Salt

Salt is kinda strange. It has its own adjective (salty), without which it's near impossible to describe. And while most people think of salt as just for fries/pretzels/chips/crackers/etc., it is also used in sweet things: in cookies and cakes and, of course, salted caramel. Sometimes I put it on watermelon to enhance the flavor [a faintly sweet, faintly salty water flavor]. Basically, my point is that without salt, things are pretty bland.

My past few weeks have been salted. Not in a terribly adventurous, MSG way, but in a good old ah-that's-more-interesting way.

***The following story requires reader discretion for the amount of grossness each individual can handle*****For the first time in my career as a nurse, I did digital rectal stimulation. That sounds awfully salty, but there's nothing racy about it. My patient was constipated--to the point of impaction [which means the poop is solidly stuck]. The milk and molasses enemas weren't working, so after getting an ok from the mid-level provider [aka not a doctor, but trained on a Master's level], I got to stick my finger up a butt and try to break some poop apart. Not pleasant for either of us. But it did work, so mission accomplished. Yes, sometimes my job is to help people poop.

I think I had some sort of A-game for that particular job; several success stories for patients with an ileus [slow intestines] and even paralysis. Maybe I'll add it to my résumé or something.

Also for the first time in my career, I shouted at a patient. That also sounds awful, but the situation involved a fairly deaf patient, and my "loud voice" wasn't cutting it. I legitimately yelled at the top of my voice every time I talked to her, for two solid days. My co-workers could hear me from 50 feet away.  It got so "normal" that I had to remind myself that I didn't need to bellow at the other patients.

And then, to round off the new experiences, for the first time that I can recall, I made a political post on Facebook. One of my co-workers pointed out that doing such a thing is practically begging for trolling activity; it just invites argument. I didn't really consider such consequences when I made the post; I was just really alarmed about certain government actions and wanted to let interested persons know to contact their Congressmen to express their concern. You know, democracy. Well, I did get a negative comment, so I recruited my husband to help me answer it...and then I got another negative response. It was very rude, and definitely made me mad. So the next day at work, in that first hour of 12 when it is so hard to be awake, I decided I would read the comment again to get an adrenaline rush. 

And discovered that I had some public defenders. 

How sweet and savory life can be.

I feel well-seasoned.