This clip pretty much sums up my feelings on the day. Watch from 47 seconds on.
http://movieclips.com/UZbcs-little-miss-sunshine-movie-olive-wants-it/#.T07KZLAJOiA.email
I got into CU! Love everyone!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Skiing!!
I took down my last post because it was too long and not interesting, but this one is better. I went skiing yesterday! It was icy, really warm and not crowded at the area we went. It took me a little while to get my "snow legs" back, but I made it. The black slopes out here are between a green and a blue back home. However, the ice made it a little more challenging. We got "twilight" tickets, so they were good from 3 PM to 10 PM instead of 9 to 5. I got to see a snow machine in action for the first time, and there was a race going on one slope. I'm tired this morning and may end up a little sore. I've attached a picture of us before the day started.
Love to everyone!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
What an awesome day!
So much good stuff happened yesterday, I just had to share. When I walked into work, a young guy from the facility was finally graduating. It's a 28 day program, but because he has been waiting for a spot at his halfway house he has been there almost 4 months. He was starting to tire of the same groups, the same food, the same drama every day but he toughed it out and made it to the next step. He's young, so what little hope I have for people feels a little stronger. This could be the time for him! I really, really hope it is.
Several others who are leaving soon thanked me for my help with stuff. I don't know how much I did, but it felt good to hear that nonetheless.
I had a relatively successful tobacco cessation education group (they asked questions, we had a good discussion) and I think I finished everything I was supposed to. I got to go to yoga class after work, I got a box of chocolates and a card from my parents and I got to talk to my grandmother last night on the phone. It was the best day! I'm so grateful for the life I have and the people in it. I'm feeling a little more upbeat than I was in the past few weeks. Hopefully I'm out of the woods. Love to everyone!
Lynne
Several others who are leaving soon thanked me for my help with stuff. I don't know how much I did, but it felt good to hear that nonetheless.
I had a relatively successful tobacco cessation education group (they asked questions, we had a good discussion) and I think I finished everything I was supposed to. I got to go to yoga class after work, I got a box of chocolates and a card from my parents and I got to talk to my grandmother last night on the phone. It was the best day! I'm so grateful for the life I have and the people in it. I'm feeling a little more upbeat than I was in the past few weeks. Hopefully I'm out of the woods. Love to everyone!
Lynne
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Super Sunday and beyond
Hi everyone,
It's been a little while since I posted on here. Not too much to report. Super Bowl was fun, with lots of food and some friends up in Arlington. The Patriots lost, so everyone around here was a little sad yesterday. Work has been good - sometimes I get a little frustrated with the hoops I have to jump through, how manipulative our patients can be (or try to be, unsuccessfully), or how little effort some of the staff put into their work. There are others who make up for it though, and I am grateful.
I went out dancing with some friends over the weekend and that was really fun. It took me a while to find them, but in the meantime I got to poke around all over Boston. I was in the Back Bay and Copley, then Central Square, then Downtown and finally Somerville. Looking back at the city from Quincy the next day was kind of fun, since I knew I had been all over. No fun pictures this time. Maybe next week.
I've been going to a yoga class now that my Monday night clinic is cancelled and it's been awesome. My back was a little sore yesterday and by the time I was done with class it felt great. There have actually been research studies suggesting that yoga may be as beneficial for the back as physical therapy. Who knows - I just know it's working for me.
I'm getting off of Facebook on the 15th, so I've been collecting contact info from friends. I just realized this blog is run by Google though, so I'll have to pare down the information on me in here, too. They will be changing their privacy policy in March and I'll have to decide what to do about email, etc.
Love to all!
It's been a little while since I posted on here. Not too much to report. Super Bowl was fun, with lots of food and some friends up in Arlington. The Patriots lost, so everyone around here was a little sad yesterday. Work has been good - sometimes I get a little frustrated with the hoops I have to jump through, how manipulative our patients can be (or try to be, unsuccessfully), or how little effort some of the staff put into their work. There are others who make up for it though, and I am grateful.
I went out dancing with some friends over the weekend and that was really fun. It took me a while to find them, but in the meantime I got to poke around all over Boston. I was in the Back Bay and Copley, then Central Square, then Downtown and finally Somerville. Looking back at the city from Quincy the next day was kind of fun, since I knew I had been all over. No fun pictures this time. Maybe next week.
I've been going to a yoga class now that my Monday night clinic is cancelled and it's been awesome. My back was a little sore yesterday and by the time I was done with class it felt great. There have actually been research studies suggesting that yoga may be as beneficial for the back as physical therapy. Who knows - I just know it's working for me.
I'm getting off of Facebook on the 15th, so I've been collecting contact info from friends. I just realized this blog is run by Google though, so I'll have to pare down the information on me in here, too. They will be changing their privacy policy in March and I'll have to decide what to do about email, etc.
