Day off and the scum

The day I have been looking forward to is here. I am off. Until next Friday. Since my shoulder is sore and I woke up with a spring cold I am grateful. I can't believe I am sick again. What's up with this? Everyone I know is catching one thing after another. I take vitamins. Its this strange weather. Cold one day, warm the next, then cold. At least I am sick on my days off so I don't have to miss work but to just feel good would be nice.

So I had a couple of troublesome things happen. Got our credit card bill which should have only had a couple of small charges on it. Someone used our card number to buy something worth 309.20. I called the company. Somebody in Virginia used my numbers which they ripped off somehow. Since my hubby has used the card on line it was breached somehow. Bummer. However. They were very nice and know exactly where the item went. They do go after them. I canceled my card and the credit card company will credit me. I called the company that sold the item and they are going after the scum. The address goes onto a do not ship too site so they won't be able to order anything online as long as they remain at that address. And they report it to the fraud department in the town that the scum live in. It is a bother because I have to change my card and contact Netflex to get it changed. But I will not be charged for it.

Work was terrible and busy, thus the sore shoulder. So happy I am off. Oh, and the other news. I had a cysto a few years back. Well the news broke in the paper yesterday that they were using the same IV and tubing on patients who had cysto's. There is a possibility, slim, that we all contacted Hep C or HIV. Oh Goody! They said if they saw blood in the tubing it was changed but it could have backflushed. I am shocked. That is such bad practice I can't believe they did that. Althought I am pretty certain I haven't contacted anything I still have to go tomorrow and get my free lab test to make sure. They have been doing it since 2002, so that is alot of people that have to get tested.

I am having potato soup since we both have this newest crud and don't feel well. So much for my plans to ride my bike this weekend.

So, that is my week. We had a tax protest teaparty yesterday. I was surprised how many people showed up at noon on a weekday. People are mad. The homeland security was warned to watch out for right wing extremists and people with Ron Paul bumper stickers as we are a danger to America. Angry over taxed Americans. None of which caused any trouble. We just want our children to have a future. We want government to stop robbing us blind and selling our country to the Chinese. This is just the beginning.

Wednesday

Finally, my last night of work before my week off. I feel like Dora the Explorer. I made it, I make it. I am looking forward to it also.

Work last night was a piece of cake. I was charge so it is hard to believe. No admits, no emergencies, no disasters. Just a lovely quiet night where everyone got to catch up on our computer classes we have to do yearly. They were a bunch of EKG classes and were actually pretty fun, especially when you passed.

Nurses are required to take continuing education yearly. I usually do the majority of mine on line and there are some good classes out there plus it is cheaper then traveling to the class. I can sit in my PJ's, drink some coffee and pet Zoey's head to help me concentrate. The classes are user friendly so I like them.

My main computer broke today. Not sure what happened but it wouldn't turn on when I got home from work. Since it is in the spare bedroom my kids are using I am not sure when it stopped working. Part of me is kind of glad since it is older then dirt and doesn't have hardly any memory. Part of me is not happy as I don't need the expense right now. But it may be repairable. My son used to build them so when he gets home I will have him check it out. For now I will use my laptop.

The economy is hitting home. We have 2 hospitals in this town. News yesterday the other hospital in town as requiring all its staff to take a pay cut. Anywhere from 4 go 10 %. And they have taken 4 days of PTO away from them. Of course the insurance expenses and everything else stays the same and probably will cost them more so it is really a lot more then just the money up front. I wonder if the CEO will take a cut since it is one of the highest paid job in this town...... It will just be a matter of time before our hospital does the same. And there won't be a thing we can do about it. What would you do, go work in the other hospital? It will be take a cut or lose your job. And they have a hiring freeze. so take a cut in pay and do the work of 3 people, if you don't like it, quit. I keep telling myself, and it is true, I am happy I have a job, I am happy I have a job. Many don't. Still.........

Did you get your taxes done? Rick went to a tea party today. I wanted to go, but needed to sleep more. It was to protest being taxed to death. Catered and all it was a real success. People are getting angry. Not sure if it will accomplish anything but hopefully if people start waking up to what is happening around them maybe the voice of reason will grow louder and louder and stop the insanity. I can hope. Brother can you spare a trillion. I hear the one is Texas was huge.

Well, time to get ready for my last night. I am hoping it is as good as last night. My shoulder is really handling this well. Wonder if it will still handle it as well when I start using it? We shall see. I am still not lifting. Happy hump day all.

Zoey's Big Adventure

We went out to eat last night and got a call, Zoey slipped out past the kids and was off on a big adventure. Drats.

Now Zoey is a smart dog. She knows a dozen tricks and minds pretty well. She has one weakness however. She gets loose, she's gone. And she won't come when she is called. Being she is a scent dog she follows her nose. Right in front of cars, right up to skunks, right into trouble.

It was when she was loose once that she got into something that poisoned her. We never figured out what it was but she stunk to high heavens when she got home and got sick shortly after. She came very close to dying and cost me several hundred dollars. And she has been skunked 3 times. Smelly.

We drove home to crying kids and adults walking the neighborhood looking for her. Since I had a pretty good idea of where she usually goes I went there and sure enough she was visiting a neighbor dog. Nice looking male Golden slightly older then her. Flirting away, shameless hussy. Darn dog wouldn't come when I called though and took off behind the house. Fine I said, and started to walk away. Of course she turned around and started to follow me but wouldn't get close. Then she took off behind the yard again. Good. Alley is fenced in on both side.

