Lost or Afraid of the Dark

I think of one those 2 will be the title of my story that tells of a city girl moving to a small town. Everytime I get off the elevator at work, i have to look both ways before I can figure out which direction i'm to go. I feel so lost at times, i have to start from "what planet am I on" before realizing i need to make a right to go to the cafeteria. (or left depending on which elevator I get off.)

well I'm learning a few important things at work.
1) The importance of communication. It takes a lot of people at various levels to manage one patient and one mishap or skip can lead to lots of confusion. Then when every doc does things a little bit differently, the situation becomes all to easy for information breakdown.

2) The importance of documentation. Sometimes the only thing the next person that is taking care of the patient will see is the previous note. So to document completely, succinctly, and accurately is oh so crucial.

3) The importance of taking a deep breath once in a while. I think making sure that i breath in as deeply as I can and give the cells in my body as much oxygen as possible (especially by brain) is a good thing to remember. it's also relaxing.

there was one other important thing i thought of today, but i already forgot. i guess it wasn't that important.

cath week

well, in terms of work, i think this week has been the most fun. mostly because i actually got to do something other than watch others do things. one doc in particular seems to be going out of his way to get me into the mix, so while he scares me a little, i'm also thankful. he's one of those bigger than life characters with an ego that goes so deep and wide, yet a soft spot that goes even deeper and wider. it's been fun scrubbing in for procedures and just getting acquainted with things in the catherization lab. i'm seeing a dim light at the end of the tunnel.

my brother visited again and it was so nice to have him here. i'm realizing how hard it is to not have someone close nearby simply to be near. i've always had somebody near to count on, but here there is not that "somebody" yet. and i guess that kind of subconsciously puts me in a guarded state. hopefully as i learn to rely on God's nearness through this time, i'll also learn to unguard myself a bit and share my life with others here. so much to learn. i do miss having someone to open a jar of olives when i can't seem to though. i guess i should just get a jar opener. that would solve one of my problems. :)

echo week

i'm spending this week in the echo lab area. i've seen more transesophageal echos than i ever thought i would. i'm certainly much more comfortable with viewing the images and can generally tell if a heart function is normal or not. more importantly i've gotten to know the echo techs and also my way around the cardiology division.

i've been getting home earlier this week, so yesterday i even went for a walk around my neighborhood for the first time. today i went to the golf range and was glad to hit some decent shots. i've been enjoying my meals at home too. a nice simple dinner of just rice, kimchi, kim and jang-jo-rim with a glass of wine can be so satisfying. i rented a couple of good movies too. i was going to watch one each night, but i ended up watching 2 last night. so i was a bit sleepy at work today. i was happy when one of the fellows said that i can go home early. :) he got no argument from me.

the best dentist experience

i've always disliked going to the dentist. my teeth and gums always hurt bad afterwards. well, one good thing about temple is this dentist i went to. the hygenist was nice and gentle with my teeth without compromising cleanliness. the office was very well designed too. they actually had a window in front of the seat so that i can look outside and see a nice planted tree instead of a dull beige wall or a boring painting. they asked me if i wanted a magazine to read while i wait a bit, but the plant was more than enough for me. what a clever idea. i haven't gotten my teeth cleaned in 2 years, so it felt extra satisfying to get them cleaned. and even better was that i have no cavities! i did try extra hard to keep my teeth clean these past couple of years knowing that i won't have dental insurance for a while.