Wednesday - You Are Your Only Problem

You are the only problem you will ever have and you are the only solution.~~Bob Proctor

Well, how have you been.  Me?  Busy working.  I did work Sunday night, which was the holiday for us night-shifters.  And don't you know it, we were pretty busy.  I think we got 10 ambulances in about 4 hours, then probably 5 or 6 more the rest of the night.  That is a lot.  And, all the crazies were out with the almost full moon and all.

I had a man come in that was complaining about burns on his hands and mouth from his crack pipe, and blisters on his feet and his feet being dirty from all the walking he was doing because he was too "afraid to drive because the police might catch me".  So I got him some wet washcloths and towels and brought them to him and he screamed and yelled at me because I wouldn't wash his feet for him.  I'm like "you aren't handicapped and you can do this."  He said "you are the worst nurse ever, I suppose next you will be having me empty bedpans."  Oh jeez.  I said "This is an emergency room.  Your dirty feet do not qualify as an emergency, so if you want them washed you can do it here or at home, I don't care, but either way I'm not washing them."  He got up and stormed out of the ER.  Fine with me.  It's not my fault he decided to go on a crack binge for the last three days and not take a bath.

Then this other guy came in with a possible overdose.  He was belligerent and combative and we had to restrain him.  Then he called me a Bitch and I yelled at him when he said he didn't want to be there.  I said "You think I want you to be here?  You think I like it when you come in here and yell at me and curse at me?  I don't.  You just can't come in here and treat me anyway you want and expect me to take it.  It may be my job to take care of you, but I will not put up with you treating me this way."  After that he was quite and said, "You're right.  I'm sorry.  You are a good nurse, I can tell.  I promise I won't be rude to you anymore."  And you know what, he wasn't.  I ended up only keeping the restraints on him for a little while and he never acted up again.  Poor guy was just upset because he caught his wife cheating with a friend of his. 

Oh well, was that more than you wanted to know?  Thank goodness it was a holiday pay night. 

Monday I just slept and slept and slept.  Tuesday I went and got my hair done...finally!  It has been 2months since my last appointment, and you could tell.  I feel better now.  Then I went to Dream Dinners and fixed my meals for the next month.  But I was wiped out.  I am battling a bladder infection and it is mopping the floor with me.  I had better feel better when I get up later on today because I have to work tonight and tomorrow.

Hope you have a great one!

Ciao!   De ;)

Tags: Full Moon Crazy, Dream Dinners

Monday -Taking the First Step

The two things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision.~~Robyn Davidson

I've been doing some thinking...it costs a lot to live in Phoenix.  I mean really a lot.  Oh I know that there are more expensive places to live, like say, California, but Phoenix is really expensive.  And it's really hot in the summer (no duh it's a desert).  So I've been making a mental checklist:

1.  House: 3x the amount of Oklahoma

2.  Electricity: 3x the amount of Oklahoma

3.  Water/Gas: 10x the amount of Oklahoma

4.  Salary:  Mine is 1.6x and David's is 1.2x the amount of Oklahoma

...see the trend?  We have to work more just to live here.  And no, I do NOT want to move back to Oklahoma, lol.  But I am thinking maybe a less expensive market back closer to family in Texas and Oklahoma might be a good idea.

What is the first step?  Look into the job market in an area we might be interested in living.  I've got my eye out on a few areas and you can get much more for your money there.  And let's face it, there are always health care jobs.

Second step?  Okay well we just bought a house last May so we have to see if it has appreciated in value so we won't lose money if we sell.  Homes in Phoenix went through a boom about the time we moved out here 2 years ago and the market seems to be correcting itself.  But have we lost money or made money by buying this house?  Enter appraiser...made money.  House is worth $50K more this year than last in "as-is" shape.  So more if we continue our home improvement projects in the works or planned.

Third step is to decrease bills.  Down size.  One example is I bought a 2003 BMW X5 in November.  Sell it and get a less expensive vehicle.  Start chunking down extra on the hubby's truck and get it paid off in 6months instead of 12months.  Etc.

As much as I love our home and the awesome view from my back porch (sigh), I think we need to make a change.  The move will get us into a more affordable living area and closer to family.

Okay...now we just need to get working and get going.  Wish us luck!

Ciao!  De ;)

 

Tags: Downsizing, Moving?

Sunday

Instead of looking for a miracle in your life,

look to see if you are the miracle in someone else's life. ~~Nola Rohde Vollmer

 

