It's July!

Happy July 1st everyone! I hope you all enjoy this lovely sunny summer month, the barbecues, the swimming, the sunshine. Ahh. Just, please, whatever you do, do not get sick or injured. Buckle your seatbelts, wear your helmets, cook your meat thoroughly, remember that "beer before liquor..." Do whatever you must do to avoid having to go a hospital at all costs. Because July 1, all across the country, is the first day of being a doctor for all new doctors. Don't get me wrong, the first-year residents are, for the most part, a group of highly trained, motivated, caring professionals. Ready to save lives. Just as soon as they figure out the appropriate dose of tylenol and make panicked calls to their attendings. I worked with an R1 last night was only five days old (awww!), still wet behind her cute doctor ears. So fresh and new, actually, that she was still getting ice packs for patients herself. And bless her, she was sooo sweet and caring, and trying so hard. But her comment to another nurse last night sums it all up: "You have no idea how many patients we'd kill if it weren't for you guys." (meaning us nurses! Like me! Hah! Yep, now you should be scared!)

For the past several weeks, although I've been feeling better for a few days, I've had basically a persistent headache which evolves into a migraine every third day or so, and had to take excedrin or nsaids on a daily basis. Last night, I admitted a patient from another oncology floor, a young woman in her early thirties who had mental status changes and a seizure. The nurse giving me report began by saying, "So this young woman presented to the ER last night with intractable headaches but appearing otherwise normal..." By this morning she was incoherent, unable to communicate, and thrashing in bed, agitated and unconsolable. At one point in the night she was foaming blood from her mouth because she bitten down so hard on her tongue. I had to pinch her nose shut to get her to open her mouth and stop biting her own tongue. We have no idea what is wrong with her. But yeah, I have an appointment with my doctor to discuss my headaches.