hell, that is.
since i arrived at 11am, all of our lab/patient information applications have had a major falling out amongst one another. none of them are talking to one another. at all. so secretaries can order in their system, but that doesnt trigger the labels to print out of my system, or interface the status into all of the applications. the few labels i did have early on, were placed on bloods and zipped down the tube system. they were resulted in quick fashion, like always, but our system in the lab isnt speaking to the patient-resulting application.
this means no ordering anything in the computer.
everything goes on "downtime" - written the old-fashioned way.
this also means no results.
no blood test results easily looked up in the computer.
no radiology.
no nothing.
i dont know who slept with who's boyfriend, or girlfriend. or who didnt pay their rent. or who looked at one another funny. but i just wish they all would kiss and make up.
and as if that isnt bad enough, i think the tube system is a little jealous of all the attention, so it went on strike for a bit earlier and is continually threatening to resume the strike.
its pretty amazing just how breathless we are without our technology.
i cant wait until the systems are up, or until 11pm.
whichever comes first.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Saturday, February 03, 2007
stomach virus or food poisoning?
if its food poisoning, its from dinner last night ~ which i ate at 7:30pm... and promptly started with stomach upset in the middle of swim class today. silly me, i thought it was just monthly cramps, and wasnt concerned. i was mistaken.
if its a stomach virus, i hear whatever is going around lasts precisely one day.
whatever this is, i've already spent an inordinate amount of time in my bathroom in the last 5-6 hours... i cant even stay asleep long enough to pass lots of time :( so i called my mom, and she brought home Coca~Cola, Ginger Ale, and Gatorade. we have two boxes of saltines, so i expect this will be my menu for the next 24 hours or so.
it sucks i may have to call out tomorrow from work. but thankfully one of my coworkers is all about overtime these days and will probably happily cover my shift.
*sigh*
going back to hibernate ~ 100.1 temp and all!
if its a stomach virus, i hear whatever is going around lasts precisely one day.
whatever this is, i've already spent an inordinate amount of time in my bathroom in the last 5-6 hours... i cant even stay asleep long enough to pass lots of time :( so i called my mom, and she brought home Coca~Cola, Ginger Ale, and Gatorade. we have two boxes of saltines, so i expect this will be my menu for the next 24 hours or so.
it sucks i may have to call out tomorrow from work. but thankfully one of my coworkers is all about overtime these days and will probably happily cover my shift.
*sigh*
going back to hibernate ~ 100.1 temp and all!
Monday, January 29, 2007
this train
i feel like my life is moving again.
school starts today, and since october, i have been in a holding-pattern waiting for this semester to begin. dont get me wrong...i have thoroughly enjoyed the time off! the naps when i want to take them, the lazy days off from work when i dont have to go anywhere or do anything. i have enjoyed digging out my old embroidery stuff and being creative. calling friends and talking for hours and hours...with no need to get back to something.
but it isnt where my heart lies.
my heart lies in classroom #112 and lab room #604, where i will spend the next 16 weeks mastering my second attempt at Anatomy & Physiology II ~ which is my very last step in getting into nursing school. and since i was accepted once for this nursing program, getting thru this class successfully and re-applying is a mere formality.
and i dont have a lot of patience for formalities ;)
i am ready to start my becoming-a-nurse life.
and as excited as i am for today, i have been missing my dad so much in the last week, it aches just to type it. i woke up earlier this morning, and as i was brushing my teeth, the thought still crossed my mind: i have to call daddy on my way to class.
its been 15 months and 10 days since he died. and i still reach for that damned phone. so i will wear his dog tags and jangle my way thru note-taking and feel him with me. i know he is. it is just in these times that i wish there was a magic phone and i could call him just to say hello and hear his excitement for me and the journey to my RN back in full swing.
this train is bound for glory
this train is bound for glory
this train is bound for glory now
~ Indigo Girls "This Train"
school starts today, and since october, i have been in a holding-pattern waiting for this semester to begin. dont get me wrong...i have thoroughly enjoyed the time off! the naps when i want to take them, the lazy days off from work when i dont have to go anywhere or do anything. i have enjoyed digging out my old embroidery stuff and being creative. calling friends and talking for hours and hours...with no need to get back to something.
