We will celebrate with relatives we haven't seen in a LONG time! Lots of kids, food and drink.
Today, we will get ready. It will be fun.
Stay tuned...
Friday, December 30, 2016
Thursday, December 29, 2016
It all boils down to this
Life is short. We are seeing that in the news today. A celebrity and her mother die within days of each other. Some people say you can't die of a broken heart, but yet, some people do.
This year has flown by quickly. I'm happy that in the grand scheme of things, I've had some time to reflect and relax. It's a privilege not granted to everyone and I know it and cherish it, especially this week. There just aren't enough nurses at the Hotel, or anywhere really. Bedside nurses are a rare enough commodity in these parts, they are paying five figure bonuses to get to work in various institutions.
The mood of this country has been tentative and taxing. The elections didn't really help anything. When I heard about history and Hoover and trying times of the Depression my relatives talked about when I was a kid, I now think, "Wow! Some of this stuff is really happening here to us now."
A lot of things will end this year. New ones will begin next year. I'll work on what I can and do my best. Hope you enjoy the rest of this week and this year. May we all be here to discuss it all again in 2017. There are no promises but we can hope for the best.
See you next year.
This year has flown by quickly. I'm happy that in the grand scheme of things, I've had some time to reflect and relax. It's a privilege not granted to everyone and I know it and cherish it, especially this week. There just aren't enough nurses at the Hotel, or anywhere really. Bedside nurses are a rare enough commodity in these parts, they are paying five figure bonuses to get to work in various institutions.
The mood of this country has been tentative and taxing. The elections didn't really help anything. When I heard about history and Hoover and trying times of the Depression my relatives talked about when I was a kid, I now think, "Wow! Some of this stuff is really happening here to us now."
A lot of things will end this year. New ones will begin next year. I'll work on what I can and do my best. Hope you enjoy the rest of this week and this year. May we all be here to discuss it all again in 2017. There are no promises but we can hope for the best.
See you next year.
Monday, December 19, 2016
That smell
You know it when you smell it. It's sickly, sweet almost, and nauseating. Once it permeates my nose, I'm done until I can get purge the remnants from my nostrils.
It's the smell of C-diff. I had a patient who had all the classic signs: loose stools, brown going to golden colored stool and the horrific smell. Rehab nurses are used to dealing with bowel, bladder and skin issues. This bowel problem made me want to run out in the arctic tundra that is our parking lot just to get away. And I was starving.
Thank goodness for bleach wipes and my handy, dandy air freshener. The air freshener permeated the room and made the smell go away.
Escaping and taking a nice, long walk helped, along with my lunch. It's amazing how therapeutic a lunch break and a walk at work can make you feel.
More to come...
It's the smell of C-diff. I had a patient who had all the classic signs: loose stools, brown going to golden colored stool and the horrific smell. Rehab nurses are used to dealing with bowel, bladder and skin issues. This bowel problem made me want to run out in the arctic tundra that is our parking lot just to get away. And I was starving.
Thank goodness for bleach wipes and my handy, dandy air freshener. The air freshener permeated the room and made the smell go away.
Escaping and taking a nice, long walk helped, along with my lunch. It's amazing how therapeutic a lunch break and a walk at work can make you feel.
More to come...
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Brrr!
The polar vortex has arrived. It arrived just at the start of the weekend. I have already fallen even in "slip-proof" nursing shoes. They don't help when it's also windy. I added some of these to my shopping list.
Some virus from the neighborhood has invaded. Dahey is recuperating and Bubba is acting a little out of sorts, despite my hand washing protocol and cleaning schedule. We've all had our flu shots, so hopefully, it's just something random. Another joy of winter!
I'm happy this week will be the last one I work this year. More to come in 2017. Stay tuned!
Some virus from the neighborhood has invaded. Dahey is recuperating and Bubba is acting a little out of sorts, despite my hand washing protocol and cleaning schedule. We've all had our flu shots, so hopefully, it's just something random. Another joy of winter!
I'm happy this week will be the last one I work this year. More to come in 2017. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Critter patrol
I found some unwelcome peanuts in an unusual spot in an overhead cabinet in my office. Now I know why that mouse was climbing over my desk? To get to the Shangri-La of peanuts which was right behind all of my nursing books.
Curses! Did a lot of that (to myself) and got the Saniwipes out again to purge my desk of mouse droppings.
The construction outside continues and so does the cold.
It's making for some very interesting sights at the Hotel.
Santa, please make sure we don't end up on the news. And please, keep your reindeer outside on the roof. The regular deer might pay attention.
Stay tuned...
Curses! Did a lot of that (to myself) and got the Saniwipes out again to purge my desk of mouse droppings.
The construction outside continues and so does the cold.
It's making for some very interesting sights at the Hotel.
Santa, please make sure we don't end up on the news. And please, keep your reindeer outside on the roof. The regular deer might pay attention.
Stay tuned...
Sunday, December 4, 2016
All the wild and woolly things
It's getting much cooler here in RehabLand. The dreaded Arctic winds are making their way back, just as they normally do (or did). Last week, we had three of four seasons in a week, but it seems like winter is coming and no other season will be allowed.
The wild: all sorts of construction craziness. Since the SU sits near the front of the building at our pastoral campus, the woollies are the critters trying to get in. A few of them (namely mice) are showing up in our office rooms.
We're also getting a lot of patients. It seems like there's always a rush to get your rehab done before the holidays, but some people don't always make it. We do our best to be festive and motivating during the holiday season.
Lately, we're getting lots of unusual diagnoses including presbycusis and Colles' fracture. It's giving me plenty of homework looking up conditions. I also had a patient come to see me about MRSA. The CDC website was very helpful. Said patient felt relieved in knowing what to look for and they provide some nice patient education.
Well, I'm going to get wrapped up in my own woollies and get ready for tomorrow.
I wish you a great week wherever you go!
The wild: all sorts of construction craziness. Since the SU sits near the front of the building at our pastoral campus, the woollies are the critters trying to get in. A few of them (namely mice) are showing up in our office rooms.
We're also getting a lot of patients. It seems like there's always a rush to get your rehab done before the holidays, but some people don't always make it. We do our best to be festive and motivating during the holiday season.
Lately, we're getting lots of unusual diagnoses including presbycusis and Colles' fracture. It's giving me plenty of homework looking up conditions. I also had a patient come to see me about MRSA. The CDC website was very helpful. Said patient felt relieved in knowing what to look for and they provide some nice patient education.
Well, I'm going to get wrapped up in my own woollies and get ready for tomorrow.
I wish you a great week wherever you go!
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