The nurse adjusted the red light fingertip pulse monitor on the little, frightened four-year old girl in the big big Emergency Department room as I was getting untangled from the room curtain on the way in. Dad had waved me in.
Instantly reminded me of ET, but I knew she was too young to know ET. Probably mom and dad were, too. But dad knew ET. In fact, he told me that ET’s famous line, “ET phone home,” had been updated to the smartphone era. It was now “ET scroll home.”
I love when people tell me jokes while I’m on rounds! Always good to have more than one jokester around.
While I was circulating through the ED, a couple who was leaving asked me if I would stop by their friend’s room. Of course! (I love requested visits. There’s always a reason and importance to them.)
When I checked with the nurse in that pod, he scrunched his face a bit and told me it was a 72-year old female and she was just about done with a procedure.
I arrived at the room just as the medical staff were leaving, knocked and asked if she’d like a visit. She looked a little shaken, but then a wave of relief that it was a funny face greeting her.
I told her she’d won a prize, and her face brightened. Her eyes were really fixed on my face. I made her a paper napkin rose while we chatted, then told her I needed to do a medical procedure. (Always showing the box of crayons and pad first) I asked if it was OK if I drew her blood. She thought that was funny and was full-on into playing along. As I was finishing, who should serendipitously appear but the phlebotomist to do a real blood draw. I assured the patient she was almost as good as I was.
The phlebotomist said, “Yeah, but I’ve got all kinds of colored tubes.” So did I. I showed her mine . . . my box of colored crayons . . . tube shaped, too, right? I stayed and held her hand during the real blood draw. She looked relieved and grateful.
After clocking out, I was making my way through the main lobby near the Information Desk and saw a large extended family get out of the elevator. With all the adults was a young girl about three carrying a unicorn mylar balloon. Lots of downcast faces, except the little girl bouncing along.
They saw me from a distance – not the little girl, though – and one of the adults pointed me out. When she looked, I looked around (goofing) the other way to see what they might be looking at. Not seeing anything, I turned back and – to my surprise – they were looking and pointing at me! (Chief of Stupidity, that’s me.)
They were inviting me to play, and the little girl looked open to it, so I walked over.
We played with bubbles for a while, then I asked her about her animal and if he had a name. That drew a blank look, she hadn’t thought of that yet. I touched the end of the unicorn’s point to see how sharp it was. All I could think of was Arrow, the little boy’s dog in the old animated short, The Point, and Harry Nilsson’s delightful song, Me and My Arrow. So I suggested Poindexter (kind of like point). That stuck.
Showed her the tricks my rubber chicken could do, asked her if her unicorn could do tricks, she made it float WAY up in the air. The whole group applauded. She seemed really pleased.
We said our good-byes, and one of the men turned to me and said, “Thanks for helping us through this.”
Instantly reminded me of ET, but I knew she was too young to know ET. Probably mom and dad were, too. But dad knew ET. In fact, he told me that ET’s famous line, “ET phone home,” had been updated to the smartphone era. It was now “ET scroll home.”
I love when people tell me jokes while I’m on rounds! Always good to have more than one jokester around.
While I was circulating through the ED, a couple who was leaving asked me if I would stop by their friend’s room. Of course! (I love requested visits. There’s always a reason and importance to them.)
When I checked with the nurse in that pod, he scrunched his face a bit and told me it was a 72-year old female and she was just about done with a procedure.
I arrived at the room just as the medical staff were leaving, knocked and asked if she’d like a visit. She looked a little shaken, but then a wave of relief that it was a funny face greeting her.
I told her she’d won a prize, and her face brightened. Her eyes were really fixed on my face. I made her a paper napkin rose while we chatted, then told her I needed to do a medical procedure. (Always showing the box of crayons and pad first) I asked if it was OK if I drew her blood. She thought that was funny and was full-on into playing along. As I was finishing, who should serendipitously appear but the phlebotomist to do a real blood draw. I assured the patient she was almost as good as I was.
The phlebotomist said, “Yeah, but I’ve got all kinds of colored tubes.” So did I. I showed her mine . . . my box of colored crayons . . . tube shaped, too, right? I stayed and held her hand during the real blood draw. She looked relieved and grateful.
After clocking out, I was making my way through the main lobby near the Information Desk and saw a large extended family get out of the elevator. With all the adults was a young girl about three carrying a unicorn mylar balloon. Lots of downcast faces, except the little girl bouncing along.
They saw me from a distance – not the little girl, though – and one of the adults pointed me out. When she looked, I looked around (goofing) the other way to see what they might be looking at. Not seeing anything, I turned back and – to my surprise – they were looking and pointing at me! (Chief of Stupidity, that’s me.)
They were inviting me to play, and the little girl looked open to it, so I walked over.
We played with bubbles for a while, then I asked her about her animal and if he had a name. That drew a blank look, she hadn’t thought of that yet. I touched the end of the unicorn’s point to see how sharp it was. All I could think of was Arrow, the little boy’s dog in the old animated short, The Point, and Harry Nilsson’s delightful song, Me and My Arrow. So I suggested Poindexter (kind of like point). That stuck.
Showed her the tricks my rubber chicken could do, asked her if her unicorn could do tricks, she made it float WAY up in the air. The whole group applauded. She seemed really pleased.
We said our good-byes, and one of the men turned to me and said, “Thanks for helping us through this.”
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