I just got home from NIH about an hour ago. They just wanted to make sure I was okay because my blood pressure was so low yesterday. It was interesting walking into the hospital instead of being pushed in a wheelchair like I usually am. I was pretty excited about feeling decent for a change, but that soon changed when the nurse tried to start my IV last night for my saline.
I don't really want to relive the experience because it was the worst experience I've had so far. Let's just say the nurse didn't get my IV started the first time and ran out of the room to find someone else to do it. Meanwhile, Melissa was trying to keep my mind off it. The next guy didn't get it either so they brought in another nurse to try. I got poked four times and I nearly cried because I was so miserable. The first nurse told me later that starting IVs is "not my forte," but she wanted to "try." Next time I will knock her out if she comes near me. Then she kept chatting about my veins and we told her to shut up because I didn't need to hear it. I survived, but I really didn't need that last night. The nurses in the day hospital had NO problem just hours earlier.
My mom says that I need to tell them next time that I'm really squeamish and that I prefer an experienced nurse to start my IV. I will totally speak up next time, but I've never had an experience like that before so I didn't know it would be that bad. I was clutching my teddy bear, which I don't normally do. It was horrible.
I'm feeling a little woozy at home still, so I need to keep an eye on my temperature for the weekend so I don't end up back at NIH. I'm drinking my fluids - I learned my lesson.
4 comments:
Glad you are home!
Melissa
You know, I had a similar experience once in a walk-in clinic, and my mother got so mad at the woman who kept stabbing me and making me cry, that she grabbed the needle from the woman and did it herself! The kept babbling about liability issues, and she just said "I can't watch you torture my daughter". If only you could carry around a cross that would warn the bad ones off like vampires...
I was thinking the same thing, how hard can this be? Putting an IV in someone must be one of very basic tasks you learn in nursing school.
Anyway, I got there in the middle of this process, I just kept thinking I need to learn how to do this to prevent Angela from feeling this way again.
The nurses there are really nice and do try hard, but I also am not afraid about getting their panties in a bunch in they mess up!
Hi,
Sorry to hear you are having a rough time. I just wanted to say how honored I was that you mentioned me in your blog. I just keep checking back to see how you are doing. If you need an ear from one bald lady to another, I am here for you.
KIM
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