I didn't see the triage note. I saw 31 weeks pregnant. Nausea and vomiting. Heart rate of 130s. Easy. Check electrolytes. Hydrate. Give meds to stop the vomiting. Easy peasy. Nope! So this poor woman was an alcoholic. She was withdrawing. Before you get on your soapbox or look down your nose... Alcoholism is real. It, like other addictions, is a real beast. I did my best to pump the patient full of zofran, pepcid, ativan and IV fluids. Her CIWA (Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment) was as high as 34. She was at a very high risk for seizures. To give you an idea of the severity of her condition, she was admitted to the ICU - where the sickest of patients go. Inexperienced me would have had a lot to say. My perspective has changed a lot since then. In nursing school, we had to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Eye opening. I have had so many patients on the spectrum of intoxication and with varying degrees of cooperation vs belligerence. I've had encounters with alc...