I told the other catchers to get on one side and we got on her trapped in the alley. Knowing she was trapped she slinked up to the little girl, knowing she wouldn't get scolded as much from her plus she was holding a tempting biscuit and let them put her collar on. Darn dog kept trying to suck up to us the rest of the day. We did let her go for a walk in the woods and chase a stick for awhile.

This morning she is groaning and moving pretty slow. Serves her right. In human years she is 70. To old to be running all over like a nut and flirting with all the male dogs. Making us cut our date night short chasing her and worring about her getting hit by a car.

I have to admit to being a sore old lady today also. I ran a foot race with the kids and went on a hike up and down hills. I think the running did me in. I am built for comfort..... not speed.

A day off, thank goodness

I made it, I made it. What a weekend. I was charge both nights. Last night was a good night, it went fast and no problems. The night before, oh man. Started out on lady had a seizure. I thought she just vageled out after getting up which you see once in awhile. Usually get them back to bed and they come too good as new. We got her back to bed and she started to come around then boom. Seizured again. Got some stat lab and turns out her blood sugar was low. So we gave her some sugar per her iv.

Then we had a chest pain admit that might possible have to go to the cath lab. Had chest pain off an on all night and very slow heart rate. Now stable at all. And to top it off we couldn't get her blood typed. She had a very rare antigen in her blood and only 1% of the population might match here. It would take a few days to match her and then it would have to be flown here. If she has to have emergency surgery it could be very serious. so tick tick tick on her.

Last but not least a patient came in that wasn't taking his meds and had been drinking. So he seizures also. Man we rarely get seizures and then bam, two in a row. It made for a tense night. Our saving grace was the staffing was really good and we were right on top of each problem correcting it. Still it wears you out. I was more then happy to go home.

Yesterday Rick cooked a fantastic meal. Grilled some great steaks, roasted baby red potatoes with herbs, peasent bread, steamed aspargus, Yummy. And lemon merange pie. And we ate all weekend at work. Not good for the old bod but sure tasted swell.

My shoulder is smarting pretty good this morning but it didn't get really bad until today. That is a improvement. 4 days and this is the worse day, not every day like before. I think its an improvement.

The kids are still staying here. They are taking forever to get their new house done. lots of water pipe problems. I am enjoying having kids around.

Prayers were answered in the rescue of the american pilot. Sounds like he was a hero. Now they are threatening to kill all hostages from now on. Hummm, not if we get to you first.

Well bedtime. My sleeping pill and tylenol is kicking in. Have a good one.

Happy Easter

I hope everyone had a blessed day and filled with families and friends.

One more night of work and then a day off. This entry is short today but it still counts, day 5, 5 entries.

Day 4, not that I'm counting.

And 2 nights down at work. 2 more to go. Tonight I have to be charge and tonight is the holiday for night workers. So I work with a bunch of nurses I don't usually work with on the weekend. I love the people I work with on the weekend so that is the sad part. But I am switching my holidays so this is the last time that will happen.




Work was wonderful last night. We were staffed perfectly and I had wonderful patients. They could all move by themselves so my shoulder is doing pretty good. For the first time I am feeling slightly hopeful this might heal without surgery. I guess it will depend on how it does when I finally start lifting again. They can't keep me on restrictions forever or I will get canned. If you can't do the job you were hired to do.......


I have had 3 patients in their 50's who had to have open heart surgery this week. That is cutting way to close to home. And my age group. Lots younger then we used to see. In fact I see the trend is getting younger and younger. Healthy eating isn't practiced much these days, lots of pop consumption, to much work to many hours. And diabetes is through the roof. It almost seems that it won't be if I get it but when I get it. Well, I don't want it. Nasty disease with all kinds of nasty side effects. If you can prevent it I would start now.


I heard from my youngest sister. The one with the heart problems. She found a lump in her breast and they will be biopsying it in the near future. Please send her some prayers. She doesn't need cancer on top of a failing heart. I am hoping it is OK.


The weather outside it lovely I have been told. Course I slept though it but I am glad it is nice for the people who are off. Both my son's are off and my youngest is having a party at his house so nice weather is a plus.

Some of the nurses I worked with last night were here the last time we went self staffing. They are dreading it as much as me. We all work full time and aren't interested in working more every week. Give us a break. Plus if they take you off your shift you may end up getting a call at 3 am telling you to come in.

We are all going to give it a trial period and then if it is awful again this time look elsewhere for employment. Wouldn't our boss just love it if the most experienced nurses on her floor moved to a different department. 3 of us have been here over 25 years. All leave at the same time. Because as I have said, patients are patients. I like heart patients, but I will take care of anyone. And I have to think of myself also. I have to do this for at least 12 more years. Got to pace myself you know.

Well, hope everyone has a great weekend and Happy Easter.

Good Friday

“On the third day he rose again.”

Tell us, Mary, what did you see
that early morning
on your way?

“I saw his tomb,
I saw the glory of Christ,
now risen,
angels who gave witness.
I saw the cloths
that covered his head and body.
I heard him speak my name
and turning, saw he was alive
At daybreak
I came weeping to the garden
for the one I lost.
But now, the Sun risen,
it was paradise,
and I, a new Eve,
had news of life for all the living.”