Thursday, March 17, 2011

Luck O'The (Non) Irish

I did it.

I really just passed my head-to-toe assessment,missing only such minor details as skin turgor, the true position of the Right Lower Lobe/Left Lower Lobe (on the lateral sides) & something else. When that was over,my instructor asked me cheerfully if I felt better about it now.(the answer was no,the anxiety hadn't time to dissipate) & then it was on to the Skills portion. I drew the two easiest skills there were(putting on gown/mask/gloves(& taking off) & drawing up and administering an insulin injection). For one brief moment,my heart stopped as I remembered(too late) that N70/30 is supposed to be rolled prior to draw up but I verbalized it & it was ok.

And then I (so I thought) felt better. About everything.

And then she asked "Can I ask you something?" and I knew precisely where the conversation was going.I can smell invasive personal questioning a mile away.

"Do you wear an insulin pump?" ( yes) "How many years?" (10) etc.etc.
etc.

I guess either the accommodations paperwork found it's way to her or she checked up on it because at no point had I given any indication that I was D,(checked bg,or had a pump in view) unless she really did see me checking my bg in the depths of my purse(& discreetly treat the low) during that first roundtable discussion. (it's not possible to tell someone is D just from how they give an insulin injection) I was going to bring it up the week of clinicals (so she wouldn't have time to forget it) but I guess now was as good as time as any. She was really nice about it,& if I need to test/treat/eat it's fine with her.And if I keel over,well,it's good to know what from.( I assured her that that wasn't likely to happen I don't have many severe lows but it's always a possibility) And it's not like I'm a 2 year old and can't take care of myself but it is incredibly comforting when someone (competent) knows,it takes off some of the burden of trying to handle diabetes & school perfectly.There is wiggle room,in both parallel universes.

And then I felt truly better-and more then ready to chill out for the next week.
(Spring Break starts NOW,woohoo!)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

4 comments:

meanderings said...

Congratulations Heidi!
Enjoy your spring break.

asskeeper said...

so I can uncross everything now. Hopping around was getting painful cause I kept falling.

Simon said...

Hey Heidi
Ive said it before and I insist on saying it again...you are wonderful.
A fantastic achievement and I can hear the joy in the voices of 10000 future patients as their nurse earns her wings.
Keep up the good work.

Scott K. Johnson said...

Way to go!!!!!