ummmm

Wow, the counter says it's six weeks since I posted. Time flies and all that...

So six weeks, and what's gone on? The in-laws have visited, work has found new ways to kick my ass, and faire has started. Not much at all really, and yet enough to fill a pretty good chunk of time.

The visit from the family was nice, actually - we grilled marinated tuna steaks, hung out on the deck and chilled out. The wife got to show off all the hard work we've put into the flower beds (rave reviews btw) and a good time was had by all.

I don't often talk about work here, but...
Work has been ...busy. Lots of 'trauma' (meaning injured, but not actually as bad as it looks) patients, some Trauma (almost as bad as it looks) patients, and a few TRAUMA (much worse than it looks, and you better locate family quick) cases. But I seem to have been designated 'burn bitch' lately - almost exclusively I've been assigned to one of our 4 long term 60+% burn patients. Lots of work, lots of longer-than-usual shifts, and lots of precarious balancing acts: like the one between pain control and blood pressure (most pain & sedation meds drop the pressure a bit - bad when the pressure is already on the edge); or the one between electrolytes (important for maintaining vital functions - the heart needs x amounts of sodium, potassium, and calcium to keep beating) and fluid status (burns leak water like a bad faucet, and we pump in liters every day). It's been busy and then some. And it got busier ...last week I came in to work to find that I am now responsible for teaching a new graduate how to function in the ICU. Apparently I'm not only responsible, I'm a good role model ...who knew?!?

Faire, so far, has been pretty good. Opening weekend was a washout (figuratively Saturday, literally Sunday) and second weekend we were out of town with family. This past weekend, however, was very good. Great weather, great crowds, and good fun. Plus we had the Pyrates Royale(tm) on the stage closest to our booth, so there was grand music to be had. And to Kat Fairbanks - Thank you once again for 'Mist Covered Mountains'.

ummmm

Wow, the counter says it's six weeks since I posted. Time flies and all that...

So six weeks, and what's gone on? The in-laws have visited, work has found new ways to kick my ass, and faire has started. Not much at all really, and yet enough to fill a pretty good chunk of time.

The visit from the family was nice, actually - we grilled marinated tuna steaks, hung out on the deck and chilled out. The wife got to show off all the hard work we've put into the flower beds (rave reviews btw) and a good time was had by all.

I don't often talk about work here, but...
Work has been ...busy. Lots of 'trauma' (meaning injured, but not actually as bad as it looks) patients, some Trauma (almost as bad as it looks) patients, and a few TRAUMA (much worse than it looks, and you better locate family quick) cases. But I seem to have been designated 'burn bitch' lately - almost exclusively I've been assigned to one of our 4 long term 60+% burn patients. Lots of work, lots of longer-than-usual shifts, and lots of precarious balancing acts: like the one between pain control and blood pressure (most pain & sedation meds drop the pressure a bit - bad when the pressure is already on the edge); or the one between electrolytes (important for maintaining vital functions - the heart needs x amounts of sodium, potassium, and calcium to keep beating) and fluid status (burns leak water like a bad faucet, and we pump in liters every day). It's been busy and then some. And it got busier ...last week I came in to work to find that I am now responsible for teaching a new graduate how to function in the ICU. Apparently I'm not only responsible, I'm a good role model ...who knew?!?

Faire, so far, has been pretty good. Opening weekend was a washout (figuratively Saturday, literally Sunday) and second weekend we were out of town with family. This past weekend, however, was very good. Great weather, great crowds, and good fun. Plus we had the Pyrates Royale(tm) on the stage closest to our booth, so there was grand music to be had. And to Kat Fairbanks - Thank you once again for 'Mist Covered Mountains'.