What are you thinking about? Part II

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KristinaB said:
All work and no play make hohDougRN and mean, snappy boy. :giggle:
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yeah, totally. last couple weeks have been kind of tough at work. My patient I've taken care of for last 2 weeks of work died yesterday. He had ingested 2 oz of Mercury. That is basically impossible for the body to detoxify that before completely destroying the neuroligical and renal systems. Its just that seeing family members all trying to cope and no 2 people handle it the same.
 
hohDougRN said:
yeah, totally. last couple weeks have been kind of tough at work. My patient I've taken care of for last 2 weeks of work died yesterday. He had ingested 2 oz of Mercury. That is basically impossible for the body to detoxify that before completely destroying the neuroligical and renal systems. Its just that seeing family members all trying to cope and no 2 people handle it the same.
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How was this patient able to acquire this mercury?
 
that was exactly my question in the first place! that isn't exactly a readily available substance. A family member could only say he aquired it from one of his friends. When he first came in there were substantiated concerns about the safety of staff caring for him. Mercury is just some extremely toxic stuff. scary
 
Loghead said:
It's kind of difficult to interpret emotions online. Believe me, I've tried. "Are you mad?"..."No, why?"
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I am gifted with ability to know your emotion from just words alone.
 
hohDougRN said:
yeah, totally. last couple weeks have been kind of tough at work. My patient I've taken care of for last 2 weeks of work died yesterday. He had ingested 2 oz of Mercury. That is basically impossible for the body to detoxify that before completely destroying the neuroligical and renal systems. Its just that seeing family members all trying to cope and no 2 people handle it the same.
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I remember wen I worked at hospital (I was a CNA), there was a patient who spoke only German. My father taught me some simple phrases. She would not eat or anything since she had no family and no one could speak her language. I manage to get her to eat and to learn a little English. She was doing real good, but I got sick with a kidney infection and was out for 10 days. When I got back, she had died because she had no one to talk to and refused to eat again. She had a DNR on her chart, so they didn't do anything. Broke my heart.
 
KristinaB said:
I remember wen I worked at hospital (I was a CNA), there was a patient who spoke only German. My father taught me some simple phrases. She would not eat or anything since she had no family and no one could speak her language. I manage to get her to eat and to learn a little English. She was doing real good, but I got sick with a kidney infection and was out for 10 days. When I got back, she had died because she had no one to talk to and refused to eat again. She had a DNR on her chart, so they didn't do anything. Broke my heart.
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That happens quite a bit when we get many different ethnicities and cutures. Family will bring in the patient's own preferences for foods. Only problem is, is when patients have specific dietary restrictions and because of family members are not compliant. They mean well, but just don't always understand the implications and counterproductiveness that it serves in helping them get well.
 
hohDougRN said:
yeah, totally. last couple weeks have been kind of tough at work. My patient I've taken care of for last 2 weeks of work died yesterday. He had ingested 2 oz of Mercury. That is basically impossible for the body to detoxify that before completely destroying the neuroligical and renal systems. Its just that seeing family members all trying to cope and no 2 people handle it the same.
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Good lord! Why on earth did swallow 2 oz of Mercury? Was he trying to kill himself?
 
hohDougRN said:
that was exactly my question in the first place! that isn't exactly a readily available substance. A family member could only say he aquired it from one of his friends. When he first came in there were substantiated concerns about the safety of staff caring for him. Mercury is just some extremely toxic stuff. scary
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Couldn't you get in by buying up old thermometers at the antique stores and extracting it if you really seriously wanted it?
 
Dixie said:
Good lord! Why on earth did swallow 2 oz of Mercury? Was he trying to kill himself?
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yeah, it was for suicide

Bottesini said:
Couldn't you get in by buying up old thermometers at the antique stores and extracting it if you really seriously wanted it?
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because he'd have to find about 200 of those thermometers to equal 2 oz
 
hohDougRN said:
yeah, it was for suicide



because he'd have to find about 200 of those thermometers to equal 2 oz
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That is a lot, but I see them constantly when I am antiquing with my husband. That has to be it, unless he boiled bunches of antique hats.

That is why the Mad Hatter was mad in Alice in Wonderland. Many hatters of the day were because they handled mercury.
 
Bottesini said:
That is a lot, but I see them constantly when I am antiquing with my husband. That has to be it, unless he boiled bunches of antique hats.

That is why the Mad Hatter was mad in Alice in Wonderland. Many hatters of the day were because they handled mercury.
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yes! very good! and I thought I was the only one who knew that little trivial. BTW have you seen the preview for the new Alice in Wonderland movie with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter? I think it comes out March 5th.
 
hohDougRN said:
that was exactly my question in the first place! that isn't exactly a readily available substance. A family member could only say he aquired it from one of his friends. When he first came in there were substantiated concerns about the safety of staff caring for him. Mercury is just some extremely toxic stuff. scary
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The blood pressure meter in the rooms contains mercury. He did not break and and ingested himself? Did he?

Or what not he may not even knew he ingested it. If someone did provide it to him.
 
hohDougRN said:
yes! very good! and I thought I was the only one who knew that little trivial. BTW have you seen the preview for the new Alice in Wonderland movie with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter? I think it comes out March 5th.
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I have not seen it. But I have seen Depp;s picture as the Hatter. It looks like it will be fascinating.
 
Babyblue said:
The blood pressure meter in the rooms contains mercury. He did not break and and ingested himself? Did he?

Or what not he may not even knew he ingested it. If someone did provide it to him.
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I do know he ingested it at his house because they said that hazmat was called to the location and confirmed mercury vapor still present
 
Mercury is very heavy. Does not take a lot to make 2 ounces of it.
 
wait dont candy thermometers contain mercury?
 
Juli-terp-to-be said:
2oz in liquid measure, not in weight.
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yes exactly measured in fl oz.

....please also note, we had no exact precise way to determine it was exactly 2 oz of mercury that he ingested. We made distinctions based on serum and tissue levels and corrolated it with EPA and national poison control guidelines.
 
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