In any event, I was nominated for this Bookworm Award that's been running the gamut of my favorite medbloggers for a bit now. Thanks so much to Bernice and ParamedicSuperMonkey, two wonderful bloggers. Go give them a read if you haven't already :)
Rules are as follows. Pass it on to five other bloggers, and tell them to open the nearest book to page 56. Write out the fifth sentence on that page, and also the next two to five sentences. The CLOSEST BOOK, NOT YOUR FAVORITE, OR MOST INTELLECTUAL!Okay...I have two books right on top of one another. The first is Rescue 471 by Peter Canning.
"We get called for an unresponsive diabetic on Brookfield Street."
Second is The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. I had a conversation with a friend today (via GChat's awesome new video interface!) about this book, so I dug it out of my bookshelf to reread it :)
"I remember staring at the old man, then at my hands, then at Canada."
Epi, duh. She's phenomenal, and if you haven't read her blog by now, you're seriously missing out.
EE at Backboards and Bandaids. It's so nice to read the musings of another college EMT.
Medic Three aka Cheating Death. He's got some seriously wonderful stuff. Go check it out!
ManchMedic. One of my new favorite blogs. I can't believe I didn't read his before.
Lastly, Witness. This is mainly just so he'll post SOMETHING, but he's a fabulous writer and I love it when he actually does update.
Tonight in the ER, I had a woman who was seriously afraid of needles. She was there with her boyfriend for abdominal pain. The conversation went something like this.
Me:"Hi, my name is--"
Her: "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD ARE YOU GOING TO STICK ME WITH NEEDLES OH GOD!"
Me: "Ma'am, I have to start an IV. The doctor is going to want to give you some fluids and medication to help you with that pain."
Her: *incoherent screaming*
Boyfriend: "Baby, which is going to be worse...this little needle stick or the pain in your stomach?"
Her: "THE NEEDLE!"
Boyfriend: "Then why did we come...?"
She feigned fainting. When her boyfriend let go of her hand, it sort of hesitated in mid-air and then collapsed dramatically on the bed. He rolled his eyes at me, I smiled back at him, and finished what I was doing.
The nurse comes in, looks at me, looks at her, and looks at the boyfriend.
"Hey," she says as she shakes her. She continues feigning this unconsciousness. "Hey, listen. Anytime you want to stop pretending like you're unconscious, that'd be great. I don't have the time to sit around and play with you."
Miraculously, she comes around, mentions something about feeling woozy, and how she hates needles.
It was a great day had by all.
p.s.--My best friend has a legitimate phobia of needles, so I understand people who don't do well with needles. I do my best to be accommodating and take them seriously. But when I have three-year-old patients who deal with it better than they do, and they start acting like they're unconscious...I lose all respect.
Take care out there,
Sam
11 comments:
First of all, you deserve it. Seriously.
Secondly, thank you. I need to work on another post:)
Thirdly (is that even a word???), I remember a similar patient doing my medic clinicals. I should probably add that this particular patient had more tattoos than myself and Crzegrl combined.
Just sayin'.
We need to catch up btw. Miss ya.
I love The Things They Carried. I read it in high school as an assignment and "permanently borrowed" my copy from the library because I liked it so much.
When I was about 4 I had to get some blood drawn for some tests. My mother told me she would hold me as long as I did not cry. I didn't (nothing like scaring a kid into silence) and shots have never been a problem since. I really don't understand the adults who act like a little shot will be worse than death.
Funny how phobias work, tdb, you don't really have control over the way you freak out about something, even when you know every reason why you shouldn't.
Although the fake passing out thing is a bit ridiculous, it's something I would never do, even in the face of horrible pointy needles. I love how the boyfriend was just as exasperated as you were about it, haha.
Also-- yay for awards, especially ones for you! ^_^
<3Anni, aforementioned friend with needle phobia
I used to actually pass out at the sight of needles. Becoming IV tech cured me. Well, that and weekly allergy shots in each arm.
Now snakes... that is a different story. Imight actually pee my pants or pass out. I have no intentions whatsoever of curing myself of that one.
Thanks! I promise I will get around to doing this in the next few days... Been a long one so far...
Oh, can i do this, just cause i happen to have a fantastic book right here and i love books..?
oh, oh, no 56...i'm out..page 57..."Algiers, without its sunshine, is a sorry sight."
"Mrs. Raja was sad too, as she left her doctor's surgery. Shivering in her turquoise dress, she paused on the steps and looked up to the heavens."
Nothing like inviting myself to the party..what a #uck%ard...
Congrats on the Nomination..if a n y o n e deserves the Award...it's YOU!!!!!!! And Peter Canning rocks! When we lived in Connecticut, my doctor's nurse knew him...i should have had my books autographed..i am such a dork-fan!
Thank you for adding me to your list of favorites. It's nice to know that I have readers..... :)
Also - congratulations on the award. I've seen a number of blogs that I read get them and they are certainly well deserved.
I'll be adding yours to mine when I get done here.
Peace.
Sam,
First off thanks for linking to us. That's amazing, we are just starting in the blog world, and I hope ours ends up as awesome as yours is.
Also, people and needles. I've heard some crazy stories but in my year or so as a phlebotomist i've never really seen anybody act so dramatic. Must be because we stick them at 4am after being woken up by the nursing staff a billizon times throughout the night could care less about a tiny needle stick.
Congratulations.
Tim O'Brien is a great author. I've read just about everything he has written. A modern Graham Greene.
Post a Comment