So I remember being here a week ago and thinking that I had something awesome to blog about. And I even vaguely recall a photo. ooh ohh I remember. But I'm not as excited about it anymore (after a week) and probably will never post the very cool photo of me doing the price is right flourish. But the old exciting news was that work got a way cool new coffee machine that has the press button instant cappucino or whatever you feel like - hot chocolate in my case. But then work put a huge dampener on things by saying that you have to pay for it in the un-subtly placed "donation" box. Ah well that what you get for working for the public sector.
Anyway this week's exciting news still relates to work cuz my mind is still there. Background: I and my nurse housemate are the two unlucky people who get to order all of the clinical stores for the hospital. This means whenever anyone has any annoyance with stock related products or sometimes even pharmacy or pathology (which isn't my area, I keep trying to tell them) they come to us and whinge about the state of the health system, the world, their life whatever.
But this week I had two big successes on the stores front. I have been trying to do this for months and finally it is all coming together. We have just recieved two brand new tympanic (super fast) thermometers. Valued at a not so cool $200 each which makes a big dent in the monthly stores budget - ah well. And just today I have arranged to have 4 new, just on the market, glucometers (blood sugar taking machines) for the grand total price of $0!!!! I am super good. Somehow you can swap ur old crappy machine for new ones from the same company for free. So yay! We will finally have enough glucometers to put one in each area rather than walking half way across the hospital to get one. {For those of you only accainted with large city hospitals, walking across my hospital takes 1-2 minutes each way, but still a waste of time when we are usually pretty busy).
And in similar news, I decided/realised today that I really do enjoy my job. I love the people I work with. I like meeting new people and getting to know them and being nice to them. (I was the extra mile nurse today and yesterday getting all sorts of helpful things like new wheelie walkers and medication education at the speed of lightning.) And while I don't enjoy the gross and nasty things of my job, if they aren't to frequent I can cope with them.
Its funny when you see yourself or not yourself in patients. ie what you want to be and what you DON'T want to be. Today we looked after 2 patients. One who is the epitome of what you would want your health to be at the grand age of 96!!! And one who was the perfect example of what an unhealthy life does for you once you hit 60. I asked this 96yr old who is still living by herself in her home, walking, continent (a big thing at that age), self caring and mentally sharp, what her secret was. She said she had no secret and it just happened. Its nice to hear blatant honesty without pretention. She a great lady though and while she will probably be discharged before I am back at work, I had fun meeting her and helping make her stay in hospital a bit less awful. (NOTE: Hospitals aren't nice places to be. Not cuz of any human factor but just cuz they are nothing like a home)
Anyway I am gonna go, I'm going to see a movie with my brother. It will be interesting to see if we can both enjoy the same movie. I reckon we have a shot.