Let’s see if I can piece my Saturday together…
2:30 Wake up check clock, go back to sleep
3:00 Wake up, check clock, go back to sleep
4:00 Wake up, check clock, go back to sleep
4:35 Wake up, check clock, go back to sleep
5:13 Alarm goes off…finally this wake up call is for real
5:14 Brush teeth and brush hair slick the afro back into a ponytail
5:20 Get dressed (my scrubs, undies, tank, socks and shoes are always neatly laid out on the chair in the living room so I don’t wake Kyle up so I don’t have to think before I’ve had my morning cafe)
5:30 Apply eye shadow, mascara, and chapstick (I consider this a gift to my patients)
5:40 Grab lunch from fridge
5:42 Head to the subway
6:20 Stand outside Starbucks like a crackhead waiting at the methadone clinic
6:30 Starbucks opens and all is right in the world (again, I consider this a gift to my patients…and coworkers)
6:38 Finish reading newspaper/book/crossword puzzle and go to work
6:45 Look at the day’s assignment and realize I’m being floated to the ICU
6:50 Head down to the dungeon (yes, that’s what we call it on the step-down unit)
7:00 My work shift officially starts
7:10 I am officially in over my head (2 patients, 6 chest tubes, 12 drips, 4 central lines – LOVE it)
11:00 Apple
12:00 Spooky ‘Smores Z bar
1:00 Pretzels (I accidentally got UNsalted – good for my blood pressure, bad for my taste buds)
2:00 Lunch break! (note the curry parsnip/carrot dish that my camera gobbled up yesterday)
2:15 Realize that featuring said curry dish as the starring role in my salad wasn’t a nice thing to do to my patients…or coworkers
2:45 Resume newspaper/book/crossword from this morning
3:00 Head back to work
5:00 Save a life
6:00 Spiced Pumpkin Pie Clif bar
7:00 Give report on patients to night nurse
7:10 Leave work filled with relief that everyone is still alive
7:45 Meet Kyle at Whole Foods for dinner
8:00 Realize you have no camera and a nonfunctional phone (no dinner pics!)
9:00 Dessert #1
10:00 Dessert #2
11:30 Snuggle up with a good book SNL (meh)
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
Super nurse! I love how you fit in save a life at 5pm like it was no big deal, way to go girl!
As a new mother, most of the mother’s “sleeping time” is spent tossing and turning wondering when the baby will wake up. Which is probably in about 90 mins. So up until minute 85, new mom tosses and cant sleep. Just as she drifts off for 5, baby wakes up and it starts all over. Sounds like when the time is right for you, you’re already used to this Sleep cycle Hell. Sorry sweetie!
“Apply eye shadow, mascara, and chapstick (I consider this a gift to my patients)”…
Akin to how as a yoga teacher, one shouldnt wear deodearant or body spray b/c some people find scents offensive. Probably like with nursing. But yeah, as a gift to others, I use both
Is that dried sweeted papaya? It looks delish!!!!!! Sugar bomb in your mouth kinda good!
sugar bomb in your mouth is the perfect description!
you have offish scared the child-bearing-crap outta me. dont think ill be doing the preggo thing ANY TIME soon…
K lets just say your day was more intense than mine. There were no lives to be saved on my end! You are a super nurse (With super foods to fuel you!). Hope you can relax some
oh ya know, wake up, eat breakfast, save a life – the usual.
loved this post! It is always good to see that other people have crazy schedules too!
glad you liked it
wait…who said I wanted to be a nurse!??
Heart you E
yeahhhhh…if you had told me i’d be in phys therapy by my 20s with sleep issues and no down time, im not sure id be so eager to go down this path…haha. i swear its rewarding though!
i think you deserve “woman of the year” award!! girl .. your life is intense.. i respect you!
awww.thanks girly!
I found Smores Zbars for 50 cents today and cleaned them OUT! I guess that seasonal bar thing is the real deal.
I can’t believe you were still awake at 11:30!
whoa! dang girl, i hoped you STOCKED the eff up!
ps its very rare that i head to bed before midnight. i average 4 hours of sleep a night. not good. its going to be oneof my new years resolutions…
I’m exhausted just reading that! You go girlfriend! LOL Sometimes I say what look like is a gift to those around me and somedays I say screw it.
Um yea I’ve been bad about photographing my eats. I’ll forgive you since you saved a life!
