International Nurses Day is celebrated every year on the 12th of May, the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale. Many of us would have experienced nurses' care, but tend to forget to wish them on this day. Nevertheless we can never forget the services they continuously keep providing day and night.
It was past 4pm when I was taken to the ICU. Since I got admitted into a twin sharing room there were about ten more patients there. Some 10 minutes later my father came to in to see me. He asked me about my how I was feeling and told me that he would come on the next day to see me again, since it was already past the visiting hours. There was a tube attached to my head into which drain would flow into. Otherwise my head was fully covered. Since I was just out of OT. there was a drips attached to me through which glucose flowed in. There a thermometer attached to my left index finger. There were some wires attached above my heart for some health checks. There was a urinary catheter attached too.
I fell asleep immediately after my father left the ICU. I woke up again at around 7:30 pm. Then I fell asleep. Around 10:30 pm, the nurse there, woke up. She introduced herself and gave me dinner. She told me that since I was on drips, it was not compulsory for me to have dinner, but it is highly important that I have my anti convulsants. I tried having a couple of pieces of water melon and then had nausea. I told her that I could not eat any more. Within a few minutes, I vomited once. About ten minutes later, I was okay, and took in the anti convulsants. I could not get sleep after that. I felt a mild pain and was not able to place my head conveniently (due to the bandage) and finally asked the nurse to give me a pill to sleep. I do not remember now whether she gave me a pill, but then, she was always there, close to me, that whole night.
My respects and salutes to all the nurses and those employed in hospital wards. It is not an easy task. I am simply mentioning here that there was a urinary catheter attached to me. Imagine the people who would have to clean every bucket into which the urine flows in. Imagine those who help the patients with bed pans. Do they ever know us? Do we ever remember their faces? Selfless service.
The next morning, the nurse woke me up by 5:30 am. She asked me to brush my teeth. She had my brush as the nurses had asked for it from my patients. I did not have to stand up from my bed, since she had everything required to brush. She told me that I could have a bath there, but gave the option of choosing whether I wanted it or not. I replied her on the negative. Then I went asleep again.
There was a shift of nurses at around 8 am and the nurses who were there during my admission into ICU came back. They were really sweet. Here age gap should not be considered. It is the love and affection which they tend us soothes us a lot. "What is this Chitra? You were looking alright yesterday, now you are looking sick, how Doctor will feel when he comes to see you? You know, he called up last night around 11:30 pm, to enquire about you". Tears came through my eyes. The nurse at my bed was really to spoon feed me Pongal (a South Indian dish). I could have it myself then and took my anti-convulsants too. Then, again I fell asleep.
The Surgeons came one by one for consultation to the ICU. I requested the Surgeon to ask the nurses to remove the catheter. The neuro physician also came in for consultation and asked me whether I had any seizures. I had not had any.
My surgeon advised me to get up and walk, I was able to do so. I was also able to use the rest room, with the help of a person in the ICU, to help me hold the drain bottle.
Many patients came to the ICU that day. There was a shift of nurses again at around 3 pm. My mother came to meet me to the ICU, only one person is allowed to meet a patient. She asked me about my health. I was supposed to get back to the ward that day. It was about 8pm when I got shifted to the ward.
It was past 4pm when I was taken to the ICU. Since I got admitted into a twin sharing room there were about ten more patients there. Some 10 minutes later my father came to in to see me. He asked me about my how I was feeling and told me that he would come on the next day to see me again, since it was already past the visiting hours. There was a tube attached to my head into which drain would flow into. Otherwise my head was fully covered. Since I was just out of OT. there was a drips attached to me through which glucose flowed in. There a thermometer attached to my left index finger. There were some wires attached above my heart for some health checks. There was a urinary catheter attached too.
I fell asleep immediately after my father left the ICU. I woke up again at around 7:30 pm. Then I fell asleep. Around 10:30 pm, the nurse there, woke up. She introduced herself and gave me dinner. She told me that since I was on drips, it was not compulsory for me to have dinner, but it is highly important that I have my anti convulsants. I tried having a couple of pieces of water melon and then had nausea. I told her that I could not eat any more. Within a few minutes, I vomited once. About ten minutes later, I was okay, and took in the anti convulsants. I could not get sleep after that. I felt a mild pain and was not able to place my head conveniently (due to the bandage) and finally asked the nurse to give me a pill to sleep. I do not remember now whether she gave me a pill, but then, she was always there, close to me, that whole night.
My respects and salutes to all the nurses and those employed in hospital wards. It is not an easy task. I am simply mentioning here that there was a urinary catheter attached to me. Imagine the people who would have to clean every bucket into which the urine flows in. Imagine those who help the patients with bed pans. Do they ever know us? Do we ever remember their faces? Selfless service.
The next morning, the nurse woke me up by 5:30 am. She asked me to brush my teeth. She had my brush as the nurses had asked for it from my patients. I did not have to stand up from my bed, since she had everything required to brush. She told me that I could have a bath there, but gave the option of choosing whether I wanted it or not. I replied her on the negative. Then I went asleep again.
There was a shift of nurses at around 8 am and the nurses who were there during my admission into ICU came back. They were really sweet. Here age gap should not be considered. It is the love and affection which they tend us soothes us a lot. "What is this Chitra? You were looking alright yesterday, now you are looking sick, how Doctor will feel when he comes to see you? You know, he called up last night around 11:30 pm, to enquire about you". Tears came through my eyes. The nurse at my bed was really to spoon feed me Pongal (a South Indian dish). I could have it myself then and took my anti-convulsants too. Then, again I fell asleep.
The Surgeons came one by one for consultation to the ICU. I requested the Surgeon to ask the nurses to remove the catheter. The neuro physician also came in for consultation and asked me whether I had any seizures. I had not had any.
My surgeon advised me to get up and walk, I was able to do so. I was also able to use the rest room, with the help of a person in the ICU, to help me hold the drain bottle.
Many patients came to the ICU that day. There was a shift of nurses again at around 3 pm. My mother came to meet me to the ICU, only one person is allowed to meet a patient. She asked me about my health. I was supposed to get back to the ward that day. It was about 8pm when I got shifted to the ward.
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