Thursday, October 26, 2006

Dayshifts Suck!!!!!

Day shifts are hard on my body. I strongly believe that getting up at 5:15 am is WRONG. I enjoy not having to set my alarm clock when I work nights. Some nurses tell me that working night shifts makes them feel like they have the flu. Well, day shifts do that to me. It takes me many days to get over the pure exhaustion of working day shifts.
At the hospital where I work there is a shift premium for the evening and night nurses. I believe that the shift differential should be awarded to the dayshift as they work twice as hard. I often feel that when working the day shift I have to work at an inhuman rate. On night shifts, the workload feels more manageable. There’s less chaos and disorganization. On night shifts, I don’t feel like I’m “just trying to keep them alive until the next shift.” Instead, I feel like I am being a nurse and working with my patients.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

I Am About To Cut Off My Nose!!!!

I am at the point where I don't care if it will spite my face. Since my summer vacation to Myrtle beach, I have had the worst sinus pain ever. I tried to avoid going to the doctor and treated myself with all sorts of home remedies. During the second week of August I relented and went to urgent care. The doctor there gave me a prescription for one of those funky new antibiotics that you take once a day. I left hopeful but soon felt hopeless. The pain persisted. I was waking up with nosebleeds and feeling frustrated. In September I made an appointment with my GP to have an overdue yearly physical. I had recently turned 40 and became preoccupied with the state of my health. I am happy to say I passed my physical with flying colours. have had my eyes checked and everything is A- okay. I have gone to my cardiologist and everything is so good, that rather than every 3 years he says lets make it every 5-10 years. I have had extensive bloodwork with no red flags. I am scheduled for a baseline mammogram at the turn of the month and don't expect any major concerns. I do however have this ongoing pain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My Gp says " Oh you most likely have a nasal polyp related to allergies." She prescribes the same funky antibiotic as the other doctor. I ask," What ever happened to prescribing good old Penicillin?" She just smiles and tells me this is the best choice and also prescibes a nasal steroid spray. So here I am 10 days post treatment and I am in excruciating pain. My left nostril is so congested and the bridge of my nose has PRESSURE beyond belief. My top teeth are killing me. I am thinking this may be my destiny.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Bowmanville Zoo


















This past Sunday we spent the afternoon at the Bowmanville Zoo as they were offering free admission to all. The air was cool and all the animals were in fine form. I used to frequent this little gem of a zoo when the girls were younger. It was a great place to go for an afternoon picnic with an infant and toddler in tow. The girls were amused by "Side Step Sally" the mutant cow with a 5th leg growing right out of his back. Is this any indication that we live too close to Darlington Nuclear Plant.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Heres Looking At You



For the past few years I have begun to notice changes with my vision. I have been finding ways to cope. My kids read the subtitiles on movies for me and I read the nespapers and menus at close distance. So today I went for a optometrist appointment and now have a prescription for glasses. Can I tell you how much I love my optometrist. We totally clicked and she was so incredibly thorough doing a range of tests. She took some photographs of my
retinas and then reviewed them with me. I was so amazed and
happy when she told me everything looks perfect. She was amused by my enthusiasm and offered to send me the photos so now I can share them with you.






Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Thanksgiving Weekend

















































The weekend flew by. We spent time visiting 2 local farms. We took the kids to our farm favorite
to vist the animals and play around. We also decided to visit Archibalds
to pick our apples. They have the nicest gift shop and I bought one of the best apple pies I have ever tasted. It was nice to have my Parents over for Thanksgiving and the girls loved seeing their nana ham it up with one of Alleys wigs.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Full Moon

The moon outside looks incredible tonight. I just finished working 2 nightshifts at the psychiatric hospital and yes it is definately a full moon.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Green Bean Standoff

My parents sent me this clip this morning thinking I might find it amusing. The reason being is because there is nothing I detest more than green beans. I always have and always will. My father took this as a challenge of his and tried to prepare them in assorted ways. I've had them plain. I've had them steamed with butter. I've had them in casseroles. They try to camouflage them with tomatoes and parmesan cheese........but no matter how they're prepared they still taste like SH....!!!!! Sheila has tried to take me to the dark side and asked me "Why do you hate them so much?" Well for starters, the texture is disgusting. They have a fur on them. When I pointed this out she empathetically agreed. I think I might be able to make her join the anti green bean campaign. The other reason I dislike them is "Their Yucky!!!!!!!!"

Monday, October 02, 2006

The Days Of Wee





































When We Were Wee........

I find it quite odd, but there are many parts of my childhood I don’t remember.
Maybe the experiences are still living somewhere within my mind and I just allow my consciousness to be filled with other things. Or maybe I just don’t stop enough and think, stop enough to cherish the beautiful memories that I do have of the days when the whole world, and I, were much smaller and much simpler. Lately I have been delving deep down into my memory so that I can remember this special part of my history......a world all my own
Memories of….
My brothers and I searching for tadpoles at the pond near my Grandpas farm…riding my bicycle effortlessly throughout or neighbourhoods.…swimming at the Quarry in Kingston…neighborhood games of Hide-and-Go-Seek…summer vacations to New Brunswick to visit relatives…Uphill walks in San Francisco......dancing to Jive Talkin by the "Bee Gees" with Lori Weller......Excelling at spelling bees……being dared to jump off the dock at Port Whitby (and thinking this was as daring as life got)…………eating banana splits for supper when my Mom didn't feel like cooking…reading to my stuffed animals…when summer seemed to last forever, and the days spread one into another.......Motorcycle rides with Dad........when making forts and secret hidaways was a full day's work....... dandelions were picked for wild wish making.... dreaming of all the movie stars we'd marry someday.. Red light, green light.....Mother may I ?..
When I was young I never doubted that I was enough.
I never wished to be someone else--someone more brilliant, more beautiful, more alive.
Hide-and-go-seek was nothing more than a game we played on rainy afternoons.
I knew how to play...and how to live.
When I was young........the simple act of being was enough.
Of it all, it’s the pictures that come to my mind most easily. Those moments that were captured in eternal memory by one snap of the camera. Pictures of a little girl smiling at the camera, at my parents, and at the world. How simple life was in those moments…in the days when we were wee!