Props To Providence Portland Medical Center

This should be interesting.

I am typing on an old Windows desktop computer and I am a die-hard Mac person.

No offense, but yuck!

The picture to the right is of Providence Portland Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. One of the top 100 hospitals in the United States.

Now I know why.

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I am proud to announce that my daughter has given birth to two NON-CANCEROUS ovarian dermoid cysts. I told her that she had a lot of folks she didn't know praying for her; she gave me permission to give this update and to give her thanks to all of you who gave us "virtual" support.

Pathology reports are pending, but everything looked okay per her surgeon, and the tumor marker was within normal limits.

It's hard to know where "nurse" ends and "mom" starts. For instance, her doctor gave a fantastic "inservice" on ovarian dermoid cysts after the surgery was over, which I found fascinating. No cancer involved. We shook hands and I walked into the elevator.

And burst into tears of relief.

I knew I was worried, guess I was more scared than I wanted to admit.

I have named the cysts Barry and Bridget.

I have asked my daughter to make sure that any future grandchildren be made of more than hair, calcium deposits and nerve endings.

She has said she will try to comply.

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Due to some nausea issues and an unexpected allergic reaction, we stayed the night. I was able to stay in her room with her.

This was the Taj Majal of hospitals.

• A huge, sprawling facility that color-codes their elevators to make getting around easier.

• A "food court" open until 0330. With Diet Pepsi!
  

• An "IV" team that inspects all IVs in house every 24 hours for inflammation or infiltration and restarts prn

• A day ratio on the med/surg floor of one RN to a max of 5 patients.
  

• The names of your nurse and your CNA on a large board (not unusual, I know) that also included the name of your pain medication and the last time it was given.
  

• The nursing care was impeccable.

• Pain was addressed repeatedly and handled immediately in both Short Stay and on the med/surg floor.
  

• Call bells answered within seconds.

Needless to say, I was impressed with the overall service, but the nurses were the best. They looked professional, they were compassionate, I can't believe the speed with which everything was handled. This is how nursing should be.

If I ever move to the Portland area, this is where I'd be working.

So here is my official online "thank you" to the nurses and staff of the Short Stay surgery unit and the 3G med/surg floor of Providence Portland Medical Center. You guys rock!

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Speaking of rock, we made it to the room just in time to catch the last 45 minutes of "American Idol" and while my daughter slept the sleep of the narcotized, I voted my fingers raw for both Ace and the grey-haired guy. Thank god for cell phones.

And a pox on the house of the stupid network executive who decided to run the women's figure skating competition against "American Idol". Idiot.

Oh, and I also kept a strict tally of my daughter's I&Os.

Hey, I'm a nurse. I've got to do something.