Bonded

I'm glad to report that my nails are now shaped and filed. They were beyond haggard so I gave in and chopped and filed. Last night I awoke at five PM without an alarm. I felt like there were thumbs in my eyes. I tossed around the idea of taking the newly arrived Holiday cards to work with me to address them in my down time but I got a hunch that down time would not be in my reach tonight. The hunch was in fact correct.

Last night was another evening of running, triage, starting too many IV's too count and it all started off with me having to circulate an OR case that was already underway at the start of my shift. On went the cap, gown, booties mask, and of course the smile as reported to duty. The doors of labor and delivery never had a chance to close as mommies and daddies continually flowed through. There was enough amniotic fluid and blood in the unit last night to fill a lake. The quiet never had a chance last night as it was constantly overthrown by all of the cries of newborns.

Besides that I had to deal with an "incident that occured during a patient transfer that resulted in an explosion of a flourescent light. Gee the fun.

The highlights of the evening were that I was interrogated by two twenty something year olds about a career in nursing and how much they admired my work. I too admired their work as they were both sleeved up and down both arms, overcame narcotic addiction, husbands being in prison and one was giving birth to her second born. In the few hours we were together the three of us women were one. We all had challenges in life, hard spots, and down times and we all understood that by sharing, understanding and expressing honest compassion for one another that we were supporting each other. Three different women, one reason for meeting and all because somehow this strange universe had planned to pull us together to learn from one another. Open minds, shine light on hearts and allow us to be in a place in life that we wouldn't otherwise envision ourselves.

I was woven into last night. I was awake, open, aware and ready. My heart felt full. Illumination of souls poured into every moment of our work. There was enough laughter to vanquish all the sorrows in the world in just our little L&D unit alone. Warriors entering a battle, we collectively chose victory and thus it was awarded to us without effort. I feel like part of a family now.