Week of Discontent

I just have been off this week.

I did not so good on my first OB test Monday.

1st OB clinical Tuesday. This went well, but I was exhausted, and then a 2 hour staff meeting 30 miles north of where I was. Home by 9:00pm.

Wednesday. Studying, but not organized and retaining anything. OB is just plain hard for me, and I am looking toward doing anything ELSE rather than study right now.

Today, school in the a.m., forget about a SNA board meeting I was to attend, and here I am, blogging, after an attempt at cracking open the OB book, then falling asleep.

My saving grace is that my Petro came in today. Above is a photo. What's a Petro? Here's a link. Hopefully I can tool around the neighborhood in style now and get a bit of exercise. This is my birthday present early (my B-day is in Sept.)

I have lots of cool things, and no time to play with them. I am tired. I think I will take a nap now...

In my attempt to get Home

So, here's my little story on how strange my world is.

Please, read the morning post BELOW. Then proceed with this entry.

So, I am exhausted, on my way home from work. I just want to get my gas, my DH's beer, and soak my sore feet in a nice warm bathtub.

I fill the tank and go inside. I bring only my credit card...No one will card me, I think. I must look like h*ll from my busy day. I get the beer, proceed to checkout, hand her the card.

"Can I see your ID?"
(geez, can't she see I am of age. Now I must walk all the way back to the car.)
-hand her the ID

"Wow, I thought it was you! Don't you bowl anymore?"
(Thought:"No, I work like everyone else now, my feet hurt, and why did you make me do that?!!!! Voice: "Well, a bit, but I work locally now."

So, to summarize. A fan who recognizes me decides in order to confirm it was me (instead of asking me) makes me walk to my car, find my ID, walk back. It had nothing to do with my age for the beer. I guess the fates wanted me to walk just a bit more today...

Busy Weekend

The life of an Emergency Department Tech this weekend:

• linen and supply restocking of rooms, 0700-0900. Takes longer than normal because housekeeping short on flat stretcher sheets, all dirty laundry bags and various pickup from last shift not completed, ergo "trickle down effect" which is a busy night, tech can't finish work, it gets passed onto me, then I cannot keep up, then I pass it on (or, as my goal every shift, to NOT pass on the work!)
• 0900-1030: assist 3 digital blocks, 1 lumbar puncture, start 3 IV's/draw labs, start cleansing of 1 wound, 1 Lac setup tray, 1 ring removal with tools, 1 posterior OCL splint with crutch instructions, 1 breakfast assist, 3 bedside commode cleanings
• 1030: first drink of water, bathroom break of the day...go eat my yogurt (I am starving!)
• 1045-1200: setup pts from 4 EMS arrivals, more cleaning rooms from admits/discharges, more stocking of linens that arrived late from housekeeping, IV tray restock, stock the stock room (yes, really.)
• 1200 lunch. Man my feet hurt....watch HGTV: (wow, I have a lot of things to do around my OWN home!)
• 1245: 4th floor calls: I am sent to do a difficult IV stick on a pt who has become the "human pin cushion." I get a 22# in the left A/C, so I kinda feel good for about 10 seconds (enough to know that the minute I start feeling good about my IVs I will miss the next 10!LOL!) This whole procedure took about 30 minutes....redress 2 tube gauze applications on the same persons 2 digits (another tech did not apply tube gauze correctly...it is now my job to both teach and not scold, and treat the patient...)
• 1315:out to triage where I become triage tech:check-ins, door monitor, etc. This actually involves more walking than working in the back, if that is possible today..
• 1345: find out a pt from morning IV (which took about 20 minutes in the room) has meningitis. Great. I must call infection control today (Monday) to make sure it is not bacterial, because my first OB clinical is tomorrow.
• rest of day: check-ins, smiling, comforting, explaining wait times (which are high today...unusual for the Summer in FL)

And, here, I brought my OB notes to study for my first test Monday morning! (thinking I would have time...)