For those of you that have not yet had a chance to read my book, Off the Chart A Nurse's Journey of Heart and Humor, here's a story from it. I've shortened it up a bit, but you can read in its entirety, and more like it by picking up a copy of the book. Annette was a royal pain in the ass, but a most delightful pain in the ass!
Her story is one of my personal favorites.
Annette Somberton
She had been a banker's wife, living a privileged life in her Beverly Hills home alongside her reputable spouse and their tiny white poodle. How she ended up all alone in that shabby little mobile home park is unclear, but that's where I found her. She had no friends or family, only the privately paid caregiver that came daily.
She spent her days and nights in a small hospital bed that occupied the center of her modest mobile home. She looked much younger than other women in their seventies. The woman had a loud theatrical voice with a hint of a southern drawl, and she always wore a flannel pajama top—only a flannel pajama top.
Ms. Somberton had suffered an embolic shower, the clots had occluded the circulation in her legs, and as a result, both legs had to be amputated. Because she had an indwelling Foley catheter, she required an ongoing home health nurse to replace the catheter monthly, and as needed for any unforeseen complications.
One day when I visited her, I knew she was in trouble, most likely from a UTI. I told her, "Annette, I'm sorry but I have to call an ambulance." Being quite the drama queen, she wailed, "Oh no! I don't want to go to the hospital!" I firmly explained, "I'm sorry, but you have a high fever, your heart rate is on the ceiling and your blood pressure is on the floor."
Again, she wailed, "I don't want to go!"
I assured her that we only needed ambulance transport, and I would request no sirens. Pouting, she agreed.
When the paramedics arrived, they were a group of very handsome young men (as paramedics usually are), but one of them particularly stood out from the rest. He was tall and muscular with blue eyes and dark tousled hair framing his well chiseled face.
He caught her eye immediately. She looked up at him with great big puppy dog eyes and stared intensely. With a twinkle in her eye, she took her time with her gaze, it roamed pleasurably down the young man's uniform all the way to his Bate's tactical boots and then even more slowly all the way back up.
In a deep and lusty voice, she said ever so cooly, "Well...hullooooo."
And she went ever so willingly.
For more stories like this one, pick up a copy of Off the Chart A Nurse's Journey
of Heart and Humor at https://amzn.to/3RHn0nm
Published by Jennifer Tipton / This post may contain affiliate links.
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