The friends who I introduced, D&J, have now met a few times at group events, and have planned to go out on a real date! I just knew that they would like each other!
We are heading up to the trailer to do some yardwork so I don't have much time for blogging just now. I'll leave you with this weeks' entry for Weekend Cat Blogging. Dutchie-girl has found a new perch. I don't know what she was thinking, but apparently the buffet seemed like a good place for her to plunk herself down.
For more kitty pics, visit Kiri, at Clare's!
There are days when nothing seems to go right, and today is one of them.I am normally a very calm, relaxed, respected member of the health care team. For years I worked in an environment where the more stressful the situation, the slower and more focused I became so as not to make a fatal error in a life or death situation. I have become very adept to look at the big picture, prioritize quickly, problem solve effectively, anticipate what the next step would be, and let the doctor know when there was something 'not right with the patient.' And even if I started with "I'm not 100% sure what is going on here, but my patient is not looking right, and something is going to happen if we don't stop to really figure out what we're missing." I was always respected, and I always knew that I was a good advocate for my patients.I am so upset right now, I am fighting tears. I had a patient today who was 75 yrs old, weight 37 kilos (~100lbs) and was Iranian so she didn't speak english. No problem, we have non-english speaking patients every day. The anaesthetist gave me report, and basically just joked about how tiny she was and left the Recovery Room. She woke up screaming and moaning like nothing I'd ever seen before! She was grimacing and trying to hold her back where the incision was and writhing around in the bed in absolute agony. I gave her quite a bit of morphine trying to get her pain under control, but was a little nervous because she really WAS small, and a knew I was giving her a shitload of drugs. I thought I'd better take another look at her Anaesthetic record, maybe I had missed something. Well. What I missed, was that she didn't get enough analgesia in the OR! Basically, this woman, who had back surgery, had as much pain medication as you would give a cat during surgery.The drug he chose to give (Fentanyl), is very quick acting, but with a shorter duration than morphine (which is a GREAT drug!) This other drug, is also good precisely BECAUSE it is short acting. It's a great drug for short procedures, like when you are putting in central lines, or breathing tubes. Not when a tiny dose is the only pain relief given during a general anaesthetic! This woman woke up, and it was like she'd had surgery with the local witch doctor.So, I spoke to the doctor, and basically said that I felt that she did not have adequate narcotics during the OR, and now she was in excrutiating pain. I'd already tried to top her up with morphine, but it wasn't working because she was in SO much pain. I needed something else. His answer: let's sedate her. I repeated to him, that I did not think it was a sedation issue, she needed something else for pain.He came into the room, basically told me that HE was the doctor and I was a nurse, what did I know, did I want to tell him how to do his job? I again said, Fentanyl is a short-acting drug, it's out of her system now and she's in pain. He then (The Fucker) said "Oh did she TELL you she was in pain? Last I heard, she didn't speak english! I responded by saying that as far as I was concerned, moaning, and crying, and holding your back and grimacing where the INTERNATIONAL SIGNS for pain! His response? She doesn't speak english and clearly she has Cerebral Deficits !Can you fricken believe that?! The only person with Cerebral Deficits was That Jackass! Then he tells me that fentanyl is the same drug as morphine and that I was wrong in saying that it had a short half-life. I said that "I, and my collegues must all be wrong then." He said we were.I know that he feels that I was disrespectful towards him today, but this is not the first time I've had to wonder about what he's doing in the OR. Truth is: I don't respect him. He's lazy and sloppy. And even more truthful: he's the kind of person who's gotten by in life based on their good looks and charm. And he's a shitty Anaesthetist who's lives people put into his hands every day.What I wanted from him, was for him to acknowledge that he did not use the most effective drug, or that he could have used other drugs in conjungtion, that he was not considering the patients post-op pain intra-operatively, and did not deal well with it post-operatively. He was arrogant, and belittling. And I know he is incapable of learning from this.Anyway, this story is droning on and on. I could go into more detail, but then you'd probably think that I was the one with the Cerebral Deficits.Right after that Fun-World Interaction, I went to lunch and broke the crown on my tooth. That, my friends, was the highlight of my day.Good thing, I love my dentist.Oh. And I had a good hair day.
