Lack of Activity

Sorry about the lack of activity here.  It's not that I've run out of things to say, but a friend of mine is in the hospital. I've been taking care of her cats in the morning and so haven't been online much at all.  She's hoping they'll spring her tomorrow.  Once she's back home, I'll get back on track and post more regularly.

Opposite Day

If I didn't know better, I would think that I was dropped off in an alternate universe where everything you get is the opposite of what you expect.

The owner came to inservice and was appreciative and complimentary.  Not one disparaging comment during his entire speech.  He almost seemed sincere.

The new DON ran the meeting and it went quickly and almost painlessly.  And, we got carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and candy pumpkins on top.

I got my check, it had the correct amount of pay on it and included my second week of vacation which I had asked to be paid out.

I'm not sure what I did to deserve a smooth inservice like that, but I hope I figure it out so I can do it again.

Changing of the Guard... Again.

So, as I'm walking into work yesterday, I see large pieces of furniture moving out the front door.

Our DON is leaving.

At the end of the month, our Administrator is leaving.

So, once the new ones are ensconced, that will be the fifth DON I've worked under and the fourth Administrator.  And I have only worked at this one facility and I've only been there three and a half years.

Really?

You know what's not changing?  (Well, as far as I know, anyway.) The owner.  And, frankly, from what I've seen so far, that means nothing is really changing at all.

Honesty

"So, Mrs. A, how do you like your new room?" I asked.

"Well," she said, "it's better than sleeping in the hallway."

Memorial Book

Losing residents is the nature of the nursing center beast. You learn to cope real quick. I've created a Memorial Book where I write down anecdotes about the folks I've lost. (I'd do this online, but, you know, HIPAA and all.) It gives me a chance to remember them and do a little crying without doing it at work. I also have a page dedicated to folks who I didn't get to know because they only came to the nursing home to spend their last days.

I could collect obituaries, but writing my memories about them seems to help me more than reading what someone else wants me to read. I write it, get it out, and then I can put it in a little box where it can't bother me unless I choose to open it up and let it out again.