Just Me and You

Chapter 12

Lexi's POV

Collapsing onto the bench in the locker room I let out the biggest sigh, followed by my arms dropping by my sides. It's my first full week back to work after thanksgiving and after three weeks off, this is my last shift of the week, having worked 5 days in a row. I was able to sneak away for 10 minutes while both of my patients are stable. It's almost 6pm, I'm headed into the last hour of my 12 hour shift and this is my first break so far. No time for lunch today, I am enjoying my 10 minutes by resting my eyes. Playing some soft music, I am not sure I make it through 5 minutes before my work phone goes off. Ripping my eyes open I see my patients room pop up on the screen and I am out the door before I know it.

Running down the hall I make my way into room 16 to see lots of nurses surrounding the little girl. Seeing her O2 sat dropping and her BP down low, I immediately get Dr. Choi on the phone to explain what's going on. My nursing partner Emily is at my patients side pushing meds while her mom is being comforted in the corner. The chaos around me causes my head to spin, but I take one deep breath and block everything out, focusing on the moment.

"Hey Libby," I say to the girl as I race to her side. The 12 year old girls face turns toward mine and I turn up the oxygen and lay her flat. "Take those deep breaths in for me, copy me okay?"

Slowing down my breathing I get her to match my pace as her rapid breaths turn to slow ones. "Tell me, what were you doing when you started not to feel well?"

"M-my mom was gonna t-take me on a walk. Dr. C-Choi said I could try."

"Okay, keep breathing for me and keep your arm still. We gave you some medicine to help with your blood pressure, I am gonna take it again. I want you to close those eyes for me. Think about that ice cream we're gonna have for dessert."

As her blood pressure is being taken I elevate her head slightly and place a pillow under her knees. Turning the oxygen down a little to see how she does I hold her hand and ask her a few more questions.

"Did you feel dizzy? Like you were gonna fall?"

"I did, my mom caught me."

"Did your vision get blurry?"

"A little."

"Keep your eyes closed. I'm going to open them one at a time and shine a light okay?"

Taking my penlight and inspecting her eyes I then ask her a few more things.

"Squeeze my thumbs for me," I ask to check her reflexes.

"You said you started to fall, did you feel like your legs were weak or just fell because of the dizziness?"

"Just dizzy I think."

"Push down on my hands with your feet."

Checking her reflexes and strength once more her blood pressure returns to normal and so does her breathing.

"Alright open those blue eyes for me love," I say and smile toward the girl as I sit down next to her.

"I'm gonna come back in a few and we will try and walk again okay?"

"No, we can't," she says as her eyes get big. "What if I fall again."

"I will never let you fall, I'll be right by your side. This time we will take it nice and slow. I think last time you just got up way too fast which caused your blood pressure to drop. That's what caused you to get dizzy."

"I'm not sure."

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"I will never force you to do something, but I think it's best we try. The faster we get up and moving the faster that ice cream is in our belly."