I'm going to strangle a nurse

OK, so now I can vent. Sadie's nurse yesterday was completely incompetent, so it was a really long day. She spent most of her morning watching the Today show, followed by the View. When something really good came on that she wanted to see, she left Sadie and the little boy next door and went somewhere more quiet to watch. I was horrified to see the little guy's stats falling, and couldn't find her anywhere. I got another nurse to cover the first time. The second time it was Sadie's alarms sounding, and again, she was off watching TV. She came in flustered, messed with the heating element alarm, couldn't figure it out and turned it off. Then, because Sadie was congested sounding, she started thumping her chest - DIRECTLY on her newly opened wound (they had to reopen it because it was beginning to look infected). I managed not to beat the crap out of her long enough to get the head nurse, who shoed her out to lunch. The head nurse (who I really like) promised to stay on her the rest of the day.

To make my day even better, the Incompetent Nurse came back, and because she was "forced" to take care of her patients, spent the day with us. The woman was insane. Talking to herself. Rocking. Twisting her hair like mad. More than twice I caught her in total lies about her care for the two kids she was watching. At the end of the shift I told the head nurse that if she ever came near Sadie again, we would have a throw down. I can handle crazy. I can handle incompetence, even. But not with Sadie, and not right now. I felt even worse for the little guy next door, who's much more critical at this point and didn't have parents there watching out for him.

So, that was my fun day. Luckily Jane, one of my favorites, was on last night, and Sadie's stats have been fine. I think it's funny how the competence of the nurse relates directly to how their stats are. Tells you something.

On a brighter note, Sadie's chest drainage tube came out yesterday. The cardiology assistant asked me if I wanted to keep some for her scrapbook. Ewww. But, since asked, I said "sure." I have no clue what to do with it.

Sadie's also off the heater now, and covered in blankies and a hat. Too cute. Her swelling is going down fast now, and it's wierd to see this new baby emerge from underneath all that edema. And the foley was taken out yesterday and she's pooping and peeing up a storm in her diapers. Hooray! You know it's a sad story when a mom is so thrilled at the prospect of changing diapers in a few days. With this baby, I don't think I'll ever begrudge the diapers, late night feedings or other things that tend to wear you down in the early days. It will be a treat just to hold her.