Med-Surg, Mustangs, & Barbra

There are more Mustangs in the city of Dallas than there are anywhere in the US.  This isn't official facts, just an observation by yours truly.  I've seen more Mustangs on the road here than I've seen anywhere in my life.  Probably all put together, even.  -- and no, this isn't "blue car syndrome," because I don't own one, and I've never really been a fan of Mustangs.  Two people downstairs have matching silver Mustang convertibles.  There's two other Mustangs that park right in front of my building.  Yeah, there's only like a dozen (give or take) apartments in my building and there's at least 4 Mustangs here.  - My complex is huge.  I couldn't even tell you how many apts are here (There's tons of buildings) and driving around you can see soo many Mustangs - and that's only counting the ones that park in the lot.  Who knows how many are parked in their garages! (We all have our own garage)

Worked last night.  Did a shift on Med/Surg.  Oh, M/S how I've missed thee.  Not really, but kinda.  I think if I knew what I was doing, it'd be ok.  But I didn't get oriented to the floor, so I hit the ground running.   Didn't know where my patients rooms were, or where the meds were kept, yadda yadda.  ~~I'd worked last week for this hospital, but they sent me to postpartum, and oriented me there.  I probably should have had at least a few minutes of someone showing me what's where, and how things are done for them.  I asked a bunch of questions, and while nobody was rude, they just didn't have the time to show me what I needed to be doing.  I came home and thought of all the things I didn't do.  I didn't chart that I handed off communication, or do a shift summary.  I didn't chart against a careplan.  I didn't chart pain re-assessments.  Those are just the things I know I didn't do.  *shrug*  But my patients were all alive, and safe.  They were medicated.  I drew & sent their labs.  They had no complaints of care... and isn't that what it's all about?  Just keeping your head above water?  5 patients, plus an 11pm admission (making it your 6th) was a busy night.  I'd be glad to do it all again.  I am clearly a glutton for punishment.

I thought I blogged this, but I don't see it anywhere.  I think it's kinda sad that the MD upstairs moved out.  I thought it was funny to see in my building, an MD on the 3rd floor, an RN on the 2nd, and some cops living on the 1st.

Went to work on Saturday night, but they cancelled me... and forgot to tell me.  They're paying me 2 hours for "time & trouble".  Since I was in the area, I decided to pop into Ikea.  Saw a bed, and a rug, and a few other things I'd like to have.  But I'm not going to buy them... Why furnish or decorate your home if you don't live there.  It's the middle of May, and I've slept in my house exactly 2 nights this year.  -Everyone keeps asking me when I'm going to come back and stop traveling.  I continue to say that I see no end in sight for this lifestyle.

Anyway, at Ikea.  Bought an aloe vera plant while I was there.  Not sure if I'm going to move it with me, or if I'll murder it when my assignment is up.  I named her Barbra.  (Bah-bra).  Was going to name her Aloishes P. McGuillicudy Jr, (or however the hell you spell it) but thought I need to get an original name.. can't keep naming my plants after other peoples' plants.  (Andrew Nelson the 43rd will remain, however, because it's a perfect, proper, and fitting name).  She's quite beautiful, and yet so ugly.  Great condition, healthy, and firm.  But her stems go all crazy and splay out in a haphazard way.  I haven't decided if it's pretty the way she's all jacked, or if she really is all fucked up, but healthy.  She is hanging out on my dresser for now.  Will reassess in a few weeks, to decide whether I've fallen in love with her and she's worth the trouble moving, or not.

I have a thing for naming my plants.  It started with a bromeliad that I got at a Cake concert once back in the 90's.  I named her Claire Danes.  not all of my plants have been named, but certain ones garner such affection.  *shrug*  I have no kids.  I have no pets.  I have houseplants... sometimes I let them live, and sometimes I murder them.

Today I am Thankful for...

1.  My Sanity.
2.  My hearing - and vision, & all other senses & limbs, while I'm at it.
3.  The beauty of Amy Butler patterns (Duck Egg, the pattern on the left, for example)
4.  Cuddling in with my new comforter set.
5.  My gray American Eagle sweater that's the perfect blend of comfy & casual without getting bad-hoodie schleppy.
6.  Jello sugar-free Dulce de Leche pudding.
7.  The am-i-dying phone calls from Sara Jane
8.  My jobs. (plural)
9.  Massage Envy. (going to book another massage there this week, if I can)
10. Days where you just don't get dressed/changed out of what you slept in.

House

In House, things work great.  Patients come in with strange rare diseases, things that severely debilitate, or more commonly, put people on the brink of death.  And somehow things are diagonsed positively, treated and cured (or healing) all within the hour.

