This is a Test of the Emergency Blogcast System...

...do not adjust your computer screens.....

Overheard at the ER this weekend......

The patient had a headache this morning then while eating supper food started falling out of her mouth. She came in and is presenting with left sided facial paralysis.

We may have to divert. We're short people and we've got two trucks coming in....

I've called Jen and she's on her way in....

16 year old overdose coming in. We'll stabilize her and send her in town....

Did you stub your toe recently or drop something on it? No? How about any history of gout?

Mom, let's see if her fever is any better. It's been two hours since she got (some medicine, couldn't make out the word).

Did we do a pregnancy test?

When's Jen coming in?

The guy in 13 will be going in to (bigger hospital) in the morning. (he was a heart patient)

I spoke to the neurologist and he agrees it's Bell's Palsy. So we'll start you on some prednisone. Your eye isn't completely shut, so that's a good sign.

Jen! Thanks for coming in. Boy, are we swamped.

Okay, we'll have to move her to room 20 for the internal.

You and your husband can take a seat around the corner (laughter). This is my dad! Not my husband.

As you can tell I had a rather eventful weekend. Two ERs, an ultrasound, and CT scan, and no, the appendix is fine, but the stupid cysts around my ovary are not. I was feeling kind of stupid by the time I was in an exam room as the pain was all but gone and thinking I really didn't need to be in the ER any more (but I did have signs of appendicitis). And it was an educating experience. I've learned a little bit more about my body and my family medical history. I've learned that if I don't have anything to eat or drink for twenty hours or so, it's damn near impossible to find a vein in my arms to draw blood. I've learned that we have very compassionate nurses and med students here, that if they don't think they can complete a procedure, they hand it over to someone with more experience so as to diminish any pain or discomfort (thank you thank you thank you). I also learned I'm not pregnant, to which I told my mom, if I was, we'd have to call the Pope.

I will be followed up in 6-8 weeks, but if the pain returns, I am to go straight to emergency again (that's a relief, knowing that I can go and not feel like I'm wasting time and resources on an already burdened system).

There were a few funny moments through all this that I will have to blog about at a future time. I just wanted to let you know regular blogging will resume momentarily.

S.