I've tried to post through the week but my computer is a turd. Enough said! I've also been busy with clinicals. That was very interesting. Today I had two patients; one a 31 year old girl whose lung collapsed one day out of the blue and wouldn't stay reinflated so she had to have open chest surgery where they rubbed the outside of her lungs with rough paper to irritate the membranes and make them stick so they heal into a tough scar that won't separate. Does that sound painful...or does that sound painful? She is otherwise perfectly healthy. Shit happens. The 2nd patient, whom I've been taking care of all week, has had a far worse experience, and she too was perfectly healthy beforehand. She is 55 years old and has no health problems (had). In early January her wrist got sore. Her doc said it was tendonitis and scheduled her to consult with an orthopedic doc. Within a few days she was in ICU near death. She has what is called septic arthritis. Basically, somehow, some really nasty bacteria got into her joint. It is also MRSA and very difficult to treat. She has since developed lung involvement and multiple organ failure. She was doing pretty good early in the week but when I left today (I'm now done on that floor) she was going into shock and becoming septic again. Her blood pressure was 77/34. I'll be surprised if she survives--all this from a sore wrist!!! Is that scary or what? The pathophysiology of it is fascinating though, isn't it? Mom, make sure dad reads that so he can get septic arthritis. I'm off now til Tuesday as are the kids. I don't even have to work. This'll be sweet. PS Happy anniversary Joanie and James!