I, like many people, enjoy having a regular schedule. I sleep well; I eat predictably; I can plan social activities. But my schedule since starting work at the jail in March has been anything but regular given the way I was hired (by choice): I fill in when I'm needed.
What follows is my schedule for the past week, which is self-explanatory for my MIAness...
Wednesday - Tuesday OFF
Meant to go to California to see my seester, bro-in-law and nephews but just didn't get there; theoretically I was out and about in Denver though. What did I do? Had a great bike ride on the Platte River Trail where I took photos with my manual SLR. Note to self: need to get those photos developed. Talked to Greg's mortgage broker; we determined I need a permanent job in order to get a mortgage. Finished a painful, difficult knitting project. Started Julie's overdue birthday present. Napped with the cat.
Wednesday 1930 - 0530 (actually left at 0600)
Went ok although I was tired Thursday morning since it is not possible to get enough sleep the day before an overnight shift.
Thursday 1930 - 0530 (actually left at 0630)
Still tired in the morning, but a breakfast burrito keeps me awake during the 30 minute drive home. Beautiful sunrise.
Friday 1930 - 0530 (actually left at 0615)
Slept until 1630 and then futzed around on Facebook until I was almost late to work. Oops. But that's the most I've ever slept directly following an overnight; my body might just be getting the hang of this schedule.
Saturday 1930 - Sunday 0530 (actually left at 0545)
Again slept for 8 hours the following morning; not such a good thing this time since I need to go to bed at, oh, 2000 in order to get 'enough' sleep to get up at 0330 Monday morning to work the 0500 - 1500 shift. Did go hang out with Julie's friends by the pool in southeast Denver.
Monday 0500 - 1500 (actually left at 1630)
Got home and slept for 4 hours. Woke up at 2000 very disoriented, particularly since the days are so long right now (not complaining, just sayin'). Still awake at 2300, despite great tiredness, because I'm working...
Tuesday 1930 - Wednesday 0530
Tired goes without saying.
Wednesday 1930 - Thursday 0530
Must sleep when I get home, but not too long otherwise I won't be able to sleep Thursday night in anticipation for the chiropractor and then driving to the Sand Dunes Friday. Argh. Pretty much a waste of a day.
July's not looking much better, but I'm hoping to have a different gig entirely come August. Send employing thoughts my way, eh?
Monday, June 22, 2009
Medicinal traitor
Friday I went to a -- gasp! -- chiropractor. I gasp because I think it ironic that I have sought the advice of an nontraditional medicine practitioner given my profession. Why a chiropractor?
1) My friend K.A. had good things to say about hers (in fact, it was he I went to see Friday).
2) For at least one of my problems, the stomach issues, I had already seen two medical doctors about it before I left Boston and they had ruled out some causes of the troubles, but clearly did not solve the problem.
3) I wanted to try a different approach to my health care. And that's what I've gotten.
The doctor believes, based on my curling into fetal position when he poked at my belly, that I have a lingering parasite in my gut. So, I'm taking Candi-Bactin-BR (the herb berberine) and will add proboulardi (probiotics) on Friday when I return for a follow-up visit. So far I've not experienced many of the side effects about which I was warned, which I think is the best outcome in this situation. After all, I am killing a colony of creatures that took up residence in my gut about a year ago.
My other focus for this treatment is the pain I'm having in my right hip flexor. I was snap, crackle, and popped by the doctor on Friday and, while the pinching in my right shoulder has resolved, the hip flexor pain is the same; nearly normal for day-to-day function, but twinging by the end of my four nights of work. I'm chalking it up to a work in progress, although I may try a short run this week if I can get out of bed early enough before work.
If there is a negative side to all of this it is that I've been advised not to drink beer because 1) the parasites feed off of the sugars and 2) it's difficult to digest for a 100% health gut nevermind my traumatized system. As if the six-pack in my fridge weren't temptation enough, I'm going to a Hash campout at the Sand Dunes this weekend. I almost delayed treatment, but decided I'd had enough of my compromised GI tract. Besides, as Julie pointed out, the doctor only advised against beer; he didn't say anything about other types of liquor!
1) My friend K.A. had good things to say about hers (in fact, it was he I went to see Friday).
2) For at least one of my problems, the stomach issues, I had already seen two medical doctors about it before I left Boston and they had ruled out some causes of the troubles, but clearly did not solve the problem.
3) I wanted to try a different approach to my health care. And that's what I've gotten.
