I asked for it and it's finally happened. I am a nurse - a real nurse where I actually have a real job doing real nursing stuff. I am working in a totally amazing assisted living center where most of the residents are pretty self sufficient. My job is to pass out medication. It sounds simple enough but don't be fooled - like I was. It's 8 hours shifts, two to three med passes per shift, 3 floors, 63 residents. I am on my feet from the time I get there to the time I leave. And I'm only working 2 or 3 days a week so far. I might actually die if I have to do this 5 days a week. It's wonderful and horrible all at the same time.
My feet ache, my back hurts, my body is exhausted and since I am working either first or second shift my eating schedule is a little jacked up. Oh, and did I mention the temperature? It is (and I swear I am not exaggerating here) 85 degrees on all three floors. And there are stairs involved which require me to go up and down them more than several times a shift. This girl, not liking stairs - EVER! I also get to tote around a huge walkie talkie that I have yet to find a use for, two cells phones, three pens and a huge bunch of keys to all the med rooms, carts, and resident rooms. I have successfully lost 7 pounds already.
My body has decided to rebel in a huge way however. I am having some horrendous diarrhea at least 15 or more times a day. (The only time I get to sit down at work is when I'm in the bathroom) The Lomotil I use to keep this at bay has stopped working and caused me to have massive gas build up that just rolls around in my intestines and causes pain that shoots from my belly to my back and then up to my shoulder. And it isn't even slowing the poops. My Fibromyalgia has decided to make a comeback with a vengence as well. When I woke up this morning, after working two nights in a row, I half expected to be laying in a hotel bathtub full of ice and missing a kidney... I hurt that bad. I definitely need to come up with a better schedule for taking my Neurontin and Xanaflex (no, not Xanax!) to stave off the pain a little. I was getting away with just taking a lump sum dose at night but that just isn't cutting it.
The funny things is even with all this going on I am not miserable. I am feeling really good about the work I am doing. I love seeing the smiles on the residents' faces, the appreciation in their voices when they thank me. Elderly people are some of the wisest and funniest people. And for the little bit of time that I spend with each one when I work, I like to think I am bringing a tiny dose of sunshine their way. So even if my body doesn't like me being a nurse, my heart sure does.
My feet ache, my back hurts, my body is exhausted and since I am working either first or second shift my eating schedule is a little jacked up. Oh, and did I mention the temperature? It is (and I swear I am not exaggerating here) 85 degrees on all three floors. And there are stairs involved which require me to go up and down them more than several times a shift. This girl, not liking stairs - EVER! I also get to tote around a huge walkie talkie that I have yet to find a use for, two cells phones, three pens and a huge bunch of keys to all the med rooms, carts, and resident rooms. I have successfully lost 7 pounds already.
My body has decided to rebel in a huge way however. I am having some horrendous diarrhea at least 15 or more times a day. (The only time I get to sit down at work is when I'm in the bathroom) The Lomotil I use to keep this at bay has stopped working and caused me to have massive gas build up that just rolls around in my intestines and causes pain that shoots from my belly to my back and then up to my shoulder. And it isn't even slowing the poops. My Fibromyalgia has decided to make a comeback with a vengence as well. When I woke up this morning, after working two nights in a row, I half expected to be laying in a hotel bathtub full of ice and missing a kidney... I hurt that bad. I definitely need to come up with a better schedule for taking my Neurontin and Xanaflex (no, not Xanax!) to stave off the pain a little. I was getting away with just taking a lump sum dose at night but that just isn't cutting it.
The funny things is even with all this going on I am not miserable. I am feeling really good about the work I am doing. I love seeing the smiles on the residents' faces, the appreciation in their voices when they thank me. Elderly people are some of the wisest and funniest people. And for the little bit of time that I spend with each one when I work, I like to think I am bringing a tiny dose of sunshine their way. So even if my body doesn't like me being a nurse, my heart sure does.
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