Lunch With Jesus

Working with preemies can be stressful.

Sometimes they don't like to breathe,

sometimes their heart wants to take a little break,

and sometimes they need some convincing to stay here on earth.

One night in perticular I spent my night trying to keep a little one alive and was stressed and tired.

My friend Ashley with her southern drawl says: "he's just tryin' to have lunch with Jesus!"

I couldn't help but smile and chuckle a little.

I take it seriously . . . but sometimes I need a little humor to break it down. It's amazing how much a little chuckle can do to alleviate intense stress.

I find myself sometimes saying:

"You can have lunch with Jesus tomorrow, just not TODAY!"

"Jesus is busy at the moment, please come back until he's ready to see you"

"Stay away from the light"

"BREATHE"

"%&#$*!"

I'm sure you get it ;)

I can't be too hard on them though, I would rather be there too sometimes ;)

The good thing today: Those little babies who repeatedly walk away from the light when I beg and plead!

Teresa

NICU

My Husband and Daughter, not my patient;)

I'm a float nurse, which means I float around to different units in the hospital when they are short on staff or have too many patients. I mostly spend my time in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), PCU (progressive care unit - cardiac), ER (emergency room).

Tonight I'm in the NICU wiping little bums instead of big ones, focusing on suck/breathe/swallow, and doing a lot of rocking and whispering. I think I could live and die here.

My Junior year in High School we had to do a job shadow for home ec. I procrastinated. The day before my decision was due I called up a family friend much to my mother's encouragement and asked if I could go to work with her for a day. She was a NICU nurse and her name was Marion. I had NO intention of becomming a nurse because it was "gross"!

That day my eyes were opened to a whole new world of technology, faith, science and the beauty of the human body. I had never seen babies so small only 1 pound at birth. I still remember the baby we cared for, her name, size and how her hand barely covered the tip of my finger. I took home the smallest diaper imaginable and I was hooked!

My daughter when she was in the NICU, not my patient ;)

I swore I would never work in the NICU, but 5 years into nursing and here I am and still loving it!

The good today: playing NICU nurse and wiping tiny bums!

Teresa

P.S. HIPAA! I cannot violate the patient privacy act, check it out here: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/