Thursday, July 10, 2008

Ehem or 2 stories about my observation skills

First story:

My current assignment is in a 540 bed facility which means I get to work with many coworkers of various disciplines. On the days when I'm lucky and I get to stay after the chance of shift I have the honor to work with many more peoples whose names and particulars I try to remember, just to be polite.

One of the people from the evening shift is nurse Dorothy. She's a sweet young large woman who's usually polite and helpful. And I had no problems remembering her name it is also the name of Elmo's fish. But, I digress...

On Monday, I lingered til the evening shift took over ( which since the change in my babysitting guard occured has been happening more often than not) and there I was again sitting at a nurse's station together with Dorothy. On the left of the station was one of slightly annoying chatty recreation workers ( who deserves an entry of her own). This time she was doing her 1:1 with one of the residents and chatting with Dorothy. She asked Dorothy some question to which she replied something like 'september", ' very soon'. To brighten up the end of my working day I decided to join the conversation ( though joining in usually means completing my work in 1.3-1.5 usual time and it cramps my style). So I asked Dorothy to repeat what's going to happen in September. She just said "my baby" and for the second time in a month I felt that I could've been knocked down with an 'F'.

I looked at Dorothy with eyes so wide she started laughing. She said sweetly that she knew she's a big girl but she thought that her situation was apparent by now and proceeded to comfort me by saying that her brothers only found out the day before and only because her sister told them.
And while I congratulated her and apologized for my delayed response the blessed rec worker continued with her preachy voice to say something about 'the baby'. AGGGGGR. But then again, she askes me about my babies, too so I have to take the bad with the good.

And as I left the station I glanced at Dorothy again and darn it ( though she WAS sitting), she just looked her usual chubby self.

Second story:
Yesterday early in the AM, as I was on my way to work I got a text from one of my lost friends that she had a baby girl. I was delighted on many levels and exchanged texts with her for an hour or so. Btw, this is her 3rd girl, b'H.

Another one of my friends had his 3rd boy last week. Naturally, while I was sitting in the morning report (where people take themselves so seriously it's hard to stay awake), I decided to text the 3rd boy friend and inform him of the recent good news (these 2 know/knew of each other). And the easiest way to do it was to reply to one of his text with "so and so just had her 3rd girl'.

Naturally I was taken aback when the new again mom sent me a message saying that she is in a girl business. It took a few seconds to realize to whose text I replied with the good news and thank Gd that my text was short, sweet, and to the point.

WHERE DID MY OBSERVATION SKILLS GO? Should I hope they will return or should I start getting used to the new me!?

1 comment:

Barb Chansky said...

Only after all the kids leave the nest and you can get some decent sleep at night:)