Most of ICU was a blur. But I do remember having to get one of those beds that change your body from side to side. That always bugged me because sometimes it would turn me too far, and I would just be stuck there. The nurses coming to me and changing my IV’s and keeping a cloth on my head, and doses of advil to keep my temperature down.
Hanging out with my cousin was pretty cool. I was dazed and drugged up, still couldn’t talk. But I tried really hard I can remember him and I talking through hand signals, and the big ole smile on hiss face when I tried to talk. even though I was all fucked up. I still kept a sense of humor some how, and would start messing with people trying to talk to me, because I realized that I wouldn’t be talking again for a while. You have no idea how frustrating it is trying to get your point across when you are trying to complete just a sentence. Even writing was a challenge, it was all chicken scratch from what I remember. It’s bad enough my penmanship is already horrible this just looked like a 1 year olds scribble.
I have flashbacks of looking up at family members with worried faces. That kind of worried face you see when someone you love loses someone and you are at a funeral with them. The nurses were amazing. the boss nurse was pretty ridiculous. She was a very powerful woman, and wasn’t afraid to tell you what was on her mind. I can remember just sitting there watching infomercials in my bed at like 2 or 3am in the morning, and her coming up to me saying OH man give me that remote, damn infomercials! We cant have you watching infomercials, lets get you a movie or something.
Sue, was one of my favorites, she was like my nurse mom. She and I would talk about her days going up to a beach house in Santa Barbara, and how they used to have every kind of toy you could imagine, and they’d spend all summer there, just playing at the beach. She was sandy blonde, probably 45 or so. Just the sweetest woman I had ever met, I could tell she had become personally attached to me.
Then there was my Harley Davidson rider nurse, she used to always say, “You should just be glad you’re not a window licker!” In a firm, but smartass voice. She was pretty cute too, she must have been 35 or so, tall and thin with a mean tan, almost like one of those girls you see working on a farm. Not overly pretty, but just a really cool down to earth person.
I forgot her name I think it was maribel, something like that. She was one of my favorites. She was a latina woman, you could tell she had some traditions from the homeland installed in her. Because she really knew how to make me feel comfortable. When she would take care of me she would hum disney songs, in this sweet little voice. And she would almost dance around my room, as she was humming, giving me my medicines, and watching over me. I was even lucky enough to get a foot massage from her. That was awesome! I hadn’t left the bed in over a month, and it was just perfect timing. I really miss her, she went out of her way to take care of me.
I can’t give enough to thank the nurses in my ICU unit. When you hear the expression, “nursed back to health” this is where it comes from. I even go back periodically and visit all of them, and man when I see the look on their faces I almost break out into tears, last time I went Sue had a big ‘ole smile on her face, gave me the biggest hug, and then almost ran off as if she had to cry. I stopped going as much though, because everytime I go they are really busy, and I feel like I get in the way and distract them from what they need to do their. For all the nurses out there especially ICU units. I had no idea how strong of individuals you are, to be able to this job must be absolutely mind numbing! I just wanted to give my thanks to all the nurses at the Los Robles ICU. I couldn’t have ever had a better experience and to this day I still miss every one of you!