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Just shooting the poop with Lori |
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He travels the world on the backs of others Insignificant in his stature and size His journey carries no mission Randomly roaming at the will of his host Sated enough to never question his trek Life is an open adventure without worry If the excitement of his dusty trail dulls Another bus awaits to grant passage With a furry friend to carry him home Ah the wonderful life of a flea |
| Spring must be nearby somewhere. I have yet to see many of the warm sunny days but a friend of mine is bouncing high in the window with yelps of delight. Vladimir my youngest and smallest dog is all hyped up about the squirrels parading through the backyard. They taunt him, so surely Spring is near. Some people look for flowers to bloom, I listen to the high pitched whining of my beast beseeching me to let him free to chase the varmints. He would never catch them as he is easily misdirected by another one passing by but if I let him out to chase them i would never get him back. He even seems to dream about them when he sleeps, moving his legs and nipping at imaginary characters. Quite funny to watch. Being in isolation, it is the simple things that give pleasure and a reminder that life is happening all around us. We just have to grab the popcorn bowl and enjoy the scenery. |
| I have been spending many moments on my letter writing campaign. No it is not a political thing! It is a reach out to people I love with letters. I have expanded it as I go along to friends and coworkers. I just want to take the time that I been mandated to spend at home letting people know that I care and miss them. I have never been a social butterfly and can count on one hand the number of friends that I would call up to join me in mischief. I spend most of my off time with family, so why I want so badly to escape this time of isolation is beyond me. I went shopping yesterday just because I could and bought things I really didn't need but wanted. It felt good and improved my spirits greatly. I washed my hands multiple times and wore my mask, doing all that was asked of me, but dammit it felt good to be out among the living and away from really sick people. I got to laugh at the child fighting with their mama about wearing the mask. I got to witness once again the butt-crack syndrome of many young women with the new style of jeans. I got to see both the kindness of others and the blind oblivion to mankind of others.Isolation has changed and possibly softened some hearts, but their are some still secluded by their own selfish needs that life's window vision is obscured. I don't know if we will ever change that, so all we can do is continue being the best that we can be with our willingness to give humanity our grace. As easy as it is to become depressed within our confines, there are others struggling to lift their heads from the pillow. Count your blessings and celebrate life as best you can. I am so proud of our community for the ceremony provided to our seniors of 2020. It shall be a virtual graduation with each child getting a chance to walk across the stage. The film of all of them will be put together for later viewing with a parade through town. They had signs printed with graduates name lined in front of the school. They had an adopt a senior program with each graduate provided gifts. They have gone over and above to make them all feel loved. My mail carrier actually gave my son a card with personal best wishes and a hand written note. She knows only that he is a senior by the sign in our yard. It is this type of caring effort that makes our world seem a bit less brutal and a whole lot more welcoming. |
| Hello, peeps! It has been a few days since I blogged. Life has been quite intense and very busy. Things remain the same at work and we deal with things as they come along. I keep telling myself that I am stronger than I think, but this little voice keeps whispering for me to run away. I hush the voice but sometimes I feel like my hair is on fire and the need for fresh air calls to me. I indulge when the need is great. It is not the patient I run from but the stress of all the things happening around me. There is the constant worry of being infected or worse carrying it to my family. Media is building us up as heroes, but we are people just doing the best we can in difficult times. I received the frightening email that I cared for a patient that tested positive on second testing and to check for symptoms. By the time I got the letter, it had already been 10 days since contact.