Venturing from food blogging...

I know, my blog is supposed to be about food.  But, considering I can't eat it, I've decided I want it to be whatever I want it to be :) So we'll just go with that ok? Ok.

It's interesting the way experiences in your life seem such a waste of time but benefit you later on.  I started my career in the CVICU for four months before going through a long and painstaking process of less-than-kind mentors and a transfer to my current floor (which I LOVE).  This experience is not one I like to dwell on and was a time of LOTS of tears and anxiety.

So last night, we had an admit around 11:00 at night.  The patient wasn't assigned to me, but to a nurse that I am friends with and actually went to school with.  I was standing next to her when she was receiving report from the paramedic and overheard at the end him discussing with her an EKG strip he wanted her to have that he obtained while transporting to our facility.  He showed her a first degree heart block that was showing up and mentioned in passing that her abdominal pain worsened in accordance to when this happened.  He wasn't sure if they were related but wanted to let her know.  A red light went off in my head and much of my training and learning from the CVICU started flooding my thoughts.  1st degree heart block = nausea.  CLASSIC SYMPTOM!  I also was able to be at the desk while my friend was discussing the plan of care with the doctors and heard them dismiss the EKG a couple times telling my friend it wasn't a great concern due to a KUB (kidney, ureter, bladder scan) that came back showing fecal compaction. 

The problem with some care providers is that they are so anxious to find an answer and solve the problem that they don't think outside the box.  It is so important to think abstractly! 

So the doctors left saying they would be back soon and I immediately approached my friend.  I told her about my red light and what I knew from working in the CVICU. Not only that, the girl was looking like crap (as we call it so tenderly).  I suggested to her that she really advocate for the patient to transfer to a cardiac monitoring floor (since we don't have that capability on my floor) because she was most likely experiencing this heart dysrhythmia.  (see image below in case you want to know what it is). She went to our manager and called a few other doctors to obtain another EKG. 

Surprise surprise, she had 1st degree heart block.  Transfer to PICU = done!

I am so grateful for everything that I learn and all the knowledge I am able to obtain each day in my work environment.  The great thing about my career is that it is an never-ending learning process. I get to expand my mind every day!  And in turn, ensure the safety of the adorable kids I get to take care of.

  

There is one major component to 1st degree heart block.  The interval between the small wave before the large one is too long.  This often times is benign and nothing to worry about.  However, if there are signs and symptoms the patient is experiencing, then action needs to be taken! 

Sorry that was super intellectual and not entirely entertaining :)  BUT I was so grateful and so excited that I could use my knowledge that I wanted to share it with you!

Love you all!

Simple joys

As many of you know, I had surgery about 2.5 weeks ago and had my jaw broken, moved, and wired shut for healing.  I was excited and looking forward to this procedure, crossing each of my t's and dotting every i in my path to make sure it would be covered by my 2011 insurance policy...that is until I was hospitalized for a soft tissue infection of the face that spread from a severe ear infection.  (complication #1).  Apparently that's not what Heavenly Father wanted to have happen to me!  That postponed the surgery for about 3 weeks. 

Finally, it was surgery time! This has brought on many more challenges than I could have anticipated. However, beforehand I was positive, motivated, and excited to have this finally taken care of!  Until the anesthesiologist started explaining the logistics of the procedure in terms that I love and understand...but that frightened the heck out of me.  Arterial lines, central lines through an IJ, intubation through the nose, nipride, propofol, pressures of 70/30, and 16 gauge IVs.  As each of these terms kept spilling from the anesthesiologist's lips, I could feel my face begin to lose it's luster and started getting reeeaaall scared, suddenly feeling like I was WAY over my head sust in time to be wheeled back into the OR.  Afterall, these were things we did on our OPEN heart kids at PCH!  There were a few compications in the OR but nothing serious, only a bit more pain for recovery.  All in all, the surgery went fantastically and I was on the road to recovery!

Suddenly, the small struggles started building up as I began regaining strength and the ability to (somewhat) talk.  There are so many things that we as human beings depend on our voice and mouth for.  Things I didn't think of include:
moistening my lips (I have to put chapstick on every 4 hrs now or else I am a scaly lizard for lips!)
sticking my tongue out at people for sass :)
speaking clear enough for my voice activated walkie talkie to function at work
letting my jaw go slack in order to sleep comfortably,
yawning
sneezing
coughing (yikes)
drinking cold and hot beverages (it's a lot easier when you can move your teeth and not have sensitivity issues!)
and finally, EATING.

I am a lover of food.  More than the average person.  It has been like my own kind of personalized torture to suddenly be stripped of a culture I have built around food.  Varieties of foods!  Crunchy, tender, moist, refreshing, crisp, chewy, sticky, soft.  You name it, I miss it.  I have been doing some reading on the relationship between food and mood and you would be surprised what an effect eating can have on one's moods.  There have been studies done on patients that have had gastric bypass done and the resulting mental effect and depressive episodes they experience from merely missing out on the culture of eating. 
Of course, I'm a big believer of everything-in-moderation, but it's the EVERYTHING part that I am desperately missing.  This morning at 8:30 am marks my halfway point to being unwired and you better believe I have written out meal plans for what I will be indulging carefully in following the unwiring. 

So what have I learned so far? Always be grateful for the forgotten blessings in your life.  The human body is incredible and so multi-faceted that we forget how blessed we are to have each system and should be amazed at how it works and benefits the body.  I am so grateful for the ingeniusness of my Heavenly Father and His creation of my mouth.  I can't wait to have it back and never take it for granted again :)