My Job

Sometimes I wonder how I ever got myself into this career of mine. I mean, honestly, who in their right mind wakes up one day and says to themselves, "you know, I think I would like to stick things in people that they don't want in them (needles, foley cathethers) and wipe their bums while I am at it". I am not a betting type, but if I were, I would bet that not one person would choose this job (based on above requirements). But alas, here I am doing the whole nursing thing day in and day out.
I have come to the decision that nursing might not be for me. I like people. I like them a lot. I just don't like sick people. And I HATE germs. Can I emphasize that enough? This is where it all went wrong in my life. How can I be a nurse if I hate germs? It is something that I have had to come to terms with, this whole germ-hating thing. I am not winning the battle. You can only wash your hands so many times in one day. My hands look like blue-collar man hands. Not the best look when you are trying to get a date for Friday night.
Honestly, I think the only reason that I do the things that I do, is that every once in a while you get a really rewarding experience. Like my patient I had today. After being intubated (breathing tube for you amateurs) for an extended period of time and incredibly sick, I was able to talk to him and get him up into a chair and start his rehab process. And you know what? He was the most enjoyable guy to talk to. He had the best sense of humor and had me laughing all day. I guess in the long run, that is why I do it. To be able to see someone near death one week, and then three weeks later see them cracking jokes like we were old friends. And I guess we are.