the mom job

Being a mom is such a wickedly amazing and crazy gig if there ever was. These kids make me cry one minute with heartache, and then practically burst with overwhelming joy. They are such a challenge, yet such a blessing. I always wanted to be a mom, and don't know what I'd do without them. They take everything that I've got, yet I feel like I haven't given enough. It's such a massive job. One that I feel like I need to improve on all the time. They thanked me today for being a loving mother, and I thank God today for giving me the chance to be one.

SOD!

Finally, after anticipating this moment for the last three years, my sod arrived, and my side yard is complete! We came a long way from this... To this.... Funny to think that two dump truck loads of dirt now sit in that space! I'm so happy it's done!!!

The fox

My niece Claire was in a drama production through her school. She played the fox from "The Gruffalo". It was a super cute little production where her sister Amy did lighting and their mom helped do the face painting and costumes. It's fun to see a little person who is normally such a quiet thing put on quite the brave performance on stage!! Yay Claire-bear! (Or should I say Claire-fox). And I was hoping I could show you some beautiful green photos from my new lawn today, but alas my turf guy stood me up. :( He was supposed to show up yesterday, and we were supposed to be rolling it out this morning. We called him 4x already and he hasn't even called to give us any sort of idea what is going on. So upsetting. I've waited YEARS for this day. :( So here is where it's at. Nice and flat. Landscape tie borders, and a rock pathway. Just missing SOD. (Check your messages, turf-boy.)

Happy May!

It made my day today when the physio and I got a 93 year old gentleman up to stand for his first time during his hospital stay. His family (two daughters and a wife) were at his side cheering him on and crying their eyes out...and I was feeling rather choked up myself!! I guess he has been really weak (congestive heart failure) and has been laying around for quite awhile. When he got up to stand, which he did really well, he actually started grooving like he was about to dance which made everyone chuckle. Ahh, it's moments like that which make my job so enjoyable. We've stood with many elderly people in their final days, and it's always so bittersweet. Most family members have a hard time watching their sick loved one laying around in a hospital bed, and I agree that they look totally different when they are up, even sitting at the edge of the bed. They look more alive. Most patients are thankful for a new position and enjoy the freedom of being able to move around (with our help). Work has been a little harder lately because the therapists do a switch between outpatients and inpatients every 6 months, and so my physio is now doing outpatients and I have two new therapists who job share working with me. They work one week on, one week off, so I have to sort of keep them filled in on what happened while they were away for the week. They also work very differently and so have different styles and priorities! On top of that, we have a first year physio student that they are trying to train! It has made my job a little more scrambled, but I'm still enjoying it. The time is flying so fast, and I can't believe it's already May. It'll soon be summer! Greg and I leveled out that second dumptruck full of dirt, and put in new landscape ties and a rock path. We are ready for the turf which arrives on FRIDAY! I'm so excited, I could squeal. I will definitely take more pictures and let you see the end product on the weekend. I'm hoping we'll be able to walk on it by the time we have Shea's 6th party. We're already planning his SHARK/beach party!!!

Meet the pets

Last week we decided we hadn't had fish in awhile and needed some more. So Liam and Riley bought a fighting fish each...meet "Swimmy" and "Sammy". They are a gorgeous royal blue and teal. At the pet store they were oohing and awwing over any other pet they saw. "Do you think Daddy would EVER let us have a hamster?" Knowing their dad has never had one, and just thinks of them as stinky rodents, I told them..."Well, you'd have a much better chance if you let mom ask him, instead of you all begging and pleading". Sure enough, dad gave the ok, and on Saturday we brought home our first REAL pet, Nibbles. Oh my goodness the boys are so in love with her! I only let them take her out in the bathroom so she can't run away, or if they put her in the clear ball. She is a squirmer...mostly cuz she's little. I think only 2 months old. So far hasn't been a biter. Thank goodness, as one of the pet stores we went to had one hamster that they wouldn't even sell us cuz it was such a nasty biter, so I got really nervous! So wish us luck. Who knows, if this goes well, we might work up to a puppy...give us a few years! The boys are seriously all joy and giggles this week with the hamster, I can't even imagine how much fun they'd have with a dog! Aww.

Side yard

We have been working on our yard since we moved in! We started by taking out some rotten decks four years ago. I don't know how many square feet the side deck was, but it was HUGE! It had layers of rotten plywood as a surface, and though the boys loved to skateboard and bike on it, it was a safety hazard (and an eyesore) and needed to go. As you can see in the last picture, it left us with a very large hole. It was maybe 4ft deep in some places. We started filling that hole with a concrete sidewalk (from another project), with clippings, etc. Last summer we found a contact who owns a dump truck and has lots of dirt. He dropped a whole load in our front yard which Greg and I wheel-barrowed to the back. It wasn't quite enough. We really wanted to level the yard back there and raise it a bit between the back deck and the pond so there wasn't so much of a drop. On Tuesday we got our second dump truck load of dirt. Greg and I have been working away at it. He mostly shovels and I'm mostly spreading and rolling and picking out rocks. I think this second dump load might just do it. Then we still will need top soil and grass...possibly some landscape ties and rocks, but I can almost see the end in sight! Don't underestimate the amount of time it takes to do landscaping! We did a tiny little job in Calgary on our postcard stamp yard, but it was worth every hour of sweat as we had a beautiful green lawn in the end. I will make sure to take some pictures of the middle stage we're in here, with the hole filled. Pre-grass. Then you all will be able to ooooh and awwww with me when I reveal the final pics. Time to warm up my rice bag! Greg and I are sore!