( enough time to infect my loved ones) The worst part of it was that they said I should be fine as long as I wore the correct PPE The masks on non-covid floors are entirely different than the ones in direct contact with patients. We were told the patient didn't have the virus and dressed according to the rules and limitations of available equipment.They did tell me I was fine to work as long as I wore a mask and so I did. It is something that I knew was bound to happen but it frightened me, more for my husband and kids than me. Good news is I have passed what would have been my quarantine time and we are all safe. Now as we draw to somewhat of an opening of of society's rebirth we get the letter that there will be layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts.Hospitals have taken a huge financial hit and I get it but it feels like a slap in the face for the battle we've waged on a personal level. Home life is busy as well with not one but two 2020 graduates, one college and one high school. Virtual graduations are the hip and happening thing for these times. We shall see how this pans out. Never did I think I would be searching for masks that match graduation gowns. Life is funny if you let it be. Have a great day folks. |
Don’t Call Me Hero I didn’t feel like a hero For there just wasn’t time I didn’t feel like a hero For there were hills to climb So what is this word they banter about Never said I was a Boy Scout I didn’t feel like a hero For the virus came so abrupt I didn’t feel like a hero For all I could do was suck it up I’m ever a nurse and ever so strong Though my days seem mighty long I didn’t feel like a hero For I felt the trembling fear I didn’t feel like a hero For my own concerns I shed a tear Just doing the job I’ve always done Morning, night, til break of dawn I didn’t feel like a hero For cloaked behind masks and gowns I didn’t feel like a hero For safety I limited my rounds I”ll be here singing my nurse’s song Taking care of people where I belong I didn’t feel like a hero .For I doubled my gloves I didn’t feel like a hero For I prayed to the heavens above I’m no super-hero, but part of the best With no flying cape will I be dressed I didn’t feel like a hero For they needed me bedside I didn’t feel like a hero For I cried when you died One promise I’ll make right from the start Ever and always I’ll give you my heart So what is this word they banter about Never said I was a Boy Scout I’m ever a nurse and ever so strong Though the days seem mighty long Just doing the job I’ve always done Morning, night, til break of dawn I”ll be here singing my nurse’s song Taking care of people where I belong I’m no super-hero, but part of the best With no flying cape will I be dressed One promise I’ll make right from the start Ever and always I’ll give you my heart |
| Hello, Peeps preparing myself mentally to go back to work. I have a full run this week with no days off in between. So you might not hear from me anytime soon. The hours spent at home will be for recuperation(wine), cleansing(hot soaking baths),, and rest(face planted in the mattress). I hope you all are doing well and your spirits remain uplifted. I know we are tired of hearing that we are all in this together but it truly goes beyond that message. Each of us are fighting demons with the craziness of our days. Keeping calm and sharing our woes is the best option available I have personally acknowledged that my house will not be spotless from my isolation days.All the closets will remain cluttered. I will not get to see my son graduate but there will be new and innovative experiences for my young man. And he will survive with family and friends to lift him up. Time didn't stop it just paused to allow a moment of reflection. I keep thinking about the old Star Trek series and what they would do to battle the virus. We could make some fine masks to match the uniforms. I am afraid that we would have to sacrifice a few ensigns to save Captain Jim but somehow the Tribbles would save us.We could shoot off to the stars for a few months of fun and action. See, sometimes my mind just isn't right? But that is how i manage to get through the tough stuff. Laughter and weirdness! Find your light and follow it. Be the beacon for someone else. Do a chalk obstacle course through the neighborhood. Do a closet clean-out to challenge the neighbors by putting your stuff at the end of the driveway. Everyone can walk by and grab what they want and you can do the same. Sort of like a long distance swap meet. Step out on your porch and just start singing a song to see if anyone joins you.If nothing else you will be remembered for your joy. Start an exercise program from the front yards with each person remaining in their own space, but stepping outdoors to see people and interact. Start a zoom prayer session. A letter writing campaign to loved ones is a great reliever of stress. Follow your bliss! And be safe. |
