My day was mostly educational today. I'm trying to find my rhythm in terms of seeing patients on my floor for long periods of time and not having that time broken up by meetings, didactics or office administrative stuff, but so far I haven't been successful. I'm hoping I will kind of fall into one over time. We'll see.
Oh - have I mentioned that I've been assigned a floor? So now in addition to being part of the medical team during a code blue, wearing a pager, having a hospital ID and having a card that buzzes me into every room in the hospital I can now walk up to the unit clerk on my floor, say, "Can I have a census report?" and get handed a sheet of paper with all of the patients on my floor listed. It's kind of strange to have pastoral authority.
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When I get dressed for Wear a Dress Tuesday now, I have to think in terms of how my pager and phone are going to be attached to my body. It limits me to skirts and I'm having serious dress withdrawal. Although - after two weeks at a Level I trauma center - I realize that this is not a tragedy. So here was today's WADT outfit ...
I have three things to note about this picture:
1. Bruce took this at 8 p.m. while we were under a severe thunderstorm warning. The lighting was terrible, so I had to set the ISO at 1600 and it's kind of grainy. Ew.
2. The past two weeks I've had Bruce take a picture of me in the morning before I left for the hospital. Bruce rode his bike to work this morning, though, so he was gone before I was ready. I'm realizing now that I'm less photogenic after a long day at the hospital.
3. I am holding Pretzel M&Ms. Oh myyyyyyyy. Do yourself a favor - go out and by some. You will not regret it.
Wanna play along? Send me your pictures!
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My awesome sister - after listening to me cry about figuring out how to transition into hospital chaplaincy - ordered me two books and they both were delivered today! Both books are by Pema Chodron - Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living and When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. I cannot wait to curl up in bed and read them!
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A nurse looked me up and down yesterday, turned back to her computer and said, "You look too young to be a chaplain." I'm not sure what to do with that - other than to suggest that she get her eyes checked since she clearly missed the ikea-sized bags under my eyes.
Actually I didn't do that. I responded with an awkward, "I get that a lot" and then told a story about how I never brought a bible to class in seminary. Don't ask.
I will tell you this. That conversation is now filed under, "Moments in my life where I would like a do-over."
I fear there are going to be a lot of those this summer.
I will tell you this. That conversation is now filed under, "Moments in my life where I would like a do-over."
I fear there are going to be a lot of those this summer.
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Lol that's a great story about the nurse. I, again, forgot WADT. Boo. Also, what the heck are pretzel m&ms????
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how people would wonder that about you looking so young to be a chaplain!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to enjoy those pretzal m&m's for me. I'm really trying to be a good girl and lose this weight. Nine pounds down, way more to go! ;)