The Life and Times of a Tired Midwife...

"Well, that's another day over", I said to myself as I walked out of the ward today. Throughout the course of the day I tried to remain happy and smiling even when I got my head bitten off by an irate husband...Can be a bit difficult as you can guess.
What a day...full when we started at 7, overflowing by 10. We even had to admit a woman who had presented bright and early for a caesarian section, into a consulting room for the time being until we had discharged a postnatal mother and baby and had a spare bed to put her in.
The weekends have always been traditionally quieter at work than the week days as we usually do not have any elective admissions to deal with. This weekend however was the exception to the rule. Last evening there were 7 women in labour during our shift and each of the 3 midwives who were working with me had to care for two labouring women each which is well against midwife/patient ratios. We survived though yet again, with 6 or 7 births by the time we left to go home...I lost count after a while.
The one positive about such busyness is that the time goes quickly...sometimes much too quickly, but home time arrives and you're off out the door before you know it. To be honest, there are times at the end of the day I feel like I have been cheated of my days work due to the speed of time.
In a few weeks our unit manager goes on leave for three weeks and she has asked me to cover while she is away. It is a job I do not relish as the job comprises of meeting upon meetings, lots and lots of computer work (emails, not facebook or blogs!!!) and counselling staff through these hard busy times we are experiencing. In the past when I have temporarily taken the job on I have felt very frustrated as I'm constantly aware of the pace in which my colleagues are working and am unable to contribute because of those alternate responsibilities. I suppose I will do my usual thing and be darting in and out of the office trying to create a compromise for stressed staff who are becoming very tired of their workloads.

The major reason though for my smiles today though is my Mum. It was a real joy to walk into her little cottage this afternoon to find her busily sorting out her beloved collection of tapes she has amassed over the years. This is a sign she is on the mend after a few horrible weeks of pain and major discomfort. I have even promised I will take her out for lunch tomorrow if the weather remains bright and sunny so she can absorb some vitamin D for a change. She even had a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit while I was there which was a contrast to her recent loss of appetite and resultant nausea.

Another reasons for my smiles is to read wonderful comments I received both on here and on my facebook site from loved friends and family.
In case you cannot tell, I do love to write and find this blogging very therapeutic for my soul.
When times are hard I have found writing about it most cathartic and it helps me understand the way I think and helps me to rationalise why 'things' happen at different times in our lives.

Reading has always been one of my most favourite past times. To me there is nothing better than curling up with my version of a good book. I love how a story can transport you into another realm and will take you away from reality for the term of the novel you have become involved in.
I would love to write stories but I am a perennial procrastinator and am very good at deflecting and putting off necessities in my life.
For example, a few blogs back I spoke about the collection of bits and pieces I acquired in order to create my hand for the quilt we at work are to create. I shamefacedly have to admit that the poor bits and pieces that are readily awaiting my tapestry are still shut away, yet to see the light of day.
I keep on thinking that I will do it tomorrow and perhaps tomorrow I will...It's like joining a gym and becoming that regular organised person that gets her moneys worth out of the subscription....that's not me I'm afraid...there are a number of local gyms I have joined with such good intentions only to lose interest half way through.
Perhaps that's why everyone is so very different...I am a deflector of the major kind...others get their 'stuff' and do it...perhaps its to do with mojo...who knows...the funny thing is that I smile and get on with it all...and nothing phases me too much in life. Even those horrible gob smacking occurrences that make you question why we experience what we do, I digest and take on board.

Once again, I say ..."Such is life"...to quote a now deceased bushranger, and wish you all a methodical organised life...unlike mine!

Shops, mothers and other things

Time to write some more. I haven't put any words on here for a while as I have been quietly distracted with my unwell mother and that other place in my life called work.

Mum has been crook with a winter ailment. At 86 years of age I guess she is entitled to feel unwell when the temperature drops and it's bitterly cold outside. Just to side step for a moment we in Victoria have experienced mammoth snow falls in the highlands and so the temperature even in Melbourne has been the lowest for this winter season for many years. A bonus to the lousy weather though is the rainfall which has given the water catchment areas a reason for celebrating for a change.

