Memorial Weekend Camping

It looks like all we did this past weekend was sit around, according to these pictures. But these pictures don't take into account all the walking I did, and the 3 games of Cornhole I was made to participate in. Why can't people just leave me alone when I say I don't really want to play Cornhole? They know by now what a crappy player I am and that because of my crappy play I get very angry. I've been known to hit an opponent or two. Girls even. Now my arm muscles are sore (in the below picture of Cornhole, the opposite board is so far away it can't even fit in the same view). I'm also handicapped - but I don't like to bring it up (my blindspot). All the walking has made my legs sore too. Why can't camping be as it should? I'll tell you why. It's the freaks in the group who actually like exercise that make those who don't walk up very steep hills and throw bean bags (which are surprisingly heavy - regulation corn kernals are very large - they're injected with hormones) for very long distances. It doesn't help that the bathrooms were so far away from our campsites.

We saw blue jays and cardinals and I even saw an oreole. The traditional robin was rare though. We even heard a peacock, which we agreed sounded like a child yelling, "help!"

I hate this game.

This was before all the exercise. D is trying to convince the rest of us to go on an 80 mile jog up the mountain to get to the pool. Look at their faces - they aren't interested. Just like I wasn't interested in playing Cornhole. We ended up walking up the mountain, just like I ended up playing multiple games of Cornhole. How does that happen? I've got bad sunburn too.

So Far So Good

I got home from work this evening at 5:10.

5:10!

The "good" doctor is on vacation this week. So the schedule has been weird for the one doctor left. Tomorrow I heard rumor that the average office visit is for routine care - I can handle those kinds of patients (when they don't add on 50 other issues). I'm hoping for another good ending time.

On Monday I went with another nurse and doctor #2 to a Senior Center. We took our circus on the road. It is so entertaining to eavesdrop on the people. It doesn't take bionic hearing either - these Seniors talk LOUD. "Dr. ------- did my surgery years ago. I heard he got a divorce and grew a pony tail and has an ear ring. What do they call that?" (this patient needed to be updated.)

So this week is going well. I'm crossing my finger though - hell can break loose with the call of a patient's name. On Friday we're going on our yearly traditional Memorial Weekend Camping Trip with a bunch of family and friends - and WE CAN'T WAIT! But we have a lot to do before then. When will it all get done? Friday morning.

What's Your Song?

Do you ever listen to a song and think, "this is a song I want played at my funeral"? I've been planning my funeral for many years now. Some people might think this is strange, but you don't - do you? If you are a frequent reader to my blog - and thank you to my 5 friend who are so faithful! - than you're like me, and don't try to distance yourself. You must be somewhat like me to keep coming back - so that makes me almost positive that like me, you too have a list of funeral songs for yourself.

Among my favorite, ever growing list (which includes the song "Hymn" by Jars of Clay), is this song by Switchfoot. I love it. As soon as I heard it I knew that this song must be added to my funeral list. I listened to an old album of POD's this morning. I found another song to add - "Alive". This album was released on 911, the day the towers fell, the pentagon was attacked, and some obscure land in western PA became a memorial to a bunch of brave Americans.

A couple years ago my girlfriends and I took a weekend trip to Niagara Falls. We prepared a few CD's for our listening pleasure while driving. Some CD's were themed "fun songs", some "love songs", some "christian songs", but my favorite was the theme where each of us picked our funeral songs. I wanted this CD titled "death songs", but Speed Racer Sista insisted it be called our "legacy" CD. Whatever.

Tell me friends, because I know you've thought about it, what are your funeral songs?

Here's the song by Switchfoot - just click HERE.

The Horoscope Says ...

... I was to have a four star day.

I want to cuss and spit nails. It was NOT a four star day. Maybe four stars out of 100. Then it would be a four star day. But if you are evaluating a day based on the five star standard - I certainly did NOT have a four star day.

It was the kind of day that nothing was easy. Just about all the patients I saw had some kind of extra thing going on with them. If you're in for routine care, don't complain about your orthotics and then proceed to take up a half hour time (when you're only allotted 10 minutes for your routine care) discussing with the kind hearted doctor what pain you still have (you big baby). I don't want to deal with your orthotics. Don't you know they are a pain in my ass? Make an appointment just for that.

