It's the long weekend

TGIF! We started the weekend off with fun. We went and rode some rides not far from home tonight at one of many picnics. Bubba and I had a funnel cake and I reminisced about how many of the rides are still the same as when I was a kid. It would be nice if the tickets were the same. I couldn't believe the prices.

Bubba even saw some kids from school, including a girl who saw him as we were leaving. She was a tall blonde, and had there not been more traffic, I think Bubba would have run faster to the car. However, Blonde Babe stayed on her side of the picnic and we went home.

Dahey even got into the modern era: he joined his first social networking site. His crazy friend from high school was the first person to find him online, so it was like a mini reunion. I first met Max via e-mail and I'll never forget how he described his time in the military: "After doing my first hitch and finding out there are no permanent marching band jobs in the military, I decided to learn a trade and become an electrician."

Some things change, and yes, some things (and people) stay the same.

Stay tuned.

Head banging or TGIF hurry up

Maybe it's because it's a long weekend. Maybe it's because I've had more than my share of head banging needed recently. If I were a pitcher, my ERA would be terrible. Two patients scheduled no-showed or refused to cooperate. Very frustrating.

Some of the people you work with have amnesia and screw stuff up no matter how many times you tell them something.Asking these same people to think is a dangerous thing. "Oh you mean I was supposed to answer when so-and-so called on the teleconferencing unit to discuss x patient." Yes, Dumbelina, you sure were supposed to answer. Even a master's degree in your discipline is of no use.

I think of the article I read about doctors not wanting to use stethoscopes in the 19th century because, "Why do that when I can just put my ear to someone's chest?" I want to yell the same thing about the technology at the Hotel, with which they do the same thing.

Thank goodness I already bought all the beverages I'll need for this weekend. I will be partaking of some nice cold ones as soon as it's feasible Friday.

Stay tuned and hope you enjoy your Friday.

Monday, Monday (aka back to work)

It was a brief trip to MegaConference and it was fun. I even met some new friends on my whirlwind tour. I tried to meet one nurse blogger, but she wasn't coming in, until I left town. I got lots of looks at my poster and made sure I didn't take a single handout home, by using a couple of marketing gimmicks. (I marked my literature holder--aka a brown envelope--with the words TRADE SECRETS).

All that business experience helped. I also corralled a spot near my poster and carefully set my coat and a notebook there (with a glass) so I could go between sessions and not lose my spot. (We were expected to be by the poster at break times, so...)

Dahey and Bubba drove around the town exploring, watching dogs and sailboats. Bubba also proved that kids needing to go to the bathroom is really a universally understood problem, no matter in what sort of ethnic neighborhood you may find yourself. They also saw a movie, which was a good excuse for Dahey to find a dark place with a comfy chair for a nap. (We got up really early to get me to the conference on time, since our hotel was far away in the suburbs.)

There was a party once the session was over, but I literally had to fly out of there, after I talked to an exec I had tweeted to during the sessions. It was nice to finally meet her after conversing back and forth. It was bedlam--cars, taxis, buses, everywhere. It was a miracle Dahey and Bubba could get to me amidst all the masses escaping the conference hall looking for a ride. I was really happy one of the staffers there was able to get us back to the highway to RehabLand.

It was literally down the street and around one corner. So we drove away into the evening to RehabLand.

Today was a long day with lots of caffeine infusions. My last one is wearing off, so I will say good night.

More fun to come...

It's Friday

And one day, I'm glad is over. My very last paper of grad school is finally done.

But nothing today could be as noteworthy (or notorious) as the school shooting in Connecticut today.

As a mother of a child who could have gone to school there (Bubba's the right age group), I am numb. Numb to think that someone would kill his mother, steal his brother's identity, then go and kill as many as possible in an elementary school.

I could somewhat understand if the shooter chose adults with whom he had a grievance, but he did not. He killed defenseless little children.

Some things I just can't understand...the terror, the grief, the unspeakable sadness for families, first responders, for all the people of Newtown.

I will just pray. For all of them.

Wild Friday

Yes, I'm so, so glad this week is over. My Friday was really, really weird and probably just the culmination of an extraordinary week.

Besides all the brouhaha of the new digs opening, one of our nurses, who works the home health side had to call an ambulance for herself from a patient's home this week. We still don't know what happened to her.

The boss's boss came over to inspect again. S/he's just so friendly--only talks to the people she wants to. I've given up doing anything but speaking when spoken to. Why bother when s/he doesn't acknowledge you anyway?

And on top of this, my sibling who was coming to town got delayed and so did our hospitalized relative who was supposed to be discharging this week. Logistical nightmare trying to get him/her home caused a problem that could not be resolved until Monday. I personally don't believe it was all logistics, but then again, just call me a cynic.

I know a long weekend when I see one, so I'm taking one, myself.

Stay tuned...it should be a fun weekend.