Welllll…this weekend was pretty intense.
I worked.
I saved lives.
Literally.
I try not to go into too much detail about my job (a) because of the whole patient privacy thing and (b) because I have a feeling it’s not very thrilling to read about. But sometimes I wish I could share all the crazy things I see and do on a daily basis because, well, it’s a big part of my life. Or at least a part.
Anyways, as I’ve mentioned before, I work in the cardiopulmonary critical care unit (CPCU), which is the step down unit for the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). Basically I get patients after any open heart surgery (bypass, valve replacement, pericardial windows, etc.) and occasionally lung surgery, too.
Since the CPCU and the SICU work together, occasionally I’ll get sent to work in the SICU, which is what happened on Saturday.
My patient was on the verge of flat lining the entire shift…you can’t IMAGINE the kind of stress that can have on a person.
It can be a little scary. A whole lotta crap went down…but the only part that matters is that my patient is doing well now (and knowing it’s because of me isn’t too shabby either).
Bring it on ICU! (just kidding, please don’t, the stress of Saturday cost me 4 years of my life)
On Sunday I transferred my patient upstairs to the CPCU since she was a bit more stable. I was glad to be getting back in my comfort zone. Home base – yessss!
Oh, and did I mention I got an additional patient on Sunday, too. Heaven forbid my stress level enter a manageable range…
I left work each day in such an exhausted state…all I wanted to do was a swan dive into a pile of pillows pass the eff out.
ANYWAYS, sorry about the rambling…I’ll get back to the real reason you read…let’s start with Saturday’s eats
Coffee & coconut date rolls – the breakfast of champions? For sure.
Pre-packed lunch.
Ensalada grande: spinach, carrots, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, clover sprouts, dried cranberries, and more seaweed/sesame salad.
Courtney, I promise I’ll post more on the seaweed/sesame salad later!
More snacks: Newman’s Own dried organic apples, Berries GoMega odwalla bar, apple, and Ocean Spring Mixed Fruit crisps
Check out the cute starfruit! By the way, anyone know what a jackfruit is? Because I had some for lunch.
The best part of the day was when Kyle surprised me after work!!! And guess where we went for dinner?
Whole Foods!!!!
The baked tofu is one of my fave hot bar items, and you can’t go wrong with chickpeas…the wild rice/edamame/carrot mix was a new one for me and I LOVED it. As usual, WF delivered. My dinner was perfectly fulfilling and satiating. Mmmm…
Later on I had some dessert, which wasn’t my best creation.
It was almost worthy of a “Heat the Salmon Butt” title. But I did finish it, so I guess that says something. I thought this was the vanilla flavor, so imagine my surprise after I mixed it all up and took a bite. Plain greek yogurt with PB and carob covered raisins?
Fortunately, peanut butter masks anything and everything enough to delight my taste buds (and carob raisins clearly didn’t hurt either).
So I licked the cup clean 🙂
As for Sunday’s eats…I packed a similar lunch the night before.
The only difference between this salad and Saturday’s was the addition of baked tofu (the 3 leftover chunks from WF).
Estrogen? Check!
The 2 remaining dried apple rings in the bag, an apricot Clif bar, an apple, and some ridiculously overpriced grapes.
Here’s an action shot of my salad half way through…
I love mixing my salads up in tuperware.
Shake, shake. Shake, shake, a shake it!
If you are looking at my lunch and thinking…that’s not very much food. Well, you’re right. I was starvin’ marvin by 4 pm – scavenging the unit for random eats. The search was somewhat fruitless, as you would expect of a Jewish Kosher hospital (under construction on a Sunday no less). Ugh. I had 23 glasses of apple juice instead. Awesome.
I nearly passed out on the subway ride home…which is why I was SO thrilled when I got home to this!
Look what greeted me when I walked in the door! Kyle gets MVP for the weekend. Meeting me downtown for a Whole Foods surprise dinner on Sat and BBQing vegan eats for me on Sun…I hit the jackpot with this one!
Look at him all proud of his skillz. Cue master K!
I love BBQ corn! He also made mushroom/bell pepper skewers and LightLife smart tenders (plus 2 un-pictured chicken breasts for himself).
I think I tried this brand of smart tenders long ago and wasn’t a huge fan, but this was a new flavor (Lemon Pepper) and wasn’t too bad.
As I mentioned whined about earlier, I was hangry by the time I got home, so I immediately made up a plate.
I added 3 tender strips and a kebob to a handful of spinach and corn.
Hit. The. Spot.
Here’s plate numero dos, with a multi-v vitaminwater on the side.
