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JanesO
I guess we all go into dry places in all areas of our lives from time to time. I seem to frequent them often. LOL You are always missed.
posted by
Justi
on February 7, 2005 at 4:53 PM
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Sorry, my dear Justso, I have been busy.
But thank you for noticing my absense. 
I have also been somewhat lacking in inspiration if the truth be told.
posted by
JanesOpinion
on February 7, 2005 at 4:34 PM
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JanesO
I have missed you. I have looked for a new post. Guess you were too busy. Glad you're here today. Be blessed.
posted by
Justi
on February 7, 2005 at 2:40 PM
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Thanks Word.smith. You are very kind!
Hey, I thought of you when I was looking at a friend's cruise photos. She spent some time in Jamaica and I thought "hmmm, wonder if she might have bumped into word.smith." Probably not. If anything, she bumped into one of the other gazillion tourists on the island. She had a blast!!!
posted by
JanesOpinion
on February 7, 2005 at 2:13 PM
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Jane, maybe you could give us a
blog about your candidates that definitely won't qualify for the spelling bee. You folks who take care of others are tops. 
posted by
word.smith
on February 6, 2005 at 11:44 AM
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Dark Dreamer, thanks for your comments. I've sent you an email. . . .
posted by
JanesOpinion
on February 4, 2005 at 8:23 AM
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Ha! Littlemspickles,
it is quite an unwelcome sight to behold. One of those findings where you do a double take and then look more closely to see if your brain registered correctly. Then you gingerly put on a glove, and pick up the black appendage to look at it more closely, and then you put it in a sterile cup to save for the doctor to see. . . and then after covering the patient back up, you sit down and take a deep breath, and a long drink of cold water. And then after collecting your wits, you mention, quite casually, your findings to your coworkers, and enjoy their reaction.
posted by
JanesOpinion
on February 4, 2005 at 8:22 AM
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JanesOpinion ....
my friend has serious complications with her diabetes. She is so young but having so many issues with her circulation in her legs and feet. She has developed several, red patches on her lower extremeties and nobody has answers for her. They grow from dime size to small palm size within a years time. As far as skin tags, I have disliked that term/word since my very first clinical rotation at a senior's home. Mrs. A had one that I mistook for an earing ... Boy did it ever dangle .. 
YIKES! 
posted by
Dark_Dreamer
on February 4, 2005 at 5:02 AM
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eeewww
I'm a bit squeamish and I have no idea how I'd cope with pulling back the bedsheets and finding toes!
posted by
littlemspickles
on February 4, 2005 at 3:51 AM
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Hi Sarooster,
you can actually take a sharp knife that you've sterilized and just whack it off at the stalk -- or you could use sterilized scissors and snip it. You'll hardly feel it! I would only do this with smaller ones. Then apply pressure with something clean -- cotton gauze or something and hold pressure for awhile. They will stop bleeding eventually (and it's actually not a whole lot of blood, just looks like it) if you keep holding pressure. One of the docs I had my NP clinicals with said that her husband had her take some of his off. She brought a sterile scalpel from work, but forgot the Monsel's solution to stop the bleeding. She said he bled for awhile but it gradually stopped and was no big deal. Good luck!
posted by
JanesOpinion
on February 3, 2005 at 3:47 PM
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I have skin tags and I have never had any fall off.
I have tried several things, but I don't want todo them up bad.They do tend to bleed, don't they! I have just recently tried tea tree oil and it does not seem to work either. Any suggestions?
posted by
sarooster
on February 3, 2005 at 10:46 AM
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Ha! Thanks, Justso.
It does certainly help having a sense of humor and I'm sure Taps would concur, although there've been many a time I haven't seen the humor in something until later when I've recovered from the stress of it all. Yes, I can just see you shaking out the sheets, screeching about finding a black toe!! It is rather gross.
posted by
JanesOpinion
on February 2, 2005 at 8:19 PM
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Bee bop alue
How ever you spell it. This is the cutest post. I don't mean to sound uncaring but I can't imagine myself as a nurse. You and Taps have the greatest sense of humor. I would run from the hospital flapping the patient's sheet in the wind getting away from the toe that seperated itself during the night. I am having to laugh at your work so as not to laugh at myself. I am already older'n dirt. Great post.
posted by
Justi
on February 2, 2005 at 5:58 PM
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Word.smith, have you read any of the medical misspellings
that have been compiled? Some of them are downright hilarious! I don't have any examples at the moment, but a person's charting -- misspelled words or poorly constructed sentences -- can make for some fun reading. Thanks for stopping by!
posted by
JanesOpinion
on February 2, 2005 at 12:05 PM
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That talk about 'narcotic' toes and missing teeth gave me a laugh.
posted by
word.smith
on February 2, 2005 at 11:36 AM
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I know it wasn't, but it does sound painful.
I have a wart on my face that looks like I can just pull if off, however, I know better. Wouldn't want to start a red geyser.
posted by
word.smith
on February 2, 2005 at 11:35 AM
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That's good, Taps!
Yes, I was sure you could relate. Gotta love narcotic toes, eh? The pain is certainly completely deadened.
That was good. We tend to lose teeth down the laundry chute. And then the poor housekeeping people have to go hunting through bags of dirty laundry. Not fun.
posted by
JanesOpinion
on February 2, 2005 at 11:09 AM
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JanesO - Lot of experience here with necrotic toes--not my own. Have found lots of things in patient's beds--many teeth, whole toenails or fingernails, and yes even necrotic toes. It is not a pretty thing this getting old. You know how you have to document every thing in patient charts. I really cracked up reading where one nurse documented about a patient's
narcotic toes. LOL
posted by
TAPS.
on February 2, 2005 at 10:48 AM
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