On The Job

Two weeks into the job and the fog continues to clear. I've been suffering from "brain stretch". For those of you who wear glasses, remember how your eyes felt when they're adjusting to a new prescription? I've always described it as the sensation of my eyes being pulled or stretched. This is how my brain has felt for the past two weeks. So much information, so much to process and remember; now, I'm mentally exhausted.

I've been working the last two weekends in order to receive extra orientation from the woman who's been filling in doing this job before me. I have one day off tomorrow and then I'm back at it Tuesday. On my own. Alone. Am I ready? Well, certainly more so than I was on my first day. I don't know my way around the entire campus (I've been told by more than one person this takes four to six months)! I do know where I need to go to deliver my med passes to homes. I do recognize and know the names of 23 residents. Gee! Only 277 more to get to know and remember. My biggest stumbling block is going to be dealing with the phone in the clinic. The receptionist picks up calls most of the time and the nurses help out too. If they're out or occupied elsewhere, which seems to be a lot of the time, it's up to me. This phone rings constantly.

The Phone. My old nemesis is back to haunt me. I have such an irrational fear and loathing of the telephone that I've aided and abetted for years. I especially don't like answering phones when the person on the other end is going to be asking questions for which I have no answers. This is what I have to look forward to on Tuesday. One of the major perks (to me) of my last job was that we caregivers never had to answer the phones. When I began working the early morning hours, the phone would ring occasionally at the front desk but it was always the same lady requesting bathroom assistance. No problem there. I hate to initiate calls as well. If I have to make a call to a serviceman, insurance company or clear up some kind of problem on my day off when I have time, that day is shot to hell and I'm miserable until this chore is behind me. I think the way my body reacts to interaction with the telephone is what I imagine a panic attack to be like. My heart begins to beat rapidly, my hands begin to sweat and I often develop a tendency to stutter somewhat. I realize these reactions to a modern convenience that so many people hold near and dear are foolish. I can't help how I feel. For all I know there may be an offical name for this phobia.

My family is all too familiar with my phone phobia. I'm often the target of mild, affectionate teasing and more than likely, private thoughts of being pathetically lame in this department. They simply cannot comprehend how I can feel this way. Knowledge that I'd have to deal with phones was one of the things that almost kept me from accepting my new position. I decided to accept this as a major challenge, however, in hopes that I would become more comfortable over time. And just think, for the first six years of my working life I worked as a secretary and had to deal with phones, multiple lines, etc. Throughout it all, my stomach tied itself in a knot each time those phones rang.

Wish me luck. Even as I read over what I've written here, I've been doing a little better with the telephone than my entry here implies. I have a long way to go. Lately, my personal motto has been "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". For me, this has been a most appropriate motto to live by these past several weeks.

Saturday Six - Episode 72

http://journals.aol.com/pattboy92/PatricksPlace/entries/1266

1. What is your current desktop picture?  What made you select it?  I change my desktops frequently.  Currently, I'm using one of the transforming desktops that changes appearance throughout the day.  Fun.

2. A close friend who you consider to be up to date on fashion suggests that you should update your look and offers to pay for a session with an experienced hairstylist you've never dealt with before.  Knowing that it's free, would you go?  Yes.  At this point in my life I've learned I have little to lose and more importantly, hair always grows back out (in my case at least) so whatever I ended up looking like would not be permanent.

3. When you do look in a mirror, what is the first thing you usually look at?  Face...eyes.

4. Take this quiz:  Which Bugs Bunny character are you?  I am so prepared for this one;  very recently posted the answer to this quiz in my journal.  Being a major Looney Tunes fan, how could I resist?

Bugs Bunny!
You scored 0 Aggression, 85 Sophistication, and 71 Optimism! You have all the sophistication and charm one would expect from such a high-class hare. Very upbeat and generally laid-back, you are remarkably calm and peaceful even in the midst of the most stressful of situations. On those rare occasions that your anger is aroused, your retaliation usually results in embarrassing the aggressor and laying-bare how foolish he or she really is -- rather than doing any real harm. You likely have many friends and more than a few admirers and would make an excellent leader, if you had any interest in being one. But, being a leader would require hard work and attention to detail, both qualities you are lacking in. In fact, if you are not careful, your laid-back attitude will often lead you to drift through life completely oblivious to the changes happening around you. You also tend to have a horrible sense of direction.

Thank God!  I didn't wind up as Prissy, The Widda Hen!!!

