how did I know?

Several years ago while taking care of this woman it became very apparent that immediate intervention was necessary or she was not going to make it through the night. Her blood pressure was dropping, she was becoming very lethargic.

I had called the doctor and after he and I had reviewed her chart and her lab work he came to the conclusion that she needed a blood transfusion and needed it right away!

To add to her already perilous state she was severely demented and confused as alzheimers disease had taken its toll on her body. Due to her condition she was unable to sign consent for this so I went to the chart to find the appropriate family member's phone numbers and make the middle of the night calls that no nurse likes to make...

This is where it gets interesting...

The only phone number was for her husband who just so happened to be out of town on business and no one had thought to get his cell phone number!

Now, I had never met this lady before the night that I came to work nor did her name look familiar to me but "something" told me who she was. I in my moment of need instantly knew who this lady was! She was the mom of a friend of my mom's!

I have absolutly no explenation as to how I knew this other than the hand of God directing me to this but once I knew there was never any doubt.

Then there was my next hurdle to jump over. This daughter was not listed in the chart and patient confidenciality is so important I didn't have any right to simply call her and state the patients need for intervention.

I met with my nursing supervisor who, to her defense did not look at me like I had totally lost all my marbles when I explained that I knew who the lady was even though I didn't know who the lady was... After much discussion we decided that I should call the doctor back and discuss it with him. That was my green light because I knew that he knew the family personally and could confirm the connection!

Another bend in the road came when I couldn't figure out how to get ahold of this daughter at approx 4:00 AM... My only option seemed so impossible that I didn't even want to say it out loud. My nursing supervisor thought it was a great idea...

Yes, I called my mom, at 4:00 AM to get her friends phone number, to then call the daughter to then get the consent to transuse the blood...

By morning my patient's blood pressure had started to stabelize, she was still very lethargic.

On his way to work, her son in law stopped by and asked me about the night. He already knew some of it since he ahd been there when I had called the and spoken to his wife but it was such a relief and joy to be able to share with another believer how God's hand directs us.