Re: missing working as an RN....back to , back to work!!

[Guest guest]

That is great , I am very happy you can return to work

eventually!! You have been through a lot, and I am sure it has just

made you stronger...and a better nurse (it sure made me a better

nurse).

I had my first severe pancreatitis after my first ERCP (because of a

Lap Chole that left stones behind). The doc never got the stones

out, just about killed me trying to! So from Feb 92-Sept 92, I got

sicker, and thinner, and finally yellow, with my liver enzymes thru

the roof. That GI doc was afraid to touch me, so he sent me to UCLA

where I had a bile duct sphincterotomy by Dr. Stuart Sherman...(he

than left to IU, no, not because of me, lol). In June 1993, I had a

ex lap, and they reworked my cystic duct, and I cannot remember what

else. I have had 34 hospitilizations thru the last 13 years. I kept

going back to work each time. I remember working a 16 hour shift in

the ER one day, then I went and got myself checked in to the

ER...and was admitted to the hospital for 1 week! I know how you

feel, I just did not want to give up working! I was able to keep

working, even after I developed an autoimmune disease in April 1992

(now Dx as Lupus). Now I was dealing with 2 nasty illnesses, and I

kept working. My poor daughter was convinced I was going to die.

Before I finally went on medical leave, I was working at the ER,

teaching ADN nursing students at the local college, and spending

race weekends as an RN at the California Speedway!! I then would

work one day, and sleep all the next day...and my fatige got worse,

and worse. Not to mention I was taking care of patients with my

immune system suppressed!! One day at work, the ER doc said I looked

pale, and she drew my blood. All my labs were awful, including a

white blood cell count of 1....so I had to step back, and look at

what was happening. My daughter was right, if I kept up like that I

would have died...sooner, rather than later!

I really feel for you, I have been reading the board for quite a

while and felt so bad when I saw you had that emergency surgery. I

know that all I have been through made me such a better nurse, as

far as really understanding pain, and just being the patient!! I

hope I can get better and work again, even if it's one or two days a

week. I had planned to start working toward my Master's Degree too.

I have been an RN/BSN for almost 20 years, and I love being a

nurse :-)

Thanks for your supportive words...

Take Care,

Debbie, CA