Love to all!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
One of those nights
So last night at work was an interesting one. I think I got to see a couple of the unique challenges of working with this population firsthand. They often have underlying mental issues that keep them from adhering to care, their health isn't exactly a priority, and they are frequently intoxicated.
At the start of the night, I had two individuals come in for TB tests. One had started the two day series three weeks ago, but never came back for a reading. When he walked in last night for his reading, I assumed he had the test replanted at our downtown clinic on Monday. Turns out, he wanted us to read his test from three weeks before. I tried to explain that he needs to have the test planted and then read two days later. It took me a couple of tries, but I think he finally understood that he has to go to the other shelter to get the plant and then we can read it or vice versa. We came up with a plan, but I emailed his case manager just in case he forgets.
A few patients later, a gentleman came in who said he had "rings on his genitals." He said that I had given him an antifungal cream for it the week before, but I definitely don't remember that rather outlandish condition. I checked his record and the nurse hadn't made any notes on him either. I got him checked in to see the nurse, and when I did his vital signs his blood pressure was through the roof. I asked him if he had any dizziness, lightheadedness or headache. He said no, not really just a little lightheadedness. His insurance had been terminated by mistake two weeks earlier, and he had been off of his blood pressure medication ever since. That is a very dangerous thing to do. When he got to the nurse, she asked about chest pain, blurry vision, etc. and he said yes to almost all of the cardinal symptoms of a heart attack. She called an ambulance and the fire department from up the road came to help us in the meantime. I wish I would have asked him about those symptoms sooner, but I had no idea he was feeling that way until I took his blood pressure. I thought he came in for that weird cream request. Hopefully he can get it checked out while he is at the hospital too.
After we took a break for dinner, a man came into the clinic clearly intoxicated. I could smell the alcohol on his breath and I was at probably 5 feet away. He was in one of our overflow beds, which means they didn't have space for him downtown. He was asking me about getting duplicates of his medications so he could keep one set at our clinic and one at the location downtown. Every time I tried to give him an answer he would start talking about some other subject. Eventually, we were talking about his previous psych problems. One of his friends walked by the door of the clinic and punched him in the arm, saying something biting in jest. The patient in my office turned around and shouted something really lewd at his friend as a joke. The nurse heard him shouting from the next room and immediately kicked him out of the clinic for inappropriate behavior. He wouldn't leave at first, but he finally got the message. As we were closing the door, he that he was restraining himself and he wished she could hear what he was thinking about her. After I closed the door, he made this angry grunting/squealing sound (I think I would define it as a keen. Is that a word?). We called the case managers, but when they didn't come I reopened the door so the clinic could resume.
Not two minutes after I did so, he had come back to apologize for his actions. I tried to explain calmly that he needed to leave and how he could talk to a case manager, but he nurse heard that he had returned and told him to leave immediately. He was not allowed to come back at all. He got very sad and apologetic and insisted that he be able to apologize. I stood up, told him I needed to close the door and started to close it. He just stood there with his head poking in the door, saying he was sorry and didn't want to leave. The nurse and I kept telling him he had to. He put his boot into the door so I couldn't close the door, but eventually took it out. When I closed the door again, he said to the nurse, "I hope that falls back on you" (referring to the door, I think) and he left. The nurse called the case managers again and this time someone came to help. They set him up on a cot in the dining room and he promptly went to sleep.
I cancelled my smoking cessation group that evening so I wouldn't have to keep the door open and we made sure we were careful walking to the other shelter that night. A policeman walked me to my car. There really isn't a dull moment with these folks. Hopefully, my year out here will prepare me for anything.
Everything else is good! Had a great weekend hiking in the snow and watching the game with the roomies/landlords. The Super Bowl will be interesting since my roomie is a Giants fan and the landlords are Patriots fans. I think I'll go to a different friend's house so I can get out of the line of fire.
Love to everyone! And sorry this post is so long,
Lynne
At the start of the night, I had two individuals come in for TB tests. One had started the two day series three weeks ago, but never came back for a reading. When he walked in last night for his reading, I assumed he had the test replanted at our downtown clinic on Monday. Turns out, he wanted us to read his test from three weeks before. I tried to explain that he needs to have the test planted and then read two days later. It took me a couple of tries, but I think he finally understood that he has to go to the other shelter to get the plant and then we can read it or vice versa. We came up with a plan, but I emailed his case manager just in case he forgets.
