Kenna Morton's Journal, 06 Sep 21

I wonder if you could raise awareness regarding violence against healthcare workers. Self defense class has been mandatory for some time… I had a patient who threw her underwear at my face once. The underwear was soaked with her excrement. She was upset because I didn’t bring her a popsicle. I should have pressed charges. 

Kenna, stay safe hope your daughter recovers well. If you're going in the fray, be careful.. Your oxygen mask first. Do know any dentist? They have better masks. My docs wear N95 on top of surgical & face shield. Their office each have activated multi stage charcoal air purifiers. The ones with windows use windows. HVAC systems also have UV upgrades. 

I've been telling my hubs & everyone I know to be extra careful ever since the 1st wave. Medical staffing has always been stretched thin. With the pandemic, I wouldn't put myself in a situation or near a Hospital or Dr. setting unless I have to. At least now w/the 2nd wave coming, protocols are in place. We will not get herd immunity anytime soon. People are still traveling, crossing borders. People are still choosing no vax. If they have seen what I've seen & heard in the past year. They would line up to get vax'd. Viruses are seriously quick to adapt. We have to be just as quick. Can't stick our head in the sand & wait for it to go away. I'd rather home school then send kids back to school. I'd rather my grand kids miss a year of school, then go back to school. Why b/c kid won't keep their mask on. I've seen adults who wear their mask like a fashion statement. They pull it down & lean in to talk. Sorry had to get it out. It won't happen again. 

Unfortunately, Drs, nurses, PA, anyone working in a medical setting is in the service category. There are people who feel that they should be served. They do not understand the medical technical knowledge, the nerves, the bedside manner required for that job. Anyone in the service of others, no matter what walk of life they come from deserves respect. These same people who are crude & demanding would run crying if the had to do it for a day. Sorry I get passionate about this topic. I've seen too much. There is no excuse if the patient is sick or scared. I've been sick & scared. I am thankful, even if they make a mistake & it hurts. Without you guys, we would be in the deep end without a floaty. What you guys do is a calling. Not a job. I am thankful for folks like you.  

Get em girl, 🦸‍♀️ "superman" isnt around for this pandemic but all the medical staff is, and showing real toughness,  

Playing the devil's advocate a little bit here, but aren't hospitals understaffed because of financial decisions putting profit as first priority? 

Praying for your daughter’s full recovery, your colleagues, and you. Thank you for raising awareness. 

Daughter is miserable tonight with headache, fever, cough, sinus and chest congestion, no sense of smell and aching joints but no worse than this morning. If she can make it to day 7 without her breathing deteriorating (Saturday), I will be a lot more comfortable. 

Sorry, I missed that your daughter had gotten sick in the line of duty. Best wishes of recovery of course. 

AcBellerose— I have had access to the N95 for a while and now anyone canI buy them on Amazon. I have been. Using strictly kn95 since they became available. They are the most cost effective and best for daily wear. 

ERal66– right now hospitals are paying astronomical amounts trying to find nurses to work. Fewer and fewer takers. Everyone is or has been sick, many have died. People with families don’t want to expose them. The hospital I retired from offered me $20,000 a month to come back and sort of oversee and ride herd on the younger gals that are doing the job . I am 73 and have been retired for about 12 years. I would not even pretend to be able to go back to that high level of function after all this time. We have reached a point where few are doing it for the money anymore. Things are going to get tougher as we move into a military triage format where the first to be taken care of will not be the sickest but the ones with the greatest chance of survival.  

You are not retired from drama. The IV lines borrowed from the Omnia site - now this. Having worked in a hospital, patient care is very personal. Did you take this picture? We are professionals. 

Tell me about you daughter's today health. Is she good or not, @Kenna Morton 

@Kenna, which vaccine did your daughter receive? I would imagine her high level of exposure and stress were factors in her breakthrough infection. Locally I am aware of businesses in which everyone was vaccinated with the J&J product (months ago) and had to shut down because they all got Covid, presumably Delta. People who got that vaccine should probably be extra careful. The jury is still out on how virulent Mu strain will be (at least the last I heard). Can we dare hope it is milder? 

Trackin64– I believe daughter got Pfizer but I’m not positive, but it probably wouldn’t matter. You are right, constant exposure and exhaustion certainly comes into play. Today she is no worse but no better either. Months ago I put together a little therapeutic medical regime for some friends who developed Covid and daughter is now doing it as well. As long as she is stable it is a good day.. 

sparkKG— no I didn’t take this picture it was sent to me by someone else but this is a typical scene in a big trauma center hospital. People don’t see the behind the scenes of what is happening in an ER or what the doctors and nursing staff are dealing with. Believe me I know what it is like from both sides. The last 18 months it seems I have spent half my life waiting out side of ERs in my car while my sister was being evaluated. 8-10 hours! Frustrating at best. And as a nurse in a 72 bed ER I know that side well. 

We get so laser focused on ourselves in this pandemic and this society. It’s so great to hear your feedback on the front lines that really really shouldn’t be so challenging if people would respect each other. 😘 

Tim Vail— thank you for doing that. You have no idea how much that means. The housekeeping staff at the hospitals I have worked for were always valued members of our team. I have had a housekeeper come get me numerous times when they saw something going on with a patient that did not seem right to them saving people’s lives is a job for all and I knew they had my back and the patient’s best interest at heart. No minor players in a hospital. 

friend i've had since high school, a 'musket carrier' if you will, just sent me a note that he and his wife now have full blown vid in branson mo, and now won't be able to attend our 40 reunion this weekend. his meme/posts on fb were off the charts...wanted to give him an 'i told you so' but didn't. his tune certainly changed in a recent message now being in the hospital, and simply has no clue what his ignorance has placed on an already wiped out staff. as a former paramedic in the 80's understanding what er docs and nurses go through on a 'normal' shift, guys like him and others with a similar warped belief system really yank my chain. 

well said. Thank you