INTO THE THICK OF IT!

Why does everyone think they know our job better than we do -Steve

Ugh we are on Phase four now of getting back to normal.

In one year(?) have I forgotten everything?

We have to use trays and ask “is to stay?” Just take the bag and sit down! Just thinking about cleaning up after ketchup messes brings back horrible memories!

The play land is still closed. Crushing the dreams of parents everywhere!

I have been having these horrible day dreams about when I don’t have to have wear a mask at work.

I have to watch my facial expressions! My eye rolls are so out of hand, my eyes hurt!

The one thing I am dreading?

I always have my mouth open. Like what am I? a dimwit?

Oh now I have to smile?!

A mask hid my hideous features. I was the Phantom. Now they will see my true form.

On another note? Alberta’s has stop treating COVID like a pandemic. stop COVID testing . Closed COVID testing sites. (Even though there is a resurgence of COVID) opened restaurants. No masks. Don’t need vaccines.

Now other provinces, the states even other countries are banning Albertans from traveling.

ITS NOT OK FOR YOU TO BE TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS

My sister made lasagna for the family. She is such a wonderful cook!

When we arrived at my parents, my dad wasn’t feeling well. He protested going to the ER. He still had horrible trauma(?) from being in a coma and didn’t want to go through that again.

“That” being told there is nothing wrong with him until he ended up in coma.

However he told us he was having difficulty speaking. He made light of how he was feeling. Trying not to frighten K. When it was time to eat, he was supposed to sit at the table. Instead he wandered around, stopped and stared for moments in space. Then when we insisted he go to ER he waved it off.

Suddenly he began to cry. he walked to his room came back to eat. Acting as if nothing happened.

Kai tried to comfort him. “It’s ok, grandpa if you want to go to the ER I will go with you. If you want to talk I will be here”

Awe my heart! I love her so much! She would be such a wonderful nurse!

What bothered me was how my sister reacted!

K and I could not talk about my dad and his symptoms without her “I’m not arguing with you! It’s not fine! He’s not fine! Blah blah” we could not get a word out before she would say these things to us!

Forget about mentioning anything about my cancer and my dad’s COVID! What would I know about being ill and in the hospital? “Don’t you remember how serious Dad’s illness was?!” Um yes.

Her attitude didn’t help K’s emotional state.

People don’t realize how traumatic their illness can affect their loved ones. My cancer was very traumatic for Kai! She thought I was going to die. then Grandpa almost died from COVID?

Kai became sick months ago. We didn’t realize how sick. Because her symptoms mirrored menstruation.

My niece had been lethargic. Complaining of being unable to eat, and nausea. My sister brushed it off. As attention seeking.

So when she became sicker she didn’t want to go to the hospital. She told my mom she didn’t want to end up like me.

That broke my heart! I told her when I was finally diagnosed that was the happiest day of my life! She went to the ER with me and her mom.

She had a bacterial infection in her intestines!

So when my sister told Kai and we don’t know what it was like for Grandpa- maybe he was scared to go? Kai became upset!

“I do! Because I was scared! I’m going to go with Grandpa if he wants!”

I smiled at my niece. “Grandpa would love it!” I glared at my sister “grow up! Not every thing is about you!”

BLACK FRIDAY TOMORROW

All day I was worried about how COVID would affect Americans and Black Friday.

I really hope all goes well with retail workers tomorrow.

It’s going to be a nightmare.

Hopefully people will be kind, be respectful of COVID restrictions and mindful of social distancing in regards on how many shoppers can be in a store!

Then it occurred to me, we have Black Friday sales in Canada too.

Good grief!

Just not as chaotic.

Good luck, I hope you all just enjoy your Friday by sleeping in, relaxing and recovering from Turkey hangover.

THE OK TO GO BACK TO WORK

My doctor rang me up and gave me the ok to go back to work.

Which was wonderful. I was starting to get antsy. I was so bored.

It also made me realize how my returning to work might make my coworkers uncomfortable and fearful.

I’ve been watching a lot of TikTokers recovering from Covid and being laid off. Having their employers refusing to accept their “go back to work” notes by their doctors.

It really is heartbreaking watching these videos.

but my father is going through something similar.

He calls me and he really wants to come home. He Is tired of trying to find the call button. Tired of trying to find a nurse to help him go to the bathroom before he goes in his pants. He is tired of not being able to shower. He is tired of the food. He is tired of being helpless.

Health care is so under staffed and they have to deal with a pandemic. Many needs of the patients are not being met because of the understaffing.

Patients who are not being cared for properly, have a greater chance of getting infections. Not to mention under staffed nurses can not respond to a patient call promptly.

Under staffed Housekeeping also ties into this because they change/wash sheets. Wash floors. They are supposed to sanitize every thing a patient touches.

Having a patient walk in a puddle of biologicals on the floor is also dangerous. Leaves a patient open to infection. A nurse won’t clean it.

This is what I experienced in numerous hospitals before the pandemic. I can only imagine how worse it got now that they are under protocols!

Gosh I rambled!

YOU’RE NOT WEARING A MASK OR STAYING HOME

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSmJEuvj/

My reaction every time I see anti-masker or read their comments about sheeples.

Their ignorance is staggering!

They do realize that they are sheeple too?🤦‍♀️😂

I laugh so hard every time I think of the irony!

THEY ONLY HAVE TO WEAR A MASK IN THE HALLWAY

Omg picking my niece from school gave me anxiety.

Only few children wore masks. They were swarming in crowds.

Covid waiting to happen!

WONDERFUL PROGRESS

My dad has progressed enough to be in a room with a window. He is off a ventilator and off a feeding tube and eating soft food. However he is still confused

We have been attempting to FaceTime him but it is hard to do with parents that aren’t tech savvy.

Today we tried again but the nurse couldn’t get FaceTime either 🤦‍♀️

“I don’t understand what your dad is saying!” My mom grumbled.

I chuckled, “he isn’t speaking to you, he is speaking to the nurse”

My mom grumbled that she couldn’t understand the nurse.

“She is wearing a mask” I explained.

“Well she should she take it off!”

I stared at her in disbelief. “She can’t take it off! She is near a Covid patient!”

My mother rolled her eyes “that’s ridiculous!”

My mother finally had my dad on the phone. They were speaking plautedeutsch so the nurse wouldn’t understand them. “Maybe she should grow up!” My mom snapped referring to the nurse, in English.

My sister and I gasped in shock. “I can’t believe you’re saying that when she is right there!” My sister snapped.

All of sudden the nurse spoke up. Her voice sharp and rebuking. My mom was stunned. She thought the nurse was gone.

After my mom was finished speaking with my dad I smiled and said “he sounds so good”

That was a couple of days ago.

Now my dad is getting strong enough to call us on his own. This morning he called me at 3am complaining of leg and back pain. I told him I would get mom to call his nurse.

Then a few minutes ago he called me. It was wonderful to have a conversation with him. But he was still confused. His time of events were askewed. Mixing up events, he was asking how was Becky going to get home if Sarah’s car battery died. Becky was stuck in Vancouver and Sarah was in Kelowna.

I assured him everything was ok. That mom would come to get him when he was better.

“Don’t be stupid how is she going to get me if her battery is dead! Becky is in Vancouver!”

I smiled, it was nice to hear dad’s same old same impatience. But I understood his frustration. He didn’t understand his memory confusion. I once more assured him that I was ok at home. Was he ok. Did he want mom to call him?

I also explained how he was coming home. By plane. And he was staying in the hospital a little longer. He didn’t want to hear that. So we ended the call.

UPDATE: he wasn’t talking about automotive battery dying but his oxygen tank being unplugged 🥰✌️