Clunky moonboot, way forward for sleep

The clunky moonboot is off!

When told I could take it off and walk around in soft shoes, I was delighted...until the practicality of what I was going to do sank in and then I worried about not having my safety blanket.

What if my ankle muscles were so weak I fell over again and BAM! end of beautiful healing process to start all over again.

I kept it on for another three days and then finally on the weekend took the boot off permanently on the Saturday morning (yes I was still sleeping with it on!)

Sleep Clinic and COVID

Yay! I am back full time as from Wednesday last week. I am so pumped. Feel ready for the massive changes ahead.

The hospital is closed and the wards emptied in readiness for the potential surge of COVID inpatients. Only way to get in, is through ED and they've divided the streams into dirty and clean. Dirty being COVID patients (both confirmed and suspected) and clean for other emergencies.

Our little department is supporting the Respiratory Ward (and possibly other Wards depending on how serious it gets). It has been decided, due to the amount of research and information pouring out of other countries who are seriously snowed under with patients presenting with COVID, that it's best to use CPAP machines as they deliver air pressure together with oxygen rather than ventilate which tends to damage otherwise healthy lungs. COVID appears to be more like an altitude sickness which CPAP is better able to help with.

Dad Jokes Award

The stress of waiting is making for a tense filled hospital. Everyone is second guessing what may come through the doors at any time night or day and how it will play out.

We watch with concern the stories pouring in from overseas of overwhelmed and understaffed hospitals trying their best to cope with the influx of COVID patients.

Hubby is everywhere in the hospital, bolstering spirits with his dad jokes and positive attitude, acknowledged during the week by one of the Charge Nurses when she gave him an award and jelly beans as a gift. He is both pleased and embarrased. He pulled the crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket for me to read.

Since he started working at the hospital in 2018, I've heard the daily stories how, with his quick quips and silly stories, he puts stressed patients, their families at ease, making the medical staff laugh after a long day. He is happy to do lighten the load for a brief second as he wheels patients from one department to another, whether for dialysis, chemo or simply for x-rays.

He loves what he does and it shows. My hubby has always been good at putting people at ease, one of his super power gifts. He is also super fit walking about 10 kms or more every day.

Despite this he is not a pushover as some patients and staff have discovered. I sometimes cringe lol.

My light duties are over after Easter weekend and I am back to full time from Tuesday. My appointment with the fracture clinic on Wednesday will hopefully confirm that I can take off this Moonboot, hand back the crutches and shower chair.

Greg has been a star. He was literally doing everything in the beginning, but as my wrist heals and my leg is less sore I am able to do more.

We are very blessed in this country that we have ACC who look after us. I suppose it's a bit like the UK's National Insurance. They've paid the balance of my salary for the 22 hours per week that I am at home and supplied me with taxi chits so I can travel to and from work without depending on Greg. Although truthfully I've not really NOT worked as I have a work mobile and laptop at home.

There have been occasions that I have gone in to work simply for moral support which I think is very important, although I'm not much use to anyone with bruised wrist and broken ankle.

Well, hello there!

It's been a while since I blogged.

Life has been pretty full on over the last almost two years.

I'd like to say all of it was good, but it wasn't. More difficulties than something to smile about.

My job is still good. I'm paid very well and have received regular excellent increases. So this part of my life has been okay...except for the stress. Somehow instead of just being a team lead, it's slowly morphed into being a manager. The more you do, the more your expected to do. It took a while to recognise this.