The Health Care Professionals' Lounge: if you've had a bad day, are sick of your job and need to vent, the lounge is open!

[Jacksmama]

On another thread, a few of us who work as health care providers (of any sort) were talking about having days at work that make a career as a waitress or grocery cashier sound very appealing... so, patterned on the One-Child Tea Room (which, btw, is open to anyone regardless of how many children you may have), here is The Health Care Professionals' Lounge.

Being something of a Room of Requirement, The Lounge has squashy sofas, a bar stocked with booze of all kinds, an Aga for tea, coffee or hot choc, and a pantry/ fridge for nibblies or full meals. Calories don't count here, neither does trans-fat, or food allergies, and there are no hangovers the next day.

Come on in and relax. There is only one rule here: no fisticuffs. We are here to vent and talk about the assorted difficulties of our jobs. If you're a patient, please remember that we give large amounts of our time and of ourselves to health care, and work within the limitations and the frustrations of the health care system (wherever we may live). Our jobs are rewarding but also exhausting, and we frequently question not only the system but also ourselves. If you've received bad care, please speak to the person responsible, or start another thread - this is not the place for it. We're here with our hair down (or up in curlers, or slathered in a masque) and our feet up. If necessary, we will borrow Mellors from the Tea Room to have trouble-makers firmly and politely ejected.

Cheers!

I have something I would like to share - today I worked on a friend of mine who had been to the osteo on saturday, on my recommendation. Friend reported back on what osteo said:
"friend is too tight in area around hiatus hernia, muscles absolutely solid, possibly affecting shoulders and back as well. Low back, despite friend not feeling pain, obviously in a state of pain. not sure how to continue as only achieving management of condition, not progressing"

So, me being me, I took a feel at friend's area around hiatus hernia (just below breastbone) and it was solid. Hurt a lot, just like having a knifeblade pushed in and I couldn't get between the ribs in one place.
So, went down to feet to try reflexology:
R foot - diaphragm reflex ok on outside but agony from middle to inside (matching pain on chest area). Solar plexus reflex a bit tender, nothing else.
L foot - diaphragm reflex not particularly painful except right on inside edge. BUT - solar plexus, whoo! Friend nearly jumped off table, felt like red hot poker going through her foot. (massive energy release from blocked point) Held it until the intensity went off and then re-checked R foot diaphragm reflex - MUCH less painful. Rechecked chest area - looser, could feel between ribs.

HURRAH! Friend in tears. Release was very emotional (solar plexus is big seat of emotions) - and as a result of this, her shoulders felt a lot looser as well. RESULT!

Never underestimate the power of bodywork.

Wow. I love it.

Wow! Good work thumbwitch!

I'm due back next week but have a few more weeks to go yet as I'm taking some annual leave.

I know that the nursey is fab as ds1 went there for 2 years. I think I'm dreading the bits beofre and after work more than work itself! DS1 to CM by 7.30, DS2 to nursey by 8.00, me changed and in woke by 8.30. Finish at 4.30, collect ds2 about 4.45, collect ds1 about 5.20 (if the traffic's ok on the way home) and somehow have a tasty tea ready for them by about 5.45. They really don't last much later than that! The slow cooker will be my best friend!

lol tree - how is your DD's colic? Have you managed to achieve anything by working her feet? If not, do you know any MWs who do reflexology, or ITU nurses - I know some of them learn it for an extra benefit to the patients; maybe you could find one and get her to do it for you, or show you how to do it?

I think I have gleaned that feet are not my thing - I haven't the sense of touch. I can't feel anything iyswim? They just fel like..er...feet. Should I feel tension or is that not how it works.

I think a skilled practitioner is required!

Hospital appt tomorrow. Oh I am so nervous. If they try to fob me off, or have no experience, I'll crumple. Which is entirely unreasonable of me, as why would an SHO in Paeds know the inn's and out's of intolerances?
Am going to drink bottle of rescue remedy and try not to look a bit mad. Whilst thrusting research and stool samples at the poor unsuspecting soul.

hmm, not sure that you would be able to really feel anything unless your DD's bowel was completely blocked, and then you might feel a sort of harder lump; as you have only one example, you can't know what is "normal" and what isn't. But, even if you don't know or can't feel that you are doing anything useful, just the actions you are doing could help her anyway. By all means see a skilled practitioner though - certainly won't hurt!

Sending you positive and supportive vibes for tomorrow - I agree, most unlikely a paed SHO will know anything about intolerances; as I recall, and any doctors please feel free to correct me, they only get about a week's tuition on nutrition of any kind in their entire training. Not really long enough to cover it all, hey.

I may be totally wrong and they may all really on their game - but I guess I have to be realistic. Unless it is your speciality, why would you know? At least I have a vauge idea of what it is I want - I want her stool testing for acidity [suggests lactose intolerance it seems] I have no idea how testing for milk protien allergy is done though.

Sigh. I just want a baby that feeds, burps and poo's.