The doctor believes, based on my curling into fetal position when he poked at my belly, that I have a lingering parasite in my gut. So, I'm taking Candi-Bactin-BR (the herb berberine) and will add proboulardi (probiotics) on Friday when I return for a follow-up visit. So far I've not experienced many of the side effects about which I was warned, which I think is the best outcome in this situation. After all, I am killing a colony of creatures that took up residence in my gut about a year ago.
My other focus for this treatment is the pain I'm having in my right hip flexor. I was snap, crackle, and popped by the doctor on Friday and, while the pinching in my right shoulder has resolved, the hip flexor pain is the same; nearly normal for day-to-day function, but twinging by the end of my four nights of work. I'm chalking it up to a work in progress, although I may try a short run this week if I can get out of bed early enough before work.
If there is a negative side to all of this it is that I've been advised not to drink beer because 1) the parasites feed off of the sugars and 2) it's difficult to digest for a 100% health gut nevermind my traumatized system. As if the six-pack in my fridge weren't temptation enough, I'm going to a Hash campout at the Sand Dunes this weekend. I almost delayed treatment, but decided I'd had enough of my compromised GI tract. Besides, as Julie pointed out, the doctor only advised against beer; he didn't say anything about other types of liquor!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Once upon a sweater
Once upon a time, in a land 1500 miles from this one, Jennifer started knitting a tank top. The year was 2004 and it was Springtime. A time of exuberance for cotton knitwear. A time of enthusiasm for garments with holes made according to pattern. A time of duhn, duhn, duuuuuhn lace.
There were good times and there were bad times. There were times of success and times of ignoring the project hoping it would unravel itself. There were times of moving (to Colorado to Massachusetts to Pennsylvania to Massachusetts to Nepal to Massachusetts to Colorado), yet still no wearable garment sprung forth from our heroine's efforts. And then, one unseasonably cloudy day five years and 1500 miles from its inception...
emerged the tank top from our heroine's weary, blistered fingers. Success! And reinforcement of the need to boycott the creating of lace garments.
There were good times and there were bad times. There were times of success and times of ignoring the project hoping it would unravel itself. There were times of moving (to Colorado to Massachusetts to Pennsylvania to Massachusetts to Nepal to Massachusetts to Colorado), yet still no wearable garment sprung forth from our heroine's efforts. And then, one unseasonably cloudy day five years and 1500 miles from its inception...
emerged the tank top from our heroine's weary, blistered fingers. Success! And reinforcement of the need to boycott the creating of lace garments.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Better than TV
I have two channels on my LifeTV: the cat channel and the Colfax channel. Yesterday, on the Colfax channel, was the following image:
Yes, that is a squirrel sitting on the basket attachment of my bicycle. Heehee.
Yes, that is a squirrel sitting on the basket attachment of my bicycle. Heehee.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Maybe med school
The murder of Dr. Tiller on Sunday got me thinking about my career's trajectory. I set out in a career in nursing in 2004 in order to work against Bush Jr.'s restrictive policies on abortion; I decided to train in the very information and procedures he was aiming to restrict. I could be the safe "back alley" abortionist should it come to that.
Fast forward to June 5... I work in county jail as a registered nurse: the only job I could get in a state overrun with mid level providers with more experience than I. Said state also has laws that restrict the performance of medical and surgical abortions to physicians, which means that, were I to get a job as a nurse practitioner, it would not be in an abortion clinic as I had originally envisioned.
By becoming a physician, I would no longer have to fight for the career I want because physicians are licensed to do everything. They are also better trained for their jobs and their role is better understood in the health care world. Maybe it is time to stop trying to have the career I want the hard way and go study for the lifetime pass to the field about which I feel most passionate.
Fast forward to June 5... I work in county jail as a registered nurse: the only job I could get in a state overrun with mid level providers with more experience than I. Said state also has laws that restrict the performance of medical and surgical abortions to physicians, which means that, were I to get a job as a nurse practitioner, it would not be in an abortion clinic as I had originally envisioned.
By becoming a physician, I would no longer have to fight for the career I want because physicians are licensed to do everything. They are also better trained for their jobs and their role is better understood in the health care world. Maybe it is time to stop trying to have the career I want the hard way and go study for the lifetime pass to the field about which I feel most passionate.
The Sisyphysian Life
We all know people for whom life seems out to get -- the paycheck doesn't get deposited, they start jobs that end before they can blink, the medication refill gets hung up in the pharmacy, they land in jail minutes before an important doctor's appointment. It is for these folks that I provide nursing at the county jail. And it's exhausting.
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