Happy Halloween

No plans here. I went to the ortho doc again today. I remembered to ask for meds and our plan is to start therapy. My first therapy appointment is Tuesday. We'll see how it works out. At this point, I'm willing to try just about anything short of surgery. Though i have wanted to cut my feet off after a grueling shift.

I also made it out to put an application in for a part-time job at a walk-in clinic. I don't know when I'll hear back from them, but I know that I need a change of pace as well as some extra cash to get some bills paid off.

I head back to work tomorrow. I think I have adjusted to the migraine medication adjustment. Not much else to report. I'll check in with you later, cjb

ouch

So, I hurt, bad . . . .I know this is nothing new from the past few weeks, but I just want it to go away. Having my feet taped is using different muscles and doesn't feel like it is really working. I tried to keep the tape dry during my shower and that wasn't very successful, so it started peeling off last night. I woke up with a migraine yesterday and again today. I went to work yesterday, but wasn't going to do it two days in a row. It's really hard to take good care of people when you can hardly take care of yourself. So after I called in early this morning, I took some meds and went back to bed. I just got out of the shower and have now positioned myself back on the couch where I am again a vegetable. I know there are people who are a lot sicker than I am, but it is so hard to feel this way day in and day out and keep my spirits up.

That's all. I promise I'll try to be more positive next time, cjb

Trucking along

Well, I really am still here. I'm trying to get better at posting and when I think I'm going to post something, well, it just doesn't want to happen.

I successfully managed 3 doctor's appointments in under a week. I made it to the ortho doc for my feet and we are working on getting me better. I go back to see him on Friday to see if it works. My feet aren't used to being all wrapped up and are feeling claustrophobic, but I'll work through it. I also met my new neurologist. I really like him. We are going to try adjusting my Topamax to a morning and evening dosage to see if that gets rid of the rest of my headaches. The last time I took Topamax in the morning I was a zombie, but it's been awhile. And, Topamax goes generic in January!!! I'm so doing the happy dance. It's going to save me quite a bit of money.

It's finally fall in north Texas and I'm loving it. The temps haven't gotten much out of the 50's the last couple of days. I'm bundling up at night, but still no heat. I just get too hot.

I've been working on lots of projects (as always). I have a hoodie in progress for myself and I can't wait to have it finished. It's going to be so soft and warm (and made by me)! I'll post pics when I finish it. I promise I'll have pictures of other stuff eventually. I've just been making lots of presents that I can't post right now.

Not much else is going on. I'll post later, cjb

So much to do

Why is it there always seems to be so much to do when I have to work and can't seem to get it done? I had a great weekend away. I forgot what it was like to relax. Yeah, I have days off, but i don't get much relaxing done. It was good to see my parents and my grandparents. I really need to be better about going to see my grandparents while I can. I make too many excuses about traffic and such. They were so excited to see me and it was so good to see them. We all had a good visit and of course I did a good nursing evaluation! ;-)

I got home Sunday evening and had a few things to get done around the house. Of course, I put them off because I was supposed to be off two more days. However, my phone rang, not once, but twice Monday morning asking me to come in to work around 1 for the rest of the shift. We have had a lot of illnesses and injuries lately that have left us really shorthanded. They probably could have managed without me, but I knew that I had today off and that I would NOT go in today. It wasn't too bad and I ended up with only two patients. Of course, I helped all the other nurses out. Plus, the six extra hours on my paycheck won't hurt . . . especially when I end up in a little bit of OT on Saturday.

I have no choice today, I must get some cleaning done. I've put it off for way too long. I'm truly motivated now. I'm finishing breakfast and then I'm going to get started on the kitchen. Then maybe the bedroom. We'll see how far I manage to get today. I work again tomorrow.

I hope your week is going well. Continue to have a good one! cjb

Project

I was approached by a fellow blogger to help her and her daughter with a project. They are tracking the number of hits and where the hits come from to their blog. If you have a second and don't mind heading over to Wonders and Marvels, I'm sure they would appreciate it!! Thanks, cjb

I'm really not crazy

Well, maybe that remains to be seen, but I received a phone call from my GYN's office this morning and actually had a semi-decent conversation with my Dr's nurse. She is normally very condescending. She called to find out more about why I needed a referral to a neurologist. So we talked about that. And then she told me that my labs came back and that my estrogen level is low. My GYN is consulting a specialist to figure out where to go from here, but the hot flashes are not all in my head. On so many levels, this makes me feel better. I don't really want to take more medicine, but I don't really want to be sweating like a pig while I'm working either. So, we'll see what happens.

Today starts my run of days off and I'm happy about that. I'll post later, cjb

Another run in

So tonight I had a nurse approach me during report and say that I had offended him this morning during report. Apparently saying that something is common sense is not acceptable. Let me preface this. Patient X is on suicide precautions. I come to work and get report on patient X and find the door closed and blinds closed on the window AND the door. WTF?!?! How can you watch a patient on suicide watch with the door and blinds closed? I'm just curious?

Anyway, I wasn't supposed to work today. It was a PTO day. I'll probably be written up by the nurse above and I really don't care. I know that I provided excellent care to the patient.

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I finally scheduled an appointment for my feet. I just can't take it anymore. It will be a week from Monday. I'm also trying to get in to see a new neurologist since mine moved away. When I called, I found out that I have to have a referral. Why should I have to have a referral when I'm taking major meds for my migraines that really need to be followed by a neurologist that I've actually been seeing for the past three years. And just because he chose to move away, I have to try to find someone to refer me to a new neurologist.

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I have to go now, Grey's is on. More later, cjb

Crazy Days

So, I know I haven't been good at posting. I have had many hard days at work and I don't really know where to go with what's been going on. I've had to process most of it internally. I still have a couple of months before my contract is up with the floor I'm on, but as you know, my feelers have been out. I think I've found another option within the hospital I'm in. I still have to do some research and questioning on it, but it would be 4 10 hour days with occasional call. I think it sounds like a good option.

Yesterday was a particularly hard day for me. I actually discharged all my patients and had the opportunity to go home. I don't know why I didn't take it, but one of my co-workers really wanted to leave and so I took over her patients. Plus, I figured it was only a couple of hours and it couldn't be too bad. It turned out that she had not done a lot of her work and I was left with a mess. I had two infiltrated IV's (that needed fluids running through them) and one lab draw that hadn't been done and several medicines that hadn't been given. Most of this was from several hours earlier in the day. I probably wouldn't have been so upset if I hadn't have seen her chatting up a storm with other co-workers and surfing the internet most of her shift. And then after reporting off to me, she stayed and charted for an hour and a half. I really try no to get involved in what other nurses are doing because I have my own work to do. I also try to stay on top of my work and don't chat or anything like that until I'm completely caught up.

I work Monday and Tuesday and possibly one other day next week then I get to see my parents this weekend. I won't have to be back to work until next Wednesday. I'm looking forward to having some time off.

I hope everyone is doing well. I'm still hanging on. . . cjb

Alive and kickin'

So I think I'm really going to survive. I'm getting used to having to wear shoes almost all the time. I'm still having some pain, but it's manageable. I'm also enjoying having a little bit of time off to rest. Maybe by Friday, I'll be able to work the entire day without hurting too bad.

I know I had some great ideas on posts, but I can't for the life of me remember what they were. I hope life in y our world is good. I'll post later, cjb