Christmas Karma?

SO I am officially off from now 'til Christmas. One of the nurses last night said that it didn't seem like Christmas in the ICU. There were decorations, a tree and Christmas music playing at many of the bedside radios. He said that usually the unit is EMPTY at Christmas. This year there will be a significant number of sad cases that are parked in the ICU. An inmate went in for an aneurysm clipping and did not do well. I was actually the one who wheeled him to the OR. He looked at me and said "I'm scared." The warden is allowing his family to come up Christmas Day and see him, they are going to withdraw care (aka let him die) either that night or the next day. There are a couple of cases like that.... I can think of at least 5. Let me point out that there are only 14 beds in this ICU. So almost half are fixin' to die.... but most of the families just won't let them go. So they stay with us, turn, suction, tube-feed, trach and peg (hole in throat to breathe, hole with tube in the belly to feed) and just lay there like vegetables.

There is another little girl that I must mention. She was in an MVA drinking and driving (for the second time!) and she hit a split rail fence. One of the rails went through the windshield and into her face. The right side of her nose is gone, we are not sure if she will keep her eye and most of the bones on the right side of her face are broken. Let me also point out that this was a beautiful girl. Have you ever seen those women who just take your breath away? Long wavy brown hair, olive skin and BLUE eyes. She was a knockout. Now with a bunch of reconstructive surgeries and rehab, she may get back to her life.... but it will never be the same. I have taken care of her the last 3 nights. She went to the OR again this morning. Her mom was crying when she told me that my mom and dad should be very proud of me. That meant a lot.

So Christmas in the hospital looks pretty sad this year. Glad I won't be there!

So back to karma again. The doorbell rang at 4pm... Maddux went nuts (as usual). It was the Fed-Ex guy. He had the cop sign for a package and left. Ummmm..... it was another IPOD.... engraved and everything. Maybe I'm confused. I told all the peeps that I had gotten it from the neighbor's porch and all was right with the world. I made the cop call and check. Apple said they would have it picked up or we can ship it back. They had no idea (surprise surprise) that I now had two. Yes, I guess I could have kept both..... they would have never known. But like I told the cop.... I would have known. Wouldn't feel right keeping something like that.

So I am picking the cop's 10 year old niece up at 11am for the day and night. Her parents don't pay her a shit's bit of attention so she is going to hang out with us. Sweet girl... but god she wears me out.