A few patients later, a gentleman came in who said he had "rings on his genitals." He said that I had given him an antifungal cream for it the week before, but I definitely don't remember that rather outlandish condition. I checked his record and the nurse hadn't made any notes on him either. I got him checked in to see the nurse, and when I did his vital signs his blood pressure was through the roof. I asked him if he had any dizziness, lightheadedness or headache. He said no, not really just a little lightheadedness. His insurance had been terminated by mistake two weeks earlier, and he had been off of his blood pressure medication ever since. That is a very dangerous thing to do. When he got to the nurse, she asked about chest pain, blurry vision, etc. and he said yes to almost all of the cardinal symptoms of a heart attack. She called an ambulance and the fire department from up the road came to help us in the meantime. I wish I would have asked him about those symptoms sooner, but I had no idea he was feeling that way until I took his blood pressure. I thought he came in for that weird cream request. Hopefully he can get it checked out while he is at the hospital too.
After we took a break for dinner, a man came into the clinic clearly intoxicated. I could smell the alcohol on his breath and I was at probably 5 feet away. He was in one of our overflow beds, which means they didn't have space for him downtown. He was asking me about getting duplicates of his medications so he could keep one set at our clinic and one at the location downtown. Every time I tried to give him an answer he would start talking about some other subject. Eventually, we were talking about his previous psych problems. One of his friends walked by the door of the clinic and punched him in the arm, saying something biting in jest. The patient in my office turned around and shouted something really lewd at his friend as a joke. The nurse heard him shouting from the next room and immediately kicked him out of the clinic for inappropriate behavior. He wouldn't leave at first, but he finally got the message. As we were closing the door, he that he was restraining himself and he wished she could hear what he was thinking about her. After I closed the door, he made this angry grunting/squealing sound (I think I would define it as a keen. Is that a word?). We called the case managers, but when they didn't come I reopened the door so the clinic could resume.
Not two minutes after I did so, he had come back to apologize for his actions. I tried to explain calmly that he needed to leave and how he could talk to a case manager, but he nurse heard that he had returned and told him to leave immediately. He was not allowed to come back at all. He got very sad and apologetic and insisted that he be able to apologize. I stood up, told him I needed to close the door and started to close it. He just stood there with his head poking in the door, saying he was sorry and didn't want to leave. The nurse and I kept telling him he had to. He put his boot into the door so I couldn't close the door, but eventually took it out. When I closed the door again, he said to the nurse, "I hope that falls back on you" (referring to the door, I think) and he left. The nurse called the case managers again and this time someone came to help. They set him up on a cot in the dining room and he promptly went to sleep.
I cancelled my smoking cessation group that evening so I wouldn't have to keep the door open and we made sure we were careful walking to the other shelter that night. A policeman walked me to my car. There really isn't a dull moment with these folks. Hopefully, my year out here will prepare me for anything.
Everything else is good! Had a great weekend hiking in the snow and watching the game with the roomies/landlords. The Super Bowl will be interesting since my roomie is a Giants fan and the landlords are Patriots fans. I think I'll go to a different friend's house so I can get out of the line of fire.
Love to everyone! And sorry this post is so long,
Lynne
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Go Broncos!
After much debate, I've decided to be brave and go out to a sports bar with my friends here in Massachusetts. As a Broncos fan, this may be a little stressful. My first plan was to hang out by myself in a friends apartment in Somerville and avoid the madness that is Boston sports fans, but it is a coworker's birthday and I should go. I plan to wear my sweater and orange and blue. My friends assure me I'll be safe with them. It's not like we're in Oakland. Included in my coworker's birthday invitation:
"I will be going to Game On at Fenway on Saturday at 8pm to watch the Pats destroy the Broncos. "
And
"So all I would like for my birthday is for Tim Tebow to shut up."
I'm just going to get her a card...=)
GO BRONCOS!
Lynne
P.S. My landlords are surprisingly cool Patriots fans. I love them!
"I will be going to Game On at Fenway on Saturday at 8pm to watch the Pats destroy the Broncos. "
And
"So all I would like for my birthday is for Tim Tebow to shut up."
I'm just going to get her a card...=)
GO BRONCOS!
Lynne
P.S. My landlords are surprisingly cool Patriots fans. I love them!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
New Year's Eve
So I've learned an important lesson this morning, and it is one I'll take into the new year with me. I wanted to share since I think it is a good one.
On Wednesday the 28th I got a text from my friend David. David lives in New Jersey, and since we are both on the same coast now we've been talking about getting together. David has a 3-day weekend and asked if I wanted to hang out over New Year's. I found out Thursday that I have a 3 day weekend too. I replied that while I don't want to drive a rental car across state lines I could take a bus. He said I could take a train, and that New York City would probably have stuff going on the 31st. He also asked if Boston had anything going on that night.