Today, for the first time in 6 months I got my hair cut. I now have a style! And bangs, for the first time in about 15 years. They are not real bangs, like the 'bowl cut' type that my mom used to give me when I was younger. My mom was a hairdresser back in the day. When I was a teenager, she would practice the hairstyle on me, and then give Pez the most perfect cut outside in the backyard picnic table/salon area! OK, so maybe her hair wasn't perfect, but at least her hair always looked better than mine. And my mom would always rave about how thick and beautiful Pez's hair was after hacking and snipping at my flimsy little locks! Then she would try to tell me that I should have short hair, that it's much more 'becoming.' I'd get mad, and say something like "ya, much more becoming for a middle-aged woman!" And we'd fight. When I was about 18, on impulse I went to get my hair cut at a salon. I was afraid to go home, but, well you know, eventually I had to go home. And, of course my mom was pissed that I had gone and spent good money on having someone else cut my hair, and probably tipped them, too! I felt really bad about it, because I heard her crying, but to be honest, it was the first time I liked my haircut. She has refused to cut my hair ever since that time. Which, to be honest, is a lot less stressful. So, now I am a middle-aged woman, and I've opted to try to grow my hair a little longer. After years of wearing it tied back in a pony-tail, I am going to try to start styling it (I wonder how long that will last?!) But my day at the hairdressers was great. I got fresh colour, a new cut, AND I had my furry eyebrows and moustache threaded!
Instant Mini-Extreme Make-Over!
This busy week is finally over! By the end of the week, my Gemini alter-ego had taken over and I had turned into a Beeeatch! I'm not sure what happened, but as the week went on I got less and less sleep, so by Friday I was hardly recognizable as myself. The highlight of the week was definitely meeting Kristi at the baseball game on Tuesday. Although I am not a huge baseball fan, going to the game was fun, and as an added bonus, I got to see Johnny Damon's sweet ass! It looked especially nice through the binoculars!
On Wednesday night, I had book club after work. This month's selection was Memoirs of a Geisha and compared the book to the movie, which we watched that night. I really enjoyed both. There is one member of the bookclub though, who I think does not like me. She is the mother of one of the people I had invited initially, and this person wanted to include her mother. OK, whatever. But I think Marg has taken offence to me because I didn't like her selection: Crow Lake Every single time we discuss a new book and I make a comment about how I liked the book, she points out that this book did not have nearly as much emotion as the book she chose, and she pointedly contradicts me. (Whatever lady...I've already got ONE mother to deal with!)
Thursday night I got two hours sleep, AND had to go in to work an hour early on Friday for a staff meeting. I was a very grumpy girl. I had tossed an turned, and elbowed Greg at even the slightest hint of a snore, moved to the couch for a while, and finally settled to sleep around 5am. (Poor Greg has a cold and couldn't help snoring!) I was grumpy as hell Friday morning and Greg and I were snippy with each other. He loudly said to me: if you're so goddamn tired I guess we can't go tonight. (Remember, my whole reason for going to the work party later was to set up D&J!)
I got to work, and my boss had bought me an Egg McMuffin for coming in early (OK, I love Egg McMuffins...but don't tell anyone!)
By 10:00 I called Greg all Sweet as Pie and told him I was feeling much better. (I was lying, but I wanted to be Yenta later!)
Anyway, to make a long story short, the dinner party was fabulous, and I caught D&J making googlie-eyes at each other! The introduction has been made, and the rest is up to them. I will provide phone numbers if requested, but that is all.
Today is Saturday, and I am happy to say that we have no obligations. Rummage Sale season officially started this weekend, so we went to one. I bought a book for 25 cents called Cold Mountain. I never did see the movie, but I'm sure I'll like the book. I love all that Southern Civil War, Gone With the Wind-era kind of stuff. After, we stopped at the market to buy dinner.
Like a beacon, a flare, a neon sign, these Beefsteak Tomatoes caught my attention. It is SO early in the season (they are usu. ripe in August) but they just looked so juicy and perfect and I just had to have them!
And they made me so happy. Because winter is gone, and the seasons...well they are a'changing!
Mr. Mao always has to get right in on the action. Here you see the effects of Firewater on the little guy! (as if he didn't have Crazy-eyes before!)
