Thursday, November 29, 2007

Professionalism = 0

At work on Wednesday we had reached a fairly boring part of an operation and things were going smoothly. I had noted that the sharps bin lid had come adrift and was hanging open. It looked uncommonly like a monster with a big gaping maw. With a roll of tape and my trusty permanent marker I made some eyes and was in the process of embellishing the edges of the bin with some pointy teeth when my boss came back into the room waving a piece of paper. "Hey Jen, did you know I was meant to be assessing you today?"

Hmmm, I can see it now: failed FANZCA for decorating work environment with monsters.

on the move

and this morning he's already twice as fast...

Saturday, November 24, 2007

I've been busy

It's been a hectic last few weeks.

Firstly I did a week of night shift which was quite memorable for the cases we did, and also the fact that during the day I actually got more sleep than I ever do on nights! Unfortunately, being the only anaesthetist on in a hospital with a busy emergency department and a delivery suite that never sleeps meant that I didn't get much time to pump (I'm sorry, let's not fix that hole in your aorta just yet, I need to go express) and this had two consequences: first, we bought a can of formula and Patrick had some supplemental feeds from that; second, all my pregnancy hair has fallen out (ok, at nine months I shouldn't be too disappointed).

This week came on top of another three days of work so I did about 88 hours for that fortnight. And the fortnight just gone I worked about 60. So much for part-time! I have spoken to our roster co-ordinator and said that I didn't think this is what I had agreed to . We're a few registrars down, so there are a lot of holes in the roster that need to be filled, and I just am the medical equivalent of spak-filla. She's compromised, though, and next week I only have to work monday and tuesday mornings, as well as all day wednesday, but not wednesday evening as originally posted.

In addition I have been busy at home- we were running low on pants that fitted Patrick, so I thought I'd take some inspiration from etsy... and, it has to be said, MermaidGrrrl,
and made some funky trousers. They're actually really, really easy and take about an hour each: ie you can whip some up whilst the offspring is asleep...
I also made a onesie out of the 'guitars' fabric. He's wearing it right now...

This is the royal blue spotty trousers in action: quite the groover.
"heya ladies... wanna sit on my couch..."

I also made a skirt for myself. It's a crap photo, but it's shiny red under black and two appliqued dragonflies. That wasn't too hard, but it took well over a week to finish with interruptions.

Finally, last weekend we went down to Sydney to visit the aquarium at darling harbour. Patrick had a ball: we were there for a little over three hours and he was rapt from start to finish and crashed almost as soon as we walked out. It was expensive, but I can thoroughly recommend it as a great day out with a baby (not just the sydney one, obviously. I'm pretty sure any aquarium of size will do as long as it's not piss weak).

Finally, we have a termite invasion in the laundry. They've probably been attracted by the leaking laundry sink pipe- another thing to fix... grrr...

Thursday, November 15, 2007

More photos

Taken today- bath after a massive poo (that contained legible text- god knows what important bit of paper he ate) that got all over him and me (share the love, Patrick...)

and monday
How considerate- my new anaesthetic machine has a handy port for recharging my iPod. Very thoughtful of them.

Finally, this is a photo taken today

and 35 years ago.
Is there an eerie resemblance or is that just me?

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Finally

I had one of those epiphany moments yesterday.

I had a 'non-clinical' day yesterday. That basically is a day where we have no patient load, but may be called on if there is something to be done in theatre or they need a hand. Officially it's a day for research or study, but for most of us it means a paid day off. The first time I had one I diligently turned up at 0800, in scrubs, perky and ready to help. The duty director looked at me oddly and said levelly "Jen, go home. Everyone else does. Just. Go. Home" so I haven't let my catholic guilt get in the way since. I spent my day doing domestic tasks- washing, cleaning (I dropped a bottle of soy sauce on my kitchen floor- messy), cooking (a fine range of baby food- patrick loves my red lentil, tomato and carrot mush) and shopping as well as pumping every two hours and a little bit of sewing.

So I was feeling a little weary when I picked up Patrick from daycare. He was happily playing with his toys in the car seat so I thought I'd leave him there whilst I took the washing off the line. As usual, I was conscious of the fact that he might tire of that at any minute and start howling like a wee banshee. It occurred to me that pretty much any minute of the day that I am with Patrick I live in fear of the fact that he may start howling at any moment, and the fact stresses me no end.

And then it hit me: that's a really dumb way to live. No wonder I find motherhood so tiring. I should just -shock, horror- enjoy the fact that he is happy, burbling away to himself, with the occasional squeal of delight thrown in. And, yes, he will start telling me that he's had enough of the happy lion and his handsqeaker, but that's ok. I'll deal with it when it happens.

Simple, eh. [Again- I have so many brains, so few clues.] And, yes, as I folded up the last bath towel, he started to get cranky. So I picked him up and put him in the basket on top of the washing and carried him inside- he thought that was hilarious. I gave him some of his red lentil mush and he loved it. And then he had had enough and got a bit cranky. So I took him out of the high chair and tickled him. He snorted and snuffled and giggled 'til he was fit to burst.

It's one of those 'glass half full' things. I'm very, very much a 'half empty' person -[wtf? Triple J has just had Radiohead followed by Placebo followed by Muse- what's next? Damn My Chemical Romance? I'm supposed to be feeling better here now!]- sorry, what was I saying...
... yes, glass-half-empty-and-isn't-it-a-shame-we-will-never-be-able-to-find-that-same -vintage-again-oh-my-god-its-so-sad-this-experience-is-nearly-over kind of person. So it is hard to try and re-shape my thinking around the other way. That is, my baby is a happy person interspersed with moments of crying rather than my baby is always on the verge of tears interspersed with happy bits. I suppose that is what CBT is all about.

Which reminds me- it's been six months since I started on the Sertraline. I am going to the doctor this afternoon to see if she thinks I can come off it or if I need longer.

On a different note, I got these fabrics off etsy and they are on the line drying so I can start making some cool stuff for Patrick...

In completely unrelated (ie nothing to do with Patrick)news we have a case of termites in the laundry and kitchen. At best they will just decide to go elsewhere (very unlikely) and at worst we will have to cut down all the trees in the backyard, replace our sandstone piers and then lace the place with highly horrible chitin inhibitors (also extremely unlikely. I love our trees and they were one of the reasons we bought this house a year ago) before ripping the kitchen and laundry off and building a new one. Probably somewhere in the middle, but I think I know where our tax returns are going...

And finally, although it is a case of 'Tweedle Dum or Tweedle Dumber' I am so hoping there is going to be a change of government in two weeks' time. So. Hoping. Kevin Rudd may be an 'economic conservative' but at least they will talk about paid maternity leave and kyoto. And there's always Julia. Although I liked her hair longer. I think she looks like Scully from the x-files. But that's just me.

Monday, November 05, 2007

I thought I was efficient before...

How motherhood has changed me. I was always able to multi-task to within an inch of my life, but the efficiency has just cranked up a whole other gear since Patrick was born.

It is about 1115am. Today I have:
-been at work for 8 hours (night shift, if you're thinking what the hey...)
- washed up, boiled and dried all of our bottles, ebm cups and breast pumps
- done two loads of baby washing and hung them out to dry
- started making a flat sheet into a fitted sheet (they only had the flats on sale- 600 thread count- mmmm, luxury)
- been for a 2km swim
- showered
- breakfasted
- pumped about 800mL of breast milk (he's a hungry boy)
- checked my email

That's good work, IMHO!

Now I'm buggered so I'm going to bed.