in praise of nurses

in the continuing saga of ellie girl's kidney disease

she has to receive fluids under her skin (sub-cu fluids, in medical parlance)

every. day.

so there are two ways to make it happen:

a. cart her off to the nearest vet 20 minutes away and pay them $25 per day to do it

b. do it myself

and since tricare doesn't cover sick chihuahuas...

i knew i'd eventually have to go with option bravo.

so for the last couple days,

i've been playing nurse bethie

and dutifully sticking the poor girl with this monster:

okay, okay....it's only an 18 gauge.

but i sure as heck wouldn't want to be poked with it.

and neither does SHE.

which she lets me know by screaming and squirming

so that i mess up at least twice and have to get a new needle.

by the second needle, i'm shaking like a leaf and my stomach is turning somersaults.

and i'm thinking,
"don'tmessupdon'tmessupdon'tmessup......"

UGH. 

good thing i didn't try to go pre-med.

it clearly takes a steadiness of nerves that i don't have.

so to all you nurses and medical staff out there:

bless you.

this stuff is harder than it looks!