For more fabulous weekend Kitty parties, check out the rascally Kiri where he takes out his revenge on the loo-paper at Eatstuff
Tuesday night, I had the most wonderful opportunity to meet Kristi, from Interrupted Wanderlust and her husband! We had agreed to meet at a Blue Jays vs. Yankees baseball game, as Kristi and her hubby were in town for it. When we got to the game, I called her, and had a little trouble finding her amongst the throng of people below. We knew that we were in a similar section. Anyway, sometime around the third inning, Kristi and I found each other, and it was so nice! She was exactly as I had imagined her (and she looks so cute with her little Beastie Bump!)
After the game, we met at their hotel lounge for a drink, and I can't believe how quickly 2 hours flew by! The guys talked sports, and clicked, which was good as they didn't need to be entertained. Kristi is an awesome girl, so interesting and fun, and friendly, and with the most beautiful cow eyes! (Her hubby has the same cow eyes, so you can imagine how pretty Beastie's eyes are going to be!)
Meeting a blogfriend was most definitely a great experience. I would absolutely recommend it, and look forward to the next time!
I haven't been this nervous/excited since I was on Lavalife before I met Greg!Tomorrow night I'm going to meet Kristi from Interrupted Wanderlust at the Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees baseball game. It's the first time I'll be meeting a blogfriend in person! I'm SO looking forward to it! We've 'known' of each other since last July when she was going on her first camping trip, and had just started her blog. I can't wait to tell you all about our first meeting! Have you ever met a blogfriend in in real life?
Wednesday night is our 4th bookclub meeting. It's kind of had a slow start, but is getting better. This month's book was Memoirs of a Geisha which I had read before , but was so happy to read again. It really is a fabulous story. We will be watching the movie on Wednesday evening, which I've been wanting to see before the Oscars.Friday night, I am going to a house party with work friends. At this job, for some reason, I have opted not to get too chummy with them. I don't know why. Well, partly, I guess, because I always just had this thought that this job would not be a permanent place for me. It's a break. An intermission. Liminality until I find something else. I've never truly felt like I belonged, but that has been my doing completely. So, this Friday, Greg and I have been invited to the party, and something told me that I should agree to go. See...I plan on setting up Greg's friend with a nurse I work with. I seem to think that they will like each other. (So, it is a selfless plan!) They will meet....eyes will lock...they will instantly fall in love...get married...have babies...and live happily ever after.Or...they will hate each other, and never trust my judgement again!Truth be told, I have never set up any of my friends before. But, it worked out for Greg and I, so why not?Have you ever been set up with friends before? Did it work out?
Mao is dreaming that someone will come and play ball with him soon...For more weekend cat blogging, visit Clare, at Eatstuff
Thanks for all the advice on the Pick Me! Letter. It has inspired me to use this tactic again, should the need arise.A couple of funny things happened yesterday. I've been working nights, so I come home from work in the morning, sleep for a few hours and get up around 1pm. Greg took a vacation day yesterday as he had planned to check on the leaky trailer. Around 1:30, Greg's buddy from work stops by as he needed to go to the passport office which is down the block from us. As he walks through our door, he tells us that he just ran into someone in our elevator who he recognized, but couldn't place. Turns out that they attend the same wine tastings . This other man was in our building to check out an open house down the hall from us, he is a "Real Estate Agent." He asked if it would be ok to stop by our place in a few minutes. No problem.So, a few minutes pass, and this short little man in a trenchcoat stops by and, in a thick, Italian accent, introduces himself as 'Jimmy.' He barely looks 
around our place, but for some reason spends an inordinate amount of time looking out of our window. Greg and I start talking about the parking lot, the church bells, the Yoga studio (brown bldg), when Jimmy Soprano mentions the restaurant called F.(front yellow bldg). He says he's never seen us there. It is on the Tip-of-my-Tongue to say something smart ass, like "Greg and I think the place is run as a cover for a Mafioso, we've never see anyone in there!" Instead, I say: "We've talked about going there, it's just been renovated." Jimmy Soprano then reaches inside his floor-length trenchcoat and brings out a flyer for the restaurant THAT HE OWNS!!! I 
nearly pooped myself! Thank god I managed to keep my big mouth appropriately shut! Jimmy invited us to come dine at his restaurant, and said "Call for a Reservation." I looked at the flyer, and just as I was thinking it, Jimmy says "There's no number on that. I don't know why they forgot to put it on." (Ba-da- Bing! Ya, well, I think know why...)Speaking of which, has anyone caught Season 6 of the Sopranos where Tony is in the hospital? The attention to medical detail is impressive. Finally, someone has bothered to make it real! He truly looks like someone on Life Support.The other funny thing that happened yesterday, was that Greg and I got lost on our way to the trailer. Sometimes we like to take the back roads and for fun we take a route that we've never taken before. Yesterday, we somehow managed to get lost, and ended up 2 minutes away from the Bible camp that Pez, Banana and I attended in our 'Tweens. We drove around aimlessly for a while, and then I suggested stopping to ask for directions, which, of course, Greg didn't want to do. We pulled into a Golf Course to turn around and there was a Beer Delivery guy just getting out of his truck. I took the opportunity to roll down the window."Excuse me? Do you know how to get to Fergus from here?""Nope, not from deese parts. But I tink, if youse go down ta da end of da drive, you can turn left, or right, or wonna da two."Gee. Thanks Bud. So glad I asked!
