Jun
10
Inside of a week now – and only 3 days until we leave for Pittsburgh.
Well, we paid for the nice day on Saturday. It was truly a horrible shift. I admitted over 20 patients and lost track of how many I saw – I think 45 – which is absolutely ludicrous for a 10 hour shift. I’m lucky that we have great physician assistant’s here (PAs) as they really make my job a little easier.
I was really excited to watch the finale of The Sopranos, but was completely disappointed in the episode. I was expecting more closure and definitely didn’t get it. Maybe I’ll feel different when I watch it again.
My “to do” list is growing as expected – I’ll be busy up until the time we leave. I couldn’t figure out why it was so hard to get a room in Pittsburgh when I made the reservation months ago. One of my partner’s was lamenting yesterday that he was having to pay almost $400 a night for a room in Pittsburgh so that he could attend his daughter’s graduation from college. He said the rooms were so expensive because of the US Open being played at Oakmont (near Pittsburgh). That made the lightbulb come on.
Jun
10
I can’t believe that we are only 1 week away. This vacation has been planned the longest of any of our cruises. It was tough waiting for the 10 day Christmas cruise in 2004, but that was booked at 15 months for us while this this has been planned for 22 months. The MedHead cruisers have picked up the chatting in the last month or two, but they are nowhere near as gabby as the 10 day cruisers or the Blabbermouths from the Double Scoop cruise. I am really glad that I’ve gotten to “know” some on the DISBoards as it does really make it nice knowing others on the cruise and excursions.
It was actually quite a nice day in the ER. I haven’t worked a Saturday like that in a long time. The staff and I really needed it for what we’ve been through lately. I bet that the evening and night shift pays for it though. We have a saying that when we get an influx of patients that the “bus unloaded”. I kept on waiting all morning for the bus to unload and it never did. Good for me – bad for the next doc.
Lauren and I went to see Surf’s Up. She wanted to see POC3 – but I didn’t want to sit in a theater for 3 hours – and we’ll have the opportunity to see it on the cruise. We were both really glad that we saw Surf’s Up! It was hilarious. Some of the jokes and innuendos were aimed at teens and adults so we really enjoyed that. If you get a chance see it as we recommend it.
My new MacBook Pro made it to Anchorage today – hopefully I’ll get it on Monday so that I can update it and transfer files. I can’t wait. Lauren and I stopped at WalMart after the movie and did some last minute shopping. We bought some small fans to take with us and I picked up a new case for my 80gig iPod. We also took both gallons of Tradewind Ice Tea that they had. Seems like WalMart is the only place in town that has it in the gallon size and we go through a ton of it. Yes I know we can make our own – but there never seems to be any made when we want it, oh well.
Jun
8
Today was a very busy day at work. I arrived to find the hospital quite hot. The AC died yesterday, and they had to truck a new temporary chiller in. The Chiller is now parked in my ER ambulance parking lot. Maybe that will keep a few of the ambulances away—- doubtful…
I managed to get started on packing – picked out the main clothes I want to take and at least lay them on the bed. I think we’ve gotten fairly good about not overpacking – we still do a little – but it’s not nearly as bad as it was on our first cruise.
One of our neighbors died Thursday after a long and valiant fight with cancer. Frances and I were disappointed that we were both working during the funeral and couldn’t go. Lauren surprised us and asked if she could go with one of the neighbors. I was really proud of her for doing that.
They are showing the house on Saturday. Hopefully they will be interested. It would be a great way to start the vacation having a contract on the house. We’ll see. Spent most of the evening cleaning up – and trying to recover from work.
Jun
7
Traveled to Wheeling and Weirton today. I met with the head IT guy at my new hospital. I’m much less concerned about the transition to an Emergency Department Information System now. This guy seems like he really has a handle on things. I can’t wait to work with him.
I really don’t know how we are going to get everything done – at least Frances has a 1/2 day on Wednesday. Maybe she can pack then before we head to Pittsburgh…. 😛
Jun
6
Well, we’re down to 10 days now. I really have way too much to do and not nearly enough time. I decided to not go to Wheeling/Weirton tonight. I was just too tired after work. I’ll get up early and drive in the morning. I have an 11 am meeting and a 1 pm meeting – then I can run up to Weirton to check on my mom’s house.
