18 replies to this topic

[Joed]

Admin Note: This thread was split from the "Post your picture" thread as it was going off topic.

You got that right! And get someone who is nervous or hesitant when they're flipping you......OUCH!!

When I was at Shriner's, I had to attend school in one of those contraptions.

[LadyPilot]

Joed, on Nov 21 2006, 01:09 PM, said:

You got that right! And get someone who is nervous or hesitant when they're flipping you......OUCH!!

As a Nurse I used to work on an acute accident ward. We had a guy (John Utting) who came in as a C5/C6 and we had to nurse him on a Stryker frame. Only qualified Staff were allowed to 'flip' the frame over and I was so quick at it that I was volunteered to be his transfer nurse (by ambulance- from Norwich to Sheffield, about 150 miles). It was a terrible journey for him and he took days to recover.
Sadly it was my turn 18months later to experience the frame and I hated it. I dreaded certain Staff turning me. Luckily (maybe because Id been Staff?) I was flown by Helicopter to Sheffield where they didn't use Stryker frames.

Joed- did you have to wear those funny prism glasses so you could see what was going on around you?

[Joed]

OMG!! What a flashback! I hadn't thought of those in decades. Yes, I remember trying those out, but I must not have liked them too much, because I mostly remember using a regular hand-held mirror a lot.

Wow, I would have never remembered that had you not mentioned it.

Thanks!........I think.

[icarus_melt76]

Seems my Stryker frame brought back some memories. Other posts reminded me of things as well......like those 'prism glasses'. They were weird in so many ways. Along that line....how 'bout the 'auto page-turner' for magazines sitting on the tummy?

Joed..I also had the ubiquitous (say what?) nurse who 'always' made reference to when she had a patient slide from the frame to the floor while turning....aaaaagghh!

LadyPilot...I also had the experience of transferring over 100 miles to a hospital near my home. Due to a major snow/ice storm days before, the ambulance stayed super slow on secondary roads. My nose barely cleared the ceiling of the ambulance (old caddilac style) for a hideous 4+ hours. Think I developed claustrophobia then and there!

[LadyPilot]

icarus_melt76, on Nov 22 2006, 03:46 AM, said:

Seems my Stryker frame brought back some memories. Other posts reminded me of things as well......like those 'prism glasses'. They were weird in so many ways. Along that line....how 'bout the 'auto page-turner' for magazines sitting on the tummy?

Joed..I also had the ubiquitous (say what?) nurse who 'always' made reference to when she had a patient slide from the frame to the floor while turning....aaaaagghh!

LadyPilot...I also had the experience of transferring over 100 miles to a hospital near my home. Due to a major snow/ice storm days before, the ambulance stayed super slow on secondary roads. My nose barely cleared the ceiling of the ambulance (old caddilac style) for a hideous 4+ hours. Think I developed claustrophobia then and there!

OMG- How did they turn you on the trip? It took 'us' 6 hours to do 150miles and I turned John every 2 hours!
If I'd been transferred as you were they would have had to sedate me or I'd have gone crazy (like being stuck in an MRI scanner, Thats been mentioned in another topic)

[lune14]

I was in a Stryker as well and although I never feared falling from it my biggest nerve-wracking experience were the lovely boards that flipped up on the sides soyou could rest your arms. Mine would simply colapse without warning and SLAM into the side of the frame sending thunderous chills throughout me. The Stryker did make for easy hair washing though!

I posted this in another thread, you can see I gave up on the side boards and just clung to the frame LOL[attachment=1166:attachment]

[Avocado Baby]

I used to work for Stryker. I think the guy's name was Homer Stryker. I was fascinated by all the spinal rods, nuts and bolts and was like 'wow! That's what I have inside me!!'

I definitely know way too much about surgical procdures now though! Sometimes ignorance can be bliss!

[Nichole]

What is that thing??? Or do i even want to know??? Ahh that look painful.

[icarus_melt76]

There wasn't room for turns. Had the ambulance guy scratch my nose couple times. No room for nurses to ride with a patient then...basically old station wagons.

Stryker's were real good for washing hair, and....uh.....NOTHING ELSE. How anyone could attend school on one is beyond me.

Note about working for Stryker makes me think of 2 things....Homer Simpson "D'OH!"...and old horror movies where the villagers (us) light the torches and march together up the mountain in the rain to burn his evil castle to the ground!

Smashed my chin, making my jaw hard to move, bite, etc. Every flip facing down made me insane. They had different face/head holders but none helped. Best part was having a bunch of friends visit, the they all sat on the floor under me when facing down. Ha (funny now eh?).

OH SHIT.....just remembered the guy drilling a hole in each side of my skull after arriving at the hospital. To fit the ice-pick thing into my head. Recall being unable to move my head and hearing the grinding noise of the 'hand' drill....watchin the guy's hand and drill handle going past my face. Oh, and the Freakin' bone chips runnin down, some across my eyes, AAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHH! Then, everyone seamed to bang into the 20 lbs. of weight hanging on the end of the cable which was attached to those holes in my skull. Was like sticking your head inside a giant bell of a cathedral tower. CARUMBA!