At that point, I was kind of in a pickle. I really wanted to see my friend David, but the thought of New Year's in New York was a little terrifying. The thought of all of those people, the majority of them drunk, crammed into those scary crowd-barriers and barred from leaving until the middle of the night sounded awful. However, I also didn't feel comfortable asking him to come all the way up here, especially since I don't even know what's going on. Since I didn't have an answer I thought he would like, I did what I always do and procrastinated on giving him an answer. I think I was hoping my fear of the New York New Year's crowd would abate, but it didn't.
I finally decided last night that I shouldn't wait anymore and should at least respond to his text. I told him I didn't know what was going on in Boston and figure we would take it from there. It was a crappy answer that shouldn't have taken so much time to make. I went to bed early last night and woke up to a few text messages this morning. One of them was from David. He said that we could forget about the plan, he didn't feel like getting together any more. It had taken me 26 hours to get back to him and it made him feel like I was indifferent about seeing him. Even though it was just a text message, I felt instantly embarrassed and regretful. Someone had finally called me out on my wishy-washy BS when I have to say something I don't want to. My "wait and hope something changes" strategy really does hurt people and it's not something I can do anymore.
So the moral of this long (and probably boring) story is two-fold. First, I am proud of David for coming straight out and saying how my actions affected him. If I had been honest about my feelings from the get-go we could have made something constructive of the weekend. I have always wanted to be better about telling people how I feel and this is great motivation to do so. Second, this is definitely not the first time my lack of consideration has led to cancelled plans. There are many people in my life (Mitch, Jeff and my family etc. I'm looking at you) who have had to deal with long overdue replies to simple questions, last minute cancellations, and foot-dragging all because I'm too scared to give you an answer you may not like. I'm sorry if I ever hurt your feelings. Also, I am INCREDIBLY grateful for all of your patience and understanding. Even when I do stupid stuff like that, you still call me the next time, the next and the time after that. I'm so lucky to have you people in my life. If I did the whole "new year's resolution" thing, being better to all of you in that way would be one of the things I work on.
You are all really important to me and I know 2012 will be awesome with you guys in it. Thank you for everything, especially your friendship. Love to everyone, and have a fantastic 2012!
Ukulele! Yay!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSq1cez_flQ&feature=youtu.be
Lynne
On Wednesday the 28th I got a text from my friend David. David lives in New Jersey, and since we are both on the same coast now we've been talking about getting together. David has a 3-day weekend and asked if I wanted to hang out over New Year's. I found out Thursday that I have a 3 day weekend too. I replied that while I don't want to drive a rental car across state lines I could take a bus. He said I could take a train, and that New York City would probably have stuff going on the 31st. He also asked if Boston had anything going on that night.
At that point, I was kind of in a pickle. I really wanted to see my friend David, but the thought of New Year's in New York was a little terrifying. The thought of all of those people, the majority of them drunk, crammed into those scary crowd-barriers and barred from leaving until the middle of the night sounded awful. However, I also didn't feel comfortable asking him to come all the way up here, especially since I don't even know what's going on. Since I didn't have an answer I thought he would like, I did what I always do and procrastinated on giving him an answer. I think I was hoping my fear of the New York New Year's crowd would abate, but it didn't.
I finally decided last night that I shouldn't wait anymore and should at least respond to his text. I told him I didn't know what was going on in Boston and figure we would take it from there. It was a crappy answer that shouldn't have taken so much time to make. I went to bed early last night and woke up to a few text messages this morning. One of them was from David. He said that we could forget about the plan, he didn't feel like getting together any more. It had taken me 26 hours to get back to him and it made him feel like I was indifferent about seeing him. Even though it was just a text message, I felt instantly embarrassed and regretful. Someone had finally called me out on my wishy-washy BS when I have to say something I don't want to. My "wait and hope something changes" strategy really does hurt people and it's not something I can do anymore.
So the moral of this long (and probably boring) story is two-fold. First, I am proud of David for coming straight out and saying how my actions affected him. If I had been honest about my feelings from the get-go we could have made something constructive of the weekend. I have always wanted to be better about telling people how I feel and this is great motivation to do so. Second, this is definitely not the first time my lack of consideration has led to cancelled plans. There are many people in my life (Mitch, Jeff and my family etc. I'm looking at you) who have had to deal with long overdue replies to simple questions, last minute cancellations, and foot-dragging all because I'm too scared to give you an answer you may not like. I'm sorry if I ever hurt your feelings. Also, I am INCREDIBLY grateful for all of your patience and understanding. Even when I do stupid stuff like that, you still call me the next time, the next and the time after that. I'm so lucky to have you people in my life. If I did the whole "new year's resolution" thing, being better to all of you in that way would be one of the things I work on.
You are all really important to me and I know 2012 will be awesome with you guys in it. Thank you for everything, especially your friendship. Love to everyone, and have a fantastic 2012!
Ukulele! Yay!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSq1cez_flQ&feature=youtu.be
Lynne
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