Oh...What a Week

Oh my, what a week. I've had no time to visit here, and barely any time to write. I know I hadn't been commenting very much, but I was still reading. I miss everyone. I still have comments to answer, but am so totally exhausted that I can't focus so well right now. So take that as your warning that this post may go nowhere.

I spent the first 4 days of the week in intensive training for the new job. It was extremely physically grueling. Not to mention the fact that I had to dress appropriately, which means I actually had to wear underwear and shoes everyday, ugh. I spent two hours on my knees, getting CPR certified. I have bad knees and don't kneel well, especially on a concrete floor, my knees still bear the bruises. Right after that, we took a two hour walking tour of the facility, it's extremely large. Unfortunately, we were behind schedule and shoved 2 hours into under an hour and a half. My knees were so swollen and burned beyond belief for the next 2 days.

I am working with intellectually disabled senior citizens in a day program. Imagine if you will, an adult daycare. The first day that I was actually onsite they introduced me to the patients in a group setting, they applauded. I've never been applauded just for showing up before. It was kinda sweet.

Today was my second day on the actual job site. My boss informed me that she has never done this before, but because I "have so much experience", she felt comfortable I could handle it.  She gave me patients of my own to care for. Let me just say, yes, despite the fact that I had no idea where anything as far as supplies or necessities were, I could handle it. It quickly became obvious that the staff had discussed me before I got there because everyone referred to how much "experience" I have.

I received hugs, kisses, pats on the head and pokes in the arm from my patients today. They like to introduce themselves and shake my hand, repeatedly. One patient even attempted to tickle me. I played games with them, watched a movie with them, said prayers with them, and helped them exercise. Yep, I think I've found my niche. That is the good, if challenging part of my week.

The bad part of my week, my brother has been hospitalized again. The chemo did not work, his cancer has spread. He has undergone 2 emergency surgical procedures in less than 24 hours. He has received multiple blood transfusions but is bleeding out faster than they can get it back into him. At one point the doctors told his wife that if these surgical procedures did not work it would only be a matter of weeks.

All his major internal organs are now compromised by the cancer. His heart is starting to fail and they can't get a good balance between the internal bleeding and the blood clots. He currently has 4 clots, that's down from 7.  My sister in law and the boys are devastated, no big surprise that. It's just so hard to be so far away and have her telling me she is so stressed and in shock that she is physically ill, but hiding that from my brother.

She is an extremely strong woman and is doing everything humanly possible to be strong for her family. It breaks my heart because I know she isn't telling anyone else about her moments of weakness. She tells me how she wishes I was there with her, I wish I could be, so badly, but it just isn't possible right now. That fact, while I understand it, pisses me off.

Musicman had his appointment with the new specialist this week. I was not impressed with his office staff even one iota. They were so unprofessional and in my opinion uninformed, that by the time we got to see the doctor I was spitting tacks and ready to kick ass and take names later. Musicman told me I couldn't do that though, so I let them live.

I did agree, after extensive questioning, with the doctor's proposed plan of treatment. Unfortunately we are now in a fight with the insurance company to get it paid for. Apparently they haven't heard what a bitch I can be when it comes to getting him the treatment he needs. Time for them to meet the pitbull.

My house is a huge mess, which bothers me terribly. There have been issues with both kids, because of course, a week without  making Mom tense is just no fun for them. My old dog is getting worse by the minute and I have resorted to feeding him peanut butter and ibuprofen sandwiches just to keep him comfortable. Tornadoes are ravaging the area of the country that my extended family lives in, which makes watching the news hazardous at best for my sanity. Musicman has received numerous calls from his extended family asking him for help with major needed repairs.

Yeah, it's been one of those weeks. The kind of week, when I tell Musicman, give me half an hour I can have us packed and we can run away. He said no. Darn man.