Where I have been...

Out and about, and consequently tired.

More to come...

Sunday stealing...

Yes, that's right. It's been a LONG time since I wandered over to this blog, so I figured I'd throw my hat in the ring and answer some of those burning questions. (only burning if I forgot to turn off the stove...)

Here they are...enjoy the weekend while you can (what's left). I'll be ironing.

Sunday Stealing: The Meme From Suburbia

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
I was getting ready to watch the Super Bowl. Not long after, I got laid off.

2. By this time next year, I ... hope to be making more money and working in a job that allows telecommuting.

3. Do you think the United States will elect a female President in your lifetime? Do you think this would be a good thing?
Yes! Yes!

4. Which fictional, TV show character you would shag anytime?
Hmm...don't watch TV too much, but NCIS has some interesting characters...

5. Who is your greatest enemy?
Insecurity
 
6. Tell me about your most recent trip of more than 100 miles?
We visited relatives.

7. Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?
Depends. I like both.

8. Do you have a nickname? What is it? 
Dutch. One of my father's favorites.

9. What are you dreading at the moment? 
Going to work tomorrow. We may have icy roads.

10. Do you worry that others will judge you from reading some of your answers?
Sure. Doesn't really bother me, though.

11. If you find an outfit you love, but the size on the label is larger than you want, do you buy the outfit? Why or why not? 
If it looks good, who cares what size it says it is. I'm a sucker for a good fit, regardless of numbers.

12. Even the biggest slackers are anal-retentive about something? What are you anal-retentive about? 
Everything. I was always taught to do your best 100% of the time, so I shoot for the moon, and this drives some lazy coworkers crazy.

13. Out of all the books you read as a child, which one had the biggest influence on how you are today?
Not sure...read so many that it's hard to pick just one.

14. Which Golden Girl would you want to spend a night on the town with? 
Probably Rose...might turn out interesting.

15. What is the one product you would never buy in its generic form even if the generic is half the price?
Cigarettes (don't smoke, but still...) and certain types of sparkling wine (get a darned good headache drinking cheap champagne...don't ask me how I know, but I do).

16. How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa? 
Eight. Opened the wrong door...whoops!

17. What is the one smell that turns your stomach without fail?
 Liver.

18. If someone holds out a carton of milk to you and asks you to sniff it to see if its spoiled, do you? 
Yes. Then I taste it (very small cup).

19. You have a completely free day and $2000.00, What are you doing? 
Depends. Right now, I'm running to the bank, then paying some bills with it.

20. What is the most used item in your home? 
Coffee makers, and microwave is a close second to the stove.

I think I'll call...

Grumpy made me think of a phrase we hear often at the Hotel. Amongst the rabble, er, employees at the Hotel, we say it in jest. However, the patients take it seriously.

"I'm going to call my Congressman(woman or Senator)!"

While I was doing a follow-up call with one of our folks, he/she was really close to uttering that famous line. I was fortunate that I was able to resolve the problem thanks to one of my office pals.

What happened to a consult for an AFO that was submitted electronically? It went everywhere internally it could go. Things got messed up when it went to the vendor on paper (who'll actually make this one). Somehow the paperwork from the vendor never ended up where it should have.

That's not all...when  Patient X called right around Christmas to see what happened with his/her paperwork, someone (of course they don't have a name) told Patient X, "Well, you know, I'm sorry. We've been busy since So and So retired." Customer service? I don't think so.

Pal enlightened me. "Nobody retired over here, RehabRN. Don't worry, Mike, the assistant chief will call Patient X."

And he did. And Patient X was happy. And so was the Congressman/woman and the Senator.

Brr!

Yes, the Arctic blast is back again. I just may have to try some of those tricks I saw on TV.

1. Counting how fast a pot of boiling water freezes when left outside.
2. Throwing a cup of hot water into the air and turning it into vapor.

And yes, at the Hotel, the heating system is crazy. In a couple of rooms, we need some tropical foliage and sand, so we can say we're at the beach.

Or one of our case managers can just put a sign on her door that says "Sauna", since her office temps never go below 90.

It's always something...

It's really Monday

It may be a holiday (banks are closed, Bubba's out of school) but it's still a Monday.

I told the nurse at my appointment this afternoon that there were several, telltale Monday signs. One, if it can go wrong, it will. Luckily, all my odd things that happened weren't life-threatening. Two, the doctor was late for my late afternoon appointment. No big deal...he's nice and doesn't short change you on your moments.Three, the parking lot was full. My favorite comment by one lady coming into the office, "There must be a lot of sick people here today."

Lady, if you only realized what you just said. I heard nary a cough (except for one cough out of a little boy on the far side of the room) while I was there.

Thank goodness they don't run late with the sick folks.

More to come...the week is still young.

Not in a million years...

I love reading the specialty physician notes on our patients. Lab reports are also another way I learn things.

I've seen some pretty strange bugs with pretty strange habits (think pretty blue drainage from pseudomonas) and purple Foley drainage bags which can be caused by a number of bacteria and chemical conditions.

However, I have, in my years of rehab nursing, NEVER smelled a caramel-smelling wound. Our patient may indeed have the correct bug, but not sure if the nose actually knows...or ever will.

Off to tackle another Monday...enjoy!

Is he really that old?

Duh, the most important thing this weekend...

