Monday, July 11, 2011

I Learned About Empathy From That Part 4

Soon a patient care tech. who was not even assigned to the area I was in heard me beating my head against the door as she went by. She gasped as she opened the door and saw me lying with my upper body on an exam table my lower limbs sagged on the floor covered in blood. The floor had bloody footprints all over it. I can only imagine what a sight it must have been and how badly it must have smelled.


She ran past me, hit the emergency light and started popping gloves out of the dispenser.


When other staff appeared one said,"What the F happened to him?


I don't know this is the way I found him.


Sir, were you stabbed or in a wreck?


No, I'm sick." then as if on cue I started dry heaving. She still lifted my gown and rolled me front to back looking for wounds. "Don't leave him- I'm going to get something for the nausea."


I fainted again.


"Do you have any allergies? I'm allergic to ______. OK good then, we won't give you any of that." She popped me fast with promethazine into my IV. Really- I don't know how she got it in there that fast. My arm felt like it was on fire. I felt the fire crawl up my arm. I was about to come off the table. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry- next time I'll push it slower. I was trying to get this under control. It will be better in just a minute." She reached up and opened the IV. About the time the burn stopped my mouth went dry and had a funny taste. The nausea stopped and I turned on my side and went to sleep.


I awakened in a different exam room and saw my wife on the phone her eyes swollen from crying. "I don't know, we don't know anything yet- he's waking up now. I'll call you later."





To be continued

6 comments:

Paxford said...

... I know you make it but this cliff-hangers keep me thinking "OH NO!".

Hugs

pax

el chupacabra said...

Hey Paxilicious- Thanks. This is a story that's been good for me to tell here and has provided lots of lessons in my nursing through the years

an Donalbane said...

It is a good suspense...

Sherri said...

man... had to be a terrifying thing for your wife...

Kasie said...

I want to know what happened??? These leave me hanging every time!!!

el chupacabra said...

Don- Thanks. Weird to relive it though.

Sherri- She didn't leave my side the entire time

KC- Bear with me! I live, but it's a good story that's way too long to tell in one shot.