but it isnt where my heart lies.
my heart lies in classroom #112 and lab room #604, where i will spend the next 16 weeks mastering my second attempt at Anatomy & Physiology II ~ which is my very last step in getting into nursing school. and since i was accepted once for this nursing program, getting thru this class successfully and re-applying is a mere formality.
and i dont have a lot of patience for formalities ;)
i am ready to start my becoming-a-nurse life.
and as excited as i am for today, i have been missing my dad so much in the last week, it aches just to type it. i woke up earlier this morning, and as i was brushing my teeth, the thought still crossed my mind: i have to call daddy on my way to class.
its been 15 months and 10 days since he died. and i still reach for that damned phone. so i will wear his dog tags and jangle my way thru note-taking and feel him with me. i know he is. it is just in these times that i wish there was a magic phone and i could call him just to say hello and hear his excitement for me and the journey to my RN back in full swing.
this train is bound for glory
this train is bound for glory
this train is bound for glory now
~ Indigo Girls "This Train"
Sunday, January 21, 2007
best laid plans
an old high school friend of mine and i have been planning all week to get dressed up and go out to a nice dinner, and then go to a jazz concert downtown tonight. its been ages since we have spent anything more than an hour or less together for a quick lunch, etc. as the week wore on, i got to thinking about it...and talked with my friend. we decided we would rather just meet for lunch and hang out and make it casual. she was working overnight, and said she was going to mass at 1100, and i volunteered to go with her, then out to lunch. she liked the idea.
and then i woke up at 0900 and thought NO WAY! i slept awful, and went back to sleep. sent a text at 1045, that i wasnt going to meet her for mass, but would be at her house around 1215-1230. she texted back "take your time, i am still sleeping, too!" we talked around 1130, and i suggested that since i was bringing some craft-stuff to show her, we just eat at her house, i would bring subs! and she asks: "can i stay in my pajamas?" ~ i said of course, and i'll wear my sweats, and it'll be almost like i am in my pajamas.
i leisurely got ready, stopped at the dollar store for some important things before i got the subs, and was at her house around 1330. we ate and talked and laughed and looked at old pictures* and then talked and laughed some more! i hadnt intended to stay all day, but i didnt leave her house until 2030 (that's 8:30pm, for civillians). in fact, just before i left, we ate again - finishing the 1/2 of our subs we didnt eat for lunch!
as i was driving home, i was thinking how nice it is to have friends who you can spend time like this with...where the ease in being together is just like a set of comfy pajamas. and then i realized, of course we should be this comfortable ~ we have been friends for 20 years this coming fall. TWENTY YEARS. i am very blessed to have the friends i do.
* her mom died last april. she is an only child, and had been taking care of her mom most of all these years
and then i woke up at 0900 and thought NO WAY! i slept awful, and went back to sleep. sent a text at 1045, that i wasnt going to meet her for mass, but would be at her house around 1215-1230. she texted back "take your time, i am still sleeping, too!" we talked around 1130, and i suggested that since i was bringing some craft-stuff to show her, we just eat at her house, i would bring subs! and she asks: "can i stay in my pajamas?" ~ i said of course, and i'll wear my sweats, and it'll be almost like i am in my pajamas.
i leisurely got ready, stopped at the dollar store for some important things before i got the subs, and was at her house around 1330. we ate and talked and laughed and looked at old pictures* and then talked and laughed some more! i hadnt intended to stay all day, but i didnt leave her house until 2030 (that's 8:30pm, for civillians). in fact, just before i left, we ate again - finishing the 1/2 of our subs we didnt eat for lunch!
as i was driving home, i was thinking how nice it is to have friends who you can spend time like this with...where the ease in being together is just like a set of comfy pajamas. and then i realized, of course we should be this comfortable ~ we have been friends for 20 years this coming fall. TWENTY YEARS. i am very blessed to have the friends i do.
