Refreshed

There are some weeks (and weeks and weeks!) in the PICU that can really start to drag you down.

Whether it's because you are consistently taking care of a patient who's parents just suck every last drop from ya. Or because you are taking care of a terminally ill child, which can be so draining emotionally. Or because after caring for the same kid things can just seem dull...dare I say boring in the PICU!?!?

I think that's how I was feeling the past 4 months and just realized it yesterday. I've taken care of the same kid (mentioned numerous times recently) since the day after Christmas when he was admitted.

He progress has been painfully slow. And his mother has just been downright painful to me!

And because progress was so slow, it seemed like I'd go in day after day and it was the same old thing.

After coming back from a ten day stay-cation, I forgot to sign up for my kid...so I was in a totally different assignment yesterday.

And let me tell you, I didn't complain...I didn't ask to change assignments. And I'm SO glad I didn't because it reinforced why I love what I do. It brought back to me the passion that I have for bedside nursing...which I was losing quickly and couldn't count down the minutes until I was an APN fast enough!

It was just a refreshing day!

My patient was a teenager with downs syndrome, recently diagnosed with ALL (a common form on leukemia for kids with downs), who got a nasty virus which turned into pneumonia which turned into her not being able to breath on her own.

And this turned my day into sitting beside the bald headed cutie and laughing when she would throw her stuffed animals across the bed or just roll her eyes at me because she was frustrated that she couldn't talk around the breathing tube.

But it was her parents that really clinched the "Yes, I DO love being a bedside nurse!" deal for me.

They were lovely people. Wonderful people! They were there my ENTIRE shift and not once did I think, "Ugh, I wish these people would take a break and leave!"

They were grateful for the care I was giving their daughter. They were helpful when her adult sized diapers needed changing. They helped promote a calm, quiet and healing environment in the room, which so rarely happens! And they were just a joy to be around.

So I'm grateful that I had one more week as a bedside nurse. I think had I gone into my new job without this wonderful experience, the last four months would have left me with less than pleasant memories.

While my last two shifts will be spent taking care of a patient with parents not quite as grateful...or helpful...or lovely...at least I can go into it feeling refreshed. And knowing if it gets really bad, it's only two more shifts : )