And if you come in for an ulcer follow-up, don't ask to have a routine visit as well. The doctor can't say no. BUT I CAN (in my blog). We don't have time - don't you realize that?

You've been away for 6 years? I don't want to hear about your legs. We deal with feet and toes. Don't waste our time talking about your legs. They're fine. You're diabetic that's all. And don't expect me to put your leg complaints into your note. We are feet people. Not leg people. Got that?

No, your big toe looks just fine. That white stuff? You mean that teeny tiny dry area on your nail? It is not an infection. It's just the fungus you've been dealing with for so long now.

No. You can't order diabetic shoes. That would require too much work for me. Buy our Crocs. They're lovely.

New patient? Tell her to go home. I don't want to deal with her today.

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I don't really feel that way. I'm exaggerating. People should be able to address multiple concerns in one appointment - I understand that. We're just down one doctor and all his patients are filtering in to the other 2 doctors' schedules, making for some very crazy times.

I like my job. On Tuesday I got a kiss on my nose! I get hugs. Somebody thanked me for making him feel comfortable. People tell me their stories. I like to hear stories. And I like to see people find resolution to their feet problems. I'm getting to know the patients.

I'm just frustrated because this job has become more than I first signed up for - hours wise. And tomorrow I'm going to have to go back in - on my day off - just to finish patient notes, because I'm being overwhelmed by them. I'm trying very hard not to swear right now. I'm not being trained. I'm being thrown into the lion's den - and staying there too long. I might be slower at learning my job - I don't know - I don't get a whole lot of feed back. But I can promise them this - once I know it, I'll be worth gold.

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I just needed to rant. Because today was most certainly NOT a four star day the horoscope predicted I would have. If it was any indication on how my four star days are going to be, I don't want to be around for my one star days.

Thank goodness I don't believe that hocus pocus.

Mashed Potatoes From Heaven

No - you silly friend - this is not a post for the world's best mashed potato recipe! I just read something really funny in the Message version of the Bible. Here it is:

Exodus 16:13-15 "That evening quail flew in and covered the camp and in the morning there was a layer of dew all over the camp. When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (what is it?). They had no idea what it was."

I can picture this so clearly in my head and it makes me laugh! Can you just imagine them looking at one another, shrugging their shoulders and asking, "what is this stuff? How do we prepare it? How do we eat it? Is this what God had in mind?"

I'd tell them to just add water and stir. God gave them instant mashed potatoes.

A fine flaky something!

Meeting My Fear

I read this quote from an Insight For Living devotional this evening:

"But the bravest are those who surely have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet not withstanding go out to meet it."
~ Thucydides

I've been thinking about the thoughts that run through my head during the day. Some of them are not so good. Some of them are pretty negative and fear inducing. There are some mornings, even some evenings, that my anxiety level is high. It is because I am still so new at my job, 7 months into it. I fear making mistakes. I fear many things about my job. Many times I don't feel adequate - I feel like a dumb blond who has failed at many other things in life and will naturally fail at this one too.

Pastor Steve would say those thoughts are "spam from hell." I've been thinking alot about the "spam from hell" I've been listening to. These are thoughts that contradict where God has me. These thoughts cannot be from Him - they don't sound like Him. I know His voice. That isn't His voice.

This job has forced me to take captive my thoughts. I need to see them for what they are and who they come from. For some reason God wants me at this office, doing this job. And for some reason Satan doesn't. I will go as far as God wants me to go - and I will succeed if that's His intention and I keep working hard with Him by my side. But in the heat of the moment - I don't think about that too much. I just think, "dignity dignity dignity" and however I do my job, whether it's making a humiliating mistake or attempting something scary, I know that the moment won't last forever. "... and this too shall pass." Thank God. I may be made to look like a fool for a moment, (of which I learn to not make that mistake again :), but my dignity will still stay intact, and my God will not leave my side.

I know that for so many people, working outside the home is not a scary thing. But for me, it is. I'd make a good hermit. I like my own company that much. Some days I would love to just curl up and hide. But I want to be brave - because I am exactly where God wants me.

However, so many times it is not a very comfortable place to be!