Monday, July 27, 2009
I drew blood from an 80-something, very funny, outgoing woman who was in our office today with her two adult daughters for a check-up.
When I see an order for labs, x-Rays, breathing treatments, EKG, etc. the first thing I do is poke my head in the room, introduce myself to the patient and explain to them what needs to be done. Then I excuse myself to gather equipment and paperwork.
With this particular patient, my introduction and explanation was met with a big grin and laughter. "Cool," I thought to myself, "this is going to be a fun draw!" Boy was I right!
After I gathered my supplies and paperwork and returned to the room the laughter and joking continued to flow. As I was finishing up paperwork I handed the patient her encounter form (which tells the front desk, among other things, what the patients diagnosis is) and explained that she needed to take that to the front desk, as she was leaving, and they would schedule her next appointment.
I was startled when the patient asked me "What is dementia?" I'm pretty certain my nervous laughter didn't hide the fact that I was caught off guard by this question and told the patient that her daughters could explain it to her. I truly didn't know what to say. When she asked me again she was laughing and she added "Does that mean I'm not right in the head?" I replied "You're perfectly fine in the head, Ms. Patient!"
Open mouth, insert foot.
Today I did my very first ear lavage BY MYSELF! It honestly wasn't as difficult as I have been thinking it was because one of the other MAs showed me how to use an apparatus the attaches to the sink. It provides a non-stop flow of water that is expelled through a gun by pulling the trigger. Additionally, if inserted in the ear correctly, the pressure of the water from the faucet provides a slight suction action that helps pull the impacted wax into the outer ear and, sometimes, sucks it right out and directly down the drain.
As I was walking by an occupied patient room, with the door open, I recognized a patient that I have cared for on a few different occasions. She looked very summery with her bright yellow hat and I told her she looked marvelous. As she and I were catching up, her doctor walked in and explained to me that she had cancer and is becoming healthier every day and showed me the patients fingernails. There was a clear ridge across each of her nails between where the chemotherapy destroyed part of them and the part that her body is regenerating new ones. The doctor also slightly lifted the patients hat to show me her new hair growth. The patient was so sweet in allowing me a glimpse into the ways chemotherapy ravages the body.
Today went by in warp speed!
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