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The other night, I was a night away from my best friend being here. I stopped at Wegman's on my way home from work to grab a few munchies for our night together. On my way home, I realized the traffic lights were out and it was taking especially long to make it through traffic but thought it was just rain related delays, per usual. Once I approached my apartment, I noticed how dark it was around me. Everything was out. EVERYTHING.
Let me remind you that I just got home with bags of fresh groceries. With my arms full, my phone battery (aka my alarm clock) nearly drained and pure darkness, I managed to find the keys, matches and Max. I took him outside and resolved to staying up late while my car charged my phone/alarm clock.
I was strategically organizing groceries to open the fridge exactly one time since I noted the candle on the electric warmer was completely solid. I was unable to clean my apartment as planned and I realized that power outages were much more entertaining with company and/or as a kid. I couldn't find much to do, especially because I could barely see in front of my face. So I sat and thought while I waited for my phone to charge in the car.
Bored of waiting, I ran out in the rain and resolved that 70% was enough to make it through the night, hopefully less than that. I took one look outside at my neighbors' candlelight through the windows and wind up lights and kind of enjoyed the silence, which has been traded in for no AC. Not cool, Virginia, not cool at all.
11:30p - Bedtime
1:30am - Woken up to blaring fire alarms. My heart was easily beating in the upper 120s. I ran to the door, no immediate threat of a real fire. Powerless still, personally and in my apartment. I guess with the extended outage, the alarms were triggered. After 10 minutes I tried calling the office, knowing no one would answer but at least I did what I could. I tried a pillow on the head. Repositioning. After 20 minutes, it finally shut off.
5:00a (also 20 minutes before my alarm) - Power returned to the apartment building and all of the alerts that I had set up to wake me up... well, they worked! Again, heart pounding to get out of my chest. I guess I am waking up early. I made coffee, resolved that despite what my ovaries say, my brain and self know that I am not ready for a baby and I hopped in the shower hoping for a better day.
The parking garage entrance at work was blocked for construction so I was rerouted to a very inconvenient spot, forcing me through new buildings and to use my brain far too early in the morning, especially after the night I had. At least there was coffee, and lots of it.
Part of the pain and frustration of this job is always getting the "unpopular assignment" and also floating. Today, I was having both experiences. Without giving away too much information or seeming like a whiner, I was very attentive to my unfamiliar transplant patients. I barely sat down to chart (what little was necessary on this floor mostly because I was nervous and didn't want to miss anything) and took my lunch after 4 PM. Two of my three patients were "unpopular" because the families were threatening to sue the hospital for one reason or another. My third was a possible transfer after a procedure with the high probability of a new admission. Thankfully that didn't happen. Small favors from above.
Something new to me in DC practice... Families can take photos! This is especially annoying when your patient is on continuous pain medication for an open abdominal incision and on heparin, a blood thinner. I dare you to keep that dressing clean and dry at all times. There was no alarm for her dressings to alert me that they had been saturated, underneath her sheets, underneath her gown and while she was resting since she had claimed to get no sleep the night before. I occasionally woke her up to take a look at it but was doing my best to let her get the uninterrupted sleep she seemed to want in the morning. I was in there several times to hang antibiotics or new fluids or record information from her pain management pump, she remained asleep.
When she woke up in the afternoon, her dressing was bloody and she called her family who came in to visit and take photos, etc. Long story short, I left in tears after being berated by her family and their accusations after they had not been there all day. I reminded the family that there are two sides to every story but that I wasn't there to argue. I know that I gave her my best care but relayed the reasons why she was sleepy (pain medicine) and was able to remain asleep while I was in and out of her room throughout the day. I reminded them that with an open belly incision like hers and being on a blood thinner, she was expected to bleed. I know in my head that I gave her better care than she would have had otherwise so I just had to let that sit with me and realize the motives behind this argument.
I get great feedback on my care more often than not. I over care for my patients, some of my co-workers have said! It doesn't stick as much as the rare negative feedback you get from someone who is mad about her situation and looking for someone to take the blame. "She wants to get better so she can go home and see her family! She doesn't have anyone around." Well, we have a lot more in common now, don't we?! Me too!
As most of the staff from the floor relayed, all you can do is remain professional, document everything and then take it like a good girl, as I say. It felt awful. I felt awful. Traveling is really wearing on me as I put my license at risk on the reg. I miss stability and safety. I had to stay later and write a few notes about what the family was claiming and what I could relay to back up my care. Crap!
