Musings on Motherhood

DISCLAIMER: Do not continue to read the following if you have a weak stomach, are queasy or are prone to becoming queasy.

I am often asked the question "How can you be a nurse and deal with blood all the time?!" Well, folks blood is my favorite and the easiest bodily fluid to deal with. I have the most respect for blood - it's a healing, oxygen carrying, virus fighting wonder. I'm always wearing gloves when dealing with it, and when it's all over the room it's AWESOME like I'm in some ER episode. The bodily fluids I can NOT stand dealing with come from the intestinal tract - I've seen them in every color of the rainbow coming out of mouths, bottoms, NG tubes, stomas, PEG tubes, open incisions and I can't STAND 'em! But I have great nursing assistants to help clean things up and our wonderful housekeeping service to come to my rescue so it is all very manageable at the hospital.

Well this morning Blake woke up early, so I brought him into bed to nurse him. He nursed and fell back asleep for 1 1/2 hours, then woke up fussy. I tried to nurse him again (just a little more sleep!) but he wouldn't stop fussing. He acted like he had a burp, so I set him up on my chest to burp him and he began to throw up all over me (picture me laying flat in bed with Blake on my chest looking at me). He did three big throw-ups in quick succession all over my face, chest, hair, and the worst - into my mouth. After three kids this has never happened to me. Steve threw me a towel and as I sat up out of bed fluid came dripping out of my ear. There was no nursing assistant to call, no housekeeping to come wash my sheets and clean the floor, and no 12 hour shift to count down until the end.

So in conclusion can I just tell you being an RN has NOTHING on being a mother. If you can survive the never ending delights of motherhood, being a nurse is a walk in the park. This morning gave a whole new meaning to the old mantra "Motherhood is not for wimps." Gotta go - I have sheets to wash.