See people with their 'Halos' occasionally now and think....."lucky jammy bastards...luxury". Monty Python fan eh.

[LadyPilot]

icarus_melt76, on Nov 23 2006, 03:24 AM, said:

OH SHIT.....just remembered the guy drilling a hole in each side of my skull after arriving at the hospital. To fit the ice-pick thing into my head. Recall being unable to move my head and hearing the grinding noise of the 'hand' drill....watchin the guy's hand and drill handle going past my face. Oh, and the Freakin' bone chips runnin down, some across my eyes, AAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHH! Then, everyone seamed to bang into the 20 lbs. of weight hanging on the end of the cable which was attached to those holes in my skull. CARUMBA!

It was like living through a horror movie!
At the time of my accident I had very long hair (still have) which on that particular day was tied in a plait. To put the skull traction in they wanted to shave all my hair off. Apparently I went 'ape' and in the loudest voice I could raise told them I'd kill anyone who cut my hair off. So they very kindly only shaved a tiny area each side for the callipers. Bless them
I couldn't wait to get that contraption off my head, to be able to sit up and actually see the food you were eating, not to have to drink through a straw etc. The S.I.Unit Consultant promised he would come back at the end of the day (a thurs) to remove the traction, but the ******* **** went off on a long weekend and didn't remove it until FIVE days later.
Sometimes even after all these years my 'burr' hole scars 'hurt'.

By the way (another deviation!) did you know (chances are you didn't) that you don't have to have a pubic shave in Hospital. It is classed as Actual bodily harm if you are given a pubic shave against your will!!!! I was told that in my Nurse training.

[juless]

Hi everyone this is so interesting, i work in a Level 1 trauma center and we don't use stryker frame, i'd never heard of it. we have some fancy shmantzy beds but they don't stop the decubiti, then we have fancy shmantzy surgery

i'll have to do some research into it, it looks like a torture device

[icarus_melt76]

Pubic shaving huh? You're right...never considered it. Although looking either straight up or straight down... they could've done a lotta stuff down there without me knowing.

Speaking of which, I was in a teaching hospital with thousands (?) of beautiful student nurses. Think they assigned most of them to keep me happy. They did! 3 a.m. one night had 2 young ladies competing at the same time to see who could shave their side of my face closer. And being unable to use my arms meant more girls around at meal time to gently spoon feed me. Was awful! Ha.

juless....calling it a torture device would be a euphemism. Your 'higher-ups' have probably hidden them in the basement out of shame.

[LadyPilot]

icarus_melt76, on Nov 24 2006, 02:40 AM, said:

Although looking either straight up or straight down... they could've done a lotta stuff down there without me knowing.

Yes, they could and what do you say when someone in authority draws the curtains around your bed and dismisses the watching nurse?

[icarus_melt76]

LadyPilot, on Nov 24 2006, 06:07 AM, said:

icarus_melt76, on Nov 24 2006, 02:40 AM, said:

Although looking either straight up or straight down... they could've done a lotta stuff down there without me knowing.

Yes, they could and what do you say when someone in authority draws the curtains around your bed and dismisses the watching nurse?

Authority huh.....hmmmmmmm. If things looked promising, I'd say where my sensation was the strongest. If not...........hmmmmm. "Give me your best!"..ha. Got me there. What would you say?

[LadyPilot]

icarus_melt76, on Nov 25 2006, 04:42 PM, said:

LadyPilot, on Nov 24 2006, 06:07 AM, said:

icarus_melt76, on Nov 24 2006, 02:40 AM, said:

Although looking either straight up or straight down... they could've done a lotta stuff down there without me knowing.

Yes, they could and what do you say when someone in authority draws the curtains around your bed and dismisses the watching nurse?

Authority huh.....hmmmmmmm. If things looked promising, I'd say where my sensation was the strongest. If not...........hmmmmm. "Give me your best!"..ha. Got me there. What would you say?

Yes, I can see your point, (from a mans view) especially if there was an attraction

[icarus_melt76]

oops....wrong place

Edited by icarus_melt76, 26 November 2006 - 06:23 PM.

[juless]

Well i did look at the Stryker frame and we have the beds and the transport ones but not the frames, it might be worth it in the end if you didn't end up with huge holes everywhere.

On a lighter note I too feed my fave pts gently and pull the covers over them just the right way, spend time getting to know them and generally come quickly when they call...... i try to be nice all the time but some people make it so darn difficult.

the stryker frame does not look nice i don't think i'd like to use it

[icarus_melt76]

juless

You couldn't be MORE right!

[Dancingdolphin]

I was in one for just 3 days......never offered glasses..they sound great fun!! To be honest after being flat on my back for a week...(before being airlifted from Spain) it was a relief to be in a different position occasionally...used to say a quick prayer for every turn. Wouldn't have liked to be in it for much longer....