A Lesson In Persistence

Five intensive and exhausting but awesome weeks have come to an end. I was pretty nervous about starting my rotation in internal medicine, mainly because my default reaction to any new situation seems to be perpetually stuck PANIC mode. But also because I had heard a lot about the clinical nurse and I wasn't sure that I would live up to her expectations.

The first couple of days were a bit of an uphill battle, I was still getting my bearings in the ward and I wasn't entirely sure how to approach or deal with my patients. I'm the kind of person that likes to rehearse uncomfortable situations in their head. Unfortunately, the person on the other side of the conversation doesn't always get my memos and the conversations never go quite the way I had planned.

On my third day in the ward I went into the room that I was assigned to and introduced myself to the patient in the first bed. Armed with two days of experience, I had things down to some semblance of a science and was feeling pretty confident. The patient glanced up for his phone for a minute and then noticing the blood pressure machine that I had with me, held out his arm.

As I wrapped the cuff around his arm I tried to introduce myself again. The patient gave a pitiful half-smile in return, I chose to take it as a good sign. When we were done with the blood pressure the patient thanked me and got up. I still had to take his temperature and ask him a few questions so I asked him to sit back down.

He looked at me quizzically and said "But you already took my blood pressure." . I smiled and said that I had just a few more questions and it wouldn't take long if he would be kind enough to sit back down and cooperate. Deciding that he had had enough pestering for one day he kindly informed that he was going to change his clothes now so I should probably leave.

I waited a few more moments trying to figure out what I was supposed to do. None of my rehearsed conversations or previous patient encounters had gone on this particular direction...

And that's the story of how I watched a 70 year old patient strip in an effort to avoid talking to me.

I was pretty determined not to let my clinical nurse down so I asked the semi undressed man the rest of my questions and realizing that I wasn't leaving without answers, he reluctantly gave them to me.

Things got easier as the days flew by. I learned more efficient and effective ways to gather the relevant information from my patients and by the end of the second week the clinical nurse trusted me to take care of a full room of patients (between 8-9 patients depending on the day).

During the first couple of week my clinical nurse stayed in the room with me while the doctors were doing their rounds. Deciding that she trusted me enough with the patients, the nurse left me alone with the doctors on days that we were understaffed. Seeing that my clinical nurse trusted me, the doctors relied on my information about the patients to help make decisions about the course of the treatments.

It felt great to be a part of the team and to feel like I was actually contributing rather than just standing on the side and watching other people work. The staff in the ward were warm and welcoming. They always made time to answer any questions that I had and help me when they could, and I tried my best to help them in return.

Overall it was a great experience and I can't believe that it's already over. I have lots more to learn but I think I'm off to a great start.

A Beautiful Friendship

At the end of my shift on Monday afternoon a new patient arrived in the ward. Charlie had spent a good potion of the day sitting in the miyun and he was glad to finally be able to get some rest. The nurses bustled around and got Charlie settled into room number 4 for the night.

The next day a patient by the name Joe arrived in the ward and was wheeled into room number 4. He didn't know it yet, but life as he knew it was about to change. His bed was set up directly across the room from Charlie's bed. Tired and worn out from having a procedure done earlier that day, he drifted off into a troubled sleep.

Joe woke up a few hours later and sat up in his bed and surveyed his surroundings.  He hadn't paid much attention when he had first arrived, he looked across the room and saw a man around the same age as him sitting in the bed across from him. The man looked up and smiled, Joe smiled back.

It was boring in the hospital, and lonely. Charlie sat in his bed wondering when his wife was going to come to visit. She had called earlier to say that she would be there after work but it was only 14:00 in the afternoon and she didn't finish work until 16:00. It seemed like time was barely moving. 

Charlie sighed and looked across the room. The man in the bed across from him was starting to wake up. He watched as the man sat up and took in his surroundings. As their eyes met, Charlie smiled. The man smiled back.

A nurse came into the room with a glucometer to check the diabetic patients blood sugar levels. The nurse took Charlie's level first and then walked over to Joe's bed. "So we're both diabetic.." thought Joe as the nurse pricked his finger.

The nurse left the room and Charlie realized that it had been a while since he'd last visited the little boys room. He tried to stand up but got tangled in his IV line. Those damn nurses seemed intent on pumping him full of fluids. 

Joe watched the man in the bed across from him flounder as he struggled to free himself from his IV line. The man lost his balance and the IV stand began to sway dangerously. Joe jumped up to the rescue and ran to grab the man before he fell.

Charlie panicked as he lost his footing. Just as he thought that he was a goner, he felt a firm grasp around his arm and steadied himself with the help of his rescuer. The two men worked together to free Charlie from his IV line. 

As the line came untangled the two men smiled at each other. They stood there like that for a while until Charlie remembered his manners. 

"I'm Charlie, thanks for saving me there.."  said Charlie as he stuck out his hand. "Ya, no problem." said Joe as he shook the outstretched hand "Names Joe". Charlie nodded towards the spot of dried blood on Joe's finger from where the nurse had checked his blood sugar level . "Watchya in for?" he asked. Joe sighed and answered "Chest pains. You?" Charlie smiled and said "Same.".

Joe let out a little laugh "Two diabetics administered for chest pains... What are the odds?" Charlie thought for a moment and said "It's like it was meant to be.". Happy to finally have  a distraction Charlie offered to show Joe around the ward. Joe had been pretty out of it when they brought him in earlier and thought his legs could definitely do with a stretch.

The two men spent the remainder of the day together. By the next morning, they were inseparable.

At the beginning of the shift my clinical nurse divided the room into two, assigning me with left side and the other student with the right. When I went to take Charlie's blood pressure before breakfast he asked me to take Joe's as well so they could go to breakfast together. I explained to him that the other student was in charge of Joe's side of the room and she would take his blood pressure for him.

Later in the day I found the generally bubbly and outgoing Charlie lying in his bed "How are you feeling?" I asked him. "Oh you know... Alright I suppose." said Charlie with a sigh. Twenty minutes later Joe was wheeled back into the room after having had an X-ray done. Charlie jumped out of bed eager to welcome his friend back to his room.

"I was worried that you might miss lunch!" Charlie exclaimed. "I never miss lunch" Joe answered with a smile.

When I went to check Charlie's blood sugar level before lunch he hesitantly asked if I could check Joe's as well. I explained again that he wasn't my patient and he would have to wait for the other student. They looked at each other longingly across the room and sighed. Charlie pulled a chair up to Joe's bed. "I'll wait with you.".

During lunch I watched them sitting across the table from one and other telling tales as they ate. Joe gestured about wildly as he excitedly described his adventure around the hospital on the way to get his X-ray. His hand knocked over a bowl of apples on the counter behind him. The two watched as the apples bounced to the floor. The head of the kitchen staff watched them with a stern look on her face as they chased the apples about the room giggling with glee like a pair of young boys.

Later that day, the two men sat outside in the courtyard off the ward. They introduced each other to their spouses and children. It was a day full of laughter and bonding in an otherwise bleak ward.

Charlie was released from the ward later in the afternoon. Joe was sad to see him go but they promised to stay in touch.

Who knows what it was that brought them together... A mere coincidence or perhaps fate?