Easter 2013

Greg and Shea went early to church this morning to do music prep, and I came later with the two bigger boys. By the time I wrestled them off the tramp, brushed their hair and forced them into their church pants and shoes, we were all in a fuming mood. Then we got to the Easter Sunday service and sang, did crafts, visited with our friends, and listened to the Easter story and we all left in a much happier mood. We are so thankful for our church, for the sunshine today, and the work that Jesus did on the cross so there is hope.

Our favorite little "Eller-bean" turned four this week. Her and I had planned her "rainbow party" months ago, and so we just had to pull it off. Her mom made her a cake that matched our picture perfectly, and I had the place looking like a unicorn had just visited. Rainbows, clouds, stars and butterflies all over. So fun to decorate for a girl! And it helps that she's such a sweetie!

Catchup

I guess it's true, as my mother has pointed out, that I have been pretty quiet on here lately. I have been a busy girl. This week we celebrated two birthdays, on top of our usual busy routine of work. I didn't put my usual major effort into the whole party planning, but I did what I could. We had a family party for Liam, with an Angry Bird theme. Then yesterday we got to go out for supper (on our own) and then join the kids and both sets of parents for cake (actually a peach meringue dessert) for G's birthday. So we kept it simple, but we made sure they were celebrated. I can hardly believe that Spring Break is here. I just spent three hours in the yard, trying to thin out the last of the snow piles, prune the trees and rake. The little buds are coming out and it just seems so soon! I guess I've been used to waiting around for Spring to come after Christmas, but I've been so busy with work that it just snuck up so quickly. I've taken the next week off of work, to spend with the kids. They are off for two weeks, and I didn't think it'd be cool to have them in full time daycare the entire time. We're even going to squeeze in a trip up to PG to visit my sister again. I'm a little nervous about being home all day with my busy boys, but we'll try to do lots of activities. My job is going well. I'm so glad I took the opportunity that was given to me. I could have easily thought up a million reasons why I couldn't or shouldn't. It has been both easy and challenging, stressful and relaxing, sad and fun. I have so enjoyed having people to talk with, working very closely with people who need my help (both the physios and the patients). I am humbled by meeting people who are dealing with incredible pain, or are at the end of their life and still are living it with as much joy as they can muster. I've helped a patient to sit up in their bed one day, and they died later that night. I consider it a privilege to have spent some of their last hours with them. I see patients who are working so hard to get back home, but probably never will. I see some who are withering away in a bed with no one visiting them ever, while others have a loved one at their side constantly. It isn't all fun and games. We get yelled at, called "annoying", bled and peed on, we see things we never wanted to see, and smells we never wanted to smell. But at the end of the day, it is rewarding work. I'm really hoping to job share when my temporary position is over, and keep working part time. The kids are doing well in school, and had such a fun winter of skiing/snowboarding. Shea and I joined them last weekend, and we had Shea take his first lesson and learn to ski! He did great! We can imagine many more family ski days ahead. Shea pulled out his two wheeler and started going on it this afternoon without our help. Last fall we had been running around behind him trying to get him going and he was just not getting it. In true Davidson-boy fashion, I guess he was just ready in his own time. He needs a few more practice sessions ahead, but it'll be great to have him join us all on two wheels. At the pool, that boy is already jumping (and spinning) off the diving board and rope swing and swimming back to the side without a life jacket. Always trying to keep up to the big boys. Ok, well that's a bit of a catch up. Since I'll be home this week, I'll try to write again and take some photos. I haven't even figured out my new camera yet as life has just been so crazy busy! But it's a good busy.

We're enjoying our weekend with family and friends! Here are some photos from Shea's sleepover with cousin Ella. Today we're going to the pool which is rented by our church group. Lot's of fun and craziness!

It's official. I've been working for 6 weeks now, and I just got my tags. I really am enjoying my job and am happy to go to work in the morning. CHEESE!!!

What do I do??

