Tuesday 13th July 3pm
Something I've noticed during my prolonged stay in the sanatorium. All nurses talk to themselves. It can be a bit disconcerting if, when the sister is tending to a particularly delicate dressing, she pauses, frowns, and says something like "how did that happen?"
Since I've been here, I've had a few "Oh my God"s or just "Oh"s, and some mindless chitter-chatter, as if they're just composing their shopping lists. The worrying part is when the one-way conversation takes on a self-instruction direction, as if nursey is constructing an airfix kit, rather than doing something potentionally life-saving (or threatening) with the prone patient's body.
A few of them like a good tune, too - sometimes a current smash from the hit parade, but I swear that it wasn't just the drugs that made me hear one of them giving a rendition of Middle of the Road's 1970's hit "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" a few days ago. The most distressing warbling is when someone occasionally chooses a gospel tune of the "Going up to meet my Lord" variety.
Anyway, I'm still here, aren't I? So why should I complain.
And actually, I have very few causes for complaint about the care I've received from the nurses. As in any profession, I've come across good, bad and indifferent, with the good far outnumbering the latter two. For the most part, the nurses who have worked with me have been resolutely cheerful, sympathetic and incredibly competent.
I'm not going to name names, but a stay in hospital for a wuss like me can be a daunting experience, and my fear, pain and panic have been alleviated especially by two or three wonderfully sympathetic people.
Being where I am, I can't research the sort of wages these people are on, but I suspect it's considerably less than I, or most of the people who read this blog, earn. And yet they routinely do all sorts of nasty, messy tasks which I would not contemplate for any amount of money. They keep you clean and safe and to the best of their abilities keep you smiling.
So here are ten songs in praise of nurses:-
1 Sister of mercy - Leonard Coen
2 Take off your uniform - |Joh Hiatt
3 Help me make it through the night - Kris Kristofferson
4 Angel - Aretha Franklin
5 Cup of kindness - EmmyLou Harris
6 Oh, Sister - Bob Dylan
7 There, there, my dear - Dexy's Midnight Runners
8 Angel of the morning - Bettye Swann
9 Someone saved my life tonight - Elton John
10 Night nurse - Gregory Isaacs (yes, I know it's a repeat)
In good hands
RP
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Great to have you back and writing. Afraid I've been away for the last couple of weeks and have just caught up with 15 blogs. Catherine has done a great job of feeding back all the up and downs.
ReplyDeleteAfter the issues with the flap, I'm please to have got to the bit where it seems to have 'Taken'. I understand that there is still a bit left to attach, which is causing irritation. Due to where the flap came from, is this classed as a 'chesty cough'?
On this subject at the moment I'm going to suggest 'Chester' as my name for the flap, hopefully with further thought I'll be able to do better...