Friday five

1. The itching is back. I know that sounds like a bad feminine hygiene commercial (lol), but I don't mean THAT kind of itching! As many of you know, when I get stressed I start itching like a woman on fire from head to toe and breaking out in hives. I've had it for about two years now. Some doctors have called it neurogenic itching and some have called it psychogenic itching (it's been technically labeled "stress-enhanced neurogenic inflammation"). Either way it had gone away for a few weeks after I moved here and got settled, but is now back with a vengeance after going to get Courtney and dealing with work pressures. I am back to surviving on Periactin (a strong antihistamine) three times a day, which honestly only takes the slightest of edges off but doesn't take it completely away. I think (honestly) that itching is a special form of punishment they will have in hell--it is mind-blowingly torturous when nothing will take it away. It's enough to drive someone mad, seriously.
2. Week one of full on-the-job orientation is over! Phew! This week was med-surg, which basically means "slave labor". I worked on the floor taking a team and doing patient care in order to prove that I can. Most people in orientation get a month to work up to doing everything that I had to do this week, and even though it's hard, I'm grateful that they have me on the crash-course. I hate being in limbo and not in a normal routine. I totally thrive on predictability and just want to be doing "my" job. I usually do better just being told what I have to do and then learning/teaching myself as I go. Next week I work in the emergency room for a week (three days in nursing terms) and then the next week I'm in ICU. After that I haven't heard, but I'm sure I'll have to spend at least a little time in surgery and also labor & delivery. THEN, I have to spend a week or so training with the other supervisors. What this means is that it will be quite a while before I get to my job and also makes me a little frustrated that they made me spend a whole four days on the medical floor taking a team. THAT is not where I need the orientation--I've got that. Show me stuff I don't know, because there's going to be A LOT of that. But other than that, work is going really good. I really like the hospital I'm at so far and the people seem SO nice. And although the getting up at five in the morning will never grow on me, I like having my evenings at home with the kids.
3. I'm sorry I'm ignoring everyone this week! I know, I know--my blog has grown dust and there are probably 10 voicemails and 20 missed calls and texts that I haven't gotten. This really hasn't been on purpose, I'm just so crazy tired! Tonight for example, I got home by 7:30, sat down and had dinner with the fam and by 8:30 I had fallen asleep on the couch where I slept until 2:00 this morning! I am now whipping out this blog and going BACK to bed! Yep, that sums up my life right now--tired and itchy! LOL (don't I sound s-e-x-y???)
4. Courtney is home. I have to admit she's been really, really good (even though it's only been 24 hours, that can actually be a lifetime in teenage wasteland!), but she's still done her part to contribute to my hives. I have a couple right now with her name all over them! Things like texting me to ask if she can go to the movies with Alex tonight--yeah, you're thinking the same thing I'm thinking aren't you--who's Alex??? Oh, he's some boy that she found on myspace and doesn't know from Adam that she's decided she's going to date now. My response to that was, "That's how people disappear and never come home Courtney!" Her response was, "I would've introduced you before we left!" *Sigh* I also heard, "I sat on the front porch for a little while today and these group of four or five guys was walking past and we're friends now. They want me to come hang out tonight at the park, can I?" *sigh*--or should I say "*scratch*.
5. Overall life is good. We really like it here in our new city. Kids are stressful, money isn't quite comfortable yet (but Lord willing it will be soon!) and I'm getting bronchitis (yet again), but it's still good. I miss my friends who have all gotten busy this past week with work and life and have temporarily fallen off the face of the earth. I get it, I'm the one sleeping night and day, but I still miss them. Scott is getting sick (in various ways--all physical and not mental thank God) and I really struggle with being sympathetic because he doesn't pay any attention to good advice (mine of course!) and doesn't take care of himself. I'm trying, but I'm not doing a very good job honestly. I know that coming from the woman who needs to lose 50 pounds (or more--yes, I know! Shut up about it already!) it seems a little hypocritical, but if you can't breathe but yet won't quit smoking and if your legs are swollen like elephants but you won't sit your ass down and put your feet up, then I don't want to hear about it! I (for example) have many-a-problem, but if I'm not willing to work on them and fix them, then I shut up about them! Oh well, that's just another reason for my hives this week--when I'm tired I'm not my normal sickningly (is that a word?) sweet self (I know again--am I ever? lol) and then I feel guilty for it. Ok, I think that's enough for tonight. I've been awake for a whole 50 minutes now and feel that's WAY too long.