Wednesday, April 09, 2008

I Feel Worser (but my mood is gooder)

Sorry about the downer post. Pain can really affect your psyche. I'm still in pain. It seems my kidney stone is quite fond of my body and doesn't want to leave. I am still working though because I had another doctor's appointment yesterday for another health issue that will eventually require surgery. So, I have to save up time for that. Which means I have to work in pain right now.

Right now it feels like someone is taking both of their fists and pushing on my lower back like they are trying to push right through me. Still I'm not feeling as gloomy as I did the other day.

In the midst of all my health problems I am looking at changing jobs. I'm a little burned out at my current job. I like it OK because I love being a public health nurse. But, an opportunity presented itself and I'm a little psyched about it.

If I get the job and take it I will be a school nurse. There are a few positions open but I really want the elementary school position.

I can really think of only one negative: the pay is a little less. It's not "we're going to have to live in a paper box" less. More like "we're going to have to all go on diets" less.

But, it has way better insurance and you all know how important that is. Riley is already on good insurance. He's on Michael's. He's a teacher so he has the same insurance I will have if I take the job. But, considering all the health problems I've been having lately it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to have good insurance too.

It also has better hours. Well, not hours but days. The hours at my current job are Monday- Friday 8 AM - 5 PM. That's not bad, especially for a nurse. But, I am also on call 10 days out of the month. I wear a beeper and if a patient calls I have to go see them. The school nurse job would be Monday-Friday from 7:45 AM-3:30 PM. There would not be any call and I'd have holidays off. Also, I cannot overlook the fact that I would have summers off.

I know some of you have mixed feelings about your school nurse. I think being the mother of a child with D will make me more empathetic with these parents. Also, I understand that the parent is the authority not the nurse or even the doctor for that matter sometimes.

Also, my current job is a state job, so if I take the school nurse position I don't lose any of the years I have put in at my current job (almost 10).

Anyway, just a lot swirling around in my head.

On the diabetes front it's pretty much the same old same old. Riley's numbers haven't been all that bad lately, but they haven't been all that good either. Yesterday he was 94 at supper. Yesterday was Michael's birthday (Happy birthday!!!) and we had peach cobbler and ice cream for dessert. Riley ate supper and dessert and got the required amount of insulin. 30 minutes later he said his sugar felt low. It was 56 and he still had pretty much all of the insulin on board from supper. I panicked a bit. I gave him juice and let him eat some more ice cream. I suspended his pump for about 30 minutes. Then at bedtime he was 365. A day in the life.

I don't want to be as somber as I was in my last post so I'll end this with what I will call a Rileyism.

Yesterday I was lying on the couch with the heating pad on my back. Riley was sitting at the end of the couch talking to Michael. He said something "made me feel badder".

"Badder is not a word, Riley", I said.

"Well, it made me feel worser then."

I just smiled. I wouldn't trade my kid for anything in the world.

5 comments:

Shannon said...

The school nurse position sounds like a great opportunity. The pros sound like they outweigh the difference in pay.

I love how Riley "corrected" himself. That was funny.

Lynnea said...

Oh, I hope your pain goes away or "passes" soon!! I'll be praying for that.

The school nurse job sounds ideal!! Will it be at Riley's school? That would be even more ideal....or should I say idealer?

meanderings said...

You'd be a super duper school nurse! You've survived teenagerhood AND you have a young one. You have a child that requires diligence in his care and so you'd be excellent with parents of other children who need TLC and expertise.
Hope the pain is gone very soon!

Jillian said...

I think you would make an excellent school nurse. You obviously have the patience and ability to care for a little one who requires a good amount of medical attention. I think you'd be more understanding of parents' wishes for their children's treatment because of your experience with Riley. Go for it!

I hope the kidney stone makes it's way out very very soon!

Donna said...

I think you would make a great school nurse. I hope things work out the way you want them.

Riley is so cute & the bestest at grammar I have ever heard.