* her mom died last april. she is an only child, and had been taking care of her mom most of all these years
Saturday, January 20, 2007
here's your sign!
it's a typical saturday for me...no matter how early i start getting ready, i end up running late and squeeking in on the punch-clock time. today i got home from swim class and was so. damn. tired. i napped on the couch for a bit, and woke up more tired. all i wanted to do was sleep just 20 minutes longer. so i set the alarm, and then i was cutting it close. i tried to call work, and let them know i would be a little late.....so i could take a nice shower and get all the pool-ick off me and out of my hair. i was on HOLD for a minute. i said screw it, i will just get there a little later than usual.
i fly down the road (at a safe speed of course) and pull into a close space, since its the weekend and all. its windy as all hell, and as the wind is whipping around me, a car that is 20ft called out to me "excuse me miss...*mumble-mumble*...can you tell me where i can find...*mumble*...dr *mumble* office?" jesus. so i wave at the lady to quit talking cuz i cant hear her for the wind.
i approach the car, and she is the driver and her adult-son is the passenger. he is sitting like a lump on a log, barely engaged in paying attention to anything. nice. Mrs. Lost and her son More Lost. she repeats her question, and i explain that the office building dr. dentist is likely in, is closed and only badge access on weekends. she explains that dr. dentist said he will be here today. and so i ask her to park, let me run into the punch clock and i will return to the door to let them in (rather than make them go thru the main entrance, which in hindsight, is what i should have done). they pull in close, and i figure i am late as heck already, i might as well wait. More Lost stands outside and waits for his mom, when he could have come inside and triggered the door for her and let me go on my late-ass merry way. but we already established his elevator doesnt go all the way up. once they are inside, i walk ahead to the elevator to look up dr. dentist. as they approach the elevators, i state "dr. dentist is in suite 209. these elevators will take you up there. you will be able to leave the building without badge access, but you cant come back in - no one will be here to let you in" so the elevator comes (the real one, not More Lost's) and they get in, thank me and i wish them a good day... as i am about 20 feet down the hall, still in earshot, i hear this question from Mrs. Lost:
"what floor would that be on?"
apparently her elevator doesnt go to the top floor either.
i pause to consider pounding my head into the wall, but i pleasantly reply "dr. dentist is on the second floor" i walk away trying not to collapse from the laughter.
it was a classic Bill Engvall moment: here's your sign!
i fly down the road (at a safe speed of course) and pull into a close space, since its the weekend and all. its windy as all hell, and as the wind is whipping around me, a car that is 20ft called out to me "excuse me miss...*mumble-mumble*...can you tell me where i can find...*mumble*...dr *mumble* office?" jesus. so i wave at the lady to quit talking cuz i cant hear her for the wind.
i approach the car, and she is the driver and her adult-son is the passenger. he is sitting like a lump on a log, barely engaged in paying attention to anything. nice. Mrs. Lost and her son More Lost. she repeats her question, and i explain that the office building dr. dentist is likely in, is closed and only badge access on weekends. she explains that dr. dentist said he will be here today. and so i ask her to park, let me run into the punch clock and i will return to the door to let them in (rather than make them go thru the main entrance, which in hindsight, is what i should have done). they pull in close, and i figure i am late as heck already, i might as well wait. More Lost stands outside and waits for his mom, when he could have come inside and triggered the door for her and let me go on my late-ass merry way. but we already established his elevator doesnt go all the way up. once they are inside, i walk ahead to the elevator to look up dr. dentist. as they approach the elevators, i state "dr. dentist is in suite 209. these elevators will take you up there. you will be able to leave the building without badge access, but you cant come back in - no one will be here to let you in" so the elevator comes (the real one, not More Lost's) and they get in, thank me and i wish them a good day... as i am about 20 feet down the hall, still in earshot, i hear this question from Mrs. Lost:
"what floor would that be on?"
apparently her elevator doesnt go to the top floor either.
i pause to consider pounding my head into the wall, but i pleasantly reply "dr. dentist is on the second floor" i walk away trying not to collapse from the laughter.
