It is ten-til-3am, tuesday morning. I am on break at work, only 3 more hours! Its my second shift as the main phlebotomist in the ER. Its gone pretty good! It was super busy earlier, now its pretty much tapered off.

I'm really, really happy. I feel like if I just keep doing well at this job everything will fall into place quickly. School, finances, etc. Its a process but I really think I'm on track and good to go.

More later, gotta get back to my lovely ER. :)

I love love love my hospital. It is happy, scary, enlightening, frustrating, sad, and beautiful.

Yesterday I reported to my draw labs for my first patient around 2200 (10pm), wondering why the tests had been ordered since 1930 and the previous shift hadn't drawn them. I walked into his ICU, announced myself to the employee inside (not sure if she was a nurse or what)... she said "Look at this room. I don't think we need any labs." A large hispanic man was sprawled on the gurney, not hooked to anything. No machines dinging, pumping, buzzing. Definitely too quiet.

"Oh... OH!!!" Apologized, excused myself, and was glum the rest of the night. RIP, man in ICU B12.

My next patient was an 80-something-year-old man post-surgery from a traumatic cerebral hemorrhage. Shaved head, huuuge stitched scar across it from surgery. It was obvious he knew I was there, but never opened his eyes. When I went to draw his blood he kept moving his arm and hands so I couldn't... it dawned on me he was trying to hold my hand. So I sat for awhile and held his. He fell back asleep, I drew his blood, and he started laughing in his sleep.

I've found thats one of the biggest pros of working graveyards... you're not in so much of a hurry and can give more of your time to patients that need it.

While I was with my third patient I could overhear the conversation between her roommate and a doctor on the other side of the curtain. He was telling her about the spots on her lungs. She was crying.

I feel like crying a lot, but haven't yet. That wouldn't help anyways. Doing my job is what helps.


I also looooove the ER. And not just because of the EMT's. :P There's so much to do, so much to learn. And everything is super important and life-altering.

More later... here's some pics and info! :)









"Sharp Grossmont Hospital, a 400+ bed hospital located in La Mesa, is the largest health care facility in East San Diego County and is known for its outstanding programs in heart care, orthopedics, rehabilitation, robotic surgery and women's health. In addition, the hospital's emergency room is one of the most technologically advanced emergency and intensive care facilities in the nation. Sharp Grossmont Hospital is a part of Sharp HealthCare, which has been recognized for quality excellence with the 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Sharp Grossmont has also been recognized as a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence and is committed to providing the highest quality care."

Yesterday:

Someone came into the lab with a specimen cup and said "this doesn't get throw out with the biohazards so they told me to bring it here." And left. Looked in the cup... DISMEMBERED FINGER HELLOOOOO!

Guess it wasn't re-attachable.

My second day and already seeing body parts. Cool. :)


I walked into one room and the patient told me I looked like his nephew. lol. He was super medicated and out of it... but I still curled my hair and wore it down today. haha.

Just got word that I cleared all my pre-employment stuff at Sharp... all I have to do is go fill out the paperwork!

hip hip hooray!!!

I had a super-productive day today... well yesterday.

Woke up at 7:30
Took Bear for a long walk
Had coffee (toffee nut frappuccino) with my gf Crystal in Coronado
Had lunch with my gf Mel in Imperial Beach
Got money from the Del and a reference from the banquet manager
Showered
Got paycheck from Tocagen and a reference from one of the doctors
Got another frappuccino
Faxed in an application and the references to become a mobile medical examiner (bringing # of jobs back up to 5)
Tanned
Got eyebrows waxed
Grocery shopped
Scheduled a private lesson at a dojo that does my same style of karate that I did all through highschool
Did laundry

I passed out at 10pm and woke up at 1am and now I don't know what to do with myself.

I guess I'll start on tomorrow's to-do list. haha.

1. I left my gf Erin at my place all hungover/still drunk while I went to work. I came home to my pantry in disarray. She explained she couldn't find the dogfood so she fed Bear Raisin Bran. I showed her where the dog treats were and she gasped "THOSE ARE DOG TREATS??!" Yep. She fed the dog human food and she ate dog treats.


2. My gf Niki was smoking pot and had the "bud" or whatever sitting on the table while she picked those little brown sticker plants out of Bear's fur and set them on the same table. She may or may not have smoked a sticker plant.


Life is just way too funny sometimes.

Car repairs once again. Hey, $800: you were for rent.

I've been to the gym twice this week(!) and am feeling pretty good, other than the constant gloom radiating from my bank account. I think God just wants me to be poor. As soon as I start having any sort of savings some expensive part of my life implodes.

I have weds & thurs off this week. I am scheduling interviews, going to north county to hang with my gf that bought a house up there, Friday me and some gfs are going to Bodyworlds at the Natural History Museum, Saturday I fly to NorCal for my grandpa, uncle, and cousin's birthdays, Monday my mom and I fly to San Diego, Tuesday we're going to Disneyland and Wednesday she flies home. Thursday I have alcohol safety training with ABC and then hopefully that Monday I'll start one of these jobs I'm trying to get. I feel lazy being down to 4 jobs. hehe.

Its been "May Grey" in San Diego and I kinda like it.

I thought I wanted a career.

Turns out, I just want the paycheck.

Off to interview for a full-time grown-up job.


My underwear reads: "I only ride big waves."



Yep.