We put an offer in a house this evening, but we didn't get it. We kind of knew going in that it would be a longshot because we had to include the conditional offer of selling the condo. It's a seller's market these days, but on the advice of Pez I included a letter to the homeowners with our offer. I figured that I had nothing to lose.Ready? Ok...don't laugh."Dear Homeowner,I am writing this letter to you in the hope that you might consider my husband and myself as buyers for your house. We are presently living in a condominium downtown, and it is also for sale. We do not anticipate that it will be on the market for long, as there has been quite a lot of interest in it. In the meantime, we had the pleasure of attending an open house for your home this past weekend. It is a lovely house and the perfect size for us. We loved the layout, the hardwood floors and the sizeable kitchen.I am a nurse, looking forward to some peace and quiet in a beautiful garden. It is one of the reasons we have decided to leave our condominium lifestyle. As newlyweds, we are looking forward to building a home, together.I understand that it is likely not usual to recieve a letter along with an offer of purchase, but the reason I have decided to write one is to explain the condition of offer at this moment is contingent with the sale of our condominium. We are confident that it will not be on the market for very long, but do not want to miss out on the opportunity of possibly purchasing your home.We were very impressed with the house and excited at the prospect of living in this community. We would love the opportunity to make your house, our home.Thank you for considering us."Our real estate agent was a little taken aback initially, but he felt that the woman really appreciated the letter. I'm pretty sure that the offer they accepted had no conditions. What do you think? Do letters like this possibly sway the seller's emotions to thinking you are the ideal buyer?
Mao was warned that if he kept crossing his eyes, eventually they would get stuck! Obviously, he didn't listen!
For more great Weekend Cat Blogging, go visit Clare, at Eatstuff
Dutchie, the Sleeping Beauty, is resting up for the hours' sleep she's going to lose when we spring forward with the clocks tonight.
For more weekend cat blogging, visit Clare, at Eatstuff
After the game, we met at their hotel lounge for a drink, and I can't believe how quickly 2 hours flew by! The guys talked sports, and clicked, which was good as they didn't need to be entertained. Kristi is an awesome girl, so interesting and fun, and friendly, and with the most beautiful cow eyes! (Her hubby has the same cow eyes, so you can imagine how pretty Beastie's eyes are going to be!)
around our place, but for some reason spends an inordinate amount of time looking out of our window. Greg and I start talking about the parking lot, the church bells, the Yoga studio (brown bldg), when Jimmy Soprano mentions the restaurant called F.(front yellow bldg). He says he's never seen us there. It is on the Tip-of-my-Tongue to say something smart ass, like "Greg and I think the place is run as a cover for a Mafioso, we've never see anyone in there!" Instead, I say: "We've talked about going there, it's just been renovated." Jimmy Soprano then reaches inside his floor-length trenchcoat and brings out a flyer for the restaurant THAT HE OWNS!!! I 
nearly pooped myself! Thank god I managed to keep my big mouth appropriately shut! Jimmy invited us to come dine at his restaurant, and said "Call for a Reservation." I looked at the flyer, and just as I was thinking it, Jimmy says "There's no number on that. I don't know why they forgot to put it on." (Ba-da- Bing! Ya, well, I think know why...)
Mao was warned that if he kept crossing his eyes, eventually they would get stuck! Obviously, he didn't listen!
Dutchie, the Sleeping Beauty, is resting up for the hours' sleep she's going to lose when we spring forward with the clocks tonight.
