Carry on nursing
I was in such a hurry to let the slouching teenager back onto MySpace, that I forgot to mention one of the most important elements of Dose 10. The Christie's team.
They really are amazing. Very professional and knowledgeable, enormously caring (towards both Quent and myself) and so attentive. Nurses, Doctors, the Catering staff, Prof himself. All of them. When it's appropriate to chat and have a joke, they will; when it's not, they just get on with the job in hand, calmly and efficiently. There is a great team spirit amongst them. Every time a new one comes onto the scene, I find myself thinking how lovely she / he is.
It was so reassuring that they remained utterly calm through the trials of Dose 10. Always at Quent's side, checking and monitoring everything, but not an ounce of panic. As one of the Critical Care nurses explained, if most patients had even one parameter (blood pressure, SATS, pulse etc) as abnormal as an IL-2 patient, they would be straight onto the High Dependency Unit (HDU). I know they are all very concerned, but their calm exterior is a real tonic.
The nurses are firm favourites with Oakley too. We won the ward Hallowe'en raffle and Oakley is delighted with his new skeleton mug, eyeball chocolates, glow in the dark spiders, decorations etc. Literally more gifts than he can count. "It's my favourite" he exclaimed as he opened each one. I didn't allow the trident into bed with him, but he took the inflatable ghost and Hallowe'en cat. I could hear it purring Happy Hallowe'en as I passed his room on my way to bed.
Now we are back home, Quent's nursing team consists of myself and Oakley. Not quite the same level of professionalism, but we lack nothing in love. We have put together a care plan. My suggestions of being gentle and playing quietly were trumped by Oakley's ideas - such as ice cream for breakfast and making some Calpol out of Lego. Just as good as a handful of drugs, I am sure.
They really are amazing. Very professional and knowledgeable, enormously caring (towards both Quent and myself) and so attentive. Nurses, Doctors, the Catering staff, Prof himself. All of them. When it's appropriate to chat and have a joke, they will; when it's not, they just get on with the job in hand, calmly and efficiently. There is a great team spirit amongst them. Every time a new one comes onto the scene, I find myself thinking how lovely she / he is.
It was so reassuring that they remained utterly calm through the trials of Dose 10. Always at Quent's side, checking and monitoring everything, but not an ounce of panic. As one of the Critical Care nurses explained, if most patients had even one parameter (blood pressure, SATS, pulse etc) as abnormal as an IL-2 patient, they would be straight onto the High Dependency Unit (HDU). I know they are all very concerned, but their calm exterior is a real tonic.
The nurses are firm favourites with Oakley too. We won the ward Hallowe'en raffle and Oakley is delighted with his new skeleton mug, eyeball chocolates, glow in the dark spiders, decorations etc. Literally more gifts than he can count. "It's my favourite" he exclaimed as he opened each one. I didn't allow the trident into bed with him, but he took the inflatable ghost and Hallowe'en cat. I could hear it purring Happy Hallowe'en as I passed his room on my way to bed.
Now we are back home, Quent's nursing team consists of myself and Oakley. Not quite the same level of professionalism, but we lack nothing in love. We have put together a care plan. My suggestions of being gentle and playing quietly were trumped by Oakley's ideas - such as ice cream for breakfast and making some Calpol out of Lego. Just as good as a handful of drugs, I am sure.
posted by Helen at 10/28/2007 10:24:00 am
5 Comments:
Hello and welcome home.
Please don't feel you are all on your tod.I may not be Christie's standard but did you know I was an auxiliary nurse for 4 months or so when I was 18!!?
Seems like Oakley has it sorted though. My Mum, a genuine, fully qualified, old school, matron trained nurse also advocated ice cream when you were sick. Particularly good if you've had nasty tubes down your throat.
Glad you are all safely home and just remember back up is just a phone call away.
Lots of love
Jo
xx
Must be lovely to be home.
You could try some ice cream analysis. Work your way through the different flavours and produce a spreadsheet of the results. Oakley could give the casting vote to each flavour.
Happy healing.
Jen x
Did you know you can make ice cream with dry ice? There's an article written by Heston Blumenthal on the timesonline that says how. If you do try let us know how it goes ;)
Take care, Sylvaine and Panny
So glad to hear you're all back, resting and recuperating.
H, any little domestics, really just say and I can pick stuff up on way back from work. And let us know when you're up to company.
Meanwhile if Quent has the flaky skin again, I reckon you should send him trick or treating this eve - better than Thriller (or is that showing my age)?
Love to you all
Ju C xxx
Just caught up on all the postings after half term away - I feel exhausted just reading, so what must you all be feeling like? Sorry, have no helpful tips on ice cream, so I'd just run with Oakley's suggestion...Enjoy being home. Thinking of you.
Jayne x etc
Post a Comment
<< Home