The Intensive Art

I wrote another test for my critical care course. This one was focused on cardiology: boy was it a doozy of a test! There was A LOT of material to cover in a short amount of time. Add to that the complexity that is cardiology and you have a heck of a difficulty level.

When I got home I was thinking back to one of the written questions. I made the realization that I wrote “aunomatic” rather than “autonomic.” I hope the marker at least gets a giggle out of the mistake.

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I started working twelve hour shifts this week. So far I’m absolutely loving the schedule. Working only two or three shifts a week feels amazing. Working twelve hours doesn’t feel so amazing, but we’ll see if I prefer it to eight hour shifts in the end.

I work a day/night rotation, so it will feel strange being around on evenings. I haven’t worked an evening shift in a year and a half. It will take awhile to learn the routines.

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I finally went to the doctor to discuss my GERD. I’ve had it for years and have been taking Zantac since I saw a doctor about it the first time. Unfortunately, for the last year or so the zantac hasn’t been doing a good enough job. So, I begged and pleaded for a PPI. I ended up leaving there with my arms full of Nexium samples.

My doctor wants me to go for an upper GI series. I hate diagnostic tests. It tends to be a bit of a phobia of mine. After all, every time I go to work, I’m surrounded by people who simply went for a diagnostic test and ended up having a massive surgery to correct something or another.

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I’m on a diet. *whimper*

I really like the South Beach Diet, so I’m working on that one again. I’m suffering more this time than usual. I’m allowed to eat as much as I want every time I’m hungry (just of the right food), but no matter how much of the allowed food I eat, I desperately crave something else.

Considering that the something else includes such delights as: McDonalds, Ice Cream, Chips, donuts, etc., I just can’t give in. My weight is getting pretty out of control and it’s time to just suck it up, be a man, and start eating right. I get a lot of physical activity at work and walking my dog, so I fortunately don’t feel the need to start exercising more.

I’ve decided that if I make it to Christmas without falling off the wagon, I can have a few days of freedom to enjoy Christmas food wonderments!

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I think I have a serious problem with my back. I was just making three days worth of vegetable omelet to package and put away for lunches. In the midst of watching the eggs cook (not while bending or doing anything at all), I started to have massive pain in my lower back.

I’ve always had a sore lower back, particularly after a day of working as a RN, but never like this. Usually is just takes a couple stretches or repositioning and it gets better. This time, nothing helped. The pain was literally crippling. Walking was horrifyingly painful–so was everything really.

I somehow managed to finish the omelet and turn off the stove, took two tylenols, and made my way to a chair. No relief! Right now I’m laying flat on my back. I can still feel some pain, but it feels much better. I hope this goes away soon!

This entry was posted on Friday, November 2nd, 2007 at 02:30 and is filed under Musings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.