This last week our water restrictions have been eased a little, but the free for all days of sprinklers and water slides in the backyards are long gone and I resume are never to return.

I am wondering now if we will be given consent to use our bores again as the council forbade us their use a couple of years ago due to the falling water table. The local market gardeners south of us utilise theirs I am sure constantly but we being the good citizens of Wyndham have abided by the rules and bans and as a consequence our bore mechanics have collapsed. It'll cost us a few dollars to repair once the ban is lifted to be sure to be sure.

Today I think I saw a glimmer of improvement in Mum. It seems she does improve when surrounded by family members but I am hoping some warm weather might make her feel a little less sore than she has been feeling of late.

Unfortunately, a side adjunct to her pain and discomfort is horrible nausea and some vomiting, which makes an already slender frame even less resistant to further weight loss.

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I trekked up north yet again to our beloved hideaway for a couple of nights.

The worst thing about going up there is having to come home again. It would be so easy to live up there permanently and there are times I am sorely tempted to look at permanent accommodation, but we have many commitments home here, so I dare not tease myself with the concept too often.

Mind, it is an enjoyable past time looking in the local real estate windows when we're up there.

I have, in recent times taken a liking to photographing shop windows whilst away and I will share some with you, reader, today....

These were both taken in a town known as Nagambie which is on the way to a bigger town known as Shepparton. I love the feature of the Bushells doors...talk about utilising the new with the old....

This next pic was taken in Beechworth on a chilly winters day. The cat was obviously enjoying the warmth in the window. Can't say I blame him with such cold days as we've been experiencing.

Nothing more spectacular to say except that life goes on, babies continue to be born, work gets busier and time escapes us.

There is a lot to be said in the phrase 'Carpe Diem'...seize the day.

Make the most of what you have, when you can and take time to STOP and smell the roses.

You may return to a physical place in your life, but you will never return there in the same emotional time and place. So, from me,...enjoy the moment!

Its a Saturday night...

Its Saturday evening. I've just finished another shift at work. No one is home as Mez has gone back to Edithvale and Murray has gone to the football and its 10:27. He'll be home soon I guess and hopefully Collingwood has won yet again. Another step closer to the finals...not that I really care who wins but I know he'll be happy.
Am tired yet again. Seems to be a bit of a habit this exhaustion of late.
I relish my bed and its dreams even if they are a tad weird at times.
I am thinking that perhaps we need a new mattress as I wake up with so many aches and pains lately. The mattress is only a couple of years old but its already beginning to feel a little worn.
I am hoping tomorrow to accomplish a few things. We're off to brekky with our lovely neighbours and friends Jim and Fay.
I then plan to go to Spotlight to gather some resources for my hand.
Long story there.
Recent times at work saw a hoarding put up opposite our main desk as extensive renovations are being performed at work. One of the staff had the bright idea to decorate the hoarding with hand prints so quite a few of us decorated the wall with hand outlines drawn with marker pens. Even one of the obstetricians complied...and the plan was to gather as many hand prints as we could. I was even thinking of creating dot motifs as in indigenous drawings, but alas, that all went rather awry.
Next thing we know we got a very perfunctory email from admin telling us we were very naughty...we had to leave the hoarding alone as the company doing the renovations did not like our decorations and so our rudimentary form of decoration was swiftly painted over by maintenance staff and we got a stern ticking off.
As a consequence, a couple of us put our heads together and hit upon creating a quilt with all the pieces created by staff. One stipulation was that each section had to incorporate a hand outline and the creativity I have already observed is amazing.
I am a bit of a dud when it comes to art work...I never did very well at school and when it comes to creativity I fall way behind...I leave that to my friends and colleagues I'm afraid.
I have my piece of material...I now have to hit upon my own bit of originality and I think I will buy some paints from Spotlight tomorrow and do my very own dot painting.
Hands are a symbol in midwifery...they imply touch and trust. They imply gentleness, caressing and love and hopefully my hand will do just that also like the others I have seen so far.

My husband has just returned home... I hear his car engine and soon there will be a key in the door.
I will leave this for now and give you a step by step photographic exhibition once I get started...hopefully tomorrow.
PS. His beloved team won by the way!