Thursday October 26th 2023

No Stars In My Eyes · Oct 26, 2023

Woke up exhausted (UGH!) and finally got up at 11:30 AM. Found out that Momo does not like lamb dogfood, so I had to switch her breakfast to beef, which was the only other dog food I had. She much prefers chicken-based foods. Will get some more of the kind she'll eat, later on.

SiL is coming over after work to sit with Nannie and Momo; that will be around 4 PM, she said. Then I'll have to dash out to pay a few bills that are due shortly, and pick up some groceries. I can always go out earlyish tomorrow to go to the two that I MIGHT not get to today. It is a P.I.A. to have SiL come over, as she always wants to "DO" something because she is an obsessive 'helper'. We are supposed to move out the box Spring and mattress that is leaning up against Nannie's big dresser, so we can search in those drawers for the Ford's title, and any other pertinent papers. I'd like to find Nannie's will, but I don't know where hubby might have stashed it. And if we find it I don't want SiL to open it up to read it. I also found letters (envelopes) with each of our names on them, notes or letters Nannie wrote to each of the family members. I stashed them under something somewhere in my room, I think, but that will not be part of our search area; I don't think they should be opened until Nannie has passed, as that was what she intended.

In my hometown right now, the horn on the town hall will blast 2 or 3 times to indicate it is 12 noon. There was an outdoor dog tied to a tree about 1/2 a mile from the town hall, who used to howl when the horn blew. I always felt sorry for him. But he was not a friendly dog, so there was no comforting him.

The house is a total wreck because of the way I clean up things. I am not a 'linear' cleaner; I do a little here and then a little there. It doesn't look like it, but I DO have a method that eventually gets things done, and is organized....but not to anyone's eyes but mine. It used to drive hubby crazy.

Right now I am drinking coffee and trying to work up enough ooomph to get Nannie up.

Okay, enough dawdling. I'll be back by here later-----

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Oct 26, 2023

I guess I misunderstood when we're doing our book club meeting. It's tomorrow night, so only a 40% chance of rain, and it shouldn't be colder than 49 degrees. The hostess says if it rains we can gather indoors by the fireplace.

It's a pleasant 78 and sunny at the moment and since all I can do is talk about the weather I guess I'll check in later.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Oct 26, 2023

Our weather is nicer than I thought it would be. Around 50, sunny and only a light breeze. But it will likely freeze tonight. I had a nice jog/walk at the park, and then tried to take the dogs for a walk. The little one kept sitting down and refusing to go. When I turned to come home, I dropped her leash and she took off running down the middle of the street. Luckily the only car that came stopped until I could catch dopey dog. Dh and ds are both coughing. This is ds's second day he called out. I suppose I should go to the store and get them some Delsym cough medicine. dh still has some Tessalon Perles left from when he had COVID, so I told him to take that. And lots of fluids. I told them I wasn't cooking dinner because they probably weren't hungry and I got sad looks. They said they would be willing to eat salad and cheese balls from the pizza place.

I'm going to join a Zoom call tonight for the plant clinic to see if I can pick up some pointers on plant problems. When I attended in-person, I didn't much out of it. I swear one guy spent an hour talking about tomato blight, and another talked about tent caterpillars on the phone for what seemed like an hour.

Tweety, how odd to give awards for discharges. So much is out of your hands about when they will happen. I would give awards for staff who use their paid time off and have a good work/life balance.

No Stars In My Eyes · Oct 27, 2023

Got the cellphone bill paid and had to tell the guy hubby dealt with all the time that Eddie had passed away. He said he'd been thinking about calling him since he hadn't heard from him in a while. The good news is, there is nothing left to pay on hubby's smaht phone! I told him I'd be cancelling hubby's phone line after I tried to get in touch with some of hubby's friends to let them know why he's not been in touch with them. Then I can erase everything on the phone and donate it somewhere. Any suggestions?

I kind of know the where-abouts of the shredding event will take place on Sunday morning. I may take Nannie and Momo out for a ride tomorrow, to firm up in my mind exactly where the shredding will be, and also will go drop off hubby's several pairs of glasses to the Eyecare Center to donate them. (Lion's Club has a box there.)

Got my "RSVP" ? shot at the pharmacy. I think I'm good on my shots for a while now. The pharmacist said I can wait a while for my next Covid Boostah shot.

Got the dishes done, a laundry load done this morning, and the grocery shopping this afternoon.

While SiL was here, she did Nannies hair again (curled it), they also went outside to sit and have coffee. SiL said Nannie talked the whole time I was gone and she (SiL) had no clue a lot of the time what-on-Earth Nannie was telling her. I said "Welcome to the club!" Hoping that Nannie is worn out and will head to bed early-ish.

I got Momo a small enough (for her mouth) thin rubber toy dog for her to squeeze, but she doesn't squeeze it or play with it! She makes little fussing noises to it, and like with the other two squeak toys, she corrals it into her belly area. Must think they are puppies? (I almost said kittens!) She did bump it with her nose and looked surprised when it squeaked.

Almost 9 PM and I haven't eaten any supper. Huh! Guess I ought to go nibble something.

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Oct 27, 2023

Hubs wants me to go to the store. I don't know what would happen if we faced a morning with no milk or bananas but it wouldn't be good.

Tweety, I'm fairly tolerant of the attempts to make things "fun" at work but even I think a trophy for the first discharge of the day is absurd. Of course, it's no big deal for us since we don't have people lined up for the beds. But I remember how it was at the big hospital. They had a "discharge unit" most days for patients who were just waiting for transportation or something so the floor bed could be freed up.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Oct 27, 2023

G'day!

We got the first, second and third discharges in the hospital today. Third day in a row we got the top two. I don't think it's absurd and enjoyed the moment. Almost all discharges are out of our hands. Sometimes though I notice some nurses taking longer than others. We have a nurse that somehow managed to always get her patients out but just barely so she wouldn't get an admission. I think this is what they are trying to address but being nice about it.

We don't have staff for a discharge unit. We had one but turnover took care of that. Plus when floors were tight they would pull from the discharge unit and close it for the day. We do now have an observation unit for people needing an over night stay. They hate it mostly since they have to share a bathroom and the rooms are tiny.

We had a charge nurse meeting this morning. Wasn't all that interesting.

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Oct 27, 2023

I got the milk and bananas and a few other things, including canned pumpkin. Decided to make a pumpkin bread for the book club gathering. Then got home and found out we didn't have any eggs (remember Saturday's "Royal Eggs" project?). I substituted a mashed banana and added a touch more baking soda. It looks good, has risen nicely, and smells good. It wasn't quite done when the timer went off so I added a few minutes. I meant to stop by the hospital and get the fall-themed mini loaf pan that was my chili prize but I forgot.