Canucks
On Tuesday when I stepped onto the unit (‘cause I played hooky and went to the beach on Monday, remember?) it was super weird, like stepping into the twilight zone. I looked around and not a single Haitian nurse was to be found. Instead, there stood half a dozen blonde-haired, blue-eyed white chicks from Canada. I knew this was coming, but I was still startled to find a whole bunch of people who looked like me. Trippy.
This large group of volunteers not only exceeded the number of volunteer bunks at the hospital; it provided an opportunity to do several in-service education days with all of the Haitian nursing staff for the Peds unit. Of course I participated in the classes, because I’ve been here long enough and picked up enough Kreyol that I’m pretty well Haitian now. We made use of the education center in the new hospital buildings across the street that we are expanding to. We went over assessments and ventilator settings and NICU protocols and new unit procedures. It was a really constructive and much appreciated opportunity for the Peds staff. Meanwhile, I got the impression it was an overwhelming few days for the volunteers who were left manning the unit on their own.
When we were on break from the class or done for the day I would go over to check on the ladies on the unit. It was kind of fun to see how comfortable I was with the chaos that was making some of them spazz out. The chaos is totally normal to me now. I embrace it, it feels like home. In lieu of having Haitian nurses I played hostess for them in some ways, being the person most acquainted with where things are, how things are done and so forth. That little overstuffed building feels like home now and it’s fun to feel like I’m not a guest anymore but part of the family.
Night Shift
Since there were so many volunteers in this week it really didn’t seem imperative for me to be at the hospital. I just floated and helped out around the unit, mostly cuddling with the two orphaned kiddos we have on the unit right now or running errands and tracking down supplies. But I just enjoy being at the hospital too much to not be there when there are such fun people to be around and you never know what you will get to see or do there.
Since I could afford to be flexible and my friends Sam and Kensy were going to be working night shift in Peds at the end of the week, I decided to try out my first night shift and see a different side of the hospital. So I lounged around the house all day yesterday, tried unsuccessfully to take a nap in the afternoon, drank a Coke and headed to the hospital at 1700.
It was super chill, quiet, laid back. I started off helping out in the NICU and at midnight I traded with another nurse who was coming on and wanted NICU, so I took a few patients out on the Peds unit. I didn’t ever feel super tired like I was going to fall asleep. I jammed to some tunes on my iphone for a bit. I took time to cheer for the NBA games that were on TV in the unit. When my babies woke up I fed them and held them and spoiled them a little bit. I chatted with my friends. I stood outside and admired the sky. It happened to be the Haitian holiday Day of the Dead yesterday, which didn’t change much for me, except to add the occasional background music of gunfire to the nighttime soundtrack for whatever reason. Before I knew it 0600 was upon us and I handed over my kiddos to someone else and stepped outside.
I knew there was an empty bed where I could lie down if I wanted, but I was too jazzed up from the adrenaline of the night and Coke number two. People commented on how perky I was. I too was surprised at my own energy. So I went up on the roof to enjoy God’s gift to me- my reward for being alive and with open eyes at that hour of the morning. He really knows the way to my heart.
The adventure didn’t end there either. I got drowsy after reading on the roof for a little while so I decided to try to go to sleep in the bunkrooms. Unfortunately, that was also the time that the abundantly large group of Canadians were packing up their things and talking loudly right outside the room. That, combined with a few more bouts of gunfire from the rough part of town behind the hospital put an end to my attempts at such a foolish activity as sleep. So I gave it up as a bad job and joined the crowd outside the rooms and ate some delicious breakfast spaghetti. I wandered around the complex a bit and harassed a few people, then found my way back to the unit. It was turning out to be quite busy in there so I made myself useful by holding cute babies and such. Then it got really busy and despite my excuses about being ridiculously sleep deprived, I felt quite alert again (I was onto Coke number three) and when the Meadows arrived to pick me up at 1230 I had just masterfully placed an IV in a little baby and was giving a fluid bolus.
Which brings me to this point- sitting upright at 1730, almost 36 hours from my last pillow-contact. Not really sure how this is happening. I think I am starting to slightly detach from reality. I have snapped back a couple times from zoning out while typing mid-sentenceeeenaoiwdnwfoa;iewnt……….
Whew. I’m back. There you are. At this point it only really makes sense to persevere for a few more loopy-headed hours and then crash in a major way at Senior Citizen hours. I will say though, I never thought I would enjoy and have the energy for a night shift, but when you are with awesome people doing what you love, midnight is no different from noon. I was also legitimately bummed to leave the hospital when I did- there was stuff going on and I didn’t want to leave, not for sleep or anything. That’s when you find out that you really are doing what you are meant to do. When you don’t want to walk away for food or sleep or a shower, because it’s just good and it feels like it matters and it fills your soul more deeply than any of those other things. And even though I’m just volunteering, this work is making me rich, deeply rich.
Pray
I still don’t know what happens next. Please send up some mega prayers for direction. Pray that my last week (ack!! super lame-o!!) is purposeful and so good. Pray that I would have peace in leaving, even if I don’t know for sure when I will be back.
Thanks, friends!! I’ll be seeing most of you very soon!!
No comments:
Post a Comment