What now?

First things first:
It is national Telecommunicator Week. What is that you ask? Glad you asked! It's kind of like national Grandparents Day; a reason to thank and celebrate telecommunicators. What is a Telecommunicator you ask? Your local police department, sheriffs office and state or highway patrol have them, we are mostly known as Dispatchers. If you can, send a note to thank your local dispatchers for all their hard work round the clock. They deserve it. I took my son to our office yesterday, he gave a sticker to everyone working and said "thanks for being a good dispatcher" it was really cute.

Easter:
My disposition didn't improve any after a nap or better food (you were right on Seeker). I continued to be Mrs. Cranky Pants all weekend. We made it through, but it wasn't our best weekend ever.

Sick:
The kids continue to be sick. Runny nose and stuff like that. I think they have some mild allergies, everything is in bloom around here but it's getting old wiping runny noses. Not to mention the consistency of baby snot. Its like rubber cement. And it just keeps coming out her nose.

My Honey:
My Honey was also sick this past week. It started with some back pain and then worked its way into indigestion. For most relatively healthy 39 year olds it wouldn't raise red flags, but My Honey had a heart attack 2 years and a week ago. His main symptom? BACK PAIN. He was not your classic heart attack in many ways; 37 years old, no chest pain, no difficulty breathing. So we have watched his back pain all week and then throw nausea/indigestion on top of it and we were both a little stressed. So we visited the ER last night. 2 1/2 hours later we left with a prescription for a pretty heavy duty pain killer and the relief that his heart continues to work fine. We decided it would be really convenient if there was an EKG machine at Safeway like the blood pressure machines so we could just drive down and check his rhythms. Not likely to happen any time soon is it?

Work:
I am still in the midst of this seniority battle with the employee guild at work. I have to present my case to the Board of Directors tomorrow. *deep breath* It probably won't get me the 21 months back, but at least I followed through and didn't let them bully me.

And then

And then Punkin Head broke out in a rash. Hives all over her poor little body from head (and I mean on her scalp) to toe, and I do mean toe. She was one big red blob. Cause? Unknown, could be the amoxicillin, which means she is labeled as allergic to penicillin forever or it could just be the way her little body responded to whatever virus she happened to catch. What ever the hell it was, let it be gone! I think I have had my share of sick.

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I always think twice about sharing a work story, but this one, well, you decide. I worked the Fire/EMS desk last week, pretty boring until there was an aid call or fire call and then I was on. Working this 3am to 1pm shift has been less than productive. I miss most of the good stuff and I definitely miss the busy times of the day. Such was true last week too. I had only one aid call up until around 10 am and it was for a male that had pulled out his catheter. (Yeah, I winced too) and he was bleeding from his ... well you get the picture, and I do want you to picture it, he has pulled out a catheter and is bleeding from his ...

So my job is to send an ambulance. The ambulance responds, transports him to the hospital. Not a big deal. Later the ambulance tells me they are taking him back to his house, I assume his catheter is back in place. An hour later someone calls again asking for the ambulance to return, his catheter has been pulled out again (same wince). So they go. By this time I am laughing in a dispatch-sick way. We deal with trauma everyday, laughing about someone elses pain lets off steam.

The ambulance transports him as we are having our crotch-grabbing laugh. One of my co-workers husbands works for the hospital where he was transported. Just so happens she is working when I mention that my only calls have been for the catheter-guy. She starts to tell me how they probably called her husband in because he is a catheter specialist. Really?? Thanks for the visual. Now I have the picture of her husband inserting catheters burned onto my eyeballs. Thanks. Just what I needed I tell her. This really brings on the laughter. Then she continues to tell us, yeah at his his old hospital it was his specialty, they used to call him in for that kind of work, he was especially good with prostate cancer patients. Alright, already, I have the image of him with penis in hand (literally) inserting catheters burned into my brain now, thanks!! But I cannot resist just one more comment "he must have a gentle touch" (or genital touch) Am I bad or what? Sick sick sick.

side note: I am half afraid to publish this with "penis" and "genital" in it.

Home

Well, we made it home in one piece then everyone fell apart.

Bubba was okay enough to go to school on Monday after we got home, but stayed home the rest of the week for a variety of sickness; fever, vomit and recovery. Punkin Head was catching something the whole weekend at my dads, coughed pretty bad on the way home (not my best trip ever) and ended up with an ear infection, runny nose turned into vomit. She is finally seeming better today. What a week. On top of all that, my sister and My Honey's sister were both due in town this weekend. My sister was supposed to stay with me but ended up at our other sisters house due to the throwing up baby. My Honey's sister did come visit so I was able to see her and her hubby for a few minutes (between vomits). AND it was my long work week too.

I am done in. I could probably go to bed and sleep until Friday!! Thankfully it IS my Friday, so I get a couple days off, work 3 days and then off for my 4-day weekend. *sigh* Looking forward to that.

Ramblings

Its 9:20 p.m. As I sit here I hear Punkin Head moaning and groaning. She has a cold, runny nose, cough, probably a sore throat the whole 9 yards. The worst part is I am 3 hours from home.

I took the kids to my dads for the weekend. I planned on going home on Sunday. Well, that was before the winter storm that made traffic a nightmare. We will leave tomorrow. I am working on a piece about spending time with my dad. Its actually kind of rough. Involves a lot of emotion. On the other hand, I didn't have to cook dinner at all, the wine was free-flowing and the company is pretty nice.

My youngest sister will be 15 in June. She has a (new) boyfriend. Her brother who is 20 was home on Saturday afternoon. The boyfriend had been out of town for 10 days and was on his way over. Brother says something about her hair to my sister so she goes to brush it. A few minutes later boyfriend shows up at the door and brother says "she had to go brush her hair for you." Funny stuff. I never did that to my sisters. I should have!!

Bubba had a total melt down on Friday night. We got here had dinner and are getting ready to chill out for the night. I find him sitting in Grandpa's chair, in tears crying "I can find Nick. I can't find Nick." At first I am flabbergasted, then I realize he is talking about Nickelodeon. My child's drug of choice is TV and he is addicted. AT FIVE. Scary.

Wow that is some talent, I am watching Barbara Walters interview Jennifer someone that won an Oscar. I thought he could sing! I noticed her on the Oscars tonight, wondered who she was. Hmmm. She may go far. (Depends on if Hollywood thinks she is good enough)