But of course I am still with you...
Just a bit mentally and physically exhausted..mostly mentally, but yes I am still around...
Thought I might share with you "Highlights" of my new job....
The first night I worked, as I was about to leave, my phone rang..
It was my boss, who called me to "warn me" or "prepare me" of the staff's mood due to the fact that my night shift manager, whom I had not met yet, has been fired...
He started the conversation by saying that there was no reason to worry...that
there was extra security on to oversee my new workplace...(there was no security
present when I went to work that night, by the way...)
This manager was a very long term employee...
I was to meet him and orient with him my first few weeks there...
Apparently he was being threatening as of late, and finally spit out the "big one"(very similar in my mind to saying the word "bomb" while standing in line at
an airport...)
He said that he was going to come up to work, bring his revolver, and "take some people out"...
Still don't know who he meant, but I've watched enough CNN/"Law and Order",to see that they usually just enter the department and blow everybody away and then themselves...
My boss added, "He doesn't even know what you look like"..
If that was suppose to be comforting, it SO wasn't..
It would be unusual for a whacked out nut to stop and say, "Hey, I don't know you, and wish you no harm, so please leave before the craziness starts..."
Nothing like the "first night jitters, eh?"
Anyway...never a dull moment...
On to other delights...
I have a psychotic patient right now, whom I took care of earlier this year at a different hospital.
At that time,I did not realize that he was psychotic, just knew that he was a little "different"...
He and his family were very, very kind and friendly to me...
Now after a traumatic surgery that none of us would want, he is full fledged
"NUTS TO THE MAX"...
Either he refused his needed medications or someone needs to adjust them (after
last night he is refusing ALL meds)
When I first heard about him in report, I did not recognize the name, but the therapist who gave me report on him, told me that he would not go in there anymore, because the patient was very abusive verbally to both the caregivers and his family.
At the time, I remember thinking, "you don't really have a choice, buddy, as the guy is on therapy..."
My first night to see this patient, was a couple of nights ago...I walked in, recognized him, and though he was quite strange, he seemed very "relieved" to
see me..
"Oh thank God you're here...someone that knows what they're doing", he remarked..
He then quickly followed that with, "Don't ask me anything...I cannot speak"
which, of course he could and was...(besides which, I wasn't asking him anything)
"Alrighty then", I thought...
I was quite surprised that he was the patient that I had taken care of before...
In the back of my head, I told myself, "he is treating everyone else horribly, and it is only a matter of time before YOU join the illustrious group of
"THE ABUSED CAREGIVERS"...
I also have ALWAYS believed that the "pedestal" is a very unlucky place to
be standing, as one always falls the hardest from that vantage point.
Last night, my premonition, or let's just call it "experience", proved to be all
too true...
There was a much unfortunate misunderstanding between his nurse and myself...
I was called to come up to see a patient who really needed me...
Unfortunately the nurse got the info wrong, and so I came up to see another
patient, who is always calling me to tend to him...
I did therapy with this patient, and after about a half an hour, came out to the desk and stayed out there for at least another 1/2 hour charting...
Suddenly the psychotic patient's wife, flung open his door and came out to the desk frantically saying to me..."DID YOU NOT KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR YOU FOR TWO HOURS!!!???!!!???!!! WE TOLD THE NURSE TO CALL FOR YOU!!!!!DID YOU NOT KNOW?"
I of course told her that I did not, apologized, and was putting on my isolation gear and the wife, who knew me from before, said, "I know that you could not have known", which was true...
While I was putting on my gear to enter the room, I could hear through the door,
the screaming, not just from him, but the screaming between the two of them...
The night nurses glanced at me with pity, which is the first time they had shown any expression on their faces, other than disdain, since I have started working at this new place..
That's another story entirely, and I will not bore you with it.
Let's just say that the night nurses at my new job could use some "happy pills" or SOMETHING to make them appear more human...
(As it is, they are somewhat reminiscent of those that participated in the infamous "Zombie Parade" in Salem that I previously have blogged about...After
taking them all in for a couple of weeks, I KNOW that I've seen those faces
somewhere...Just hard to completely recognize them without their ghoulish makeup,
limping, and moaning...
Back to the "psychotic room"...
I entered...I had not even opened the door all the way, before the "FIRE OF WRATH"
came upon me like a "DRAGON IN HEAT"
I will not elaborate, but let's just say, that I tried my best to apologize for the misunderstanding, the wife told him "Nicole DID NOT KNOW!" several times, but none of this was listened to...
The patient DID need me to quickly alleviate a problem he was having, and making worse with his yelling, swinging, hysterical ranting, and I still went to his bedside and did what I needed to do to take care of his physical need at that
time...
I was not able to do this, without dodging and swaying, because this guy wanted to kill me AND his wife...
Have you ever seen a three year old screaming and swinging his arms and legs and throwing himself on the floor at a grocery store or somewhere?
Picture this scene with a grown man who also has a firm grasp on the very worst
of the English language, or slang I should say, who also wants to take those around him down, and you've got the picture...
Oh and then picture me, right next to the bed, doing my thing to help him breathe, swinging and dodging in and out of the bed...
I had to take off the gadget that lets him talk, and he was still yelling, though
could not be heard, and when his wife told him "you can't talk right now", well...that is where he really got ballistic...
Miraculously I emerged physically unscathed, and my gown and gloves helped me
out, still
I really don't appreciate having a nightmare with even more outrageous and
magnified images of this "scene" taking the star role.....
Too bad you can't decide what you're going to dream about...
Wouldn't THAT be cool?
Wonder if that will be possible in the future?
Kind of like renting a DVD, but you could rent a "dream" and somehow be able
to "play" it as you slept...
Bizarre?
Not out of the question, when you think of a cloned baby, etc...Stranger things
can happen even now...
I felt so sorry for this patient, and especially his wife, but on the other hand
I couldn't help but think,
"THEY REALLY DON'T PAY ME ENOUGH TO DO THIS!"
So...the beginning of my "orientation" to my new job has been, um, unusual, but
not boring...which is essential for a girl like me...
When I have come home in the morning, I have just fallen in bed, only to wake to
get ready and go back to this "dream job"...
There are other dynamics that make for an interesting first few weeks of my employment, but I feel that this is enough for the time being...
NOW FOR MY FOODIE FRIENDS, MY ABSOLUTELY BEST RECIPE IN THE WORLD FOR...
"MARINATED CHICKEN BREASTS"
This recipe is old, used many times, and is still, after trying many different recipes, the most delicious of all marinades....
Because of the fruit juice, it can have a tendency to burn, so watch it carefully, and remember that most people overcook their chicken.
Boneless chicken breasts cook very quickly, so try not to overdo it...
Anything over 5 minutes is too long...
I seriously think you will LOVE this recipe....
The taste is simply DIVINE!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless breasts of chicken (6-7 ounces each)
46 ounces pineapple juice
16 ounces soy sauce
1 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and garlic; mix until sugar is dissolved...
Pour marinade over chicken and let stand, refrigerated, for 24 hours, turning once and stirring marinade occasionally.
Remove chicken from marinade, drain and charcoal broil over medium fire for approximately 5 minutes. (of course you could grill it over gas, or other methods)
Serve on 6 inch hoagie rolls with romaine lettuce, red onion and tomato.
Of course you don't have to put it on the rolls...I usually don't...I serve it
along with sides...
This would also be great as just PART of your BBQ, along with ribs, steaks,
hamburgers, etc...OR
as the main star in a great salad with, hmm...maybe Ranch Dressing?
Or a great wrap?
You decide!
Hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
Wish you were here to go outside and grill it for me!
Oh well..
Later....
Nicole
