So much for a calm and pleasant day.

I walk in the room to 3 stat exams.  No time for breakfast, no time to relax.  Hit the ground running, Mandy!

I’ve got myself caught up now.  It was touch and go for a while there.  We have a temporary radiologist today, and he has no experience with our system, or the dictaphone, or any of the equipment we use.  I think it was a little arrogant of our radiologists to NOT come in and help him out.  Someone could have donated an hour to get him set up and prepared, and give him an idea of what to do.  Instead, they wrote him 3 pages of instructions, and just left.  It took us over an hour to figure out all of the notes, and the order of what needed to be done.  Stupid. ><

I scanned a 1 day old baby.  He was so tiny.  So sweet.  I want one. :/

On to the story!

Last night I did a carotid ultrasound on a lady in her 80’s.  She was tiny, and patient, and very sweet.  When I finished the exam, and put in the transport order, I sat and chatted with her instead of leaving her alone in the hallway to wait.  She was my last patient of the night, and I could afford the courtesy.  I started asking her questions, and listened to what she had to say.  Right when I finished the exam, she said to me, “You know,  the last time I was in the hospital was when my husband died.  I keep expecting to see him waiting for me in the halls when I come out.”  That just tore at my heart.

I asked her when she lost her husband, and she said March 11th.  She went on to tell me that 3 other members in her family have passed on since January.  She said that her son brought her up her to the hospital because she’d had mini-strokes before, and she didn’t want to take a risk.  She told me that she spends most of her time at this sons house, because she can’t stand being home alone anymore.  She said it feels like a different house since she lost her husband.

She then went on to tell me that she didn’t realize how wonderful her life was until she lost him.  She said she was so happy, and everything was perfect, and now it’s all gone.  She said she doesn’t even know how to handle the days anymore.  And this October would have been their 60th wedding anniversary.  She just misses him so much.  I told her I hoped she got better really soon, and that I would pray for her.  The moment she left my ultrasound room, I started crying. 

I can’t imagine how it would feel to be so alone.  Because I can’t imagine losing the 10 months I’ve had with Brock.  60 years together, and she’s lost her other half.  Her heart must be so broken.  It makes me cry still.