filling the air

i realized fresh bloody images were a test for me when

we were shown pictures of a brain tumour removal surgery this morning. i cringed at 1st at the sight of the crimson red bloody face, could still take it, and as the day passed, it was forgotten.

later on this evening, i spent 1.5 hours observing a wound dressing being done for a patient with a severe pressure sore at the sacral area.

it was a super huge wound of 10cm x 10 cm x 4 cm. with 4 more smaller wounds beside it, some of which connects to the huge wound in the centre via a tunnel.

as i walked back from the wards to my room, i could still smell and see the image of the wound in front of me. the image isnt so bad. it's the putrid smell that filled the air the moment the wound was exposed. (wore a mask but it didnt help)

at that very moment, my mind was filled with amazement, wonder and awe for all eternity for all nurses in this country, who spend their days in wards through all stench, blood, pus, ammonia etc. to tend to the needs of esp frail patients.

i will never ever in future question the intensity of the job of a nurse, and the passion she/he has for patients! not that i have ever been questioning it before this. lol.

n i brace myself for tougher moments in houseman years as i watched a brannula being inserted relentlessly into the femoral artery of a patient with more than 10 tries and still not succeeding, n few more attempts to draw blood from that area which also failed. (the patient is paralyzed from the umbilical level thankfully, thus not feeling any pain)

wow.