it was a classic Bill Engvall moment: here's your sign!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
0618
good morning! why yes...it IS 0618...and yes, i AM up this early! (as opposed to this late)
i had mom wake me when she left for work so i could get our beach towels out of her car to wash them with my bathing suit and towel. we took them to NC with us, and never used but one of them, and getting home at 0001 christmas morning, getting those in the house was the last worry. so they have stayed in her backseat. we keep forgetting them when i am out there at the same time, or whatever :P
and since i am functionally awake, i thought i might as well do them now, but i need to stay awake til they cross into the dryer, as i dont want a neighbor putting my suit in there. that will hang dry. HAHA! i should go putz around my room and bathroom and do some serious cleaning, but i am quite sure i am not THAT awake!
i had mom wake me when she left for work so i could get our beach towels out of her car to wash them with my bathing suit and towel. we took them to NC with us, and never used but one of them, and getting home at 0001 christmas morning, getting those in the house was the last worry. so they have stayed in her backseat. we keep forgetting them when i am out there at the same time, or whatever :P
and since i am functionally awake, i thought i might as well do them now, but i need to stay awake til they cross into the dryer, as i dont want a neighbor putting my suit in there. that will hang dry. HAHA! i should go putz around my room and bathroom and do some serious cleaning, but i am quite sure i am not THAT awake!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
waiting and wondering (and worried)
i forget the song this phrase comes from...and its going to wrack my nerves all day...but not really any more than they are already pretty frayed.
its 10am now, and closing in on 24 hours since i heard from the reason why i had such trouble sleeping the night before last, which i alluded to in yesterday's pre-swim entry.
i was due to (finally) meet one of the angels in my life. after two years of a long-range friendship, starting in iraq, and continuing once he returned home to california, and now he's back home about an hour from me. this Marine literally saved my life and my sanity when my father started to rapidly decline two years ago (has it truly been two years?), and when my father's wife started to become more ugly than her typically hateful self. its a long story how we started writing...which maybe i will recount someday. but today i cant think well enough for that.
we finally got our schedules to mesh for a meeting ~ to happen @ 10:30am yesterday morning, for bagels and coffee. i got a call about 15 minutes before our meeting time, and he was still home, which was an hour away. after our brunch, he was headed to orientation for the grad program he was recently accepted into, and had forgotten the orientation packet and had to return home to get it.
so the first words i ever heard from him, were: "you're going to kill me" ~ he said he would see what kind of time he made if we could still meet beforehand, but orientation started at noon, and asked if afterwards was okay. it was, and i said just call when you are done. orientation was schedule for 4 hours, but he said he didnt expect it to be that long. i told him to NOT speed and he laughed saying that he couldnt in this weather (drizzly rainy) and that his car doesnt do well on the roads on days like this, so he is extra careful.
i waited and waited and waited. all damn afternoon. and all evening. and now i am waiting still, and worried.
i never heard from him yesterday... i figured maybe the orientation went a little longer, or he was networking with some other new students (he is all about networking, due to the nature of his job & degree). by 5:30pm tho, i was getting a little bit pissed off. ok, a lot. and so i called and left a message... i found a wee bit more patience, as i realized yesterday was the NFC Football Playoffs ~ in downtown baltimore. i figured parking was a b*tch and traffic was going to be too. and then it was 7:00pm. and now i am angry. at least just call. i figured maybe he was tired from the whole school festivities and wanted to go right home...and while i woulda been pretty disappointed, i would have totally understood.
i called again around 7:30pm...and now was starting to get worried but not really letting it sink in, how very worried i was. i tried to watch the end of the game, and listen to music and just keep thinking he was being a forgetful jackass, but its not like him. i am still thinking: ok, it is purely a cellphone malfunction, and he didnt have my number written down with him, not does he have it at home (to call his dad and get it, to call me). by 11pm, i was numb from the worry that i would not let myself fully feel...but i called a few hospitals. it didnt make me feel as at ease as i had hoped...especially when i realized he might not be listed because of HIPPA privacy, which is an option now.
so i went to bed, very weary and worried. and slept like crap again ~ up every few hours, and checking for a text message from him. or an email. or to see if he logged into his webpage (which would let me know he was just a stupid jackass and forgot to call when he got home and i could commence being angry with him) but no log-in. not even this morning. and i called the cell again about 10 minutes ago...and it went right to voicemail. so it either lost all its charge and turned itself off, or someone turned it off.
i am doing my best not to let my mind run wild. but this is SO. NOT. LIKE. HIM. and that is what frightens me. and i dont know what to do. show up on his dad's doorstep and ask if he is OK? (as time passes, that is actually an option) the what if's are too much to even type out.
so if anyone reads this today, please send my Marine some good thoughts. especially if he is ok, cuz i WILL hurt him for making me worry this much.
