A Friday Madness Adrenaline Rush !

Author:

Co-Editor Anna Lou Villena 🙂

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            Just sharing my FRIDAY MADNESS anecdote. I should say the test of a Perfusionist’s character- we have been engaged almost every day of the stressors in our workplace but in reality our job is the stressor per se. However, this depends on how you will be able to handle it and develop an optimistic attitude converting more of exasperating things into a brighter- funny outcome.

            Friday, Fridays…Oh!  I so love Fridays because of an anticipation for a relaxing weekend. Anyway, I woke up Friday morning with a “balanced-hormones” (def: excited/happy feeling) lols J. Arrived in the hospital before 7am and did my thing. I was preparing my circuit and the HLM machine for 4V CABG of a 67 years old male patient. Routine procedures carried on from Anesthesia Induction, Patient preparation and after doing my circuit recirculation, proceeded immediately for vein harvesting. Fast tracking… bypass was initiated and pump run for 1 hr 52 mins , everything went well and to sum it up, the  procedure was uneventful. Post-operatively, before bidding goodbye, I routinely visit the ICU and check if the patient is stable and so still having a “balanced-hormones” – Patient is STABLE.

            My Friday thing is up. I may look tougher than other women in the OR not because of the muscles (which I don’t have) but maybe with the unanimous impression of a Perfusionist handling those complicated tubes and bulky machines. Little do they know that I am an ordinary woman inclined for a beauty regimen after a stressful day.

        Starting off with a honey massage on my face plus a mask, then going to a foot relaxation (soaked in warm water with softening stuffs). My fave part would be massaging my hair with olive oil and leave it for 10 minutes before rinsing. That 10 minutes is too relaxing and made me glide slowly on the couch then ended up dozing. SUDDENLY here we go, my phone was ringing and have to immediately go back to the hospital for IABP insertion and possible re- operation. Forget about the REASONs…what happened to the patient and bla bla bla.. My concern is the soaked olive oil on my hair. WELL, no time for rinsing and so this is my ADRENALINE…While on my way, I was thinking, anyway I could still cover my hair with the OR cap and that would be healthier since the olive oil could penetrate more in my scalp maybe for another hour or more. After all, this is what I am called for – the MISSION of saving other people’s lives.

            Forgetting about the olive oil in my hair since the oil turned out to have a gel-effect, making my hair look stiffer J. Not even one bothered to ask me if they smell something “oily” J. The BRIGHTER side of it- after rinsing, I can feel my hair even softer. And the BRIGHTEST side of it- I ended my Friday MADNESS with a fulfilling SMILE but still can’t contain my ADRENALINE RUSH and thought of a MORAL lesson in my SHE (Significant Human Experience) : “Never soak your hair with an OLIVE oil after a HEART Surgery!”

Have a wonderful time fellow PERFs all over the world.=