Day Sixteen: Washblankets and Good Company
Next on the needles is a blue cotton washcloth. It is supposed to be part of a gift, but I’ve never made a washcloth before and this one is coming out gorgeous, but rather large. I’ve taken to calling it the washblanket. The blessedly simple knitting is exactly what I need during this high-stress time at school and work.
Another much looked forward to stress reliever was the annual Harvest Dinner. It may be my favorite church event. The food was delicious and I laughed so much my cheeks hurt. It was a very good thing.
My favorite overheard from the evening: I’d love to hear a stripper sing that.
Day Fourteen: Things I Love
I love finding old knitting notes tucked into magazines. This pattern is for a sweater I made in 2006. Lima Bean wanted something colorful. While we were waiting for Lady Bug, I knit away. In fact, I worked on it in the hospital the day she was born. The doctor popped in to check my progress and saw me. “As long as that is still in your hands, I know we’re not there yet.”
I can’t remember if I finished the sweater in the hospital or if it was when Lady Bug was first home. I do remember both bears wore the sweater and loved it.
Such happy memories.
Day Thirteen: Moving and More
We moved into the new space tonight. And then I was sent home to rest. Resting is my very favorite thing today.
Day Twelve: In Which we Learn What Happened to Day Eleven and I Discover a New Lunch Spot
I learned a new word today: splanchnic. I learned it because the CT done at 1AM did not show a kidney stone and because the medicine given in the Emergency Department at midnight didn’t help much. Splanchnic. It is incredibly fun to say, but not fun to feel. The thoracic splanchnic nerve handles (delivers?) a good chunk of abdominal pain. One of my pathologists thinks it is time to check all the vitamins and anything else I ingest out of habit to be sure I’m not self-contaminating with gluten. It would explain much of the past month or so and certainly account for the loss of day eleven. I was cranky and in pain and trying to get through school project conference calls without giving up. There was success.
We open our new building in six days! I spent this morning at the new site, playing hostess to yet another inspection group. On the way back to the big hospital, I realised I was more hungry than I’d been in weeks. I stopped at a little restaurant I’d been hearing good things about. It was very much so worth my time.
Relish is small and inviting. The food was the perfect antidote to post Emergency Department blues and the icy cold wind outside. They had gluten-free bread to make warm breakfasty sandwiches. And they had beautiful and delicious squash soup. I can’t wait to go back!
mmmmmmmmmm
Day Ten: The Universe Makes a Funny Joke
On my lunch break today I took a quiz that claimed it could tell me exactly where I should live. There were economic factors to consider and climate and culture, bunches and bunches of questions. And the winner is…
Oh, Universe. You make me laugh.
Day Nine: Light
The daylight hours are fewer. My drive to the little hospital began in the inbetween. Shadows giving way to shapes giving way to all of the gorgeous views that make up my commute.
I began here making that drive in darkness, leaving here at night and returning in the early morning. Then there was the season of daytime leaving and dark returning. Tomorrow is my last scheduled journey to that little hospital in the mountains.
What will the light bring next?
Day Eight: A Good Day
Today was filled with happy news at work and at home. It was a very good day. Details soon!
Day Seven: During Which I am Publicly Chastised
It was quite the Seinfeld moment. In the middle of an awkward webex, where precisely two people knew what was going on, the instructor was misunderstanding everyone’s questions, and one person was yelling at her husband complaining about the feedback while playing a game with the volume turned way up, and her microphone on – in the middle of all of that, my group was trying desperately to comply with the instructor’s wishes. She wanted a volunteer and there was silence. We volunteered. She asked us what our problem statement was and we told her. And it was obviously (to her) the stupidest, wrongest statement she’d ever heard. Between the two of us, my group leader and I finally figured out where she was headed and gave her what she wanted. She moved on to the next group. They gave a statement much like our first one. And it was immediately accepted as perfect. It did not get better from there.
She asked us about the technical actors, the information systems involved in our process. “You start with the pediatrician’s EHR.” I answered, “Yes. Or their paper record.” And that was it. The feedback got considerably more shrill.
“This is an informatics class! If you want a paper process with a paper record going into a paper chart that is fine and everything is perfect and you don’t need to do this project.”
I took a deep breath. I work with lots of angry people, this is not new for me. “Yes, that makes sense, but not every office has an EHR. We thought we needed to account for…”
“I WILL NOT LET YOU DERAIL THIS DISCUSSION!”
Another deep breath. (I seem to be taking a lot of those lately.) “Absolutely. We can do that. We will only consider pediatricians who have electronic systems. That is perfectly fine.”
She went on with the webex, disgruntled with me, with our group, but not as loud. I was embarrassed and frustrated. And oh so very glad this class is online. I worried I’d upset my group or hurt our chances for a good grade.
Then I checked my email. Our group leader sent – “NO PAPER FOR YOU!” And an encouraging note.
We survived the hour, got to know each other a little better and I think these projects are going to be just fine. We just have to do exactly what she asks. And not involve the real world in our project. And we certainly won’t include anything about or on paper.
I don’t even want to know what she would say about this system!
Day Six: Rilla Blythe, My Grandmother, and Me
Between my first two semesters at university, I spent the summer with my grandparents in northern Illinois. My grandmother communicates in spurts, ripping open ideas and spilling out with memories and opinions. Mostly I was along for the ride, waiting to see where she was taking us next. Read more…
Day Five: Shameless Self-promotion
Come and listen to this. It will be amazing.
Thanksgiving Eve 2013
Hal Lefferts – Charlie Tokarz – Grahm Sturz – Sue Kelly and more!
Naming Mountains 