Surgery Postponement

I have been caring for a prior 31 week infant who is now 39 weeks adjusted age. In utero, her intestines perforated and she had meconium in places it wasn't supposed to be.

After birth, she was transferred to our hospital because the other hospital's pediatric/neonatal GI surgeon was deployed. Surgery cleaned up her gut and the Dr. created an ileostomy. Essentially this means that her intestines are pulled to the abdomen and allowed to protrude through the skin and stool collects in a bag around it, allowing the gut below to rest.


The surgeon saw the baby on Wednesday and said the she is ready for her intestines to be reconnected. Yay! However, the surgeon is going on a 3 week vacation and won't be able to perform the surgery for a MONTH. And the surgeon really doesn't want another doctor to do it.

Ridiculous! Why should that family, and our government be paying for a one month extension to that baby's hospital stay just to please the doctor? We're talking tens of thousands of dollars, not to mention the emotional impact to the family, just waiting and waiting while their daughter continues to be in the hospital.

Being night shift, I couldn't really do anything to remedy the situation, but I told Mom we'd get it all resolved. Day shift fully agreed with me and said she'd take care of it. And I fully believe that she did. I am off for the next 6 nights, but hopefully next week when I go in, she'll be reconnected or have been transferred back to the original hospital since their surgeon is back from deployment.

I really do love my job, but sometimes the politics and bureaucracy really just bugs me.

Riled up!

Wednesday night was NOT fun at work.

When I walked into the room, there were 5 very experienced nurses and the neonatologist all standing around the bed of the baby I'm supposed to be taking care of. My mind started racing "Uh Oh. What is tonight going to be like?" I know the baby well, so I know her quirks, but this wasn't a normal quirk.

Turns out the baby is fine, she just had a really high temperature which caused her heart to race and move into a different rhythm. Not dangerous in the short term, but nerve-racking when all the "quick-fix" nursing maneuvers are not working. In the end, a tylenol suppository did the trick.

Because this 'episode' began before my shift started and I didn't really know what was going on, I stayed out of the way, just fetching things as needed. Oddly enough, the nurse who had been caring for her was also staying away from the baby, just hanging around in the background. So I went ahead and got an abbreviated report, checked off medications, and turned back to the baby to get caught up to speed on the current situation. When I turned back around to ask the evening shift nurse a question, SHE WAS GONE!

She walked out in the middle of an episode! Even though the situation was technically under control and I had assumed care, this did not mean that her job was done. Oh no. There is TONS of charting to be done after an episode like thus, and I did not feel comfortable doing it.

I talked to a prior preceptor about my situation as she had been at the bedside helping with the baby, and she was livid about this so-called "abandonment." Luckily, the evening nurse was scheduled to come back the next day so she could chart then, but good grief! It was a really rough start to the night. I was 2 hours behind until about 5 am when I finally got caught up. Luckily, I don't think I skimped on the care I gave to my other 2 babies and that definately made me feel much better.

Take the time

I guess the "nursing tales" part of this blog is kind of defunct as I rarely post anything about work on here. But I promise, as soon as the wedding is over, I will.

I get to do some very happy things in my line of work. We currently have 1 baby from a set of twins with us (the sister is at home). Mom comes in late at night because they only have one car and dad works nights, so she takes him to work and then comes to visit around 1 am.

11:00 pm til about 1:30 am is NUTS in the NICU because there's report being given, labs drawn, and just about every single baby has care due around then. I happened to have a few extra minutes after doing care on both my babies and was talking to the sweet Twin's Mom.

In 8 weeks, she'd only ever held her daughter ONE TIME. I was floored. I had that baby out of the Giraffe OmniBed® and in her mother's arms in less than 5 minutes.

This is NOT ok. At all! Bad form on all my fellow nurses who have allowed this to happen. Yes, we get busy. Yes, our other baby is trying to see "the light." Yes, we have to pee. I hear you, I do. But please take 5 minutes. Even if the child is fragile, show the parents how to contain him in the isolette. Help the Mom do Kangaroo Care.
Picture from March of Dimes

This is really important to me. As a NICU Auntie and a NICU Nurse, I know how important bonding is, and my vow from here on out is that every baby I care for who is medically stable and has parents who show up, will get held. It's beneficial to the babies and their parents.

I am grateful that I got to give the gift of bonding to a mother last night. It's part of the joy that I find in my job. Yes, there's sadness. But I get the privalege to witness miracles every single day.

Lost?

(This is the best picture of my Ring that I have. It's a pave crusted split/butterfly band with round cut diamond and European shank.)

Every 6 months, the setting on my Engagement ring needs to be checked in order to keep my lifetime warranty. Easy enough. The ring needed to go in sometime in February and because this is the last check prior to the wedding, Fiance thought we should have my wedding band sized on this trip.

