Me, Lacking Grace Tonight

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So, I am headed home to the midwest for a week to close on a cottage near my parents with my twin sister. We are going to "gut" the inside this week, knock out a wall and get everything going for a new kitchen and bathroom.

Fun!! 

We'll get to the outside later in the summer, when it's perfect painting and landscaping weather!

In order to get home, I have to drive 4 hours to the nearest airport. After living only a few minutes from the airport in the last "Tre House," I am pretty spoiled. 

...(Yes, my name is pronounced "tree.")

Then, after the long drive, a 5-6 hour flight will get me to the city 2 hours from my parents' farm.

Deep sigh. One of the drawbacks of being this far away.

None of my assignments have been this far from an airport. I've never done park and fly as a traveler, so I thought I would get in early, rest and be up and fresh for the 8am flight. Great idea, right?

It didn't go as planned. I left work a half hour late after a patient's son showed up to talk minutes before I was scheduled to leave. I got a phone call once I walked in the door to pull my bags out to the car. I had loaded some books in both bags so I don't have to move them in 2 months when my assignment changes.

I had forgotten to get cash and gas....blah, blah, blah....all reasons why I left the coast late!

I really did quite okay until I got past my usual turn from I-80 to head north on Hwy 113 for the Sacramento airport. But I wasn't going to the airport tonight! I was headed to a hotel...

the road bifurcated. Damn it! They both said I-80....and I took the one on the left.

Wrong!

It was 8:30, pitch black, and for those of you who aren't in California, the state has cut its use of lighting along highways and roads. Suffice to say that the barrage of foul language spurting from my loose lips would have shocked my mother!

It was not graceful at all, especially during the conversation with the desk clerk at the Hilton Garden Inn....who did not know how to direct me in from where I was sitting on the side of the other I-80....

I was p.o.'ed. For no other reason than that I had been up way earlier than my normal day, had pushed hard all day, had just sat for over 4 hours and was not tucked in relaxing.

So be it. I didn't handle it well. The great thing about tonight is that it's the ending to the day. And tomorrow is another chance.

I resolve to be a little more graceful...

Carry on!!

Thank You, You Tube

The Importance of Sleep!

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I went back to work today utterly exhausted. I had great rest all weekend, and last night, it all fell to pieces.

I went into work with a sore neck and a bad attitude.

I have to be honest! It happens once in a blue moon.

How often I go to work in a bad mood

In fact, by early afternoon, I felt so sleep deprived that I headed 4 blocks west to my little studio, and I fell deeply asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. I woke up snoring 45 minutes later, (which I only do if I am exhausted!) and on the hour mark, I had clocked back in to work.

I've never done this in 16 years of being a therapist!

You now what?  I finished the day with more energy, a brighter affect and better attitude than ever!

According to soundsleep.org, the body needs sleep:

• for healthy cell growth and for cell and tissue repair.
• to enable the immune system to function effectively.
• to enable the brain to encode and store recently received information. REM sleep activates the parts of the brain that deal with learning, and
• to allow neurons to regenerate and repair during sleep so that our bodies can continue to function as effectively as possible both physically and mentally.

According to wikipedia, sleep deprivation can cause a laundry list of general problems:

• aching muscles
• confusion, memory lapses or loss
• depression
• hallucinations
• hand tremors
• headaches
• malaise
• sensitivity to cold
• bloodshot eyes
• periorbital puffiness, commonly known as "bags under eyes" or eye bags
• increased blood pressure
• increased stress hormone levels
• increased risk of diabetes
• increased risk of fibromyalgia
• irritability
• nystagmus (rapid involuntary rhythmic eye movement)
• obesity
• temper tantrums in children
• yawning
• symptoms similar to:
  • Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)
  • Psychosis

That's not even going over the effects of brain and cognitive function, the effects on the healing process, and impairment of ability and other processes!
<sup>Crazy, huh?

I knew I was not being patient, encouraging and positive today. I had to stop it in midstream. The only way I knew was to get some rest.

I'm glad I did!

It also made me think about what my patients tell me when they say,</sup>

^{"I had a terrible night sleep!}

^{I don't think I can work right now."}

^{After last night, I'm much more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt!!}

Yogi Tea's Advice of the Day

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I had intended to work today; my body instead imposed a sick day.

Really! I did a lot of one particular ADL (activity of daily living) this week with my patients....ask any OT, and they will tell you that "toileting" is the least favorite part of their job!

So, guess what problem I may be having? Suffice to say, during this first week of winter season, that I am having symptoms of the flu...

To aid in the calming of my nausea and other less than delightful symptom, I reach for my Yogi Tea.

Thought it very fitting today to see this on the tab:

I assume that Yogi Tea may have been referring to the practice of meditation here, but I was thinking about something else...

Last night, I had read a post on a website for travel healthcare professionals that a particular traveler was having a difficult assignment. She was working in a facility with a lot of dementia patients. Like me. She felt as if she could not make it through the 13 weeks there.

When I read the tab, I thought about her, "Yes, you can  -  you can do it! Just follow these directions...."

Actually, I think if we follow these directions for everything in life, we'll be quite okay.

Don't you?