5. What label seems to describe you the best as a whole?  Adaptable

6. READER'S CHOICE QUESTION #60 from Stacy: Is there a specific person that you credit with your successes? and HOW did they help you?  I think I would have to pinpoint my parents on this one.  I was brought up to please my parents and make them proud of me; it must be understood that however they did this, it always seemed like my idea and not something they demanded of me.  The feeling of never wanting to disappoint, fail or embarrass my nearest and dearest has been the main cornerstone of my being for as long as I can remember.

Weekend Assignment #74: Got the Wants

Weekend Assignment #74: Forget about the things you need -- Tell us about something you want. Preferably something useless and/or expensive. In other words: Toys! Something fun and/or sparkly and/or indulgent that you don't already have but wouldn't mind getting, if someone were offering.

Extra Credit: Do you really think getting that toy would make you happier?

Having just torn down our old deck which was ancient and sagging and a lawsuit waiting to happen, I would love a new larger deck to replace it. I would love to have built-in benches around the sides and flower boxes built into the corners. I would love to have a large hot tub, jacuzzi, spa; whatever you want to call it, with plenty of strategically placed jets set into the floor of the deck in one corner. A fence for privacy would be built up around the spa and be designed to accommodate climbing vines or roses or whatever I chose. I would immerse myself in the soothing, swirling water every day I possibly could, especially after work.

Once this was all completed, I'd love to have a set of sturdy, comfortably padded, attractive outdoor furniture to furnish my outside room. To complete my wish list, I'd love to have one of those beautiful substantial canopies to place over the table for protection from the sun while dining. Necessary? No. Frivolous? Yes.

Would it make me happier? It would make me very happy to have such a lovely place to sit and eat and dream outside my kitchen door but I don't think it would make me happier than I am right now. There's a big difference between the two words.

Tag, I'm It!

I seem to remember something about being tagged to share my love of reading.  Thank you, Lisa.  Here we go:

Books have played an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. I come from a family of bookworms and a house that had so many shelves of books that it resembled a small library. For the longest time I thought everyone's house was the same. Sadly, I discovered this was not so and some homes had nothing more than a TV Guide and perhaps the daily newspaper for reading material. It was a real eye opener.

I love reading books for entertainment; I resent books that are assigned to me to read. I hated the selections of "classic literature" that were thrust upon me in high school. The most notable standouts of those detested books were "The Scarlett Letter" and "The Sound and The Fury". The exercise of having to wade through those books was pure torture. I don't think this is the way to instill the love of reading into those who have yet to discover the joy of books. Books are my friends. When I was a very little girl, everyone in my house was always sitting somewhere with their face in a book or so it seemed to me. Even before I could read, I'd get myself a book, crawl up into a big, comfortable chair and read too. Little matter if the book was right side up or upside down; I was reading, wasn't I?

My worst reading habit is that I'm more inclined to reread the books I love rather than try something new. I never buy books new so it's always a long time before I read books which appear on the bestseller's list and remain there for ages. I only just recently read "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" which I enjoyed thoroughly. Next I read "The Secret Life of Bees" which is a wonderful story and one of those books you "experience" as well as read. I recommend it highly. My literary choices are probably absurdly light but I read to relax, decompress and escape. I have no wish for deep tomes of literary depth. I adore everything by Rosamund Pilcher; most notably "The Shell Seekers", "Coming Home" and "Winter Solstice". She writes of people and places you want to know and see. Literary magic. I love the "Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon. I love the novels of Anya Seton, especially "Katherine", "Avalon", "Green Darkness", and "The Winthrop Woman". I enjoy historical novels very much. Then, of course, there are the timeless books from L. M. Montgomery. Everyone is familiar with "Anne of Green Gables" but the entire series which follows her life, subsequent family and involvement in WWI is marvelous. I was weaned on these books and as they originally belonged to my mother who read and reread them and then passed them on to my two older sisters, by the time I began to read them they were literally "read to pieces" and falling apart. Can a book have a greater legacy than that? Everyone knows the "Anne" books. There is a series of three books about "Emily" too. A completely different kind of woman and a wondrous read.  In fact, if I had to choose one book to take with me to some deserted island it would be "The Blue Castle" by this same author.  It is my all-time favorite story and I've probably read it at least twenty times if not more.   

