ER encounters

I've been working the night shift in the ER. I work from 7pm to 6am. It's really been bringing me back to the days of my freshman year of college when I would pull all nighters on purpose. Why??? No specifics come to mind, but I'm sure there was a good reason at the time. I've actually had several reminders of single life while out here in Ohio. The first is good ol' pillowtalk with your roomies. Lexie and I lay awake at night talking in the dark before we go to bed (it brings memories of many a great pillowtalk coverstations pre-marriage). Actually, right before I got married we squished 3 people into one room to maximize girl time before I dove into the world of matrimony which consequently resulted in a roomate whose pillowtalking abilities lack the endurance of my previous pillowtalking affiliates.

When I first got in to Ohio, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things to eat. And, this also brought back pre-marriage flashbacks as I bought a few of my single-life favorites which I don't usually get away with nowadays. My entire fridge is full of foods that I can make in much less than 15 minutes, that are the perfect size for one person, bought without second thought of whether Derek would like this or consider it substantial enough to be called "dinner." This is sort of nice.

Okay, now on to the real reason for the blog. I wanted to post a few things I have encountered here in the ER. So, I guess this is the offical warning that the following could be potentially stomach churning....

#1 A lady came into the ER the other night with her jaw "stuck open." I guess she was yawning and dislocated her mandible (the picture is one of a dislocated mandible). We had to put her to sleep because otherwise her jaw muscles would not relax enough to allow up to reduce this jaw dislocation. So after she was asleep, we pulled her jaw down and pushed it back into the joint. Then, we tied a splint around her jaw to keep it in place and protect it from re-dislocation. I have since learned that this is a well known occurance here in the ER and that the causative effect is almost always yawning. So, a warning to the wise...do not yawn too wide!

#2 Tonight, a 22 year-old male was brought into the ER by the police because of "suicidal actions." I guess he got really drunk at a party and did "something stupid" (what exactly I'm not sure). Anyways, his girlfriend wanted to break-up with him as a result of his actions. He decided to threaten to commit sucide in order to convince her not to break-up with him?!? (I guess that was supid action #2 of the night due to his over-consumption of alcohol). So anyways, he grabbed a knife and was holding it over his wrist threatening to cut it. In his drunkeness, he accidently dropped the knife on his wrist and very superficially cut his wrist. So, we had to just make sure he wasn't indeed suicidal and that he was safe to release to go home.

#3 Later tonight, or I guess I should say early this morning, a gentleman was brought into the ER by "the SQUAD" (which is the ambulance crew out here in Ohio). I guess he was out delivering newpapers when he came across a car that needed to be jumped. So, he was hooking up his jumper cables to their car when he discovers these people had jumped into his van and started to drive off. He tried to stand in front of them to stop them, but they just ran into him throwing him to the ground. Hence, the current trip to the ER. He luckily had no broken bones just some big bruises, but so much for helping those in need eh?!?

#4 About 30 minutes later, the police come in with the man who stole the newspaper delivery man's van. They found him after he blew out a tire on the van he stole which caused him to veer off the road knocking down someone's backyard fence, running over their trampoline, and then into a lightpole. He then was witnesses rolling out of the car and running into a field. The police at that point chased him down and brought him here to the ER complaining of back and neck pain. Where we proceded to examine him, catheterize him for a urine sample (because he said he didn't have to pee), and of course xray him to rule out any fractures.

Anyways, ER is fun so far. And, I am surviving the night shift with all the excitement as of late. But I am look forward to switching to the day shift in a few weeks.