Today was my first day. Despite the fog I managed to make it there and despite the heavy rain make it back in the tiny little miata(although I did managed to get lost on the way home and my family had to establish a small search and rescue mission to find me). I had to wait to be escorted to the medical unit entrapped between two steel doors. Thank goodness an LVN was there waiting with me as my official clearance came through. She gave me some of the most useful advice and reminders: Chin up, shoulders back and last name only. That was a big adjustment to introduce myself as Zupfer (no one has pronounced my name right, but it may be the heavy accents) I also have to learn to ask permission to go to the potty, the security guards hold the key to the throne, I may need to limit my water intake in the morning, I would hate to have to ask for the key more than once in a day.
I learned some new terminology and abbreviations today that I am certain I will never use outside prison: KOP - keep on person, J-up = get a job, FW = free world to name a few. I saw a lot of scamming today to get meds, albuterol inhalers are the hot commodity here right now - it's amazing how the inmates can make sounds that replicate airway diseases, but then again I guess they have a lot of free time so to speak.
Already I have done some exams in Spanish, although not your typical exams, I have to remember to ask the patient to stand up turn around, put their arms up lift their chin and (do the hokey pokey) breath quickly and deeply just to listen to their lungs and I have seen patients with HIV, Hep C and gave an explanation of emphysema and demonstration on how to use inhalers and what they are for. Who knows what my day will consist of tomorrow.
The most difficult part of today was surprisingly not trying to look scared out of my mind but grasping the idea that the inmates here have a right to health care, and in many cases better access to health care than those of us living in the free world. This may take awhile for me to wrap my head around, and more of this to come later.
(And PS- it's pronounced Zup-fer, like zup as in cup)
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