May days

Been a few months since I posted...
Settling into the childrens ward for work now, its much more challenging than it was in community but in some ways less intense and skilled.
I'm working in a surgical environment most of the time. Broken bones and abdo pain, the odd tonsillectomy or other routine operation. Parents are often more challenging than children but that's life.
Yesterday I had the oldest and youngest children in my care. I had a 3 week old baby with a very painful looking mastitis and a 14 year old girl with constipation!!
We don't accept 'children' past their 14th birthdays and this child had her birthday while on the ward so she made it by the 'skin of her teeth' rather than being treated by adult services. No, I don't agree that 14 year olds are adults and from experience with my own daughter's appendicitis, I know that treating 14 year olds in an adult ward is not appropriate! But... rules are rules and each hospital is different apparently.
In personal terms, I have good days and bad just now. Made it through the anniversary of Mum passing, just. The run up to Dad's is proving tougher. Days I remember from last year... I spent so many with Dad, every day, to every second day to a couple of times a week..... to two days before he had his haemorrhage... to .......
I have a very busy June planned... trying to occupy all my time so I have lesss thinking time. I am not stupid enough to think it will work completely but I will try.
So anyway, days off to recover from the aches and pains of the working week. Time for a nice hot bath then some crap tv before bedtime.
Tomorrow a music gig in Aberdeen to see Joanne Shaw Taylor and P.A.U.L. really looking forward to it. then physio Monday, time to visit a friend and to take flowers to the 'stone with a view' as my son calls it.
ttfn

Homesick

I'm homesick for Canada! Want to be over there with my favourite people and not here.... but that's life I guess.
Had a great birthday, makes a pleasant change although memories of last year flooding back at times. It seems like yesterday!
Got work to do for my yearly appraisal type thing then back to work on Friday nightshift. A ward shift for a change.... scary stuff! Better get used to it I guess, as of the end of March I will be based in the ward again for a few months at least....
Surgical team again.... :( not keen on that but hey ho!

January

Oh but isn't January a loooong month? It seems weeks since I posted a blog and yet its only just over a week!
Planning my son's 21st Birthday party for February. Can't quite believe he is going to be 21! That means I have lived in this area for 21 years! We moved here when he was 3 weeks old. Our family GP will be coming to his party.. hehe :D she is now feeling decidedly ancient as she has looked after him all this time :)
It's been difficult this month because I am still suffering from the migraine headaches which have been with me since the 4th January. The nausea has lessened but I still have the phantom smoke smells and blurred vision when I am tired. Sleep is difficult to get and when working nights, it makes things very difficult.
Thankfully last week I had a new nurse with me to train and she was able to help me a lot. She made the decision to quit her job last week tho and handed in her resignation on Friday. Wow what a big step. Yet, I understand her reasons. She had begun to dread coming to work, the thought of going there was making her physically sick and our manager was of no help.
Her problem is that the field she works in is so restrictive in this area there are very few jobs she can do. She faces the prospect of looking for a job with thousands of others and leaving nursing altogether after 10 years in the job. Very sad!
Off to nightshift again tonight, three nights on, of which this is the first, followed by one night off, then three day shifts!!
Oops... who can see my migraines getting better in this time? lol

Christmas and New Year

Happy New Year everyone!!
I was to be working on-call Christmas Day and a last minute Boxing Day shift thrown in as extra.
I wanted to be busy but unfortunately it was to be very quiet Christmas Day. Me and B opened our pressies together on Christmas morning albeit 500 miles apart via webcam. Unusual but still good. Surprised by the kids popping in with pressies before they went to their Dads for the day. Very nice :)
I spent the afternoon and early evening with Mum and Dad up at the cemetery, beautiful sunset! I had been with them last year and it felt right to be there this year. Last Christmas I had a good idea it may be Mum's last with us but nothing could have prepared me for Dad's passing! They are together though and to be honest I don't know if he could have coped without her at Christmas!
Boxing day after work, I took the kids out for tea and Al had the biggest pudding ever!! :D he shared a bit tho!
Despite the weather trying to spoil plans again, my flight to London on Hogmannay went according to plan and I spent a wonderful New Years Eve with B and we had a great tome out till 5 am!!
This year has started really well and with Al's 21st to look forward to and many many music gigs throughout the year, B and I are set to have a great year!! Long may it continue.....