Spoiled

Yep, that's me. Everytime I have to take care of myself I realize it again, I'm so spoiled. My husband is such a great guy, he does everything...ok so, he doesn't have to go to work but, he does everything else. This week I've had to do it all myself. Take the dog out in the morning before I go to work, get ready for work, make my own coffee,drive myself to work, (park in the parking garage which I hate and walk to the hospital) drive myself home, walk the dog, feed the dog and myself..ugh it's like 2 full time jobs. When I was in Virginia at least I only had to take care of myself, ok I was lonely, but, I didn't have to get up so early. Ok, yeah I'm complaining...sorry, like I said I'm spoiled! I have been taken care of and catered to for the last 7 years that we have been on the road...I would not give it up for a second! I will continue to work and have him here to clean and do laundry and take out the trash and cook and take care of the dog...I got the easy part!
I'm sure there are others out there who are in my position, I know at least one and she loves it too...yeah nobody wants to work but, if you do have to work this is the way to do it...my normal life: I get up and shower after I start the coffee maker which is ready to go I just have to turn it on, then I get dressed, get my coffee, get driven to work and dropped off at the front door, get picked up at the front door , come home change my clothes have some food that has already been prepared for me and sit on the couch and watch tv or surf the Internet until it's time for bed. Sounds rough huh? I am very lucky to have the arrangement I have and luckily my husband feels the same way. No, not that I am so lucky , that he is so lucky maybe that's why it works for us. Here's to a loving, caring, give and take relationship!!! I wish it for all of you!
Non noc nocere.

Life...

This is part of the awesome metal display by the Bricktown walkway in Oklahoma City. All these pieces are forged in Norman and brought to the site...it is supposed to tell the story of taming the west...the pieces are bigger than life, just amazing.

Well, it has been a good couple of weeks at my old home. Of course I have been able to work a few days on my old unit. I feel really comfortable there. I feel like I know what to do and who to go to which makes it easier to care for my patients. I went to a different hospital about 2 weeks ago and it was a disaster. I couldn't get the hang of the computer system, I didn't know who to call for what...it really made me feel ineffective as a nurse. There is a huge difference between being a traveler and being an agency nurse. Agency/registry nurses go to different hospitals and different units daily, plus they get almost no orientation to the hospital or the unit until they get there. You have to have a lot of confidence in your skills to do it. As a traveler, you go to the same hospital but it could be a different unit and you get at least a day or two of orientation, so you have been to the hospital before you actually start working and you have some idea where to go and what to do. Maybe I'm just getting old.

On a sadder note, my husband lost his mother this past week. She lives in Ohio and she is an old world Spanish woman. She never worked outside the home, never drove a car, and spoke very little English. She mellowed with age and actually tried harder to communicate with us in English. It was quick and unexpected, but she didn't suffer, which is the only way to go. The down side is no one gets to say their good byes. Tell the people you love everyday how much you love them and don't leave the house angry...just a little advice. non noc nocere.

Workin it out

Just a couple of things you will only see in Oklahoma..ok, that's the only place I have ever seen them. The sign was above the water fountain in a Home Depot. The other picture is of the baseball field at Bricktown with a statue of Johnny Bench. We made the 14 hour trip to Oklahoma to visit with my family and see my nephew who was home on leave from Iraq. It was a nice trip...so good to see family.

I guess sometimes it does help to complain when things aren't going right. I got a call just before I left on my little vacation from my travel company..they said I could go back to the other hospital I was working at and be a tele med surg float over there...hell yeah I took it. I was doing my last 2 shifts at the new place when I saw one of my traveler buddies from the other hospital. I had forgotten that she had asked me like my first day there how it was because she was thinking about coming over there. I had told her it wasn't bad...cuz it was too early and I didn't know. But, when I did see her I let her in on what was happening, then Friday I was with her when she oriented.She somehow got stuck with someone I hadn't worked with before and she didn't have her stuff together. It was also the day they in formed their staff that due to some issues with the flooring ,they were going to close some beds and that they would be having patients in the hallway waiting for the beds of patients that were discharged. Can you believe that crap? You are expected to remove the iv and remove the tele box and give your patient their walking papers as soon as you get the order then, another patient will arrive and sit in the hallway with a little privacy screen around them until the other person leaves...or you could choose to put the discharged pt in the hall or the conference room and have them wait there until their ride comes to get them...hmmm, so much for patient satisfaction. Give me your thoughts...

Non noc nocere.