day before surgery

So today was prep day, busy day for me and I probably should be asleep now and I slept for a bit but I'm suddenly so awake, I thought that I may as well post something before I sleep.

Today was busy, we had so many prepping to do and poor Dr Elche was a headless chicken and so was Dr Adams. Getting the scans done and everything, just for certainty. We met for a few hours this morning to discuss everything for tomorrow and it just ran busy since then. Well, now you ask me, how could you all be kept busy with ONE patient?

Shauna's health demands CONSTANT attention, monitoring her vital signs, checking on her breathing, running scheduled check-ins, making sure she's comfortable, treating any kinds of pain we can, relooking her charts, its really a lot. And we have 13 doctors on board (all specialists in their fields) and 4 nurses to make sure she's okay at every hour. This is what these trials are about. If you don't know about what "clinical trials" mean, then here's a little run down for you:

Dr Elche is a specialist in oncology research, and in his research he has found a certain treatment option for "cases" such as Shauna's. Shauna is his first trial patient and thus far the treatments itself has helped her. Clinical trials are more like experiments, to see if these treatments really do work, Dr Elche believes that it does, the trick is to actually pin point how it could help. To see if we can push to the limit and possibly beyond. To determine effects, results and probability. I think that explains much of it. Now the trials Shauna is currently on demands that we give her constant attention in terms of her health, any sniff, pain, nausea, dizziness, anything pertaining to her health is recorded and reviewed constantly. This helps us to measure how she's doing. This helps us to determine whether its working or not and how to administer it.

(OMGosh! I just realised that I used words like "us" and "we", please note that I'm not a doctor, I'm a nurse, I use those words, probably because I feel so much part of the team that I just say it that way, they usually involve me in meetings and in discussions about Shauna's health)

Also, Shauna's still on the treatment for the trials, carefully monitored but still on it. Every recorded pain, nausea, well "sick" feeling Shauna has is recorded and investigated. Doctors investigate to make sure that what they are doing is not the cause to it.

With that thought, today was a busy day for last minute scans, talks, check-ins and making sure that Shauna is 100% okay. Whenever we "gear up" for surgery, I get weird and nervy, I never understand it. Its not a negative thing, its just a big deal for me. I'll get to assist in the surgery tomorrow, and Dr Elche will be overseeing the surgery, Dr Levine will perform the surgery tomorrow morning at 10:15, I will be up at 06:00 in the morning to do checks on Shauna and make sure that her vitals are noted. Dr Adams and Dr Elche will then be in to see her and make sure that she's okay for surgery, like a final clearance. And then I will move Shauna to the OR at 09:30.

I can't say how long it will be however Dr Elche has advised that he would let all the people know as soon as we are done. After the surgery I will move Shauna back to her room, and there I will be for that entire shift, thereafter I will be relieved and I will post something to give an update provided that there is much to give.

If you need an update, you could make contact with Shauna via her phone as you generally would, Shauna advised that I can respond to certain individuals should they need an update. So you can catch me on her email or BBM or Whatsapp or text, not sure if that's it but its what I usually do. Also, you're welcome to email me however know that I will only check my emails tomorrow evening, when I've finished the shift and get to my laptop.

Thanks for reading :-)

Kellz