10 days

Leslie left yesterday, Drew and Laura left this morning and Siobhan is in Boston for the weekend...so here I am. It's been a rough past few days with phone calls to have the water turned back on in South Carolina, thanks to no one ever sending me a bill to tell me to pay it, phone calls from the landlord telling me the girls were barking too much and I needed to do something about it, and making arrangements for the girls to go to Cincinnati. Luckily, I decided they needed to stay here with me and the stupid lady across the hall can just stop partying so late and not sleep all day. I couldn't imagine on top of not having everyone else, not having my girls either. We had to move into Leslie's apartment because mine was rented out before I was actually supposed to leave. So I had to pack everything up with only 2 weeks left and move it 2 floors down. There is a lot more traffic in this hallway and there are dogs in almost every other apartment. The girls also have a much better view of the dog park across the street and we all know how they feel about other dogs! It's easy to see why my girls might be a little stressed out right now and feeling the need to bark. I'm sure they will be much happier when we get to Dan's in a couple weeks and they will have the entire house to run through, although I'm not sure how much Dan's going to enjoy that! I'm just going to give them a whole lotta lovin and hope we can make it through these last few days!
I have 7 days left at work and mentally, I've already checked out. The other OTR is on vacation for the next 2 weeks, so I guess I'll have to check back in a little. One of my patients went o hospice yesterday which was very sad to me, but not surprising. Her situation is very much like Irv's was. The nicest woman with the most incredible family who now has mets all over her body and a spinal tumor. Sometimes there are patients who really touch you and you know you remember them for the rest of your life. That's how Irv was and how this one will be.
I know most therapist have discussed this topic before, but I thought I'd again bring it up. How about how doctors NEVER listen to therapists and you have to be so careful to present something in a way to let the doctor believe they are so smart and you're the dumb one so it was their idea. There have been 2 instances where Leslie and I have had patients with obvious hip problems and the nurse has notified the doctor and the doctor has done nothing. In one case, the doctor said :we'll give him more pain medicine". A week later, the poor little demented man who confused hunger with pain and constantly asked for something to eat, even when he was chewing, still screamed out when we'd move his leg. Finally, an x-ray was done...his hip was dislocated! The second case, which I have to say was a much faster response, the patient had aseptic necrosis of the femoral head. That's why she would give us the death grip anytime we flexed her hip! We see our patients for over an hour every day, the doctor sees them once every 30 days in a nursing home. Who the heck do you think knows the patient better? I understand doctors have a lot of patients and it's hard to see all of them for the necessary amount of time, but listen to your frickin therapists! We did go to school, some of us just as long as you did!!!!!! Anyway...
Spoke with my recruiter Wednesday who said we should know something by Friday about a job, and we don't. I have 2 weeks, so it's not that big of a deal yet, but I just like to be settled so I can prepare myself mentally for what is to come you know. There was one that was only 30 hours a week, which would have been so sweet, but not sure how the money would have been, so we'll see about that. I'm just so excited to be home for a little while, especially because next year, I probably won't be home for almost the entire year! Miss you all!!!