Well, it's been a long week. And it all started with a letter my boss received on Monday. Amazing what can turn your week upside down. But the government will do that to you...
So, my week has consisted mostly of paper. And paper. And more paper. Paper, that if piled into a stack would probably be taller than I am. We're talking 16 charts of patients we've had (or did have) on service for at least two years or more. They all have to be gone through with a fine tooth comb. Then they all have to be copied...and finally sent to the government. Why? Well, let's just say that if you live longer than two years after you're declared terminally ill the government will come after you with a sledge hammer.
So the office has been a hive of busyness. Wherein it is usually quiet - give or take - most of the nurses have rescheduled things so they spent hours helping myself, my boss, one of our chaplains, and the DON go through charts. The office hums with voices and flipping paper. Perhaps it would make most office managers delighted to have company. But by Thursday, I felt like the walls were closing in on me. My boss finally leaned over my desk and said, "You are going OUT for lunch today, right?" I didn't care about going OUT for lunch - I wanted OUT for sanity! So OUT I went.
It's not over by far. All 16 charts have been searched through once for any glaring mistakes. Two charts have been copied and sit on my desk waiting for a few more pieces of information. But that leave 14 that still need to be "detailed". And all this has to be done in the next two weeks. Not to mention trying to keep up with my regular work.
At five till five on Friday, I had one more stack of copies to make so I decided just to do it and finish. Then my mom called with some questions about fabric I picked out so she can make me some summer skirts. We got to talking, I finished copying and stacking, and by then it was 5:15. I just wanted out of that prison, so I grabbed my stuff, flipped off lights, and darted out the door.
Fast forwarded through my evening of playing on the wii, getting the oven ready to clean tomorrow, a movie, and some reading. I laid my head on my pillow and then jumped up with a start: I forgot to forward the phones!!!!
Now in a stereotypical world, I should be out every weekend until midnight. After all, I'm a young, single working girl. But as I far prefer a good book or BBC drama series, I'm hardly ever out past nine. But last night I pulled on a pair of jeans, grabbed my keys and stuff, and darted out the door at ten till midnight. Work is about ten minutes down the road without traffic - which, of course, there was none at midnight. I arrived at the office, checked messages which I scribbled down, transferred the phones and jumped back into my car. On the way back I scared the on-call nurse half to death by calling her with one message she did need to call and check on.
Then I went to bed - for the second time that night.
I slept till past eight - very unusual for me. And then dozed until nine. But it's cold and rainy here today, so I didn't need to get up for my usual Saturday morning long run. I just had a few odd chores to do (which no longer included the major one of washing my car). And now I still have a few tasks to finish. Then? Well, I need to relax. Get a hair cut, maybe a bit of shopping, and finally something mindless. For next week this routine starts all over again - but without the midnight visit to the office, I hope!
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