Chill and enjoy time with Kyle don’t forget to relax.
thanks katie. i do need relaxation reminders, so i appreciate the support and kind words
Wow, what a day! 12 hour shifts are really rough. At least you are enjoying what you are doing, and hopefully that makes the time go by faster. I worked in a hospital for a few months before I discovered that it really wasn’t for me. Good for you for having the energy and motivation to make it through those shifts!
thanks jessie! 12 hours is definitely trying. some time the days fly by, other times its agony. oh well, every job has its pros and cons right?
That’s an insane day….congrats on making it through!!!
Wow – I am a lazy slacker working my 42.5 hour non-life-saving, dawdle around from M-F and actually have time to shower in the mornings job.
You are my hero! For reals!
haha, well, lets not dismiss your job too quickly…i think losing a hard drive may just be one of the most stressful things EVER. maybe a life isnt at stake, but its still a TRAGIC loss!
but seriously, thanks for the sweet comment
Ugh I HATE the mornings when all I do is wake up and check the clock every 30 minutes (i.e. the past three mornings for me)
Sounds like a successful, busy day though, and you got to watch SNL!
i know. restless nights make the next day (and the 12 hour shift) even worse…
Let me get this straight – 12 hour shifts!? is this 5 days a week? wow, good for you.
I lovvvvee Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but agree that SNL was meh this week. Still, one of my favorite parts of the week is SNL!
ok, heres how my sched works. yes 12 hour shifts suck. but no they arent 5 days a week (i think thats illegal!?!).
i can barely function after 3 days i a row (which is the most we are allowed to work in a row in the ICU).
i work 3 days a week and both sat & sun every other weekend. it works out to four 12 hour shifts a week.
i think kristen wiig is the only good thing on snl lately, well, i do like weekend updates too…
I’m tired just reading this!!
And hey, it’s all about the balance… you can’t be expected to gift everyone with ChapStick and Starbucks and skimp on the curry!! :p
<3 <3
how true! my patients should count their blessings. kidding!!!!!!!
My parents sometimes have those unsalted pretzels cuz my dad has high BP. You’re right–not so tasty straight up, but nothing a little salted PB can’t fix;)
or hummus….
hahah this post is so cute! sorry about oyur sleeping troubles :-
xoxo
shelley
http://findinghappinessandhealth.wordpress.com
Awww…I HATE nights like that when you keep waking up to check the clock! SO annoying. And you are my hero…you wear eye makeup to work with heart patients?!? You are good! I can hardly be bothered to put on mascara when I have an interview or meeting or something important…
I love dessert number two…and dessert number 1! YUM!
Courtney
haha, i know, its pretty crazy. last month when i was running late to work (aka i was only 10 minutes early not my usual 30), i skipped the eye makeup, and the (gay) unit clerk looked at me and was like “are you ok today? you dont have makeup on” ha!
Ew, nights like that are the worst! As for 5:00…like that’s a big deal or something
hahaha, i know boo. you are QUITE the early riser
one of my goals for 2010 is to get more than 5 hours of sleep each night. or more than 4 hours. im not sure which is better. a realistic goal or a healthy goal. sadly they dont align.
Busy Busy Bee!
I absolutely loathe waking up and scanning the clock like that… terrible way to start the day!
The food looks delicious, regardless!
Have a marvelous monday:)
There is nothing worse than clock watching when you’re meant to be sleeping. Also, I love that you are the crack head waiting at the door of starbucks! Crazy day lady, I’m glad you have a man at home willing to serenade you!
SAVE A LIFE!!!!!!!! that’s so cool dude
i’m chaeeezin hard core right now. yay for you.
and yay for spooks smores
Your day sounds exhausting. Reminds me of when I used to work at a psych unit!
BODA weight loss
ayayay. psych is one thing i couldnt do. MAYJ props to you!!
Look at you go! Sure that wasn’t actually methadone in your cup? Although I guess that has the opposite affect… hope you get some rest, ladybird!
I hate nights like that! I think I would hate a day like that too…though the WF action = love.
Wow E! That’s a mighy long day. I do appreciate the breakdown of eats. I always wondered when you inhaled your packed goodies. =) Now I know.
haha, glad you enjoy. i owe you an email love, but i have to say, i was chuckling OUT LOUD on the subway while reading about your soy taco issues.
I’m glad I could provide you with some entertainment while “riding on a metro-oooo.” I patiently await a response. =)
p.s. this made me LOL reading you LOL’d…haha
I just came across your blog, and I love it! I’ll be reading! I have a chronic, progressive neurological disease so your day sounded like mine except I am the patient! I am also a graduate student so I do a little more than get poked and prodded lol!
<3 Maria
thanks maria!! i cant even imagine going through that as a patient every single day. grad school is hard enough without that added pressure… you are the true hero, for sure.
cant wait to check out your site. thanks for reading