I need sleep

Well I thought maybe the Nightquil would help me sleep and I would start getting better, but no such luck. Last night the Nightquil didn't help me and I coughed most of the night. Everytime I moved I coughed and I finally fell asleep after 1am. When I woke up this am I was feeling ok, exhausted but had this naggy cough that wouldn't go away and I sounded horrible not to mention a sore throat. I just worked from home and went to the doctors. And what do you know, I have bronchitis. So, now I am on antibiotics and on a cough suppressant. Hopefully this cough will go away soon and I can feel better.

Sickness and Love/Hate Career

I have been sick for almost one week with this annoying cold that just won't go away. Nick and I went out Friday night with friends and that night I started losing my voice. My voice never returned Saturday and Sunday the cold finally hit. I spent most of the day in bed. I couldn't go to work Monday or Tuesday because who wants a sick person seeing very fragile people. I would be mad if someone who was visiting my loved one was coughing and obviously had an active illness. I was finally feeling ok to work yesterday. It was more boredom than anything. I worked all day yesterday and was to be on call that night. My coughing is the worst at night and the only thing that works is Nightquil to help my cough and help me sleep. I couldn't take it that night so I decided I would probably be up all night coughing. Instead I was up all night working. Here is the saga of my night.

We were planning an admission on Thursday of a man dying from cancer. Him and his wife had gone to California on a business trip and he ended up in the hospital due to complications related to his cancer. He was declining so fast that the family did not want him to die in California, but in Colorado. So, the family was paying for this man to be life flighted from California to Centennial Airport and transported to his mother's home in Littleton to die. Suddenly plans changed and this man was coming that night (wednesday). He was to arrive at the home at 600pm. My job was to admit him and make sure he was tucked in. We had all the equipment there and important medications were there. We thought everything had gone so smoothly and little did we know the mother had completely different plans that what we thought. She thought she was getting an RN at bedside 24hours a day not a nursing assistant. She wanted IV fluids which we didn't order and she wanted everything done right then and there. These tasks are very hard to coordinate at 7pm. I was so frustrated that the lack of communication was putting alot of stress on the mother. To make a long story short I spent over 5 hours with this family getting medications, IV fluids, getting help etc. It was so frustrating and so exhausting for me because all of this could have been done before 5pm if we had known. I finally got home around 1145pm. I spent 2 hours coughing and not sleeping. Then I got the call at 200am that this man had died. And suddenly all my frustrations and feelings had changed. I realized that my company had helped this family and this man get his wish to die in Colorado not California. The family was so stunned that he had died so quickly but you would be amazed at people's will to live to achieve a certain goal. All that stress with coordination, getting meds, making sure certain people would be there tomorrow all went away because of fullfilling someone's wish. This is why I love my job.

I ended up getting home at 445am and only sleeping a couple hours the rest of the night and needless to say... MY COLD IS BACK!!!!! I am not feeling as good as I did wednesday and had to stay home from work today because I was first exhausted, and second I am coughing like a chronic smoker. I was able to get some sleep today and plan to take 2 Nightquil tonight and hope to be well enough to work. Those nights rarely happen and having cold did not help my siuation at all.

To have a day off together

Nick and I finally have one day off together. He switched to working sun, mon, tues, and wed. We now have saturdays off together. It has been over 8 months since we have had this schedule. Yesterday was fun running errands, going out to breakfast and being with friends. I love this work schedule. Nick loves this schedule too. He loves his new team and just seeing me more. Can't wait for the rest of this year.

Out with the old and in with the new

I had Nick laughing yesterday because of my excitement over my new toy. Now I am sure you are thinking it was a new camera, ipod, or something great like that. Nope, it's a vacuum. I LOVE vacuuming. It's the greatest feeling when you have a dirty room and it becomes clean in a matter of minutes. I love seeing all the dirt that gets sucked into the vacuum. We are Dyson lovers. We bought our first Dyson about 4 years ago. It was great to get all the dog hair and dirt up. Our Dyson was getting old and we needed a new one. It has been serviced, parts replaced and cleaned several times but still wasn't vacuuming well. Now when you have 3 dogs you need strong vacuum. What is nice about the dyson is you can take the whole thing apart, clean it, and then put everything back together. Nick did that last week and I vacuumed yesterday and it was hardly picking up any hair. So I devised a plan. Nick really didn't want to spend the money on a new vacuum so I needed to be creative to him when I presented we needed a new vacuum. I found another Dyson. It is the DC17 specifically designed for people with pets. It came with several attachments to clean furniture and stairs. I had read several reviews and everything was pointing at this specific dyson. I had checked all over the internet for prices and everyone was comparable. I had a 20% off coupon to a local retail store so I called them and sure enough they only had 2 available. They sold 4 yesterday so I made sure my name was on that Dyson. When Nick woke up yesterday afternoon I told him the sad tale of the vacuum not working and how we needed a vacuum. He of coarse moaned in disgust. I told him I did research and found this specific Dyson and told him the price. Then I threw him the clencher. I said I have a 20% off coupon at this specific store and it would save us alittle over $100. He then perked up and said that was a good idea and we should get the vacuum. I said good, because I already have one on hold for us and it is ready this afternoon for pickup. Nick ofcoarse just laughed.

When we brought the vacuum home I immediately wanted it put together so I can vacuum. I was heading to a friends house to hang out so I wanted to try before I left. We got it together and I vacuumed the family room, which I had already vacuumed earlier. I picked up so much more dirt and hair that the last vacuum left behind. I am so excited to finish vacuuming the rest of the house today and try out the new attachments. I know everyone is thinking I am weird. Let's just say Nick isn't disappointed that he can't vacuum the house.

Reflection on 2007

Looking at this past year I realize so many things happened and so many changes have occurred. I started a new job, gained so many new and wonderful friends through my work and Nick's work, seen family's health renewed, seen friends die and seen babies born. My friends and I reflect on this past year and many are ready for the new year because it brings on change and they can live differently in 2008. Many want to forget 2007 as if it never happened. Me, I don't. I learned more about myself, gained a stronger relationship with my husband and made some very strong friendships. I wouldn't want to change that. I look forward to this new year with positive outlook and can't wait to see what happens in 2008. I am excited for 2008 because I am also starting a different position with my company and that will bringn different challenges and a change in mindset. This job will bring flexibility and opportunities for me to work on photography and less responsibilities. I can't wait to start. 2007 was good, even though it brought lots of stress, anxiety, and fear, it was still a good year.