LJ Idol - Week 5 - Inconceivable
"Poison Control, this is Carol, how can I help you?"
"Hi, umm, I think I've been, uh... I've been poisoned with acetone."
"Ma'am, you think you've been poisoned with acetone?"
"Yes."
"Can you tell me why you think you've been poisoned with acetone?"
"I ingested some, and I need to know if I need help."
"Ma'am, how did you ingest acetone, when, and how much?"
"It was in my Dr. Pepper. I had a to go cup, so it has a lid, so I couldn't smell it and I just had a root canal this morning, so my mouth's still numb, so I couldn't taste it, and there's about 4 ounces missing from my bottle of acetone in the bathroom, and my breath smells like nail polish remover and she finally admitted she did it, and it's a 32 ounce cup and I'd drunk nearly half before it was added and I've had about 8 ounces since then and now I don't feel well. Do I need help?"
"Ma'am, please take a deep breath. You'll be ok. We will make sure you get whatever help you need. I need some information from you, ok?"
"Ok. Thank you."
"What is your name?"
"Othella"
"Thank you, Othella. Can you tell me how old you are?"
"23."
"How much do you weigh?"
"I'm not sure. Somewhere around 320 lbs."
"And you said there was about 4 ounces of acetone in about 16 ounces of Dr. Pepper?"
"Yes, I think so."
"What symptoms are you having?"
"I'm nauseous, and my heart is racing and I've got cold sweats, and it's hard to breathe and my stomach hurts. But I think part of that is panic from being poisoned and not knowing if I'm ok."
"I think you're right, Othella, a lot of that does sound like you're panicking, which is perfectly understandable. Nausea and stomach ache are part of the symptoms of acetone poisoning, so they are probably being compounded by your anxiety. Keep taking deep breaths to calm yourself. You'll be alright. Are you having any other symptoms?"
"I feel weak, and tired, and dizzy, and my mouth and tongue are kind of dry and feel tight."
"That makes perfect sense. If you have any, you might want to drink some water to get rid of the dry feeling and to help your body flush the toxins."
"Ok, I can get water."
"From what I'm seeing on my screen, weakness, dizziness, and exhaustion are normal. It will probably take up to four or five days for all of the acetone and its effect to clear from your system. You said you're nauseous. Have you vomited?"
"No, and I don't think I will, I just feel really queasy."
"Ok, good. If you do start vomiting, get to the hospital right away. Is there one near by?"
"Yes, it's about four miles away."
"Very good. Is there someone there who can take you, if you need to go?"
"No, it's just me and Claire here."
"Who is Claire?"
"She's 9. I'm her nanny. I live here. She's the one who put the acetone in my drink."
"I'm sorry, she what?"
"She's the one who put the acetone in my Dr. Pepper."
"Is there anyone else there? Where are her parents?"
"No, her parents took her sisters out to get their nails done, and she was sent to her room with her iPod to watch a movie because she poisoned me."
"So her parents know she poisoned you?"
"Yes."
"And they left her at home with you?"
"Yes."
"And they didn't call Poison Control or the hospital or your doctor to make sure you would be ok?"
"That's right."
"Othella, are you safe?"
"I... I don't know. I don't feel safe, but I live here, so I don't have anywhere else to go."
"Is there a friend you can stay with or who can come stay with you?"
"No, not really. I don't really know very many people here. I'm from Michigan and I moved here in Oklahoma for this job almost a year ago, and I work so much I don't get to go out and meet many people."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Take a deep breath, it will help. I can stay on the line with you as long as you need."
"Thank you."
"Have you gotten your water yet?"
"Yes, I'm drinking it now."
"Good. It's important that you drink plenty of water. You'll know from using the nail polish remover that it dries out your nails and skin, and it will do the same thing in your system. Keep drinking the water."
"I'm really tired. Is it ok if I take a short nap, or is that bad?"
"You can take a nap. Make sure that you call 911 or get someone to drive you to the hospital if you start vomiting. Don't try to drive yourself. I'll call back to check on you in a couple hours, is that alright?"
"Yes, thank you. I will make sure someone else drives if I start throwing up."
"I hope you start feeling better soon. Don't push yourself. Remember, it can take up to four or five days to start feeling normal again, so take it easy and drink plenty of fluids."
"Ok, thank you. I appreciate it. Bye."
"Good-bye, Othella."
