It's been a busy month....both at the paying job and at One Good Deed. We've had a high census at the paying job, and also some pretty high acuity patients (that's really sick babies in layman's terms!). I've also had a capstone student with me, so besides having to behave myself :-) I've had to put my "teaching hat" on and explain a lot of what we do. All good things, but I come home pretty tired. In fact, I don't always make it home before the tired hits! A case in point was last week when I literally "dozed off" in mid-sentence while giving change of shift report!
Come on, haven't you had times when you thought it would feel really good to just close your eyes for a second? Well, that thought apparently crossed my mind and went straight to my eyes because they closed for just a few seconds. Unfortunately, I was in mid-sentence.....It was just a few seconds, but I remember thinking "something isn't quite right here" and looked up to see the on-coming nurse looking at me with a puzzled expression. What the hell, might as well be honest--there's no graceful way to come out of that one, so I said, "Oh I am so sorry. I think I almost dozed off there for a second--or, OMG was it more?!?" She burst out laughing and said it was like five seconds, tops (thank God!) and we went on. Funny, yes. Embarrassing, ABSOLUTELY! But I at least have finally admitted to myself that something has got to give and I must take care of myself and get more sleep!
Humiliating story aside, I have been having a few meltdowns lately. Things are happening very fast right now where One Good Deed is concerned....good things, but the pace is a lot when you are also trying to juggle a full-time night shift job. I mention the night shift part because it is, I think, harder to organize a busy life while trying to get enough sleep during the day. Our bodies were not meant to sleep during the daylight hours and it's hard when other tasks keep rearing their heads and demanding attention! Which brings me to the "countdown" part of this blog (and will hopefully explain the previous whining and meltdown part!)
The countdown is on for several things....namely the NANN Conference which is coming up in October and which I have to prepare both a poster presentation (not too stressful as it is almost done) and a podium presentation (meltdown!) which is started, but I'm not satisfied with the way it's going yet. I say yet because I am certain it will get there. It will, right?!?
The other countdown has to do with our upcoming trip to Rwanda in November to continue our training in the Helping Babies Breathe Program. This generally isn't too stressful for me because it is what I love, but.....a lot has been going on in the past few weeks and things have grown exponentially in this arena. My head is spinning as I try to keep up with all of the necessary work this requires while also, you know, trying to work! I just keep reminding myself that this journey I'm on was put before me for a reason, and it is the path I have chosen because I know it is right! Anyway....I plug on. And for all of the well-meaning people in my life who are giving advice like "you should cut your hours at the paying job." I would love to be able to do that.....but I have to have an income, and besides that, I love my job! And to those who say I should slow down--again, would love to, but I didn't set this pace--I just have to keep up! However, I do try to take a little time to get away from it all every so often--especially when the meltdowns seem to come one after the other--so I don't make the lives of those around me too terribly miserable! (And, yes, I am aware that a meltdown slipped into the countdown part here!)
That Someone (God) I refer to also helps out by intervening in ways that are interesting although somewhat frustrating--like the past few days when we stole away to the lake for a little quiet time before heading back into the fray. I agree to these mini vacations because I know I can still keep in touch via internet......unless there is no internet, which is what happened this time! The stress gnawed at me for a bit, but what could I do? I decided it was beyond my control and I might as well just roll with it. Thank goodness for that because I really did need the break! But, today I am back at it and trying to catch up on what I missed the last few days. I also have to remember to schedule a nap today since I am working tonight! Anyway......
On to the "throw-down" part. I think I have mentioned before about Helaina from Eos Visions and her extensive work trying to get Fidele from the Ministry of Health in Rwanda to meet with us and work with us....Well, dear Helaina has since taken a job back in the U.S.--nice job, too, at the State Department--and Katie from Canada has taken her place at Eos. Katie was warned by us all that she had her work cut out for her where Fidele is concerned. And God bless her, she took that challenge in stride and made great headway for us! Not only did Fidele make an appointment with Katie, but he kept the appointment, AND he listened and contributed to future plans for the Helping Babies Breathe training in Rwanda, AND (drum roll, please!), he said we needed to draft an MOU (memorandum of understanding--aka contract) with the Ministry from which to work on future trainings! Bravo, Katie, Bravo! Well played, indeed! She threw down the gauntlet and Fidele picked it up and ran with it! This, my friends, is HUGE!!!! It's also things like this that keep happening for us that make all the meltdowns worth it!
So.....I apologize for the lengthy blog with no photos to break it up, but I just had to catch you up on the chaos! It is frustrating and trying at times, but it is so very worth it! There are some other things in the works as well, so keep your fingers crossed for me as I continue my muzungu journey! But for now, I've gotta take a nap!
