Week in the life: Thursday/work day

0540: Out of bed for work, slightly later than usual since I packed my lunch last night. Quickly got ready, pulled my things together.

0610: Leaving for work, no I did not see my son this morning. This is always a little sad, but for the best. On the days he wakes up before I leave I know he has to be extremely tired at daycare. He had a rough night last night, up and crying every couple hours. We are hoping he isn't getting sick, but sounds like he might be.

0650: Officially at work, sad face. I was training a new nurse today, which always throws off my day's rhythm just a bit. Also, I don't think I'm good at it, but I remember how nerve racking being a new nurse was so I try to be compassionate, patient, and overly encouraging. All of that can be draining. I try to start my day with a positive attitude (struggle, not going to lie).

0730: Out of report and on to see our patients. I can't tell you anything really about the work I did because it is against the law, however I did have all neurosurgery or neurology patients today, no random medicine kids, all dealing with the brain or spine. Not a terrible assignment, four kids, a little busy, but fine. Is that vague enough, Abbey????

0840: Done seeing all our pt. and doing all our morning assessments. The added bonus to training a new nurse, I don't have to chart anything, I just have to look over her work. That means I could eat my breakfast, chill out, and be an extra set of hands for anyone who needs them.

0900: Call Zach to see how the morning went here. He said Zane work up at 0620 happy as a lark, as though he hadn't been crying all night. He decided Zane's little foot hurt from his injuries last night and gave him Tylenol. This was based on nothing, but I felt good about it.

1030: Manage a minor emergency/airway situation with one of my patients. Almost had to call the Neurosurgery attending's cellphone, which is never good, but finally found the Neurosurgeon on call and got the situation under control.

***So the rest of the day at work consists of seeing all our pt at least every two hours, check in occasionally to make sure the minor emergency situation isn't happening anymore, do a lot of waitressing, and a little house keeping ( changing linen's ect..). I usually spend a lot of time charting, but today I just had to check over the other nurses charting and make sure she was on top of her game, which luckily she was. Luckily none of the kids I had today had terrible/terminal diagnosis's so it wasn't a horribly emotionally draining day, like some work days are.

Skip forward to 1430: I go downstairs with Michelle to get a salad and try to be a light in her life. He mother in law is in the hospital, stable, but doing a lot of tests. Any prayers you can send to her and her lovely husband would be much appreciated.

1440: Eat lunch at the nurses station while I listen in to my trainee getting report from Emergency room on our new kid. Initially the child sounded like a hot mess, but in good news arrived to the floor and was doing good, praise God, didn't need another situation on my hands.

1530: Call Zach to see how Zane's day went and how their evening is going. They are playing outside, Zach tells me he had a good day and they are having a blast. Zane actually talks to me and it is about the cutest thing ever. I told him I missed him and I loved him and he, pretty clearly, said both of those things back to me. Could have cried, but didn't. It was so cute and I could just picture his little facial expressions as he held the phone up to his ear.

1535: Brain storm how I can afford to be a stay at home mom, come up with no ideas, get slightly depressed, but move on. This is a usual part of my day right around this time.

Skip forward to 1830: We wrap up our shift, try to determine if the kid we sent to the OR in the afternoon was going to the ICU or back to us, apparently coming back but not before we leave. I guess we will see that kid again tomorrow morning.

1930: Done with report, wait for Michelle so we can walk to the parking garage together, so as not to get murdered and so I can give her birthday party decorations for her son's party this weekend. In exciting news the birthday banner I spent so much time on is being used again, hooray!!!

1948: Finally get to my car, winded because I'm fat and it is a 10 minute walk to the parking garage. Mental note I should really work out, but then can't figure out when I would fit that into my days and move on to other thoughts. Call Zach and Zane to tell them I am on my way home.

2010: Arrive home; Zach was coming outside to take out the trash as I was pulling in the drive way. Minor panic attack that Zane had already gone to sleep and I wouldn't see him at all (this was how everyday I worked was when he was a baby). But to my great joy, up ran little Zaney to the glass door, pressed his nose against it, and did a little dance of happiness when he saw me. I could have just eaten him up.

2010-2035: I eat a left over turkey burger while cuddling Zane. Zane usually likes to eat a little with me when I get home from work, which is nice. He runs around like crazy, hugging Zach and I both, saying "my mamma," "my daddy" and all sorts of other adorable things. He did have one time out situation when we told him he needed to stop climbing in and out of his high chair and then trying to climb from the high chair to the top of the table and his response was a resounding "NO." But other than that he was great. He helped pick up all his toys with out complaint and even tried to count things as he put them away.

2035: Zane and I head to his room for a cuddle. While changing his diaper he was crying and said "my toe, ouch" so we gave him some more Tylenol. His foot looked fine, though his big toe did look like he might have stubbed it, which would be a whole new foot injury.

2037ish: Zane is done drinking his milk, rubbing his eyes, and pointing to his bed. I didn't even have time to finish saying all my prayers before I had to set him down. He snuggled his sheep and I'm sure went straight to sleep.
-So for those of you counting I saw my son for exactly 27 minutes today, total. Super sad face. I can't even think about it because that is how tomorrow will be as well and I can't stand it.

2040: I take a shower, then sit down to do this blog. Zach is playing his new iPad game on the couch with me.

Hoping to be asleep by 2200 and I will wake up to do it all again tomorrow.

**No pictures today because I obviously can't take them at work and didn't think about anything but loving on my sweet boy for the twenty seven minutes I was home with him.

Gratitude:
- I guess I would have to say for those twenty seven minutes where I got to do what I love, be a parent.
-For my healthy baby boy. I never, for one second, take that for granted, but I do say extra gratitude prayers on the days I work.

Observations:
-Neurosurgeons are overly smart to the point that some times I feel like they have no common sense. But I already knew that, they really just want to be in the OR, all the time.
-Also, today and yesterday I noticed that Zane says ouch and I'm hungry (i hon), both of which are super helpful phrases to be able to say. I love this whole being able to communicate with him thing, it makes things much easier.