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END OF RAGE RANT
(if you were skipping ahead)
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This photo does the sky no justice but it looked so colorful and pastel pretty. It looked as if I rolled down my windows, the smell of cotton candy would fill my car. Everything was throwing me quickly into a happy place. What cranky patient?
Kelly and Amy were waiting for me when I arrived home. A quick change and catch up and we headed out to dinner and spent the rest of the night together. In the morning, we met up for brunch before Kelly had to head back to Pittsburgh and Amy had to spend the rest of her afternoon working. Not me!
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| Curls in my hair brought to you by humidity and a waste of time. |
So, 24 painfully bad hours followed by 24+ great hours. I'll take it!
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So what else has been happening between the raindrops?
Well, I went on a bike tour of the monuments!
A lot of this is on my Facebook page but I am still posting it here to tell you a little more about my experience.
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| Proof that it doesn't ALWAYS rain here |
I moved all the way from Los Angeles to Washington, DC and cannot visit the Washington Monument for a few years as they are doing repairs from an earthquake. Heh. Timing!
If you know anything about me you know how swift I am on a bike. You can look at my mangled right leg for proof. I am presenting to you, proof that I actually biked this tour and came out the other end with zero injuries! Not even a blister!
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| Obligatory DC selfie |
All of the tour buses lined up and young kids running around reminded me of my 8th grade trip. I just hope we weren't as obnoxious...
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| Jen-naaaaaay! |
Starting to lose daylight now, but starting to see my first lightening bugs! Officially summer!
Each state has its own pillar in this monument. I found Virginia and California easily and was hunting for Pennsylvania, which was a little more difficult. As I was approaching the end, I knew I had to be getting closer. Ironically, just as DC is preventing me from getting home more often as I had planned when I got here...
...I could not get to Pennsylvania because it was behind a fence for construction. COME ON!!
This next group of photos reminds me of a video from growing up.
This is neeeeeeeeear....
And this is faaaaaar.....
You must understand.
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| Heh. |
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| A night view |
And then, one of the other travelers (my first travel friend in DC, Liz) and I bought a Living Social deal and went to a Sippin' and Painting session.
Now, I really was pushing for a painting that I wouldn't mind keeping or trying and I wanted this:
Instead, this is what we got, which wasn't terrible and was actually kind of fun:
We had a really fun night. We met two girls next to us who were there celebrating a birthday. The birthday girl later showed us a trick that only my Aunt Kathy can do (that I know of) to call a cab. There was a lot of spit and laughing involved but I learned how to whistle by putting my fingers under my tongue! Now, give me something to whistle about so I can practice!
The progression:
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| "Really nice blending" he said (the instructor) |
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| "Oh! I like your vegetation" he said |
Our almost finished products...
Liz got mad every time the instructor said something positive about my painting and not hers (in my defense, I've had some painting experience... but not since high school), so she turned her boat into a dragon and it blew fire on her island, burning the trees down. Ha! Score 1 for creativity? Haha!
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| A walk around the room... |
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| Liz's (middle) and mine (right) |
I got this really bright idea that I wanted to shoot a gun. Maybe it would unload some of my rage. Maybe. Thankfully we never got that far because the more I think about it, I think I am too chicken now. Holding them was enough to know that I have no future as a female "superhero" in the movies. I'm good, give me the super soaker! Let me "cool off" that way.
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| The idea that (thankfully) never happened |
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So someone out there has been reading my blog or it is a huge coincidence that the bathroom sign has been spell checked and replaced. Whoops!
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| TINKLE! |
Hope everyone has pulled out your stars and stripes like these kids and are gearing up for a fun weekend! I'll be working so light a sparkler for me and have a drink in my honor. Be safe! I don't want you visiting me (or any of my friends) at work.
After this stretch at work, I am gearing up for another bestie to visit! Jared and I will be reunited after a YEAR! I can't even believe it!
I feel like I am my mom preparing for Thanksgiving visitors, though I did not move the refrigerator...yet. I am cleaning everything else though, especially since they power washed my walls and door(?) outside and water leaked in and under the fridge so maybe a little scoot-out is warranted.
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| Good morning, and ew! |
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| HURRY UP AND GET HERE!!! |
Ugh, that picture makes me miss the weather agreeing with my hairstylez.
XO
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