ED RN in Training

Maybe The Scariest Echocardiograms Of All

We were not close at all. She had severe mental health issues and lived in halfway houses, as an inpatient, or in a mental health community nearly my entire life. My cousins lived with and were raised by their grandmothers. 

She was scheduled for her vaccine tomorrow, but covid tore through the psych housing she was living in.

The only cath lab in town for 50 miles.

Meanwhile, your loved one feels funny one night. Their chest hurts and their arm feels numb. After a few hours of no relief from trying Tylenol and ibuprofen, they call 911 because the pain hasn't gone away but in fact, it's gotten worse. Paramedics on scene run an EKG and determine that they're having a heart attack. They activate their response and get told by the nearest hospital that they are on cath lab divert.

So now your loved one is actively having a heart attack and at incredibly high risk of coding if they don't get immediate medical attention. Now that crew has to go 50 miles out of their way to the next hospital.

All because of covid.

Covid will impact you in healthcare in ways you can't anticipate. In ways that go beyond actually contracting the virus. The ripple effect of one decision to shirk protocols can directly impact you or your loved ones sooner than later.

And this wasn't a hypothetical situation, this actually happened at a hospital where the cath lab was down for two weeks because of healthcare worker got covid, was initially asymptomatic, they came to work, and it became a superspreader event.

For any of those who may feel worried about the Pfizer vaccine (particularly, in the case of how quickly it has been produced), consider giving this a read.

Was the vaccine rushed? No, it was prioritized. The Covid vaccine, to receive approval, have undergone all of the same trials, rules, testing, and processes as every other vaccine. Over 45k participants were used in human trials. The reason that most vaccines take much more time in production is due to participant availability, resource availability, and sufficient funding- all of which has been understandably prioritized due to the severity of Covid and the rate of infection, which allows these vaccines to pass through these barriers faster with more timely results. Pfizer’s history and the likelihood of faking data? Pfizer has had a number of lawsuits against them throughout their existence as a company (known for Chapstick, Advil, and Prep), most of which involving undisclosed side effects in medications they have produced- some of which also involving unapproved human trials. The Covid vaccine, however, has undergone extensive external review and has been found valid and safe. Wall Street Journal - FDA review confirms safety and efficacy of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine

Medical Xpress - Pfizer vaccine results published in peer-reviewed journal The New York Times - Pfizer’s Vaccine Offers Strong Protection After First Dose BBC News - Safety data on Pfizer jab released by US What are the long-term side effects of the vaccine?

So I found this and sent it to her. Because this is what they want to know: how badly is this pain affecting you? Not on a scale of “nothing” to “how I’d imagine it’d feel if bears were eating my still-living guts while I was on fire”. 

10 - I am in bed and I can’t move due to my pain. I need someone to take me to the emergency room because of my pain.

9 - My pain is all that I can think about. I can barely move or talk because of my pain.

8 - My pain is so severe that it is difficult to think of anything else. Talking and listening are difficult.

7 - I am in pain all the time. It keeps me from doing most activities.

6 - I think about my pain all of the time. I give up many activities because of my pain.

5 - I think about my pain most of the time. I cannot do some of the activities I need to do each day because of the pain.

4 - I am constantly aware of my pain but can continue most activities.

3 - My pain bothers me but I can ignore it most of the time.

2 - I have a low level of pain. I am aware of my pain only when I pay attention to it.

1 - My pain is hardly noticeable.

For example, if someone asked me how much pain I’m in at any given time, I’d say hardly any, and yet I’m apparently at a chronic 2.5, and it only goes up from there depending on the day. 

10: can barely move; can’t talk

9: can barely move; can talk

8: can move, but can’t do much more than watch TV

7: can watch TV and play a game on my phone simultaneously

6: can do work on my computer lying in bed

5: can get around the house, but definitely couldn’t go out

4: can run a light errand

3: can get in my 10,000 steps, making my fitbit happy

2: can do three or more activities in a single day

Mental Health Pain Scale transcription:

MILD

1 - Everything is a-okay! There is absolutely nothing wrong. You’re probably cuddling a fluffy kitten right now. Enjoy!

2 - You’re a bit frustrated or disappointed, but you’re easily distracted and cheered up with a little effort.

3 - Things are bothering you, but you’re coping. You might be overtired or hungry. The emotional equivalent of a headache.

MODERATE

4 - Today is a bad day (or a few bad days). You still have the skills to get through it, but be gentle with yourself. Use self-care strategies.

5 - Your mental health is starting to impact on your everyday life. Easy things are becoming difficult. You should talk to your doctor.

6 - You can’t do things the way you usually do them due to your mental health. Impulsive and compulsive thoughts may be hard to cope with.

SEVERE

7 - You’re avoiding things that make you more distressed, but that will make it worse. You should definitely seek help. This is serious.

8 - You can’t hide your struggles any more. You may have issues sleeping, eating, having fun, socialising, and work/study. Your mental health is affecting almost all parts of your life.

9 - You’re at a critical point. You aren’t functioning any more. You need urgent help. You may be a risk to yourself or others if left untreated.

Read this to others.

So just after 9 this morning I received my first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid 19 vaccine.

🎉

Wooooo!

It was pretty anticlimactic. They asked me your typical vaccine questions, stabbed me with a needle, observed me for 15 minutes and sent me on my way back to work.

I literally did not feel the injection at all. Pro tip: when getting an intramuscular injection such as a vaccine in your arm, hold your arm behind your back. It makes it difficult to tense up and will result in much less pain. Example:

I feel fine. Arm is slightly sore but overall good. I go back January 4th for my second vaccine.

Of note I have two coworkers who got their vaccines yesterday. One has 0 symptoms and the other just says her arm is a little sore, otherwise no symptoms.