'Heather Auman' Tagged Posts

MESSY ACCOMPLISHMENTS I was talking with my infusion nurse this week about difficulties starting IVs on people who are “hard sticks” (like me). She told me a story about when she was new working in the ER and not sure if she was going to make it at the job. One night they were short-staffed, and despite the fact she was inexperienced, she had to start an IV on a particularly hard case, an older lady with no veins to…

GETTING ON AN ELEVATOR I made the mistake before one of my recent surgeries of looking up, the night before the procedure, exactly what was going to happen. It took those vague words “spinal laminectomy and lumbar fusion” and turned them into ones to inspire anxiety if not terror in the one who was facing the procedure. Google even supplied a couple of un-asked-for photos in addition to the text which were particularly unhelpful. Quite understandably, I could not sleep…

NO PAIN, NO GAIN After my recent surgery, there was a lot of trouble controlling my pain. I woke up hearing someone moaning, and after a minute realized it was me. My pain meds had not fully kicked in yet, even though I was conscious. I immediately asked the nurse for help, and shortly after the pain was under control. Then a couple times, they were a few minutes late dispensing my next dose of medication, and the pain returned…