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| Paradise, it wasn't! But I and everyone else survived! That is the description of my weekend at work. It seems sad that I measure the minutes spent at a job I once loved to a torture chamber. And I am not even on A Covid floor! It has to do with the increased work load on nurses on all floors. Staff is short and the acuity is high. As a regular nurse I have six of my own patients, add to that my charge nurse duty that encompasses twenty-one ill individuals that I am responsible for. It leaves me feeling like I was wearing roller skates all night as I fought to put out fires and maintain the health and safety of all. There are 206 bones in the human body, each and every one of mine hurt this morning.It may sound like I am whining but that is not the purpose of this blog As tired as I am, I feel incredibly proud of the work we did last night. I am aware that this is happening to every nurse on every floor across the country. So I salute my colleagues for all of the incredible work we do. Take just two minutes of that non-existent break to pat yourself on the back for kicking butt and taking names. keep fighting the good fight ladies and gentlemen. |
| It must be the irritation of isolation that is getting to me, but the term the media has adopted to define our current circumstances makes me want to scream loudly. Picture it or count the number of times you have heard it on the radio the words I am about to give you. Every commercial, news story, or announcement by a politician contains the phrase, "during these challenging times." I guess the phrase is descriptive when discussing the ninja-like skill of avoidance we now have mastered in our grocery shopping or the ability to carry on coherent conversations through masks. It seems with each crisis faced there is a need by the media to coin a word or phrase to used repeatedly. It is challenging to wake each morning without the luxury of a routine. It is challenging to celebrate birthdays, weddings, and holidays. The word "challenging" does not define completely what the pandemic has deposited on our doorstep. Planning funerals these days is heart wrenching. Living life without pay checks is horrendous. For some not knowing if they can feed their family is grueling. Watching co-workers fall ill is excruciating. Fencing children in the same house for endless days with their abusers is a nightmare. Watching as the number of mental health issues rise the longer quarantine lasts and the inability to treat them is frightening. Realizing that most Americans are ignoring health concerns for fear of going to a hospital is troubling. Filming nursing home residents wave through their windows like captive zoo animals is heart breaking. Scavenging masks, dividing up PPE, and using allotments of hand sanitizer is appalling. Watching politicians (on either side) turn this event into a campaign is arduous. So I say, the word "challenging" does not seem to paint a clear picture of the pandemic.But what I find challenging is to not shed a tear when I see the stories of people helping people. My heart swells when a co-worker brings me a jar of peanut butter because she knows I like it and have been having a hard time finding it. I dance with joy at the kindness of the stranger who mails me ear protectors just because they wanted to. I can hardly help from crying when I see someone buying groceries for the senior citizen in their life. I am amazed by the cavalcade of cars that drive by a child's house to let them know they are special and worthy of a birthday celebration. I am thrilled when I see families stand outside the windows of nursing homes everyday to wave at loved ones. As the news caster says, during these challenging days, there is good and there is bad. WE have to seek out the good and see each other through the bad. . |
| It has been another hole in the pit of my stomach kind of week spent at work! We watch, we wait, and we worry. The numbers increase on both sides of the fence for good and bad. We do our due diligence with scrubbing, masking, temperature taking, and PPE placement. Each patient brought to us with symptoms brings new fears for them and us. It is like living life in a petri dish and watching while the germs overtake the poor person. They are watched by goggled, plastic garbed,and masked strangers wary of their every move.. They do this all alone away from loved ones and not knowing what the outcome will be.They count the minutes awaiting the results of tests or for signs of the virus worsening. Each cough, each temperature increase, sneeze, or restless fatigue brings heightened fear. Each healthcare worker shoves the worry for themselves and co-workers to the far reaches of their minds but it exists It is the monster that nightmares are built upon. No one wants to be the person sitting alone in that bed without family surrounding them. No one wants to visualize the tube being shoved down their throat or feel the panic of not being able to breath. No one wants to feel this isolation unlike any other. In this quarantine you are not given the opportunity to fight over toilet paper or point at people walking in the park. You don't get to order your food curbside. There are no Easter Bunnies on your lawn or the chance to watch the kids hunt eggs. It is seclusion in a solitary cubicle of someone else's making. My heart breaks for each of these people. Stay home, stay safe, and help us fight the good fight. |
I offer a a fictional story today, but one that is playing out all over America in its simplicity and goodness of people caring for one another.
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