Lauren is at a dance tonight. It’s her last dance of the year – and the last one for here in Charleston. She’s handled the prospect of the move fairly well. I think it will hit her tonight, though.
She just came home and said she had a blast. No major tears.
Jun
5
OK, I guess my titles are getting boring, but the excitement and panic is really starting to set in. Way too much to do and so little time to do it in. I’m back at work again today and tomorrow, then I’m heading to Weirton to check on my mom’s house. I’ll spend the night and then go to meetings in Wheeling at my new hospital. Hopefully everything will be ok at both places.
I ordered a new Apple MacBook Pro today (I had to use up the last of my expense account before I switched jobs). My current laptop is over 3 years old and it was time for a new one. I was waiting for them to release the newest update and they did early in the morning. I ordered it and hope that it will get here before the cruise. I’m a huge Apple fan and have been using Macs since 1984. I can’t wait to get it and play with it, of course, that will just add something else onto my already busy schedule.
It seems like things are falling into place over on the DISboards with everybody on the thread getting last minute details accomplished. Most everybody has received their documents.
Jun
4
Well, we’re now down to 12 days before we set sail on the Magic. I am really starting to get nervous about how we’re going to get everything done. I sympathize with those on the DISboards who haven’t received their documents yet. At least we don’t have to wait on passports as we’ve had them for a couple of years now.
Another work day on Tuesday. It wasn’t bad for a Monday today. Hopefully we won’t pay for it on Tuesday. Did have some interesting cases, but the patients with minor pain complaints wanting narcotics are sucking the life out of me.
Jun
3
13 days until our journey on the Magic begins. So much to do and so little time. Trying to take it one day at a time. I’ve started laying aside the clothes that I’ll be taking and trying not to wear any that I want to take. I even made a list of what we need. I figure that we’ll end up with 6 suitcases and our carryons. Lauren and Frances both will be taking lots of shoes, not sure that I need that many. I’ll take the electronics!
It was busy today at work and it will probably be busier on Monday. Monday’s are terrible days in the ER. Everybody waits until they can call their doctor on Monday and then are sent to the ER because their doctor is booked. No beds in the hospital when I left work and probably none tomorrow. Makes it impossible to get admitted patients out of the ER. Welcome to the world of ER boarding.
Jun
2
2 weeks from today we’ll be boarding the Magic in Barcelona. We can’t wait. I worked today and I work every day, except this Thursday, until we leave for Pittsburgh on the 13th. It’s going to be a very busy time between now and the cruise. Frances is also working every day until we leave, but Lauren only has 3 half days of school this week, guess she’ll have to to do the packing once she’s done on Wednesday.
I downloaded the video podcasts that DCL put on iTunes. They are really well done and have loads of information. They did a couple for the teens that I downloaded for Lauren. Lauren started IM’ing some of the other 11/12 yr old girls. I think it’s going to be an interesting cruise with all of them. Most of them are also dancers so maybe we’ll get a show.
I managed to get the AC fixed yesterday. Luckily it was only a bad capacitor, not the compressor. I guess we’re spoiled by the AC, as this house wasn’t made for open windows. The airflow was terrible, and I sweated to death all day. We did have AC in our bedrooms as they are serviced by a heat pump. I went upstairs and did some cleaning in the closet since it was cooler. We’d be happier if we could just get more people to look at the house. Hopefully somebody will buy it while we are on the cruise. I’m planning to take my portable document scanner with me so that I can sign and send any documents by email.
Jun
1
The air conditioning died yesterday here at our house. Just something else I need to deal with. I was going to go to Wheeling today but I had to change the plans as I needed to make sure that this was repaired. Hard to sell a house without AC. I spent most of the day working on paperwork and doing some cleaning. I did spend an hour trying to get WordPress to accept email blog entries. After much research, I was able to get it working and it even will accept pictures from my Blackberry Pearl. This will allow me to post both text and pictures on the run while we are in the Med.
We did receive our cruise documents today. I can’t believe that in 2 weeks we’ll be in Barcelona getting ready to depart on the Magic.
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