I love "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith. I love books that I read, think and dream about. I don't read bodice-rippers. I don't usually read books to improve my mind. A guilty pleasure is reading Stephen King novels. I enjoy reading them but I never like to see the movies made from them with the exception of "Carrie" which I think is a great film. Right on, Carrie. You go girl!, but I do feel sorry for the sympathetic gym teacher. I have a very fond memory of the first time I read "Gone With the Wind" at a rather young age. Advice from my big sisters: when you get bored, skip to the the word "Scarlett" and things will pick up. Well, wasn't that the truth and it took me about two more reads to not skip one line or page of the book. Great book, good movie; the sequel written by I can't remember who was awful.

I have a very personal favorite novel. "Lonesome Dove" by Larry McMurtry. This was recommended to me by a friend who had already read it and suggested that we read it together. We did this from opposite sides of the country but regardless, it was a wonderful experience and I found this to be a great story. It was a bit slow to get into but I was riveted once things got going. This was one of the nicest reading experiences of my life. There are so many more books I've enjoyed; sometimes I spend time reading what my husband calls, "crazy woman books" which sounds funny but I know just what he means. I think I like to read these books for much the same reason as people like to watch soap operas. No matter what's happening in your life, the lives of the people in these books or on these shows is so much worse that it's a comfort in written or visual affirmation that your life is so much better and happier.

Note to Lisa who tagged me. I, too, love "In This House of Brede". Outside of my family, you are the first person I've ever come in contact with who knows this book. It is a very special, wonderful book.  I think I'll dig it out and read it again very soon.

Remembering a Mentor, a Friend

Part of my daily morning routine is to check the obituary columns. It's not that I have a morbid fascination of the recently deceased. Rather, this is one way I'm able to keep tabs on the old folks I've known who have moved on to other facilities or back home with their children. Sometimes I wonder whatever happened to.....? More often than not I get my answer in this column.

A few days ago I opened up to the page before leaving for work and was totally unprepared for the picture and notice that met my eyes. It was a death notice for my former aerobic dance instructor who took me under her wing, instructed me on the proper use of free weights, taught me excellent body mechanics and opened the door to the pleasures of aerobic dance for me. Her name was Teresa O'Mallon and she was one of the lovliest, kindest, healthiest woman I've ever met.

About twenty years ago, my husband and I joined the local gym to shed some weight and firm up a bit. After a year or so, I met Teresa and found out she taught an exercise class in an upstairs room of the gym. Aerobics were very big back then but I had never tried a class before. Great physical coordination had never been one of my fortes. I told her as much but she persuaded me to come to a class and at least try. I did and damn if I didn't discover I had a bit of a natural aptitude for these routines. Teresa's background was dance; she also took ballet classes and her exercise routines were more choreographic in nature than most aerobic workouts. Her choice of music was superb and even though some of the moves were a bit more intricate than the run of the mill classes, they weren't impossible to follow. Attending her classes became one of the highlights of my day and I attended as many as six classes a week. The workouts were wonderful, so graceful and dance-like; at times I felt I was flying across the floor. It was pure magic. I fell in love--with aerobic dance and, I think, a little bit with Teresa. As a result from taking these classes and working out faithfully on the machines and using the free weights, I found myself residing in the fittest, firmest, best body I'd ever had in my life. I even gained an inch in height from learning to put my shoulders down, stand up straight and imagine a string attached to my chest, pulling me upward. These are the things this wonderful woman did for me.

For a brief time back then I considered learning to become an aerobics instructor; I was that into it and loved it so much. One weekend, Teresa took me to a huge aerobics convention in the Sacramento area where I took part in lots of different classes. It was a fantastic weekend and has remained one of my most special memories. In the end, I didn't pursue the idea but the mere fact that this marvelous woman thought I had "the right stuff" to do so was a tremendous compliment.

Teresa died from breast cancer. I hadn't been in touch with her for a long time but when I saw this notice and began to read, I wept. I was overcome with such a wave of sorrow. I weep now as I type these words. Teresa's birthday was in March. She turned 52. I just turned 52 a week and a half ago. So young; too young to leave this world. I am so grateful I was given the opportunity to meet this lovely woman and benefit from all she gave to me. Thank you, Teresa!

The Which Looney Tune Are You Test

Since I am a major Looney Tunes fan, I simply could not resist this one.  I am very surprised by the results!

