pandoradawn

Normally I enjoy my job and I have been doing it for the last 14 years.....I am a nurse in Cardiothoracic Surgery. Went to work yesterday and we were going to operate on a 76 year old lady who had already had several previous operations on her heart (meaning this one was going to be much more difficult and riskier). As her family was kissing and hugging her before surgery, there was one more grandson to come in....a fellow nurse of mine said "One more person to say goodbye", the lady said "I never say goodbye, just see you later...." I have to say this was very ominous to me, just her saying that. We went back to the OR and moved her over to the bed, and when we were inducing anesthesia, she just lost her blood pressure....I mean *boom* all of a sudden. As we were doing CPR, basically squishing her poor old heart, I was thinking "She knew she may not make it through this surgery and it may be hell afterward if she does, so she just decided to go now". I have seen many people die, and in my line of work you almost have to desensitize yourself a little just to get the work done, but this one hit me hard. I mean, just 9 days before Christmas, and with what she said before we took her in.....makes a person think for sure. I guess what I took from it after everything was to be thankful for what you have and who you have in your life.

On an unrelated note, I got an early Christmas present this week. I was diagnosed with melanoma in 2001 and so have had many skin biopsies over the years. I just had one a few weeks ago, and they called me with the results -- no new melanoma!!!! I know not everyone may understand this, but it sure is great to me!!