Archive for the ‘life in the ER’ Category

It seems craaaaazy to me that humans who see dying rates all over the U.S. are arguing about wearing masks. Come on people! It’s a small inconvenience with a possible big payoff. Huge.

I talked to Dr. A the other day and he’s very worried that our ER capacity is going in the wrong direction. I’m very worried about him. He says it feels a little creepy being at the hospital in the time of Corona. At the end of each work day he takes all his clothes off before he goes into his house and heads directly into the shower.

Spikes — Yikes!!!

Yeah, our hospital and all the others in L.A. are now spiking. California is cluttered with Covid.  It’s hardly a surprise after Memorial Day crowds gathered at beaches, boardwalks and bars. Add to that the gazillion Protests where everyone yelled in each other’s faces.

A couple of days ago I got an email that Volunteers were being called back to my ER, but then today I got another one that said they’ve decided to hold off. To be honest, I’m a little relieved they’re holding off…

High Quality Masks from Etsy

Getting back to masks… if we need to wear them, they might as well be good ones, right?

I like the ones made in Japan. They’re breathable, fit well and they stay on. They also come in different sizes. And some have extra layers.

Here are two excellent sellers:

MaryRoseArtCrafts masks are high quality and fit really well. You can order them in men’s women’s or kid’s sizes. With one two or three layers.

BotanicFolkShop linen masks are so lightweight you forget that you’re wearing them (which is a good thing.) They’re very simple and flattering, plus they come with a separate layer you can add.

If not for you, wear a mask for someone else…

Oh… and when you wear your mask, please wear it the right way — thanks!

Man do things change! As many of you know, I volunteer at an ER at a big hospital in L.A.

When I started I didn’t want to be there — the blood…the yuck… the smells…  

But after a while I started feeling the gratitude from patients and families as I’d try — Evie-style — to make their stressful experiences a little less stressful.  Suddenly I wanted to do more, be there more, help people more… Things started to change… or was it me who was starting to change?

Working up-close-and-personal with doctors, nurses, EMTs, CPs, guards, clerks, environmental services, and administrators, I saw how hard they all worked in their shared goal to give the best patient care. I gained a new respect for them and what it took to be them.

Surprisingly, they started appreciating me too — or was it my chocolate chip cookies?

Courage In The Time of Coronavirus

But, now that Volunteers have been put on leave because it’s too dangerous to be there, I’m soooo worried about my ER family: Triage Nurse Anthony Chan, Charlayne my Supervisor (don’t tell her I said that), Miguel the ER Guard and Dr. A... especially Dr. A… They’re all putting in in 12-16 hours a day, with a shortage of PPE, surrounded by Covid 19 germs…  

From time-to-time I post about the heroes among us — ordinary humans who do extraordinary things in the life-threatening situations.

Little did I know that I’d know some…, in the scariest of situations in the scariest of times… they’re so vulner… I hope they’ll… I can’t even…

The NEWS is BUMMING ME OUT. Big shock. It’s bumming everyone out. Divisiveness, name-calling, blame-gaming – it’s happening every day, obnoxiously… sooooo obnoxiously!

What happened to —

• “Live and Let Live”
• “Agreeing to disagree”
• “Doing onto others…   ???

Why can’t our government work more like a hospital?

One of the things I really like about Volunteering in the ER is that it’s an equalizer. Old, young, rich, poor, black, white, brown, yellow, educated, uneducated, males, females, gays, lesbians, gender non-specifics… everyone gets sick. Everyone has accidents. Everyone needs medical assistance at one time or another.  Doctors, Nurses, Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, EMTs, Clinical Partners, Radiologists, Environmental Service People come in all colors, all ethnicities, all religions, all economic groups, and guess what – everyone manages to successfully work together. Go figure. 

As a volunteer I always try to find the common ground. It’s always bonding in some way. Finding the common ground immediately helps the other person relax. It’s easier to solve problems when we’re not biting each other’s heads off.

Let’s bring back civility. Let’s listen to each other, learn from each other and find the common ground.

Wish someone would help us relax on a national basis, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen any time soon.

We need to reclaim our humanity and make America kinder again…

Enuff said. 

VOLUNTEERING in the ER is sometimes the BEST, sometimes the WORST. Sometimes it gives me a lump in my throat.  Experiences unexpectedly stay with me, depending…

Life-and-death, happy-sad, love-hate: I’m emotionally all over the map.

VOLUNTEERING PUTS PROBLEMS INTO PERSPECTIVE

I always flashback to Orientation when my supervisor Charlayne scolded: “If y’all can’t focus on the patients, get your poor-me selves outta my department”

THE ER IS THE UNIVERSAL EQUALIZER

Patients with chest pains, symptoms of strokes, or difficulty breathing are all treated exactly the same in the ER. It doesn’t matter if you’ve donated a gazillion dollars to the hospital, or if you’re super famous, or homeless and can’t afford to pay your bill. Life-threatening symptoms get priority. Period.

INCLUSIVENESS IS PART OF THE MAKE-UP

The Hospital is the one place where diversity is a given: staff-wise, patient-wise and family-wise. Everyone is there to help or be helped. Tolerance is the normal state. If only the world would follow suit.

IT’S NOT ALWAYS A HAPPY ENDING

When someone dies and the family hasn’t been told yet, holding back the tears is a major challenge, even for an Actress.

