Today the sun came out in the afternoon for the first time in a long while. It probably really hasn't been that long, but in Tallahassee, where you expect to see the sun everyday, 3 or 4 days of damp, blustery days is a lifetime. But this afternoon, when I emerged from the hospital training room, the sun was shining brightly. It was glorious! I took the opportunity to walk to the parking lot rather than ride the stuffy shuttle. It has been a long time since I have been able to enjoy the sunlight on a weekday.
I have been truly blessed these past 2 days seeing old friends and former colleagues who seem genuinely happy that I am back at the hospital. I have met new friends and colleagues who have made me laugh until I cried with their stories of volunteer fire departments in rural north Florida counties. Even though I haven't taken care of a patient yet, I feel at home; I know for sure that I belong in direct patient care in the hospital.
This evening after dinner, I had to take a trip to Goodwill. Andrew has an event called, "Gone but Not Forgotten" at school on Friday. Each student in his class picked a famous (dead) person who was gone, but yet still had impact on society. Andrew, of course, picked his greatest American hero, Milton S. Hershey. In Andrew's words, Milton S. Hershey is the greatest American because he made chocolate accessible for all. So I was sent to Goodwill for his costume .... a suit, white shirt and a man's hat. Fortunately for me, I found the perfect clothing and even the hat ....and there was a special of everything being 25% off. Even better, when I brought the items home, they fit him nicely. Whew... I was afraid I'd have to be up all night altering clothes. We're gonna have to change things up just slightly, though, Andrew will have to wear shorts with his suit jacket, because I don't think his pants will fit over his lovely cast -- but he believes no one will really notice because he plan to pass out Hershey bars to everyone, just like Mr. Hershey would have done.
In all seriousness, I'm actually grateful that Andrew looks up to Mr. Hershey. Although he became a hugely successful man, he had many struggles getting to success. When he did become successful, he gave back to his community and made education of troubled/ underprivileged children his priority. Success, kindness, perseverance and love of chocolate are certainly qualities we all want our children to have! So thank you, Milton S. Hershey, for inspiring my son. Now if we could just get him to drink milk....
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
It's New Year's Eve -- or at least it is for me
Yes, I know that it is really February 25, 2012 -- not really New Year's Eve, , but for me it is the eve before a "new year" dawns for me. Actually, Monday my "new life" starts, but tomorrow will just be cleaning out the cobwebs of my "old life".
For the past 18 months or so, I have been in nursing management. I liked the Monday - Friday concept of it, and thought it would give me more quality time with my family. But I was so very wrong. Not only do the weekends wind up being absorbed with work or work-related activities, but my days don't end at 5 or even 6 .... and I have missed more of my family time than I ever expected. Sure, the money has been great and "constant" unlike doing shift work, but it really isn't that much more. And, if I need "more" money for some reason, I can just pick up an extra shift or two. But I am excited to go back to what I love doing most --- taking care of patients one on one. I won't need to worry about what services or how many visits their insurance allows --- I'll just get to take care of them and meet the immediate needs of the patient and their family. It's what makes me happy. It's what I was born to do.
I received an e-mail from a patient I had nearly 2 years ago. She had been in the unit with some cardiac issues and I sat down and explained the circulatory system to her because she just didn't understand what congestive heart failure was. I drew pictures and explained how each of her medications affected that cardiac cycle. She wrote me the e-mail around Christmas time 2011 because she had found my drawings and my notes about her medications. She told me that she had not had a re-hospitalization in the 2 years since I explained everything to her. It was that e-mail that really started me thinking that I needed to return to bedside nursing.
So, not only did I quit my management job to make a return to bedside nursing, I made a list of my priorities. I am going to post that list in the visor of my car and in the front flap of my calendar and wherever else I can so that I will always remember what things are most important to me. Because, in the end, what you do for others is the only thing that will last. We are put on earth for relationships; that is what makes human unique. So, Happy New Year to me. I plan on seeing all of my friends and family a lot more this year!
For the past 18 months or so, I have been in nursing management. I liked the Monday - Friday concept of it, and thought it would give me more quality time with my family. But I was so very wrong. Not only do the weekends wind up being absorbed with work or work-related activities, but my days don't end at 5 or even 6 .... and I have missed more of my family time than I ever expected. Sure, the money has been great and "constant" unlike doing shift work, but it really isn't that much more. And, if I need "more" money for some reason, I can just pick up an extra shift or two. But I am excited to go back to what I love doing most --- taking care of patients one on one. I won't need to worry about what services or how many visits their insurance allows --- I'll just get to take care of them and meet the immediate needs of the patient and their family. It's what makes me happy. It's what I was born to do.
I received an e-mail from a patient I had nearly 2 years ago. She had been in the unit with some cardiac issues and I sat down and explained the circulatory system to her because she just didn't understand what congestive heart failure was. I drew pictures and explained how each of her medications affected that cardiac cycle. She wrote me the e-mail around Christmas time 2011 because she had found my drawings and my notes about her medications. She told me that she had not had a re-hospitalization in the 2 years since I explained everything to her. It was that e-mail that really started me thinking that I needed to return to bedside nursing.
So, not only did I quit my management job to make a return to bedside nursing, I made a list of my priorities. I am going to post that list in the visor of my car and in the front flap of my calendar and wherever else I can so that I will always remember what things are most important to me. Because, in the end, what you do for others is the only thing that will last. We are put on earth for relationships; that is what makes human unique. So, Happy New Year to me. I plan on seeing all of my friends and family a lot more this year!
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