death is easily recogniseable now.
coupled together with that infamous "O" and "Q" sign
its funny how u can just tell.

and then i'm working easter fri and sat
i should send all my patients on easter egg hunts--keeps them fit!!
which brings me to another point..
the nurses had a scrumptious chocolate cooking contest for arvo tea.
Oh. My. Gosh
it was so-good.
everything homemade.
the whiff of chocolate through the doors was heavenly..
i mean.. how often do u smell willy wonka's factory in a workplace like mine?!!??!
there was at least 10 chocolate based sweets on the table...
2 HUGE chocolates cakes.. an assortment of slices... truffles.. logs.. cookies.. mousse
(we were still going the next day... and thats a record for a ward-- everything usually gets polished off in an afternoon or less)

and then we had to decide a winner!!
what a yummy problem

winner turned out to be a REALLY AWESOME (and simple) choc peppermint log
i got the recipe! *dances around*
it'll appear in front of a lucky few!

when u feel old, what does that mean
the passing of physical age,
the weariness of the daily grind
or the responsibilities upon your shoulders

whats growing up?
in one aspect, i feel.that naive, blissful childhood bubble bursts,
when you encounter death and dying.
when you see the sadness of the world around you.
when you finally understand.

that's been pretty evident lately.. in my job.. the families' tears
the sorrow in the brave smile they try to hold
the " how are you?" and " as good as we will be"
the struggle for comprehension and acceptance
the fight we go through to say there is hope
or maybe. there isn't. and you fight for something unobtainable, unreachable
too many deaths, too much sadness
(oncology is never a good ward to work on)
and then there is always that silver ray,
when my patient gets accepted to rehab after 5 mths of being in acute
that happy jig in a circle i do.. in the dept.. with fellow silly physio joining in
that whispered " thank you" from the doctor
"what for" i ask
" for coming"

started with a magnificient jap dinner..

ok. hello?? i resolve to blog more this year..
i'll try.

well... work's getting better now..
its taken a LONG while to adjust to the culture.. the people and place, but i'm actually pretty neutral about things now ( ie not hating it anymore...)

i'm currently working across 4 different units now.. so i have to know.. 4 different sets of docs/allied health ( unfortunately never remember nurses cos there are so many....)
and experiencing the best and worst of teams

the O team-- docs SNATCHING my files all the time.. very rudely, interrupting my notes all the time with their i-am-so-important entries...

the R team- which made my jaw drop this morning.. when reg and his 2 interns came around to a patient i was just about to see and saw me there. I (as usual) automatically stepped aside resignedly.. as EVERYONE else does, when docs do their important rounds when intern goes" oh no! you go ahead! your time is very important too!" and they all just turn and leave.

i think the moon must be blue today.

then my patient goes" thats XX! (first name of doc) while i'm walking him in the corridor.. and i turn.. and see Dr D, the reg just standing in the corridor smiling as i walk the patient.
?!?!?!??!?!?!

and then i made the most fabulous sour cream apple slice and kahlua balls for morning tea.
oh yummy.