Diapers

Sometimes my job can be so amusing. Other times, it is amusing to the people I tell my stories to, even though I did not find particular situations quite so interesting. Case in point, yesterday I had to change a diaper on a very nice 80 year old gentleman, and put some cream on a small sore on his bottom. A very routine activity in my life, nothing exciting. That is, until I tell my non-nursing friends "what I did today." Laughing hysterically, my friend finally responds, "So you had to be touching some old guys BUTT?!?! And RUBBING it? HA ha ha ha Ha!!!!!!"
Well, when you put it that way, I guess it was pretty funny.
I remember when I was first in nursing school and my friend had a baby. She was the first baby that any of my friends had, so of course, we all spoiled her and loved on the baby and were in complete awe at every little thing she did. The first time I had to, I mean got to change the baby's diaper, I was so grossed out. "She keeps wiggling! UGH! It smells!" It was quite a challenge and I made quite the big deal of it and was sooooo proud of my acomplishment.
Little did I know.....
Then we started doing our clinical rotations in the hospital. Let me tell you, changing the diaper on a 300 pound man is an entirely different experience!
The next time I changed my friend's baby's diaper a semester later, it was one of the easiest things I had ever done! I was lavishing in the fact that this activity did not take 4 people to turn the baby from side to side. I loved that a gown was not necessary for me to wear. I loved that it only took a few seconds. The best part was that I could just hold both her ankles and deftly lift her whole butt up and easily slide the diaper up under her. Piece of cake!
Oh what a difference a semester makes!
Of course, that sweet baby is now a 2nd grader, but that's not the point. She was my first baby friend. And I am sure that if I had to, it would still be a much easier task to change her diaper if she needed it than pretty much any of my patients.
I still love my job, even the diaper changing parts. It is a blessing to be able to do that for them. It's good to be me. Diapers and all....