Oh jeez, can you tell my mood.  I know we can't all be the "miracle in someone else's life", and I probably get more chances than most considering I'm an ER nurse, but sometimes I just get plain tired of trying to make a difference.  And I really, really hate being scammed.  Like the other night my patient right up front asked me to get her some Valium for her back pain because that is "the only thing that works".  First off, I'm not the doc, NP, PA, or whoever, and all I do is follow their orders, not the patient's requests.  So when I went into the room to give this lady a pain pill she was like "where is my Valium?".  I told her the PA didn't prescribe her one and to take the pain pill and we would see how she feels later.  I could already tell where this one was going.  So, over the course of the next 45 minutes her friend came up to the desk repeatedly requesting Valium for her friend.  I very firmly each time told her I would be in the room in a little bit (and I was three more times).  When I went into the room to discharge the patient she became very irate and started screaming at me that I was a horrible nurse, that I had no bedside manner, that I was "trapping her in the bed" when I tried to take her blood pressure and demanded that I "get the charge nurse".  I really, really, really hate it when patients think they can get what they want by demanding a supervisor.  Thank goodness the charge nurse that night stuck up for me and even stated he was standing by the PA when he handed me the chart and said that he was not going to prescribe the patient any Valium.  So the patient left all in a huff and trying to act like she was going to throw up because she was so upset and needed her Valium.  As she passed by me she said "You are mean!"  That got everyone laughing, but it really wasn't funny because I mean, jeez, this isn't why I got into nursing.  KWIM?

 

 Ciao!  De;)

Tags: Be a miracle in someone's life

Early Tuesday

 Okay, I got this from my email group and it was so cute I couldn't help but posting it.  Now normally I absolutely hate it when someone tells me to smile, but come on...who can resist this baby's face?!

 

So how ya been?  A whole week gone again!  What the heck is going on?  Oh yeah, me working, lol.  Well dumb me picked up an extra day on Saturday making it 4 days last week.  Stupid because by the end of the shift I was so worn out I got a fever blister and gave up my shift for Monday night.  It's only money, right?

 

How was everyone's Mother's Day?  Pretty good here with the only thing missing being Hannah (first time apart on Mother's Day).  I told Mr Caleb to wake me up at 3pm so he could take me to Spiderman 3 for my Mother's Day gift, but (and can you believe this) he forgot.  David woke me up at 5pm and said, "What time did you want to get up today?"  School night so we went to see Spidy this evening.  It was pretty good, but I think I agree with the critics in that 3 villains were a bit much.  If you haven't seen the movie, I won't spoil it for you, but I can tell you I liked the Peter Parker who wore the black suit to the degree he had more self-confidence and stood up for himself (not Spidy) more.  Not as much a nerd.  But then the "blackness" did consume him to a degree.  Okay, enough because I did just promise not to spoil it for you didn't I?  My bad.  But that does lead me to the thought for the day...

 

Thought for the Day:  Take time to accept responsibility.  Your life is exactly that - It's your life.  It is created by you.  You are constantly making choices, constantly creating new experiences.  And although we can be affected by circumstances which can seem to be completely out of our control.  Essentially, we decide the direction in which we walk.  ~~Nicholas Watkins

 

  Here is something else I just wanted to pass along since swimsuit season is upon us.  I promise I will never, ever think I look horrible in a bathing suit again, lol!  Oh all right I will quit torturing you, ha ha!

 

I have to work tonight.  Have a good one, and try to get that image out of your mind if you can, he he he he!

 

Ciao!  De ;)

 

 

Tags: Smiles, Mother's Day, Spiderman 3, A Grandmother in Denial

It's Tuesday

Oh hello...not a lot going on today.  I think my mind is a little fried.  Gotta say I'm tired from working so much lately.  I need to get some more vitamins cause I have no energy.  Ugh.

I've gotta either stay up or get up bright and early tomorrow morning to meet with a counselor at Caleb's school in the morning at 7:15am (I'm thinking easier to stay up, lol).  It seems Caleb's teacher is concerned because he is behind where he should be in reading and has hinted on holding him back.  So I agreed to have him tested.  But here is my take on the whole think, the only subject where Caleb is a little behind his class is reading/writing.  Everything else he soars way above.  And he can read, and he can write, albeit not very legible.  Caleb would just prefer to do something else.  So I'm playing along and did the testing and Caleb is enrolled in the summer reading program.  But that is where I draw the line.  I will not hold him back from 2nd grade just because he is a little behind.  He will catch up.  If they won't pass him on to 2nd grade, I'll just pull him out and either place him in a private school (where he will get more invidividualized attention) or homeschool.  Even my sitter who works with kids says not to hold him back.  We'll see what the counselor says in the morning, it will be interesting to see the results of Caleb's testing.

Well, since my mind is a little blank today, I thought it would be good to play a little game (although I had to think a little more than I planned).  So without further ado, here is a little meme I found over at Dawn's Carpe Diem.  Play along and leave her a link. 

***********************************

I say ... and you think ... ?

1.    Colorblind  -  "John Doe" on the SciFi Channel, in reruns now.  Anywho, the main character John is colorblind, but can see some people or objects in color on occasion.  Unfortunately we will never know all the answers because the show was canceled when it originally aired on CBS and Dominic Purcell is currently starring on Prison Break.  Boo Hoo. 