Slightly off topic - sorry!

tree, see i this link gives any useful hints and tips - it should tell you how the testing for cows milk protein allergy works.

Good luck TD!!!

Thanks people!

Am really fed up with it all at the moment so I really hope they have some hope for us. feel my maternity leave is slipping away in a series of screaming fits [dd2's not mine!] and that it is wasted precious weeks. No doubt she will be all happy days when I go back to work.

AM FED UP!

Another sharing moment - today I was so not with it that I forgot that I had a client at 2pm. I had remembered yesterday, and had told DH this morning, but come 2pm I was nowhere near ready and still feeding DS his late lunch. Luckily, said client is a good bloke and was happy to wait while we rushed around and prepared the massage couch etc. - it only takes 5 minutes so not the end of the world but still v. embarrassing!

Oh god - I have done that!! Forgotten to write down appointments or accidentally deleted or switched them in my PalmPilot. Ohhhh how embarrassing!!!!!! It's even worse because I don't have a receptionist to blame it on since I book my own appointments.

Tomorrow should be a good day as I look at whom I'm treating, and on Friday morning, we are going to Seattle for the weekend as I'm presenting at a conference. To be precise, the conference is on all weekend but my part in the presentation is on Sunday morning and is only 20 mins long and shared with another person so we will be playing/ shopping in the Seattle/ Bellevue area most of the weekend. Fun!!!

Back from paeds appointment! The outline of the consultantion is here It was a consultant in the end. He seemed fair enough, but I did feel a bit like I was fighting to be heard. But was probably over sensitive so I discount the feelings iyswim?

Tree, just to let you know, the ladies of The Tea Room have asked Mellors to stop moonlighting in the HCP Lounge, so I have recruited his friend David to come and provide massages. He will also happily share bubble baths (as I believe you were the one who mentioned going off for a soak in The Lounge's clawfooted tub?). David wil also happily dress as a butler and hand round drinks.

No, really, thanks, I'm all right. Just came over all swoony for a minute.

Right then.

David, a glass of iced white wine, if you please.

Thank you!

Happy days!

So... have just gone to read your other thread. Two months of waiting??
And I cannot believe that the consultant doesn't think bloods would be useful. Do you have access to a naturopathic physician who could do the E 95 Allergy Panel? Here is some information on it.
It's a blood test that determines how sensitive an individual is to 95 different foods. In the ideal, money-is-no-object world, you'd have it and so would your DD (Harriet?), which would give you an idea of any sensitivies you have that may be causing her trouble, since she's breast-fed. (Sensitivities can overlap.) In the not-so-ideal world we live in, if you could only afford one, she should have it done and depending an what she may be sensitive to, you'd then cut that out of your diet.

One more thing I could suggest, as per a gf of mine who is a naturopathic physician: you could try giving Harriet some infant acidophilus to see if colonizing her with more friendly gut flora helps. HMF Natogen is fantastic. If you can't get it in the U.K. and want to try it I will buy it and post it to you. My friend says it has been a lifesaver for some colicky babies and their parents.
Next pt is here, gotta run! More later!

Do you think Dave could give me a bit of a rub up down?
I'm feeling a bit tense having foud out today I need to do a huge amount of work I didn't know I had to do. By next week. have no idea how I managed to miss that bit.
And I finished my fist midwife studenty placement this week (community) and it was lovely. Unfortunately nex week start next placement in fecking hospital. I never want to work in a hospital ever again. Am tense.

PVJ - I hear ya about next week. Will hold cyber hand for you.

What work do you have to pull out of the bag?

Jacks - I have some probiotoc for the sapling, I got it after I was treated for breast ductal thrush [now there is one painfull condition] and it does have the acidophilus. Thank you very mcuh indeed for the offer

There is also evidence that l.reuteri helps, but I can't find it for sale anywhere.

I have made peace with the 2 month wait - 2 months of bf which we'd be doing anyway. Then more investigations and diagnosis at the time it will really matter, introduction of solids. I'd keep her dairy free and just bf till she was 18 months or so, but I am to be an egg donor so that will stop the milk

Still, at least here I get a nice cup of tea, which is more than can be said for rl!

what happened with nevergoogledragonbutter? I saw you around mn missus and wondered how the regrading thing had worked out?

Tree, I found a web site for L. reuteri here - you can get it in Canada as BioGaia drops.

Yes I saw Canada had it. Interestingly lots of the research and literature reviews are Canadian too [I try to read the French but fail quite badly ]

French - LOL - for a supposedly bilingual country, it seems that a lot more people speak Hindi or one of the Asian languages than French... at least out here.

Anyway - I'd be happy to order some for you if you think it would help DD?

Aw thanks missus! I'll see how this week goes, I may take you up on that! Especially if am introducing formula whilst egg donation happens.

The article apeared in english and french side by side. Is that how it all works over there? I've been to Vancover for a week but was to jet lagged to focus never mind read anything.