My career meme- School Nurse

I know there are so many of these going around that people are getting sick of them, but I just had to join in the fun! Hope you all enjoy. :)

(Click on photo to enlarge)

P.S. I made it all by myself, I didn't copy it. Aren't you proud of me?

A School Nurse's Adventures with Swine Flu

.... and this is no hoax. :)


Saturday:

I woke up with scratchy throat and stuffy nose.

"It must be a cold or sinus," I told my family. "Otherwise, I would have a fever."

I developed a headache by late morning, but took some sinus medication and felt better during the afternoon.

"See, I told you it wasn’t any big deal."

But then.... suddenly, around 6:00 PM or so, I was hit with chills, sneezing, and body aches.

"I sss-still think it’s a-a-a little cold..." I insisted through my chattering teeth.

My "little cold" had a pretty decent fever of 100.8. But, I like to live in denial. It's a pleasant place to live...! It wasn’t until late that evening I finally admitted to myself that I most likely had the flu.

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Sunday:

I had to miss Church and Choir. They wouldn’t have wanted me, anyway, because I sounded like Kermit the Frog with laryngitis. In actuality, I was beginning to think this flu stuff wasn’t too bad. I still had a fever that was hanging around 101, couldn’t talk, but felt well enough to surf the 'net on my laptop while resting in bed. Pretty nice way to be sick!

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Monday:

Where am I? Who am I? I can’t get up! Did somebody break in and beat me up last night? I am hurting all over! Even the ends of my hair hurt, if you can believe that. What do you mean I have a fever of 103.4? That’s a radio station, not my temperature! No, I can’t drink anything, I feel like I’m going to be sick at my stomach. OK, ok, take me to the doctor. Please. (Did I say please?) I have a blur of a memory of the doctor swabbing my throat for strep, (negative) followed by a nasal swab (positive for influenza type A.)

"I already had my seasonal flu shot, Doc!"

"You almost certainly have H1N1 influenza. That is the 'Type A' strain that is going around at this time."

The doctor hit me with his best shot. A little Phenergan de Gluteus fixed my nausea, and I was sent out with prescriptions for hydrocodone cough syrup, asthma inhaler, oral Phenergan, and Tamiflu... a wonder drug... no lie! Arthur was instructed to be the driver. (Surely they didn’t think I drove there to begin with??)

I took my first Tamiflu and a dose of cough medicine as soon as I got home. I guess I went to bed after that, because that’s where I woke up the next morning.

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Tuesday:

I woke up feeling almost human. But, wait! John was outside my door crying. Literally.

"Mom! I have a percussion contest today."

"Ok, what time is your contest? And why are you crying?"

"Because I’m sick, and can barely move. I started feeling bad last night, but thought I could make it through the contest."

I felt his forehead, and even though I myself was still feverish, he was sizzling. I found our spare thermometer, and within a minute realized he wasn’t going to any contest, or even school that day. His fever was 102.

Once we had John medicated and tucked in bed with tissues, Gatorade, his phone, and remote within reach, I went back to bed. My afternoon temp= 100 degrees.

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Wednesday:

Much the same. John still sick, sleeping like a petrified log. His temp=103.5. Arthur and I rouse him every couple hours for medicine, to drink, eat, and change out of saturated t-shirts. My own afternoon temp= 100 degrees.

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Thursday:

Much the same. John still sick. My afternoon temp= 100 degrees.

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Friday:

Not here yet. But watch the CBS Evening News on Friday! My supervisor with Oklahoma City Public Schools, Debbie Johnson, is going to be interviewed about the H1N1 flu and the community immunization clinics our school nurses will be participating in.

Very Personally Yours

Today is the beginning of another school year. The time goes by so fast!

I began my current position in August of 2000. The kindergarteners from the year 2000 at my schools are entering 7th grade this year! I see some of them every now and then, and they are growing into beautiful adolescents. I hope some of what I have taught helps them to grow into happy, healthy adults.

One unit that I am responsible to teach is the “Growth and Development” program. You know (gasp)… THE FILM! The (insert giggling girls here) No Boys Allowed Film. Or, the (insert embarrassed boys pretending to be macho) No Girls Allowed Film.

Since I understand the sensitive nature of this subject, I usually don’t present the boys film unless there is no male staff member able and willing to do it. Although I can discuss any subject without a flinch, the boys are too shy to ask me the questions their little inquiring minds want to know. The girls, however, are another matter. We all sit on the carpet for an informal bit of “girl talk,” then I show the video and pass out product samples. By the end of the session I answer so many questions they have to rush so they don’t miss the bus.

Today as I unpacked a box of samples for this year’s students, I thought back about my own puberty education. Many, many years ago, 1964 to be exact, our school nurse and our gym teacher held a program for us, and showed “The Film.” But times were different then. Instead of a school day class with a permission slip, our class was an actual night program and our parent was required to be with us or we could not attend. It was a Very Big Moment in my life that almost didn’t happen. My mom wasn’t keen on the idea of attending the event. Thankfully, my best friend’s mom decided to take her, and helped convince mine.

The film we saw was already pretty old by the time we saw it, because there wasn’t a huge market for puberty films in those days. Sanitary supplies were only whispered about; they were not the subject of huge marketing campaigns and commercials as they are nowadays!

I recently found that ancient movie, “The Story of Menstruation,” on YouTube. Believe it or not, it is an animated film that was created by the Walt Disney Studios! This really brings back memories. We even received the “Very Personally Yours” booklet that the narrator mentions.

I’m glad I was able to find this, because it helps to remember how important this rite of passage was to me. When my students receive this instruction, my presentation may well set the stage for their attitude toward maturity and body image. It always needs to be good!

Here’s the film. Oh, by the way,… (giggle)… No Boys Allowed!