*sigh*
ETA ~~~ it is 5:50pm, and 3 minutes ago i got this text: "i just turned my phone on. didnt have my charger with me. i am so sorry." yeah. sorry. you are gonna be. goddamned Marines.
now i am angry. and hurt.
its 10am now, and closing in on 24 hours since i heard from the reason why i had such trouble sleeping the night before last, which i alluded to in yesterday's pre-swim entry.
i was due to (finally) meet one of the angels in my life. after two years of a long-range friendship, starting in iraq, and continuing once he returned home to california, and now he's back home about an hour from me. this Marine literally saved my life and my sanity when my father started to rapidly decline two years ago (has it truly been two years?), and when my father's wife started to become more ugly than her typically hateful self. its a long story how we started writing...which maybe i will recount someday. but today i cant think well enough for that.
we finally got our schedules to mesh for a meeting ~ to happen @ 10:30am yesterday morning, for bagels and coffee. i got a call about 15 minutes before our meeting time, and he was still home, which was an hour away. after our brunch, he was headed to orientation for the grad program he was recently accepted into, and had forgotten the orientation packet and had to return home to get it.
so the first words i ever heard from him, were: "you're going to kill me" ~ he said he would see what kind of time he made if we could still meet beforehand, but orientation started at noon, and asked if afterwards was okay. it was, and i said just call when you are done. orientation was schedule for 4 hours, but he said he didnt expect it to be that long. i told him to NOT speed and he laughed saying that he couldnt in this weather (drizzly rainy) and that his car doesnt do well on the roads on days like this, so he is extra careful.
i waited and waited and waited. all damn afternoon. and all evening. and now i am waiting still, and worried.
i never heard from him yesterday... i figured maybe the orientation went a little longer, or he was networking with some other new students (he is all about networking, due to the nature of his job & degree). by 5:30pm tho, i was getting a little bit pissed off. ok, a lot. and so i called and left a message... i found a wee bit more patience, as i realized yesterday was the NFC Football Playoffs ~ in downtown baltimore. i figured parking was a b*tch and traffic was going to be too. and then it was 7:00pm. and now i am angry. at least just call. i figured maybe he was tired from the whole school festivities and wanted to go right home...and while i woulda been pretty disappointed, i would have totally understood.
i called again around 7:30pm...and now was starting to get worried but not really letting it sink in, how very worried i was. i tried to watch the end of the game, and listen to music and just keep thinking he was being a forgetful jackass, but its not like him. i am still thinking: ok, it is purely a cellphone malfunction, and he didnt have my number written down with him, not does he have it at home (to call his dad and get it, to call me). by 11pm, i was numb from the worry that i would not let myself fully feel...but i called a few hospitals. it didnt make me feel as at ease as i had hoped...especially when i realized he might not be listed because of HIPPA privacy, which is an option now.
so i went to bed, very weary and worried. and slept like crap again ~ up every few hours, and checking for a text message from him. or an email. or to see if he logged into his webpage (which would let me know he was just a stupid jackass and forgot to call when he got home and i could commence being angry with him) but no log-in. not even this morning. and i called the cell again about 10 minutes ago...and it went right to voicemail. so it either lost all its charge and turned itself off, or someone turned it off.
i am doing my best not to let my mind run wild. but this is SO. NOT. LIKE. HIM. and that is what frightens me. and i dont know what to do. show up on his dad's doorstep and ask if he is OK? (as time passes, that is actually an option) the what if's are too much to even type out.
so if anyone reads this today, please send my Marine some good thoughts. especially if he is ok, cuz i WILL hurt him for making me worry this much.
*sigh*
ETA ~~~ it is 5:50pm, and 3 minutes ago i got this text: "i just turned my phone on. didnt have my charger with me. i am so sorry." yeah. sorry. you are gonna be. goddamned Marines.
now i am angry. and hurt.
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