Back to Work

Well, 2011 has officially begun. The holidays are over. It's back to work. Oh, the joys of my life.

But it hasn't been too bad. I thought it would be a lot worse. After all, very rarely do I have to do ALL the billing on one day. (Usually I can split it between the last day of the month and the first.) Plus get my mind back into everything. Find out who has died (which can complicate the billing), who was admitted, how many supplies disappeared from the office, and - of course - catch up on how everyone's holidays went and how the patients in general are doing. (I don't ever see them, but the office manager has to know these things because someone is bound to ask as if I'm supposed to know everything - which, apparently, I am.) Not to mention answering a zillion questions on how my holidays went.

It took me a good hour before I had everything sorted in my brain again. (Yes, I can list nearly fifty patients in alphabetical order...) But I was amazed at what my mind files away on record. I have to remember dozens of numbers and passwords for all the systems I work with. They were all there this morning, filed away in my brain and waiting to be used. It all came back a lot faster than I wanted it to.

But, I have to admit, coming back from vacation to work isn't half bad. And the simple reason is because EVERYONE is so happy to see me. They tell me a million times I'm not allowed to leave again. Who are they suppose to call when I'm not there? How does anything get done? One of the nurses told me today they will do ANYTHING to keep me happy. Do I want a gift certificate to a restaurant every month (and not just at Christmas)? I've only to ask. What they don't know is all I want are opportunities to take off, leave the four walls of my little world and regain my sanity. What they also don't know is that I don't want to sit within these four walls for any long duration of time. There has got to be more to life than filing papers, billing the government and answering phones - no matter how much you're appreciated!

But, until then, it's been a good start back to work for the week...month...year (?). God has blessed me with great co-workers, the tornado that has been sitting atop of us for the last month seems to have blown over (for now), and I got all my work done for the day. Not a bad start to 2011. Let's hope I remember that tomorrow...