2.    Shallow  -  The gene pool.   Somebody out there should control procreation.

3.    Erotica  -  Porn.
4.    Figment  -  of my imagination.

5.    Eviction   -  What happens when you don't pay your mortgage/rent.

6.    Composed  -  "not agitated or distracted"  What your supposed to be during a Code.

7.    Chill  -  Lemon.  These are really good when it's hot outside.

8.    Grill  -  Hamburgers!

9.    California  -  Beautiful people!

10.   Bond  -  I'll go with Dawn and say James Bond.  Sean Connery, mmmmmm!

11.   Taxi  -  Driver.  "Are you talking to me?!"

12.   Knife  -  Sharp, handy little tool to have around. 

**************************************

Hope you had fun.  I had better get started on dinner.  It's going to be Chicken with Lemon and Artichoke Sauce served over noodles with steamed veggies.   Have a great evening!

 Ciao!  De ;)

Tags: I say and you think, Carpe Diem

Saturday - Already? And I'm Irritable...

Just where does the time go?  Another week just blew right by.  The good news is, that means it's only 6 weeks until Hannah comes back.  See?  Silver lining!

I know I haven't been on here much lately, been busy working extra.  Some changes in my husband's job situation that will hopefully work itself out in the next week or less.  Kinda got me stressed out right now.

Okay you know I've been picking up some extra shifts, but only had 3 scheduled this week (I am part-time and only have to work 2 shifts a week) and I got a phone call from "S", a nurse I work with, who desperately wanted off so she could go to the Kenny Chesney concert.  So, even though she is by far not my favorite person, I ageed because it benefited me.  Then on Wednesday I get this phone call from "S" and this is our conversation:

S:  I just wanted to let you know that I don't need you to work for me on Saturday after all.

Me:  Really?  You are not going to the concert?!

S:  No, I'm going, but I got "T" to work for me so you won't have to.

Now wait a minute.  For a week and a half I have been counting on working Saturday (tonight) and now "S" tells me she got someone else to work for her.  WTH?

Me:  S, what is the problem?  Why did you ask T when I already told you I would work for you?  You know staffing is not going to like that because he is market pool and is more expensive than me.  They want you to trade with regular staff first.  Plus, I've already rearranged my schedule so I can cover your shift for you.

S:  Well I just noticed that you will be working three days in a row and I know you don't like that so I asked T to cover my shift instead.

Me:  Why don't you let me worry about how many days in a row I will be working.

S:  Sorry.  I've already asked T.

I knew that another nurse wanted Saturday off as well so I called him and volunteered to work and turned in the appropriate forms to staffing.  You know what I hope?  I hope something comes up and T can't work for S and then she has to miss the concert.  And then, the next time I see her I am going to tell her not to ever call me again to cover a shift, even if someone is dead or dying.

Jeez!  Do I sound the tinest bit crabby?  Sorry.  I am in a bad mood, I guess.

Hey, I didn't tell you that we had a baby born in the ER last week, did I?  Well it's a big deal on several points.  First of all, we do NOT have labor and delivery or any OB/GYN at our hospital right now.  Second, I've never, ever, not one time, during my entire 12 years as a nurse and even as a student nurse, been in on a delivery.  So that was waaaayyy cool.  So the deal is this obvisously very pregnant Mexican lady came into the ER crying, moaning, and screaming that she is having a baby.  Now we don't like that for the above reason of not having L&D.  But what could we do because it was pretty apparant that she was going to deliver imminently, especially since she was wanting to push.  We rush her into our makeshift delivery room and by the time we got her in there that baby was already out at about it's chest.  So I say she made it over the border just in time!  It was so funny because we were all yelling and shouting and hollering at each other over what to do, and then the doctor comes in and takes somewhat charge.  But it was fun and exciting.  Especially forme, because I started my shift off with a code and my patient dying.  Nice way to end the shift, with a new life.

Another thing of interest was about 6:00am Thursday morning, right before the end of my shift, an ambulance brought in a 17yr old guy who had been found on the sidewalk passed out in his own vomit.  Unfortunately not too unusal to have drunks brought it, but 17 is not the usual age although we do get underage drinkers in too often.  This kid was laughing and carrying on and said "Oh wow, you're beautiful (beer goggles on).  Are you married?  Never mind cause even if you are married are you happy?  Cause I can make you happy."  Seriously?  "Oh you had better stop now before you embarrass youself cause I'm old enough to be your mother."  That got him crying.  "I love my mother sooo much but she doesn't want me to live with her and I miss her!"  I found out he was living with is Dad and his Mom was in California.  I called multiple times to get the Dad and finally gave up and got hold of the Mom who gave us permission to treat.  I went back into the room to start an IV and give this kid some fluids when he started crying again.  He said "Did you ever think your life was so horrible that you would never be happy?"  I'm like "You're 17, how horrible can it be?"  "I'm a virgin and I've never had a girlfriend."  Oy jeez!  "You're 17, you've got lots of time."  "How do you not be a total f*&&-up in your life?"  "You just take one day at a time. And every day you get up you do the things that are expected of you, that you are responsible for.  And you may not be happy today, or tomorrow, but in the long run you will be a happier person."  With that I medicated him and off to sleep he went.  You know in the hour and a half before I left his Dad never called, despite me calling and leaving multiple messages at multiple phone numbers.  How sad is that?

Well, hope your weekend is a good one.  Mine will be spent working.  Catch up later! 

Ciao!  De ;)