13/365 to be on the other side of the hospital bed

so...my day started as usual, up at 5am, head to work. We just had the HUGE blizzard the day before so the drive to work was a little longer but nonetheless I made it in. Al was scheduled  at 4:40 for a Dr.'s appt to check what we figured was a sinus infection. He called me around 5:15pm to inform me that the Dr. sent him right to the emergency room. I am scheduled to work until 8pm so thankfully I was able to get out early to be with him in the hospital. He was admitted to the hospital down the street so all I had to do was walk a little bit to be with him ;)

We spent 7 hours that night waiting, testing, IV's, antibiotics, neurology, CT scan...eventually made it to the floor at 1:30am. I was exhausted and so was poor Al. Turned out he did have a sinus infection which lead to a cellulitis of his orbital space which lead to the top layer of his maxillary bone to become infected. He was in soooo much pain, it was the greatest relief when he got morphine. This photo was taken right while we were waiting to meet with the 1st of many Dr.'s that evening. It is so different to be on the other side of the bed. It only makes me want to be so much better as a CRNA to my patients and their families. You see things, feel things, know things, that no one else does until they LISTEN....and we all know many of the practitioners are so busy they sometimes forget to listen.....