Sick, hostile work environment, sucky management = YIPPIE!

I'm sorry for not posting sooner, but this school/work/home thing is kicking me in the butt big time!

To top things off, I've been fighting off some ear/throat/chest sickness for over a week now, and it's only gotten worse, not better! It makes it very hard to concentrate on much of anything.

I hate calling off sick from work, but I've had to do it several times in the past week. Oh well! Calling off and facing the gloom and doom of being written up for call-offs is better than passing this crud around to all of my co-workers and my patients.

Ha! Speaking of work, I spoke with a co-worker today. No surprise: our manager is retiring. She sucked monkey balls as a boss anyway. The problem? Who the heck is going to take her place? Not too many possibilities in middle management, and I would say that only one is a good prospective candidate. However, I doubt that she's going to apply for the position.

Our unit morale is going down the tubes. It's literally a hostile work environment, walking in there every single day. And they wonder why so many people are sick? Well, gee, stress does make the body more prone to illness. Go figure. Increased stress --> sucky management --> poor morale --> more sick people --> overworked existing staff --> more stress --> more sickness ............. It's a never ending cycle.

Coming home, and being sick

Go figure. The last night in South Carolina, and I start to get a tickle in my throat and a cough. Wake up the morning I'm due to leave with a full blown sore throat and ear pain. Nose started up with congestion/running, etc.

And.......it gets worse when I get home. My asthma is flaring up so much with this cold/respiratory infection that I'm back on Advair twice a day, and using albuterol every 4 hrs as needed.

I'm sure it looks suspicious that I called off sick to work for the first two shifts due back, but I'm having a heck of a time breathing. Between the nasal congestion and the tightness/shortness of breath in my chest, it's not easy to breathe! How the heck am I supposed to work when I can barely take care of myself? Seriously!

(Feeling sorry for myself right now).......it really, really, really sucks to get sick after going away for a few days!!!

I promise to post more info and pictures about the birth center workshop when I'm feeling a little closer to normal again.

Christmas shopping, decorating, and being sick

Ho ho ho! Just 2 1/2 weeks left until Christmas. Have you finished your shopping yet? I just got started with mine. ::wink wink:: I am the great procrastinator when it comes to Christmas shopping.

This year, I have decided to do the majority of my shopping online. So, just point and click, enter my credit card number, and DING! Presto, pronto! It's all delivered right to my doorstep.

I have one heck of a work schedule for Christmas though. All evening shifts - Dec 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30. Only one day off in there. Who wrote that crappy schedule up?? Oh, I must have. Argh. (We do self scheduling.) What was I thinking?

The tree is up. My youngest did most of the decorating of the tree herself. (Even though the tree is a little crooked.) She beamed with pride when it was all finished. Amazing how such minor things to an adult are such a big deal to a 6 year old!

Did a little decorating in the house, but didn't go all out this year. I get so winded from little bits of activity. I'm fairly sure that I have bronchitis, with a nice little side dish of an asthma exacerbation. Sounds like fun right? I would love to put some lights up outside, the with the cold air making my breathing even worse, it's just not possible yet. (Come on lungs - heal up!!)

Back to work today. I called off sick all last week due to this chest cold/bronchitis/asthma thing.