Anyone tried these new lower calorie vitamin waters? This was the first time I tried one and I’m still a little unsure how I feel (I’ve never tried any of the original vitamin water flavors either). I noticed rebiana (the stevia extract) on the ingredient list, but I think it’s in the form of Truvia (the one with “natural sweeteners”). Hmm…
Dessert was huge fruity melon mix and a pair of hermits.
So chewy and delicious!
After watching three horrendous hours of Celeb Apprentice killing my last few functioning brain cells, it was bed time. Thank goodness I have Monday off! I have so much catching up to do!
Yikes–sounds like a stressful, scary day at work! Like something out of Grey’s! I had no idea you worked in critical care.
I’ve seen those lower-cal vitamin waters but haven’t tried them yet. I would certainly try them over the regular ones–those things were like a soda!
Props to you girl!!! I have always been super impressed with the knowledge and skills of ICU nurses. You have to take care of all the craziness we dump on you guys from the ER.
I always think that if people only knew the crazy things that we see and do as nurses, they would look at nursing as so much more than wiping butts and cleaning up vomit!
Happy Nurses week to you girl!!!
you know i keep you around
just in case i need a quick
lifesaving or two..right? haha.
sounds like an INTENSE weekend.
enjoy your monday bff for life.
I can’t imagine how incredible that must feel to know that you saved someone’s life. I would have such a big head about it. You should too!
And HUGE props to your man. Unfortunately, my man isn’t allowed within 5 feet of the stove.
i actually read for both your food AND your stories. have a great day!
Oh my gosh, that is so intense!!! EEKKKKK!!!
But LOL, he does have the skillz! 😛
SUPER NURSE!! You deserve a cape and all!
WFs date AND vegan BBQ?! You landed yourself a dime piece with Kyle 😉
So I totes found Hermits at my store and I shrieked! People must have thought I was insane but you know what? It's worth it!
Get lots of R&R today!!
Wow. You save people’s lives. You completely rock. 🙂
Kyle definitely wins fiance of the year in my book! Whole Foods dinner and all those grilled vegan eats?!? Perhaps, he could you have a little talk with CD about surprise dinners for the wife. 🙂
So sorry about your Heat the Salmon Butt dessert, but thank goodness for peanut butter! Nut butters have rescued many a dish in our household.
Hope you’re enjoying your Monday off – you’ve definitely earned it my friend.
Love that dried star fruit, and I honestly, I have no idea what Jackfruit is. Was it any good?
Okay–confession. I have become completely addicted to your posts. I wish I knew you in real life because you sound so much like me, but not in a stalker, weirdo “single white female” way. More the veggie, spastic food and fitness obsessed way.
Anywho, I ramble. Love the blog and long for the day when I go home and have a wonderful veggie meal prepared for me! We don’t even have a WF over here in GR Michigan, so I am eternally in envy of you all.
Soak up the rest, soak up the eats and look forward to the next post!
Your job sounds stressful but a lot more interesting than mine! MMM baked tofu from WF is the best! I got that same edamame salad on Thursday too! You bf sounds so nice surpisin you like that!
Seriously your man is awesome! He never fails to come through with WF for you 🙂 I mean a girl DEFINITELY deserves a high calibur dinner after SAVING LIVES. awesome awesome awesome job 🙂 I also died a little when you said you overdosed on apple juice hahaha
I live on LI but frequent the city ALOT seriously I need to move there when I can afford it. HOPEFULLY soon 🙂
Wow–it sounds like you definitely deserve your day off after that weekend! I have great respect for nurses…you rock :o) I hope you rested today and pampered yourself!
Your eats look amazing, as always. I love the starfruit in that dried fruit mix–it is so pretty! And Kyle sounds like a keeper. I cannot believe he cooked for you! How cute and sweet is that?! BTW, watermelon…I am drooling…watermelon is totally one of my 2 favorite foods!
Courtney
Your job sounds so stressful! I hope planning your wedding isn’t making it too much harder…
I’ve never tried a coconut date roll, but they look so yummy!
That’s INSANEly cool you work in that intense ass atmospheric job! I give you mad props and think as highly as you as I do about everyone on Grey’s Anatomy. Yo man seems like a boss for giving you all those delicious items! WF hot bar always saves the day!
yayyyyyyy for summer and corn! I think you are amazing for doing what you do every day! I hope your patients know how lucky they are! Those Mixed Fruit crisps look really awesome- I need them….right this second 😉
My dad had bypass surgery in July of 07 and spent some time in the Cardiac ICU. There’s a special place in heaven for you guys. I’m new to your blog, and am enjoying it!!