Let's not even delve into how perfect it is that doctors draw their own lab samples, push their own meds, & run/perform every code!  - I've only once had a patient die when ad doctor was around, and I thought I hit the lottery.  I'd never heard of that happening before, or since.  (At least not on any non-critical floor!)

I have a patient whose disease process remains an insane mystery... There is no real Dr. House to figure this shit out.

3 Jobs & a Negative Nancy

Earned a pretty easy couple hundred bucks last night working with my agency.  It was busy, but mostly easy-peasy.  I'm tired now.  They asked me to come back tonight, but I intend on sleeping today!

So, in this shitty economy, people have been scrambling for jobs... and this greedy puta has been holding 3 of them & only working at one.  Changed that this week.  Friday I mailed off my resignation for my job in BFE.  Hard decision to make, but I knew it had to be done... And last night, I took up a shift on my 3rd job (per diem agency).  I worked 14 hours: 2hrs orientation, & 12hrs on the floor with patients.  Thought it was pretty damned funny that the hospital I went to last night is part of the same company I just turned my resignation into!

I'm not one to fight, argue, or confront.  And in fact, I'm the kind of person that just gives & gives until she gives up.  Yesterday I've officially given up on a friend I'd recently reconnected with.  I'm not going to rehash everything, because it's not dramatic... Just another life realization.  Dropping another "Negative Nancy" before it can continue to drain me.  Find your road to happiness, dammit!  I can't carry you to your own happiness.  That is one road you must find on your own.

..Seeing little tiny lizards on the walls of my apartment building. (outside.)  I'm not creeped out - I think it's endearing.  I like to say hi to them as they come by.  I don't know if they can hear me.  Someday I'll have to look up whether lizards have ears.

Toes, Keys, and Other Big News

So, I've never really shared this with anybody, and if anyone's actually noticed it, they've never called me on it- but I'm going to open up and share this with you now.  I do this really weird thing with my toes when I'm just laying around, often right before I fall asleep.  It's like the right foot holds the left big toe or something.  The position really doesn't deviate.  Right always holds left; never the opposite.  I don't know how long I've done it, but it's not anything new.  
This is very big news; it's important to know, and that's why I'm bothering telling you so. - (Dr. Seuss' Sleep Book)

Yeah, I think I've quoted that book more than a couple times through the years on this blog.  Can't help it- it's still my all-time favorite children's book.  And yeah, I have it memorized. (Well, at least like 85-90%... I stumble on a few parts toward the end... I'm often asleep by then!)

So, I dropped a Sharpie in the parking lot the other day.  I accidentally ran it over with my truck, and there's dark blue stains all over the ground.  It looks like the pen practically exploded with paint, or something.  I don't know why I'm sharing that, but *shrug* I guess it's a day of sharing unnecessary lame stories?

Ok, so I did something incredibly stupid last week.  I checked my mail on the way home from work - tired as all get out after a 12 hr shift, and working on very little sleep, I was like a zombie driving home.  Well, when I put the key in the mailbox, I realized I got a package... I was so excited to see what it was, that I actually drove off and went to my apartment- leaving the key still in the lock.  But it wasn't just the mailbox key; my spare apartment key was on the ring, too.  Yeah, notso good.  The worst part was, it was like 5 days later before I realized what I'd done! ~You know how sometimes you remember things several days after a heavy drinking session? It was kinda like that... Where's my keys?  Wait a minute.. did I..? Oh shit!!  Thankfully, someone had turned it into the apartment manager.  I am so thankful for this.  
**Lesson learned: Never leave keys in the mailbox.  If you are too tired, you cannot be trusted to check your mail properly.  Wait until you are well-rested, because otherwise you could have a potentially dangerous situation on your hands!

I have so much that I think I want to say, but I dont' know where to begin.  I feel like after being away from the blogging thing for a while, I need to play catch-up.  Fuckit.. I'll do it later.  I've been up all night, and I need to sleep.

Today I am Thankful For:

1. Guatemala Antigua coffee
2.  100%'s on exams
3.  I'm past the halfway point on this assignment
4.  Rediscovering how fun it can be to write in pencil.
5.  Nathan's VEDA/VEDIM vlogs
6.  Starbucks coffee mug (bought for myself on my birthday)
7.  Straight hair ponytails
8.  Having a good memory
9.  Lomotil
10. Sit ups work quickly on me.

Just a note

I haven't been blogging.  
I still intend to, just got eight million
different things going on.  

I've been writing, though.  I'm kinda doing a recollection journal
(more on that to come, as it develops - trust me, it'll be wild)
and I'm making a point to send emails and bits of randomness
to friends a little more often... we'll see how that goes.. hmm.
-kd.