February 25

Back to the Beginning.

I remember the very first episode of ER that I ever watched. I couldn't have been more than 6 years old. Mom let me stay up late and watch t.v. with her one night and I remember her telling me as the opening credits were playing that everything was not real and not to be scared and all the blood and guts and everything were fake. I don't remember it being especially bloody...it was one of the Christmas episodes when the ER was full of drunk santas, santas with gunshot wounds, etc. I loved it. But, since it was on so late at night I don't remember watching another episode until later (instead I watched Baywatch..in kindergarten I wanted to be a lifeguard when I grew up...I also wanted to have 100 children...)

Last night, I was like a kid the night before he gets to go to Disneyland. Brother's Appreciation, while fun and wonderful, went pretty late so I didn't get into bed until even later and my shift was at 7. It was the worst trying to fall asleep...I was too excited! Got to the ER in the morning and got a tour and a rundown of everything I could do from one of the techs. Then, it was slow...and I ended up folding papers for the charts. Not too exciting, but honestly, I was hoping for a slow first day so that I could get the hang of things before it all got crazy.

After being on for like 2 hours it got freaking awesome! I got to help take vitals when patients rolled. One of the patients had to be intubated and the doc asked me to hold the tube while she shoved the laryngoscope down. Once, she got the tube down I got to hold it in place while she attached the bag and then...I GOT TO BAG THE PATIENT! Ah, it was awesome! Then, I got to watch the doc put in a central line...so amazing! She found the artery completely blind! So cool. Later, we got to see an xray of the central line and intubation tube all in the right place. Amazing.


Saw a lot of AVD (?) tests too. So suspenseful. The nurses sat really still and felt for an artery in the forearm area and then when they found one they'd poke it with the syringe and if blood started going in the thing then it was good...if not they had to poke around a little more. I got to hold the patients' arms still for those...and when the little bit of red started flowing into the tubes I wanted to do a little dance....but I had to stay still too...


I ended the shift doing triage in the front (while I was up there the other girl got to see a spinal tap!).


So fun! It was as glorious as that first episode I watched way back when. I love it.

 

Cheater Picture. Man, I remember when George Clooney was on the show...such a long time ago!