Mad Scribblings From the Life of a Middle-Aged New Nurse
In case anyone is wondering (and you're probably not), I haven't been writing because, honestly, there isn't much to write about. Compared to Grey-Sloan, the medical practice where I work now is by-and-large drama free. It's nice. I'm not complaining. When my nurse manager at Grey-Sloan suggested that maybe I wasn't cut out for bedside... Continue Reading →
Sorry for the dearth of updates. I finally started the new job, and I'm struggling with so many things. First things first: I am recovering from COVID-19. My recovery continues, and I do find that I'm better every day. I'm coughing A LOT less -- just a few times a day now. However, my oxygen... Continue Reading →
I went for my second interview with a local medical practice and received my first job offer since leaving Grey Sloan. It was an eye opener. They offered me a measly $22 an hour, and my health benefits don't start for 90 days. I guess I should be grateful, but it's shocking. Twenty-two bucks? That's... Continue Reading →
In 2009, I had quit my career as a designer to strike out on my own. I had spent the previous 23+ years working for the government Initech and somehow, addicted to opioids, thought I could beat it and sustain myself with the random freelance job while living off my savings and 401K. I was... Continue Reading →
In nursing school, it is universally taught that new nurses should spend the first 1-2 years of their careers in Med-Surg before deciding to specialize (if you decide) so skills and time management can be perfected. So that's what I did. That's what many of us did. Some succeed. Some just survive. Others (like me)... Continue Reading →
The end of my time at Grey Sloan appears to be close. I had hoped that maybe this situation could be turned around, but I've come to believe it cannot. After spending two days with a new preceptor -- who was really nice, by the way -- the news is grim. It seems my Nurse... Continue Reading →
Weight loss: This week: -1.6 - Total Weight lost: 34.1 lbs - Current weight: 299.8 - Original Weight: 333.9 The Weekly Challenge: It's always stress, but this week, we have a new complication: medication. Since my health insurance finally kicked in, I got to see the doctor for the first time in many months. I'm... Continue Reading →
Weight loss: This week: -2.3 - Total Weight lost: 32.5 lbs - Current weight: 301.4 - Original Weight: 333.9 The Weekly Challenge: Home from working at the hospital for an unusual five days in a row, it was a struggle not to eat myself out of house and home. It's also a struggle, on my... Continue Reading →
Weight loss: This week: +1 - Total Weight lost: 30.2 lbs - Current weight: 303.7 - Original Weight: 333.9 The Weekly Challenge: One pound gain isn't the worst news, I suppose, but working this hard to see the scale go up one pound is irritating. I'm still stressed out. No weekly challenge -- just surviving.... Continue Reading →
This week, I was asked if there's anything I like about my job at Grey-Sloan -- the job where I am slogging away trying to figure out how to do this and not die. I was also asked what stinks about it. So... here are my honest answers (not the ones I gave to management):... Continue Reading →
Mad Margaret Diaries 