Bugs Bunny!
You scored 0 Aggression, 85 Sophistication, and 71 Optimism! You have all the sophistication and charm one would expect from such a high-class hare. Very upbeat and generally laid-back, you are remarkably calm and peaceful even in the midst of the most stressful of situations. On those rare occasions that your anger is aroused, your retaliation usually results in embarrassing the aggressor and laying-bare how foolish he or she really is -- rather than doing any real harm. You likely have many friends and more than a few admirers and would make an excellent leader, if you had any interest in being one. But, being a leader would require hard work and attention to detail, both qualities you are lacking in. In fact, if you are not careful, your laid-back attitude will often lead you to drift through life completely oblivious to the changes happening around you. You also tend to have a horrible sense of direction.

http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take

Brain Cramps

The worst is behind me. I survived my first week at my new job and things can only go uphill from here. By the end of the fifth day my brain was ready to burst from all the new information that had been hurled at it. The sweet thought of a day off was truly a salve for my soul.

It's always been a bad habit of mine to expect too much too soon, especially of myself. I expect to know everything right away and tend to get cross and frustrated with myself when, of course, I don't. But I'm a mature adult now, right? This time around I'm trying to be kinder to myself. Therefore, I decided that if I learned and remembered at least two things, at best four, each day then this would be acceptable. As usual all was a mishmash of information the first three days. By the fourth day a few lightbulbs went on above my head and the blur of information began to fall into place and make some sense.

My previous jobs in health care have carried with them the responsibilities of hands-on care of seniors, watching out for their welfare and safety, alerting nurses of change of conditions and such. My new job requires a different kind of responsibility that is completely new to me. I now work in the outpatient department of a Life Care retirement community serving people 65 years of age and older. The buildings are spread out on a 29-acre campus and are home to approximately 300 people. This is a senior living center which encompasses independent, assisted and skilled nursing care. Some of these people, while still able to live independently within the confines of the campus, need assistance with dispensing and monitoring of their daily medications.

My main task in the morning is to give medications to those residents who stop by the clinic to receive them. Some of these people also need assistance with eye drops or help with ted-hose (very tight compression stockings) which are extremely difficult to put on. Fear not! The clinic hasn't left me with a big bucket of pills, expecting me to dig in to find the right medications for the right resident. All medications are contained in sealed packets for each individual. The resident's name, time meds are to be taken, the doctor's name, name and quantity of the pills are clearly marked on the outside of the packet. It's up to me to carefully check the name, time medication is to be given and ensure that the resident swallows them. I have to stand by and watch them take their pills then and there. It's no easy task to stay close and observe while trying to seem unobtrusive at the same time.

After the residents who visit the clinic have come and gone, I head out to the cottages, apartments or single units of those residents who need assistance with their meds but don't come to the clinic to receive them. This part of the morning takes a great deal of time and entails a lot of walking. The little homes I must visit each morning are spread out all over so I'm up, down and all around the place. The first few days I wondered how I'd ever find my way around despite the map I was given. I thought back to my very first day of high school when I couldn't find my locker and my very kind big brother took me back that same day to help me find it. That was child's play in comparison to this! However, the nice young woman who's been orienting me shadowed me on my outside med pass on my fifth day and I didn't make too many mistakes finding those places to which I needed to go.

Once I've completed my med pass and return to the clinic, there are forms to fill out, forms to file in residents' charts and there are specific places within each chart where the paperwork should go depending upon its content. For one who has never worked in a medical office before, this is a challenge but I know I'll rise and conquer it. Throughout the remainder of the day I may be asked to assist with taking vitals, set up a resident in one of the examining rooms, get sent out to assist a resident who needs help with something or other, check a resident's home whose phone has been reported "off the hook" and assist with bathing a resident who isn't quite safe enough to do this alone. For such a huge campus, there is a very interesting method used to account for each resident on a daily basis. On the upper left-hand corner of each resident's door there is a small latch. All residents are required to open their front door when they first get up in the morning to release the latch to a hanging down position. Starting around 9:30 am Security travels throughout the entire campus and makes a note of which latches are still up and reports this information to the front desk. This information is then reported to the outpatient clinic and I must go to each one to check to make sure everything is okay. More often than not the latch is down when I get there inwhich case I don't have to do anything but report back to the front desk that everything's fine. Very often a resident will have opened their door soon after the security person has passed by. If the latch is still up I have a master key to access the home if no one responds to the doorbell. It's a pretty nifty system for such a huge place but, again, it sends me hither and yon throughout the day.

Enough for now and probably too much. I expect to get into and remain in excellent shape with this job. One more thing; I have a most unusual job title. I am the "runner". Can you guess why?

 

Graphics courtesy of,

http://kcsun3.tripod.com/id210.htm