Again, easy. Right? Apparently not.

They initially sized my finger as a size 5.5, even though I was pretty sure I was more like a 5. I asked them to check the size of my E-ring. 4.75. Yep. So the lady sends my band off to be sized to a 5 because she didn't believe I was a 4.75. I didn't argue because it's all free, if they have to send it back, it's their fault.

My wedding set is unique because it has a European shank (squared-off bottom), like so.


When the wedding band came back, it was too big (duh!) and the shank on the band was much longer than on my E ring. So I suggested that I just send them in together and have the jeweler make the band fit the E ring exactly.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I got the call that the rings were done and went in to pick them up on Wednesday. They brought over the package and pulled out ONE RING. Just the wedding band (of course!). The lady said "here you go" like that was it.

"ummmmmmmmmm." long silence. "Where's my Engagement ring?"

Much longer silence.

"What do you mean?"

Oh boy. This is not seriously happening. I direct the lady to the invoice which clearly states that the entire wedding set was sent in and even had a description of them.

The 3 clerks consulted and decided to call the shop, who has no idea what they're talking about. One clerk ushered me out saying that they'd find it and give me a call later that evening. There was nothing for me to do but go home. So I did.

Apparently they found me ring and had it couriered right over. However, I haven't been able to go pick it up yet because I'm working for the next 6 nights. So hopefully it really is my ring.

Scary!

99 days!

Left to do:

1st night hotel room

BAND! OMG. Seriously, I thought this would be easy! Not if you're on a
budget...

Dress fittings (once it arrives at the beginning of February)

Undergarment/corset/bustier thingy: rent or buy?

Formal portrait

Finish designing invites. Print. Assemble. Mail.

Programs

Ask family and friends to do readings, solo, gift table, candle lighting, guest book, table/seating help

Finish table runner project

Put sails on 100 miniature sailboats

Assist future in-laws with rehearsal dinner specifics, invites, etc

Procure rope and ribbon for cake and cake table

Ceremony music

Pre-marital counseling starts Feb 17

Setting check on my e-ring. Have band sized to match.

Get J's ring engraved

Guest list/addresses for shower

Make veil

Meet with florist again

Meet with venue catering manager to finalize menu

Get marriage license (less than 60 days prior to)

Figure out wish/advice bowl

Order the men's Sperry Topsiders

Make 7 boutonniere's

Sneak Peek

She's ALL mine!

I was definately in the right place at the right time today. It was a God thing for sure!

The store where I purchased my dress is part of a small national chain (about two dozen stores across the US). The location where my dress was purchased has now become an outlet. So, I definately ordered my dress (back in September) at the right time! And to further this, the same store will be closing and merging with another location sometime after April 1st.

Due to the impending store closing, today was Galina's last day with the store, and she happened to have a cancellation about 30 minutes after I walked in. Galina is the seamstress sent from heaven. Oh my, was she ever amazing! Within about 20 minutes she had my slightly too-large-in-the-bodice (ie I have smallish girls), slightly too long hem, and my French bustle pinned and ready to go! And she's enhancing my girls for me too!

Plus, she's promised to have it completely finished by April 1st. Yes ladies, this is 6 weeks before my wedding date. HOORAY!!!

And, I do apologize as this is most likely the only peek you will be seeing of my dress. Though he won't admit it, I strongly suspect that J peruses my blog from time to time and I don't want to take any chances...

The Polka Dotted Owl Giveway

Ladies, head over to The Polka Dotted Owl's blog: The Magic Risotto Diaries and enter her first ever Giveaway!

PDO is hosting quite the swank J'adore Amore Giveaway with the winner announced at 8:00 AM (central) on Valentine's Day. Be sure to enter before then!

Wanna see what she's giving away?

First up: The top ranked bag of this group, with your monogram:




(I picked bag number 4. I LOVE damask right now!)

And to fill the bag PDO is not leaving us disappointed! Here are the swank goods:

*One year free subscription to Lucky Mag.
*Bath & Body (your choice of scent): (1) lotion, (1)shower gel, (1)butter cream lotion, and (1)spray.
*Sephora: Schweppes Sparkling Pink Grapefruit Lip Balm 15 SPF.
*Sephora: Bare Escentual: Buxom Babes Lip Polish Duo Featuring Destiny and Amber.
*Sephora: Korres Mastiha and Natural Clay Mask/ Dermatologically tested and mineral oil free.
*Color of your choice: (2) O.P.I nail polishes.
*And other lil' yummie suprises. :-)

Could this giveaway get any better? I think not.

She's here!

My Gorgeous gown has arrived at the store!

I can't wait to go see her.

SO exciting, it's all just become that much more real!