Bubba is 10. I can hardly believe it. He changed my life (and Dahey's and WildDog's...). Bubba is an ebullient character who says things like, "What is going to be OUR commuting vehicle?" when we bought a new car.  He loves music (like his dad) and has a horrible sweet tooth (just like me).

I look at him and see bits and pieces of both of us, with shades of my late father-in-law, the stubborn, yet likable internist.

Time surely flies! I'm going to enjoy every minute.

Baseball on the brain

Yes, it's not a nursing topic, but in these parts of RehabLand, you know when people have had enough of winter, because they start talking about spring training. It's on television, it's in the newspaper, it's the stuff of discussion on the unit amongst the locals. (The non-locals are all about football and basketball right now...)And even more so since two old ball players got their heavenly rewards this week: Stan Musial and Earl Weaver.

A few of our old timers talked about their memories: radio stories, pros buying an enlisted guy a drink on his birthday, harmonicas, confetti, and screaming matches. One old character told us about his friends from the Negro Leagues. This guy actually showed up to tell the story about how he always was the target of fights since he liked throwing pitches "high and tight".

Nothing like thoughts of spring to help ward off this winter chill. More later...

I need a good laugh...

Oh, 2013 is really off to the races. Lots of changes everywhere.

I almost feel like a newlywed and a part of me doesn't like this part: the part where my husband has to move from town to town to work.

With an old dog and a kid, I'd rather have him at home more, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen much anymore. As a contract worker, Dahey's contract was abruptly ended when the firm he was working for lost the contract on his job.

In addition, the funding for said project also was downgraded, which lead to his job disappearing early with no warning.

But Grumpy made my day talking about superpoop, RePOOPulate (I'm not kidding about the name...)

You know how to make an old rehab nurse laugh!

Thanks! I needed it.

Reason 83: Why should we do research?

I really enjoyed reading this article lately. I've always been fascinated about how things we'd never expect are used as treatments.

As a rehab nurse, I've certainly seen (and smelled) more than my share of 1) poop and 2) C-diff.

My favorite quote, though, sheds some light on the why/how physicians do research.


“After the first four or five patients, we started thinking, ‘We can’t go on doing this kind of obscure treatment without evidence,’ ” Dr. Keller said. “Everybody is laughing about it.” 

If you thought you left high school when you entered the international renown of medicine, you really haven't.

Who would have guessed...

Exercises

Yes, as the title mentions, I've been doing a bit! I now have a pedometer, so I'm counting all my steps around the Hotel and the SU. I get in extra ones whenever I can.

Today was a lot of different exercises. At first, it felt as if a lot of my day was an exercise in futility, but eventually, I saw that my work was paying off. Patients got updated orders and the MDs on the unit were happy I got them what they needed.

I also had an exercise in compassion. I had the pleasure of sitting with one of our confused characters and calming him/her down. It took a little while, but worked. So well, in fact, that I would have fist bumped anyone walking down the hall had they been there.

And finally, the real exercises come out. Dumbbells and bands and medicine balls, here I come!

Stay tuned...

Going all "Network"

1. This sign in a doctor's office from one of my favorite sites, http://www.passiveagressivenotes.com

2. Grumpy vents to Siri (at least she's not human...)

3. The quote here in this video...
My day, however, was not nearly as exciting.

At least, I got my exercise running the steps and plenty of nice comments. The stupid folk must have been hiding in the Hotel somewhere else!

Hindsight

This would have been a handy thing to have had printed in the break rooms at the Hotel recently.

High blood pressure and heart attack

Sometimes, I think we overlook when folks normally "run high" as we like to call high blood pressure.  However, you have to get out your detective skills, as well as err on the side of caution.

As my nursing instructor used to say, "If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, good chance it's probably a duck."

Nursing judgment really is a good thing.

Resolutions

A new year means new resolutions.

2013 came (finally) after what seemed to be unrelenting drama here in RehabLand, both personally and professionally. I saw births and deaths (often too many of the latter) and I found out that I don't really need to highlight my hair anymore, because lots of it is turning white. Yes, I hear stress will do that to you and does show up in those follicles. Only my hairdresser knows, but those follicles would have one heck of a story after this past year.

Thankfully, the stressors are slowly going away. No one has died yet this year (crossing fingers). Bubba got the flu after I waited too long to get him a flu shot, but thankfully, with speedy antiviral treatment, he's doing well. The boss is leaving, but supposedly, we have candidates for replacement. I'm still waiting for a new manager that I asked for at Christmas. Hopefully, someone will start before the folks who are nearing retirement are ready to go this year (we have a few candidates).

I am learning to just keep going. The administrative hellhole that paperwork tends to fall in at the Hotel is still there (just fished out some stuff that went missing a month ago) and got my coworker K. to rescue some more. I am plugging away at new projects that really will change the face of our little clinic and the way we take care of patients.


My biggest resolution is to better myself physically. Stress took a toll last year, on more than just the hair. I bought myself a cool little pedometer that links into my computer. I have been tracking my diet and exercise. I am enjoying not being a student at the moment.

The short term may be stressful, but when I look to the long term, the future, I am encouraged.

There's a saying that the race belongs not to the swift, but to those who keep on running. That's my plan, to keep on going, for me, for my little white hair follicles, for Bubba, Dahey and WildDog.

Stay tuned!