Forever grateful

I am happy to be off work today, especially since I thought I was going to be wearing a cast on my dominant arm. Let's just say walking up hills and wearing certain footwear is hazardous. (I wasn't going far, so I thought I was immune). Nevertheless, after a quick trip for an x-ray and eval, I found out, I was scraped, sore and suffering from a really bad bone bruise between the bones of my arm.

I raise my glass today in honor of those who have come before us, who died and were disabled on the job to give honor to a hard day's work.

The honorable today includes all of you: nurses in the EDs, in the ORs, in the rehab units, in the clinics, in the every inpatient, outpatient, consultant and administrative role.

Your work is honorable and I salute you! Happy Labor Day wherever you are.

Rife with opportunities

A big week in the land of healthcare when this guy fell on his sword. It's only the beginning.

The thing about this whole situation, is that maybe something will finally get done. It's not exclusive to just one business. Unethical behavior happens everywhere.

Or the elephant will still be in the room, and the patients will suffer the consequences.

More to come...

The road to rehab

There are a lot of roads people take to get to me at the Hotel.

Some people get old, fall down, and never get back up. Some go to the hospital for an operation and suffer a heart attack in the operating room.

Other people dive into swimming pools and hear a crack. Others are shot: in battle, in the course of a robbery (and they might be the perpetrator or victim), and some, are suicide attempts.

Many suicide attempts are fueled by PTSD, job loss, divorce and hopelessness.

Some folks make an attempt to free themselves from the weight of being a survivor. Being the only survivor of an ambush, a fire, a plane crash.

And finally, others, like Jeremy, are survivors of military sexual assault.

I hope you will share his story, so his dream can come true, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice once and for all.

Another week done

Hooray! Give me the weekend, even if it's colder than when the week started. If it's sunny (like they say it will be), I will rejoice.

I have seen way too many clouds lately, in the sky and at the Hotel.

One of my old regulars came back this week. He's sick. He tried to stay well he told me, and now it seems, his body's giving up. He sick and he's scared.

Another regular came back right in the "season" as he calls it on his farm. His family misses him and calls him with reports. Even the dog misses him.

Finally, I got to finish the day off by helping some of the case management folks review files for Hotel admissions. I learned a lot about syndromes that I never knew existed. One started when the patient's main complaint was "I keep falling".  He fell one time, however, and couldn't get up.

And it's looking like the start of the "season" for me, too. One relative (who was hospitalized last year a long time) is going to the ER tonight. I hope it all goes well. I'm not sure if I'll be a good supporter this year or not. I'm drained after everything that happened last year. It was a wild roller coaster ride.

More to come...

Murphy was here...

Yes, Murphy's Law was in force today at the Hotel.

1. We thought the TVs were firmly attached when they renovated the Hotel. Until one fell off and hit a patient and a staff member.

2. We thought the roof was fixed, until recently, when it rained and leaked all over in the break room and in the SU.

3. Today, the plumbers made it rain in another hallway. Some water pipe thing.

I am so glad I'm going to a seminar tomorrow. I just hope I come back to an office intact.

Stay tuned...

I need one of these at work

For the characters who keep falling all over the place...