Is that in the book?

Today was another day in the fast lane. As the colleague who always says “that should be in the book you write” agreed today that the book wouldn’t sell very well with what’s been going on. It would be one of those depressing tomes you find in the discount bin about Hitlers Scientists or some other evil that you just can’t bring yourself to wade through - even at $4 for a hard cover edition.

I spent a good part of the day contact tracing. Sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Not. This is part of the role of an infection control practitioner to find those who have (possibly) been exposed to certain organisms, make lists and a plan. The process takes on a life of its own. Sitting hunched over the desk in front of the computer screen for extended periods is not only ergonomically incorrect it’s very stressful. I ate my lunch at my desk (which is something I would chastise an employee for - you have to consider work-life balance, get outside and take a walk, take back your lunch hour blah blah blah) and it’s also something I promised myself I wouldn’t do when I took this job a year ago. Like one of those things you tell yourself before you have children, when you see a child acting up in the mall - oh to be that naïve again.

The remainder (and then some) of the day was filled with the Occ Health side of my job dealing with that M word. In between immunizing employees, searching employees records, recording immunizations, talking about mumps on the phone, emailing about the outbreak. I am completely and thoroughly ready to be done with this subject. However, the subject will not go away, it just keeps going around and around.

This afternoon for a distraction I briefly dropped over to the Alzheimers Unit - it’s a wonder they didn’t keep me the way things were going. While I was there the LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) for those non health care workers out there relayed this story. She is a small person, about 5 ft. and perhaps 90 lbs. but certainly able to hold her own for the past 30 yrs of work. My mother was sitting in the arm chair in the lounge and is having a bit more difficulty getting out and up to a standing position now (she was after all 93 in March) so she rocks back and forth a bit to launch herself upright. Mom reached out her hand for assistance and the LPN reached over to help carefully with one hand as she was holding med cups and some glasses in the other. Mom surveyed the situation and said “I think you’d better get a bigger nurse” As I told her, that could certainly be arranged as there are lots meeting that description.

One of the more positive happenings of the day was an email reply from nurse author Echo Heron. Remember - small pleasures, small pleasures. About 10 yrs ago I contributed some 'yarns' to an edited book of hers called Tending Lives so every once in a while I wonder what's she doing? and drop her a line. I had recently read one of her earlier books called Condition Critical which I'd missed so it triggered my memory.

When I got home from work through a serious of previous arrangements I found myself alone (with only animals) in the house before going out. Now, I don’t want to be single and it’s been almost 30 yrs. since I was so I can't remember clearly but I think it was probably something like the paradise I experienced this evening. I ate supper while reading the paper, took the dog for a walk and headed out to scrap booking. Can it get any better than that? And to think there are women all over the world who take that for granted and don’t even consider it a gift. Imagine. Managed to get four pages done on the construction scrap book and pick up replacement cutting blades for those which have disappeared into the Bermuda Triangle of this house as well.

Tomorrow is the old fella’s birthday so will mean a family supper. Where it falls in the last week of lobstering and he’s keeping really long hours we’ve moved over the years to a low key celebration. We tried the going out (fell asleep in his dessert) having folks over (fell asleep in his dessert) and just early supper (better although we have annual photos which make it look as if he should live in a group home he has such a dazed look on his face) So this is the kinder solution.