December was a busy month of preparation for the holidays, packing for my northern contract, applying for permission from the Nunavut medical officer of health to travel in, and seeing the grandchildren as much as pandemic restrictions allowed. We modified our usual festivities to include a Christmas Eve day trip to the city bearing seafood chowder, rolls and cheesecake. Visited the youngest grandson celebrating his first Christmas and his parents where we opened our gifts, then on to the suburbs to repeat the menu and to see the middle grandkids who at two and four years old were pretty excited. Home late after a full day. Christmas Day was eggs benedict for brunch and making creamed lobster to take to supper at the nurse daughter's. We picked up the oldest grandson and made our way to the first Christmas celebrated in the youngest daughter's new home on the lake. Had a lovely turkey and lobster supper and with dessert were handed a card which read "congratulations you're going to be grandparent's for the fifth time". What a lovely surprise! As the stores weren't open I didn't even have time to pick up some yarn for a baby afghan as I've done the other grandkid's while on northern contracts. Boxing Day was spent de-Christmasing the house and packing away decorations so they weren't looking at me in February. In addition I made sure to secure any of the livingroom collectibles that matter to me in the spare bedroom as the floor replacement plan would mean a total disruption.
December 27th arrived sunny and clear for my drive to the city where I left my car in the oldest daughter's apartment parking lot which instructions for my son-in-law (standard savvy) to start and drive it around the lot a couple of times a week to ensure that it would start when I retrieved it. I know he did as I found it with the heater/blower set on high and a Cuban music CD bumping out the tunes when I tuned the key :) Daughter and family dropped me at the airport and a quick kiss for the grandson and I dragged my bags in.
The Air Canada check-in was quick and painless, temperature check and security screening where I had a quick chat with an employee who is the daughter of a nursing school classmate and on to the gate. First time I've eaten my booster juice and grilled cheese sandwich in the bathroom stall - only solo place to take your mask off to eat now. Off to Toronto and a short wait, then on to Edmonton with no inflight service except being handed a bottle of water, shuttle over to the Fairfield Inn and Skip the Dishes for supper from Vietnamese Paradise....yum. A good sleep, early wakeup, breakfast bag from the hotel and shuttle over to the airport. Check in with Canadian North and shortly off across the tarmac to the Air Summit plane with the same lack of inflight service...ahh flying in a pandemic. In to Yellowknife to await Canadian North. Upon departure I was the only passenger (and yes I did feel like a rock star on my private jet) and after a mechanical delay for 'fumes' we were off. Weather deteriorated in Kugaaruk while we were enroute so we diverted directly to Taloyoak and I arrived a bit earlier than scheduled without the stop. The airport was renovated in the 6.5 years I'd been away but there were lots of familiar employee faces.
I called the nurse on call and she dispatched the LPN to retrieve me. I had never been inside the 'new' health centre or apartments so spent the first few weeks orientating myself to the physical layout. Couldn't leave the health centre/apartments the first 14 days due to the required self isolation plan. The staffing situation was really tight as my former jobshare partner and another nurse had been reassigned to Gjoa Haven for the holidays leaving only the SHP (nurse in charge) and two inexperienced CHNs. Thus I was convinced to augment the schedule with second on call shifts for CHN, something I haven't done for a couple of years. The health centre was operating on emergency services over the holidays and with the pandemic precautions resulting in drastically reduced viral illnesses the workload was much lighter than I recalled, a good thing with the staff shortage. Took a while to get my head around the well child immunization program, covid swabbing, contact tracing and followup, planning for pandemic mass vaccination campaign, STI program etc plus changes to clinic visits. I enjoyed reconnecting with the community and meeting those under age seven who had arrived in my absence. Hadn't completely lost my touch with the CHN skills. New Years Eve was a wonderful fireworks display, the babies were still as beautiful and the people as welcoming as always. The COOP even had a new produce manager and there were lovely medjool dates cheaper than in NS! There wasn't much snow this year but it was chilly - the day I exited it was -61c but what do you expect for Nunavut in February?
