The perils of modern technology

This article on cnn was interesting, because it talks about a variety of ailments that never existed when my parents and grandparents were growing up.

I can almost hear those sage characters laughing when I read about...

Tablet neck and BlackBerry thumb 


Grandma L: (on tablet neck) Hunched over? Sit up straight! (on Blackberry thumb) It has a speakerphone? I need one of those. Who cares about typing? I never wanted to be a secretary anyway!

Grandma L. was a housewife who raised 7 kids and called everyone of them (including my mother) every morning. If she could have had a cell phone, she would have had one.

Earbud-induced hearing loss  

Grandpa K: (great-grandpa --GG--actually): GET THOSE  F**&^% out of your ears, you moron!

NOTE: GG was a foreman in a brewery back in the day. You had to yell for people to hear you on the production line. Another fun part of his job: wake up drunks who fell asleep. He was known for speaking his mind. Ahem...

Screen-related sleep disorder  

Grandpa L: Turn off the lights. They're not free.

Grandpa worked nights, and he was not a big light fan. He was retired by the time I was born, and while I don't remember him much, he spoiled me (and my sister) rotten according to reports.

Stiletto strain

My mother: This is why you carry a big purse (so you can stash a pair of flats).

I have lots of photos of my mother in high heels in her youth.

Offbeat biorhythms

Grandma R:  It's not good to eat after 6PM.

Grandma R was a tenacious survivor: married three times (first was a youthful romance gone bad, except for my dad) second was the love of her life (widowed) and third was a complete idiot (divorced after 3 years and infidelity on his part). 

She worked as a real estate agent and died when I was a little girl. I read a few of her letters my father had, and I admire all she had to deal with in life. I'm sure my tenacity comes from her German-Anglo-Irish background.

Monday again

Surprisingly, I did not have hundreds of e-mails when I returned to the office. I had about a dozen.  One of these days, the crazy admin who works for us will figure out that we ALL really don't need to receive a 9MB attachment on every e-mail she sends. (I bounced this request to the tech people today).

I worked with a patient (Mr. X) who always seems to show up in my office. Some therapists need to be working with him, but they're off doing other things, so I think of things for him to do. I allot about 30 minutes a day on this. I wish I could bill for my time in a clinic visit like the therapists do.

Meanwhile, Mr. X thought he was evading the medical staff on rounds by hiding out in an area near the remodeling being done in our part of the Hotel. Nope. They saw him. I managed to coax him out of the corner so he could talk to his doc. Once she arrived, I was out of there.

I also got a referral to one of our docs today. Patient found us on a website, made a phone call, and ended up in my voice mail. Before I could call, he called me. Mr. Persistent wants a second opinion with a specialist who works with us. He has a disease that requires a choice between two medications that will keep his disease at bay, but one, if he's got certain conditions, could actually kill him. Once specialist is back from his family jaunt across the country, he'll be on his consult list.

One patient made my Monday melancholy. Mr. E. has been coming to our place for a few years. His wife has never really coped with his issues very well. The caregiver stress they talk about in nursing school is starting to show. Mr. E. came in to a clinic visit with a week old beard. This is highly unusual for him, since he tends to shave every other day. Mrs. E. didn't come in with him, either, which is unusual.  She told us he had some issues and that she thought he was sick. She was correct. He got admitted.

Staff are getting bend out of shape about Mr. E. not being cared for. He's not the only one. I think Mrs. E. has finally broken. The strain of caring for her loving husband, who was once a tall, strong, highly educated man is killing her. Her back is strained from the weight. The role of loving wife and partner has been permanently replaced with caregiver. It's not what she signed up for. She doesn't say it, but the vacant look in her eyes tells you. The folks who promised to help just aren't doing it anymore.

The burden has fallen to us to carry at the Hotel,  as we wait to see how the rest of the questions in our minds will be answered.

Stay tuned...

Caregiver fatigue

There's always that patient who will wear you out...literally and figuratively.  That's what happening at the Hotel right now. A whole lot of caregiver role strain.With the myriad terminal diagnoses we're seeing, everyone's getting fried. One patient in particular is viewed with such contempt, that some people don't want to care for him/her when family is not around. It's sad.

For my own knowledge, I've dug up a few resources from here and there, to change a few views. No one may read them on the nurses' lounge table, but it can't hurt. Hope you enjoy them.

• Mayo Clinic has an entire section dedicated to end of life care.
• American Hospice Foundation has lots of articles on various topics, including a Grief at Work section.
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Reminds People, “It’s About How You LIVE”

Sort, shift, shuffle

And that's how I'm ending a pleasant vacation at home. A few major things done, lots of minor things, and lots of assorted miscellany in between. Now I'm sorting school-related paperwork.

Except for a little sinus craziness going on, I feel pretty good. I wish I could do this little three day thing every month. (My boss would kill me, I'm sure!). I am also thankful. In talking with people I haven't talked to in a long time, I realize that I am happy and healthy and I'd just better start to be grateful for that. Many of my friends have their own health issues and lots and lots of caregiver strain issues.

Well, back to paper shuffling...then on to dinner with friends. I can't think of a better way to end vacation.

I'll be back to the old grind tomorrow. Stay tuned...I've got lots of goodies planned next week. Thanks for stopping by everyone! You make my day...now leave a comment if you please! ;->