~~
*Names changed to protect everyone but me.
"Hi, umm, I think I've been, uh... I've been poisoned with acetone."
"Ma'am, you think you've been poisoned with acetone?"
"Yes."
"Can you tell me why you think you've been poisoned with acetone?"
"I ingested some, and I need to know if I need help."
"Ma'am, how did you ingest acetone, when, and how much?"
"It was in my Dr. Pepper. I had a to go cup, so it has a lid, so I couldn't smell it and I just had a root canal this morning, so my mouth's still numb, so I couldn't taste it, and there's about 4 ounces missing from my bottle of acetone in the bathroom, and my breath smells like nail polish remover and she finally admitted she did it, and it's a 32 ounce cup and I'd drunk nearly half before it was added and I've had about 8 ounces since then and now I don't feel well. Do I need help?"
"Ma'am, please take a deep breath. You'll be ok. We will make sure you get whatever help you need. I need some information from you, ok?"
"Ok. Thank you."
"What is your name?"
"Othella"
"Thank you, Othella. Can you tell me how old you are?"
"23."
"How much do you weigh?"
"I'm not sure. Somewhere around 320 lbs."
"And you said there was about 4 ounces of acetone in about 16 ounces of Dr. Pepper?"
"Yes, I think so."
"What symptoms are you having?"
"I'm nauseous, and my heart is racing and I've got cold sweats, and it's hard to breathe and my stomach hurts. But I think part of that is panic from being poisoned and not knowing if I'm ok."
"I think you're right, Othella, a lot of that does sound like you're panicking, which is perfectly understandable. Nausea and stomach ache are part of the symptoms of acetone poisoning, so they are probably being compounded by your anxiety. Keep taking deep breaths to calm yourself. You'll be alright. Are you having any other symptoms?"
"I feel weak, and tired, and dizzy, and my mouth and tongue are kind of dry and feel tight."
"That makes perfect sense. If you have any, you might want to drink some water to get rid of the dry feeling and to help your body flush the toxins."
"Ok, I can get water."
"From what I'm seeing on my screen, weakness, dizziness, and exhaustion are normal. It will probably take up to four or five days for all of the acetone and its effect to clear from your system. You said you're nauseous. Have you vomited?"
"No, and I don't think I will, I just feel really queasy."
"Ok, good. If you do start vomiting, get to the hospital right away. Is there one near by?"
"Yes, it's about four miles away."
"Very good. Is there someone there who can take you, if you need to go?"
"No, it's just me and Claire here."
"Who is Claire?"
"She's 9. I'm her nanny. I live here. She's the one who put the acetone in my drink."
"I'm sorry, she what?"
"She's the one who put the acetone in my Dr. Pepper."
"Is there anyone else there? Where are her parents?"
"No, her parents took her sisters out to get their nails done, and she was sent to her room with her iPod to watch a movie because she poisoned me."
"So her parents know she poisoned you?"
"Yes."
"And they left her at home with you?"
"Yes."
"And they didn't call Poison Control or the hospital or your doctor to make sure you would be ok?"
"That's right."
"Othella, are you safe?"
"I... I don't know. I don't feel safe, but I live here, so I don't have anywhere else to go."
"Is there a friend you can stay with or who can come stay with you?"
"No, not really. I don't really know very many people here. I'm from Michigan and I moved here in Oklahoma for this job almost a year ago, and I work so much I don't get to go out and meet many people."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Take a deep breath, it will help. I can stay on the line with you as long as you need."
"Thank you."
"Have you gotten your water yet?"
"Yes, I'm drinking it now."
"Good. It's important that you drink plenty of water. You'll know from using the nail polish remover that it dries out your nails and skin, and it will do the same thing in your system. Keep drinking the water."
"I'm really tired. Is it ok if I take a short nap, or is that bad?"
"You can take a nap. Make sure that you call 911 or get someone to drive you to the hospital if you start vomiting. Don't try to drive yourself. I'll call back to check on you in a couple hours, is that alright?"
"Yes, thank you. I will make sure someone else drives if I start throwing up."
"I hope you start feeling better soon. Don't push yourself. Remember, it can take up to four or five days to start feeling normal again, so take it easy and drink plenty of fluids."
"Ok, thank you. I appreciate it. Bye."
"Good-bye, Othella."
~~
*Names changed to protect everyone but me.