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| the meaning of being a nurse
My grandfather is laying on the bed in the room where I am watching tv and working on my computer. He's not laying in his own bed outside. I know he's laying here because he wants to be near me. He feels safer with me around, just because I'm a nurse now.
It's interesting how I'm getting more respect and acknowledged as being more knowledgeable, all because I'm a nurse now. I don't feel any different. They see me as someone who has the power to magically take away the problem. I don't have that power, not even a doctor has that power. Especially in western medicine, where it's all about popping a pill to make the symptoms go away. But they believe that I have that power, and expect me to do something about it, and so I do.
An hour ago, my grandfather woke up with numbness and tingling in his hand. His circulation hasn't been very good for the longest time now so it's normal. As I've suggested to him, he may have slept on his hand, but that brought no ease of mind to him. He kept wondering if it's because he didn't take a certain medication. He does have a medication to help his circulation, but he's suppose to take that a little later tonight after he eats. I'm no doctor, so I can't say "ok, take it earlier". Instead, I talked to him and paid attention to what's bothering him: his numbness and tingling in his arm.
If this was in the hospital, a doctor will probably come to take a look at him, then give him some meds. There was not much I can do for him. I did what I learned to do: Assess. His hands are warm. His capillary refill was less than 3 seconds. Everything was normal, except for the tingling that he keeps complaining about. It's very possible that he just pressed on his arm when he slept, or his blood vessels are easily occluded when he bends a certain way. All I could do was try to persuade him to give it a little more time and relax his hands, to let the blood flow through.
He kept telling me when he squeezes his hands really hard, it feels better. That made sense to me, because whenever my hands get tingling from loss of circulation, it does feel better when you apply pressure. So then I tried what I remembered my mom did for me. I started massaging his arms, which he said didn't help. Then I started patting his hand with both my hands, something my mom had also tried and felt better. This time he said he did feel much better. I did that for about 5 minutes, and he tells me it's getting better. This is when he tells me if I could stay by his side. I guess he trusts me to care for him.
I didn't feel like I did much. I just did what I remembered would make it feel better. This was not something I learned in nursing school. He saw me as a competent nurse who knew exactly what I was doing and he felt safer with me around. I felt almost like an imposter, thinking I hadn't done anything special, I didn't do anything as a nurse. Then I thought: maybe this IS what nursing is about. It's about paying attention to the person and what's important for that person, even if you know it's nothing. It's about helping the patient feel better and know that there is nothing to worry about (when there really is nothing to worry about). It's about making the person feel like someone is there watching out for them, and making them safe.
My gf had said to me one time, "You know if a guy is good to you by watching how he takes care of you when you are sick." I guess I passed that test. I cared for her. In nursing, I guess all I have to do is care about and for every one of my patients, with similar dedication that I had for my gf, except of course with boundaries since they are my patients. I do hope I am a great nurse.
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| For 6 days now, I've been a NEW NURSE! hahaha. haven't done anything with it yet. heh.
Congratulations to ME!!! haha.
Henry Lam, RN!!! YEA!!
Anyways, Let's write something real.
From time to time, I'd come back to xanga, not necessarily writing anything, but at least reading my subscriptions.
Especially when I read posts from facebook in the FJ communities, I find that most people are desparate to find companionship, including girls. Of course, I know love is the single most important thing to nearly the whole world and everyone is searching for it, but this is the first time I'm seeing it so obviously broadcast to the public on this public website.
I've been in my relationship for 4 years now. I've forgotten how lonely it felt to be single and yearning to find someone I can spend my life with, someone I can share my happy times and my sad times with, and build my life with. But every once in a while, especially when I'm reading things on facebook or xanga, I get the abdominal uneasiness of nostalgia. I empathize with all those people out there, who are looking for love, and going through the painful game of dating.
Honestly, if I weren't in a relationship right now, I'd be looking online and even to China. However, with all these new FJ community groups, I'd definitely be in there 24/7. The problem with all these sites are that, everyone is always afraid of the weirdos. But most people don't realize that everyone has one major thing in common, they are looking for someone they can share their life with. I believe this is why eHarmony and Match.com is so successful; Everyone in there join for the same common reason and goal. People may not be as afraid to let their guard down and actually admit that they are looking for companionship. By the step of joining the sites, they've already admitted that fact. There has to be a better way.
To find a solution to this lovesickness problem, we have to find the source. The problem we have is that there are so many people out there who are just looking for some ass, both guys and girls guilty. It would be so much easier if those people with the same goal stay together. The rest are looking for someone they hope will work out. Then there's my theory that many initially nice guys become "players" from the fault of the first few girls that they date. Of course, that's a whole different debate of "which came first, the chicken or the egg." There has to be a better way.
I can't imagine the pain I'll feel when I see my kids going through the same thing. Hopefully they don't have it as bad as I did. I can only do what everyone is probably doing; encourage them to stay strong, that there are lots of nice people out there that are looking for the same thing you are, Just need to be patient. Maybe even direct him (or her?) to the FJ communities online. As my friend says, "Most FJ guys are searching for a wife, not a gf." This is the opposite of the so called "players" in the American culture. However, ironically, he was a player himself, at least I thought so.
It does not have to be this hard. Many times I am also angered by the fact that so many girls and guys alike, are looking for the same thing, yet there's this barrier of communication or fear of admitting that both sides are desperate. I understand the reason of the fear, but that doesn't change the fact that it's causing so much sadness for so many people. It just sucks. I hope sites like eHarmony and Match.com are truly helping many people to find happiness. Maybe there should be a group on facebook specifically for FJs. Maybe it should say "for FJ's to make friends and meet in person to hang out as friends, and maybe develop into something more." I'd think these groups would be a sausage group, with everyone fighting over the girls.
Anyways, good luck to those looking for companionship. I understand.
Henry Lam, RN!!! hahaha. Had to get that in. 
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| Study Study Study!
Time to get that License!
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| Been ages since I went to this website.
I'm glad to say I passed the first semester. Unfortunately, a couple of my friends didn't make it through.
Two more semesters to go.
Once I make it out, I'll be contacting as many of my old friends as I can.
Until then, even though I see you online, I'm not going to IM you.
well, MOST of you guys/girls.
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| I guess I should put something new.
I got into Nursing School.
AHHHHHH.
See everyone in one year.
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