I don't know if you care, or wonder what I do all day at work...but here was my day today. Arrive at the hospital and get onto the computer. Print out the daily nursing census worksheets for level 2 and 4 (where our patients are). We do the physio and occupational therapy for these two floors. Clean equipment that was left out from the day before. Bring some used and dirty wheelchairs upstairs to clean later. Meet with the OT and PT for rounds, to discuss the new patients and find out my assignments for the day. Start with my list of patients for ADL's (activities of daily living). This is basically a glorified way of saying, helping someone get ready for the day, and encouraging independence and proper body mechanics while doing so. I have done everything from helping with toileting (eww) to setting a person up at bedside to shave, to dressing, feeding, teeth, hair, washcloth bathing...you name it. Most of the patients need help learning how to use adaptive aids, or need cuing as they can't remember what they are doing from one minute to the next. I had three guys to see this morning. Then I moved on to the sewing room where I made a pillow cover for an square piece of foam used on an amputee board. It required pinning and sewing, and then putting 2 rows of velcro sewn just so, so it would stick onto a board. I finished in the nick of time and took the completed chair with the custom pillow down to a patient with a below knee amputation. Then I took her over to the exercise room where we proceeded to do her daily exercises in the parallel bars. We were missing some stretchy elastic bands to do her arm work, so we went down to the department to get some. While there, there was a fire alarm, so we had to wait for awhile. I then was called (we all wear walkie talkie things) by the OT to fix a broken strap on a reclining big wheel chair and some shaky armrests. I also had to run up and whole-punch some papers and find binders to put them in and label them for the OT. I was also called to find some anti-tippers for the amputees' wheelchair as it was missing one. Thank goodness I found it right away, as sometimes it can take awhile looking for things! I took lunch, which I was more than ready for, and then it was back to work with the PT. I usually meet up with her in the afternoon to help her with patients that require two people. Usually I'm there to follow closely with the wheelchair and/or IV pole/ O2 while she walks them, or to stand on the other side of the patient to help them up and out/into bed. I also run to grab things we need, like gait belts, walkers, heart monitors, lifts, etc. We did a few doubles, and then I taught a guy to do some bed exercises and wrote them out for him on a paper so he'd hopefully do them for "homework" over the weekend. Then I was asked to make a sign for another patient (reminders for nurses), and label a few chairs with names. Back upstairs now, and the PT had me help her with a few more patients. When she had some referrals to do, I was off on my own to walk a patient the loop of the unit. The OT left a note for me to hang some enlarged calendars I had made the day before in two patients rooms, and grab some sheepskin elbow covers and a special tray for another guy. A walker needed some screws tightened and a name put on. I had a bit more cleaning to do, and then it was time to do my charting on the computer. I finished right before four, so I didn't have time to clean those wheelchairs I had taken upstairs, and then I remembered I needed to bring the laundry over to a nearby care home. (We take our specialized cushion covers etc. over there to be washed rather than put into the general laundry that is shipped to Vernon, as we'd never see it again.) So I drove the laundry over (a block away) and delivered it. Phew. It was only ten after, and I was on my way home. So that was today. My job is nice in that every day is very different. I only sew about once a week. I have different patients to meet and work with. Sometimes I spend hours fitting people and making up wheelchairs to suit them. Other days I do nothing much with equipment and am mostly hands on with patients. I also help with educating people on hip protectors (special padded pants to wear for people who are a falls-risk). I help do up referrals and fax them where they need to be sent or do a little filing for the PT in the nursing charts. I have to communicate with my physio, OT and the nursing staff all throughout the day. I'm sort of there to help them all as necessary. It is very busy, and I'm running all day. There are occasional teaching times, where we discuss articles or watch instructional videos, or we even went to visit the newest extended care home. I really love the time spent with the patients, and I am sad when most of them go! I've watched some of them progress from flat out in the ICU, to independently walking. Thankfully none of my personal patients have died. I'm sure that would be hard. The acute care can be a really sad and lonely place, and it's all I can do to not sit on the edge of the bed when we're done "working" to visit with them!! Most of the ones I walk or do ADL's with, are talking non-stop the whole time. Aww. Some of the patients are really sick, or have just undergone an extensive surgery, and we're the first ones to get them up. It is important they keep up their strength, as muscle can turn to mush pretty fast. We also are trying to get them upright to prevent them from getting pneumonia. The physio is very conscious of chest health and we will work with the patients on deep breathing and coughing to prevent build up in those lungs. I'd say my least favorite job is with the equipment. Sometimes something that should take 5 min. takes an hour. For example...I was asked to install a rear-seat belt (for an escape artist) on a wheelchair. It became a huge job as the screw was stripped. I worked for ages to get it out and then had to search the place for a new one. I removed the regular belt strap and started looking for a long one. Nope...there was nothing. I finally found a piece of new strapping and made my own belt, taking off the metal part of the old one and putting it on this new piece, folding over the ends and sewing them, punching a hole for the screw, melting the hole so it wouldn't fray, and then screwing the thing back on. And while doing that, I'm feeling pressure as the physio is waiting to work with me! Never a dull moment. But it's good. I enjoy it, and I'm getting more comfortable every day with the people and the tasks. It's not an easy job, and sometimes isn't too pleasant, but it is definitely interesting. I don't intend to keep up full time forever, but it is good for me in gaining my skills faster than if I was casual. I am sure that by July, I will be quite confident and know what I am doing. The first four weeks have gone pretty quick.