There had been a lot of changes since I'd last worked in this community, meaning the only staff (aside from my former jobshare partner) who I knew were the support staff. Things weren't as before and my (previously I believed good friend is now....not) but...life goes on. The short story for my six week contract is....the interpersonal situation was pretty tense, I have never been involved as a witness for the College of Nursing or management for so many events in such a short time in my entire 45 year career and...I'm not planning on repeating that any time soon! In fact, for the very first time I left a contract 10 days early as I was really concerned for my license and although I'm 64 and not looking at working much longer, I will go out on my own terms and at my own time. It was the right decision. Upon return to my home province I opted for the free four month conditional RN license (with option for employer to extend another four months) as there is a push to return retired/rotational nurses to the workforce. Within 24 hours I received approval for my conditional license which will be activated upon a job offer. I've signed up and have been receiving emails from the health authority but no casual offer yet. I'm in no hurry as I won't be available until April but a covid screening or vaccination clinic gig would suit. Or not...summer is coming at some point and the government will send me another cheque after my birthday. This autumn is the earliest (and perhaps final) time I can do a northern contract. Retirement planning meets reality.
As a rotational worker I was required to do a modified self isolation (meaning others in the household didn't have to isolate, only me) of 14 days while checking in online daily and be swabbed on day 1 or 2, then again on day 6,7 or 8. My tests were negative but a registration clerk error on my email address (which is how a negative test is shared with the recipient) meant I received a call on day 4 from someone who identified himself as being from 'the Dept of Justice' without indicating which province stating I hadn't had my first test. After the debacle I'd just escaped from, this caused me to have a brief panic attack before I clarified the situation. Good to know the province is checking.
And yes to confirm....the living room floor was replaced so there's one flat surface throughout now. Lots of other projects done by the shore captain as well in my absence. I've had two weeks off 'house arrest' as I've prepared for the trip to Toronto and grandson's liver transplant as our second daughter was approved as a donor (pending final tests). It is getting to be time as he's taking nine meds in the morning alone and has had problems with fluid retention and low albumin so received two transfusions to boost his levels, low potassium so is taking additional amounts and eating two bananas per day, having reflux etc. He's a good baby and developing well, although his large belly interferes with crawling. He has gained weight and is taller so a better candidate for the surgery now. We've gotten a few visits in with him as it'll be a while before we can be together physically again.
The nurse daughter (who is due end of June) went through uncertain times this past few weeks as an unclear ultrasound meant further testing and finally an amniocentesis followed by anxious waiting. Thrilled to receive the all clear yesterday. Whew.
Tomorrow is a fly day as the teacher daughter and myself head to Toronto for 14 days of self isolation and additional pre-op testing for the donor daughter. Ironic as we have very low case counts here heading towards much higher but...whatever it takes. Resource navigation (through a charity) have facilitated a two bedroom apartment about 10 minutes walk from Sick Kids. The grandbaby and parents will fly up just before the mid month planned transplant. MSI covers the flights/accommodation for the parents and the David Foster Foundation (yes the musician) assists with costs as well. I will be able to take the donor daughter over to the Toronto General Hospital on OR day, wait for updates and speak to the surgeon following, then visit her in the MICU (step down unit) that first day. No further hospital visiting during her expected five day stay, but I will be able to pick her up upon discharge and can be the private duty nurse while she recovers. After she obtains clearance from the surgeon, we'll fly back to our province and self isolate another 14 days. This time no modified routine, we'll have to be in a separate spot. Fortunately for us, the son-in-law's grandparent's house is empty and available to us. So if all goes well, we'll be free by mid April. The baby and parents have been told to expect to spend between five and eight weeks in Toronto as he'll be in Sick Kids longer and have some time in the Toronto apartment before heading home.
Checked in, my ebooks loaded and my backpack is stuffed with yarn projects. Only positive thoughts as we move along this journey. So very grateful for the expertise and technology that allows this chance for a special baby. Will update when able....
