The "Some Adventures Are Better Than Others", edition.

iPad set to Al Green, "Tired of Being Alone". The first time I heard Al Green I was hooked. Still am. Brian got me a four CD set as a gift years ago.  Love it. I didn't realize he lived in Detroit for a while.  You know, I've been trying to figure out how to define going to dialysis 4 to 4.5 hours, 3 days a week. The hours represent a part time job. I can define it as a job as my function is to sit patiently in a chair.  And depending on your perspective, I am patiently sitting in this chair with people servicing me.  But that's not quite right.

The Dramatics, "Ocean of Thoughts and Dreams".  This is Ron Banks song. The rest of the group harmonize so well.  Love this.  In the end I am a patient.  Going to treatment 13 hours or so every week. I have no option but to have relationships with the people here. I may not be with them as much as with family or with them as much as with my former coworkers, but we are here together. For 4.5 hours,  in chair 36 in module 6, where I live.  I've got the 5 other patients in the module. We lost old lady, but life continues and I think we have a new lady.  My tech retired but life continues.  Some techs have been assigned to replace her. 

One of the replacement techs is fine  ( although my partner doesn't like her.  There have been....incidents. I'll get to that later ). The other was not acceptable. I've seen her do questionable things and get called out by a senior tech.....like attempting to reuse a needle after it's been taken out of its packaging (!).  She gets flustered and screws up her schedule. And finally she starts praying before cannulating. Frankly I need you to be skilled to stick me.  I don't need to hear you praying for help. :-/   Stick me wrong and all kinds life threatening issues can occur.  I digress.  I won't let her near me and she knows it.  If she is there when I arrive, she goes and gets an experienced tech. I was told by the charge nurse she needs to learn. I replied not on me. Heh.  Anyway, she has been placed in other modules. And in spite of what I've said, she is a sweetheart.  I just don't to be her patient!  

Curtis Mayfield, "Move on Up".  I think he was a musical genius. And of course there was Shaft. Enough said.  So the tech that I like and partner doesn't.  She was trained by my tech, who retired. The first few weeks here, she somehow pulled the water supply hose from the wall. That was spectacular. I was just barely in the line of fire. Instant flood. The maintenance guys handled it immediately.  That didn't instill much confidence in me. Lol. At one point she did something to my partner and there was a bloody incident. He's animated,most there was a lot of yelling and cursing.  She didn't flinch. She can check her emotions. :-)  However, after that, I wouldn't let her near me. Lol. Let's place this around June 2013. 

Fast forward to September or October.  My tech was out, but we'd discuss her trainee.  My tech assured me the trainee was fine.  So I see trainee when I walk in. I sigh and told her she could stick me. Trainee was already calling someone else for my stick. Lol. She was surprised. She did nail it.  Both buttonholes. And let me say, some people have huge issues with my access. Unfortunately that was the day my venous access (upper) clotted horribly. That was the day I got stuck 5 times. I relayed to trainee it was not her fault. 

So now trainee is one of our replacements. And I trust her. She nails that stick perfectly every time. Some of the stick team can't do that!!!   So now to the whole point of this entry. She was the only tech in our module on Friday.  We have roving techs and nurses, but was alone for a while.  My partner was having issues with his access (he's had the issue for about 3 months). It was leaking. He called her over several times. Well the last time she adjusted the needle and Holy Crap!!!!!!!!  There was a blood geyser coming out of his arm!!!  He shouts out a plethora of expletives. She had been getting ready to go somewhere so she didn't have on her protective gear (paper? lab coat and face protector).  Blood was on the walls, floor and chair. Trainee had blood on her clothes, her hair, her face, and in her mouth.   Somehow I was out of the line of fire. He's about 6 feet away from me. 

Stevie Wonder, "Another Star".  Trainee called for help. Nurse 1 peeked around the corner. I waved her over. Nurse 2 was just reporting for work, I waved her over also.  It really did take both of the to get the situation under control.  Trainee went to get cleaned up and  decontaminate. Partner left pissed.  Nurse 1 cleaned up the station, chair and wall.  Oh yeah, they got a blood sample fro partner. Trainee had to go to main office.  She will probably get reprimanded for not having the gear.  She's not here today. Hope she survives. 

I'll go over other relationships. I think it's interesting how we get along....or not. Signing off with The Persuaders, "Thin Line Between Love and Hate".  I've always liked this song. "She gonna fool you one day". Lol. Words to live by. ;-)