Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Life in the OR



So today at work I amputated a leg. I was just standing there holding this leg while the doctor was sawing it off. As I was standing there I was thinking....this is gross...but pretty dang cool. It wasn't always like that though....

Quick story: My first semester of college I was watching TLC's Trauma in the ER in my dorm sitting area. Remember, I was 18, had just graduated and had not entered nursing school yet. They were showing footage of the trauma surgeon fixing a broken leg. It was really gross and I had to look away. Well, the next thing I knew I was laying flat on the couch with a ton of people around me asking me if I was ok. Ya, I fainted. I'm glad I was sitting down! From then on I told myself I could never work with broken legs or bones of any kind.

And now....here I am....holding a leg while Dr D. cuts it off. Oh the irony.

Sometimes I forget how gross the stuff is that we see everyday. We have a bunch of new nurses coming in right out of school and a few of them were observing today. Two of them asked to sit down during the surgery. I said "Of course! Please sit down if you feel nauseous. I did the same thing! " Sometimes I forget this is pretty gross.


1 comment:

April said...

I totally remember that! I mean I remember you telling me! Crazy how life turns out huh?