nightmare. I pray 2021 is a better year for all. Patty McDonald
My son was unable to come home for Christmas due to covid. He only lost his sense of taste and smell. No other symptoms. They are watching his wife and 7 month old son for symptoms. My daughter-in-law is a hospice nurse and has covid patients.
My nephew lives in Durant Oklahoma. He had covid bad. 11 straight days of fever and other symptoms. He went to the ER on doctors orders. 200 beds - all full. 20 room ER and 50 people waiting for them.
So many have not taken it seriously. Our family did not gather. We love our elderly so much and don’t want to lose them. We love our younger ones and don’t want to lose them either.
May we all get through this. I pray that we will all learn something about taking care of each other and being a little less selfish.
Take care of yourself!
First - the Applique quilt blocks - Oh my those are just gorgeous!! and your quilting room sign is too cool!!... second - oh my stars - the stress of your day job would make me cut up SO much fabric!!! Hugs to you and your huge heart!! Stay safe!
I just read an article on face book that indicated that if one is not getting enough sleep, they are more likely to get Covid. Make sure you are getting your sleep! And Vit D-3! Both help support a better immune system. Love your quilt making!
Thank you for your stories. We need these stories.
Julie K....This post is impowering. I want to put it on my Facebook page...I am so proud of you...for whatever that is worth....You and your post help me to sit up a bit straighter, feeling a bit of hope Thank you for sharing...let me know if it is ok to repost xo DIane
so pleased to hear you had your vaccination......had the others from work who have got sick had a vaccination or not? Its terrible to have to choose who may get the care they need and who won't just because you don't have the resources......
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