I’M CHALLENGED BY LUMP IN MY THROAT MOMENTS

When a mommy and child come in, memories flood. I have to step away to compose myself because I identify so closely. In some ways it’s good because I can be compassionate. In other ways, not so much, because I’m on the verge of behaving like a basket-case.

THE SIGHTS, THE SMELLS, THE SOUNDS ARE DISGUSTING

Gotta be honest, the ER can get pretty gross fast. That’s when we page “Environmental to Triage, STAT!” I don’t know how they do it (but thank God they do!)

Last night…  It’s a  typical night in the ER: one rainbow-haired “5150” who thinks he’s Jesus, restrained to the gurney;  two passionate hikers covered in red welts, itching in all the wrong places;  several “gunshot wounds” with gang members in the waiting room, demanding to know the status. Friendly? Or there to finish off the job?  I’m glad to have an excuse to leave for ten minutes when Triage Nurse, Anthony Chan shoves a wheelchair toward me with a Maternity Mom in it and a Dad next to it.

“Volunteer, take this couple up to L & D. Stat!”

On it! Gladly! I call up to L & D and tell them I’m on my way.

The Perils of PUSHING —

I speed-roll Maternity Mom +  Dad into the empty elevator.  Doors start to close, but a GIANT HAND intervenes. In walks a 6’6″ man attached to it. Uh-oh! With glares and territorial behavior happening in this elevator, it’s suddenly apparent… this  pregnant party isn’t a Couple… it’s a THRUPLE!!!

Maternity Mom (doubling over): “ooooooouuuuuuu…. eeeeehhhhhh….. ahhhhhhhhh!

Dad #1:” ” What are you doing here?”

Dad #2:  “What the fuck are you doing here?”

Maternity Mom: “owwwww…. Owwwwwww… OWWWWWWW!”

Me: “Breathe.”

(Maternity Mom assumes the pushing face.)

Me: “Short breaths, fff–fff—fff”

Dad #1:  “Girl, I gave you everything!”

Dad #2 : “Nuh-uh, she needed more.” (pointing to his crotch.)

Maternity Mom: I need a BATHROOM!

Me: Don’t push.

Dad #1 to Dad #2: Fuck you!”

Dad #2 (louder):  “Fuck you!”

Maternity Mom: “Ow… OW…OWWWW… FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!

(Exactly what got them all into this mess.)

Me: C’mon guys, obstetrics wasn’t covered in Volunteer Orientation!

Me: “Short breaths, blow, fff–fff–fff”

Dad #1:   “Breathe, baby —

Dad #2:   “Baby heart, you got this —

Maternity Mom:  “OWWWWWW! I’ve gotta get this outta me!”

(DING! Elevator door opens!)

Me: “CODE: BABY-COMING-OUT!”

(The Charge Nurse grabs the wheel chair)

Charge Nurse: “Taking her to Three. ”

(Dads shove each other out of the way. Charge Nurse blocks them.)

Charge Nurse: “Both of you. In the waiting room. Now! Don’t make me call Security.”

The door to Three closes. At last I can breathe.

I text Niles: “OMG, almost delivered a baby in the elevator”

PING! Incoming from Niles — Seth Meyers’ wife didn’t even make it that far.

OMG! SETH MEYERS’ WIFE Labored in the LOBBY!

YIKES!

Yesterday on my ER shift I almost go into cardiac arrest when I realize I’ve just fed a stack of crucial records for a critical Patient (currently in an ambulance speeding toward the ER) through the slot of a trash bin designated for shredding! In horror my eyes land on the big fat PADLOCK blocking my next move!  Nooooo!

Flash-back several minutes —

In the Waiting Room  Triage Nurse Anthony Chan, in his usual pissy mood, shoves two stacks of papers in my hands —

Personally hand this to the Charge Nurse and no one else, STAT! And stick these in the shredder bin. Within your skill-level, Volunteer?

I burst through the doors into Trauma, but the Charge Nurse isn’t there and no one knows where she is. I head toward the nearest Trash Bin to get rid of the other stack, but I run into Dr. A, who distracts me by making my heart beat faster (not my fault). Nonchalantly I slip the papers through the slot, flash him my killer smile and mosey on back to Triage…

I freeze when I spot Anthony Chan. F<#k! Read the rest of this entry »

“trust me…”

Hollywood may’ve gotten a bad rap this past election year, but when it comes to negotiations, they’ve set a great example for “how its done.” After twisty-turny, last-minute negotiations, Hollywood is getting its happy ending!

Sadly, it’s not the same for Healthcare in America.  After yesterday’s vote, when many of the Congressmen didn’t even take the time to read the bill they rushed to vote on —

They Took The Healthcare Crisis off LIFE SUPPORT!

The CHARACTER of our COUNTRY has sunk to a new low as House Republicans (mostly white men) gloated in the White House Rose Garden after passing a bill that takes away Healthcare for Americans, but gives Tax Breaks to wealthy donors and big corporations.

Disturbing on so many levels, if you have something wrong with you, it’ll cost you a lot more per year to deal with it. For instance it’ll cost over 140K annually for patients with metastasized cancer (as if their problems aren’t already overwhelming enough.) And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Read the rest of this entry »