HIPPA didn't stand a chance!

I'm not sure why the ICU was built with "semi-private" rooms. If I'd been asked I would have said 1 patient per, but they neglected to ask my opinion on a lot of things (don't even get me started on the panic-off-switch on the ceiling: pull on the call light cord & your nurse gets to try to push a dime sized button on the 12-ft ceiling above your head with whatever she can find to poke with, it's a "safety feature" until she drops whatever she was poking with on your face). In an age where privacy is a diminishing commodity & laws protect your private information, single-occupant rooms in an ICU seems like it would have been a given.
Luckily, most patients are too sick to pay attention to anyone else's business or polite enough to stop listening to the other side of that curtain. Most patients. And then you get the busybody patient--at least the roommate is stable & gets to go home to escape from busybody's bat-like hearing. But unfortunately not before BB picks up a few tidbits, but it's not so bad that a stranger overheard your first name, right? Except the next unfortunate roommate is deaf as a post, which only aids in BBs search for  entertainment (because, hey, just because you have access to a ludicrously large supply of opioids & hypnotic sedatives doesn't mean you want to be restricted to your own business or the available 60 channels of cable).
At first I felt bad that my required shouting at DPost would wake up BB.  I offered BB both earplugs & headphones which were refused. Shouldn't have concerned myself, BB wasn't sleeping, just lying in wait. Waiting to insure hot my dressing changes, turning, giving meds, shouting through the curtain about your latest "emergency": "there's a clock on the wall, but that time is wrong, it's not 5!" (It was 0507), or "that doctor missed me, you have to call him back! I'm just as important" (it was completely different kind of physician than had anything to do with her case).
Fast-forward to day 2 of BB's stay, well technically 2AM on day 3; I'm taking care of my patient DPost: "ma'am! Ma'am! Excuse me, ma'am!" (This is not a strong way to start with me unless your 20 & in the military).
I abhor yelling through curtains to patients, but there are some activities that can't be interrupted & some voices that can't be ignored. "I'm taking care of another patient right now, do you need something?"
"Ma'am, you're calling that guy the wrong name! His name isn't Fred*! His name is Bill*" BB may have had a point, the previous patient was Bill, but both the new patients' wife & prior nurse had assured me that DPost's name is Fred.
"It's ok, you don't need to worry about the patient over here, I've got it under control"
"It's a good thing I'm worrying! That's not Fred, that's Bill & I'm stopping you from making a mistake"
Given that it was 0200, I did double check DPost's ID band to confirm that yes, this is Fred. "I know what this patient's name is. I appreciate your concern, but--"
"I don't like your attitude! You're being very rude!" Ironically, I had to work very hard from telling her to shut up & mind her own business. Isn't eavesdropping on your neighbor pretty rude? And if you're going to go through the trouble of eavesdropping, how did you not hear all of Bill's discharge instructions? Or the fact that an entirely new patient arrived--I was later told that BB complained that he room was being cleaned too loudly after original recipe left.
At this point I just stopped responding.   Fred obviously is responding to his name, talking back to me,  but BB keeps in carrying on. I wonder if BB overheard the double nurse, ID band check 2 hours later when I had to give DPost a transfusion. But for the first time in 2 days she didn't try to get the last word.

So if you're gonna eavesdrop, at least eavesdrop well & keep your characters straight. And if you're gonna build an ICU, ask the nurses for advice before they start designing nooses out of call-light cords for you.



*names are changed for privacy's sake! Isn't that the whole point?

The comparrison is kinda sad...

For any followers of my sister's or brother-in-law's blogs, this is a sad shaddow of a blog. But I refuse to give it up!! Instead of taking pictures of my awesome food creations (I don't think take-out or macs-&-cheese counts) or brewed concoctions (I'm not going to admit to whatever you think was in the sink) I'll take pictures (when I find my camera again), or at least talk about my accomplishments! Few & small they may be.

Today, I got a library card! I know it seems a little silly & I've been living in Seattle for almost 4 years so it's a little late in coming, but I'm excited about it! I even checked out a book & placed holds on 2! Now when I walk past the library on the way to the bus every day it won't be mocking me & how much money I spent on kindle books! It'll be the reminder to finish reading those darn books & return them so I don't get fined!

Also today, I bought tickets from a scalper! Which I know is technically illegal, but if I could have gotten them without paying an extra $50 I would have & they were just not to be had. But I get to go to Sasquatch, which I have missed out on every year so far & I'm really excited! Some bands I seriously love are playing & I'm going to be there. Also, I talked my friend into saving me a spot at the campgrounds, so I know I have a place to sleep in between days & shows. How awesome is that?!!

In addition, I did some dishes & tidied up the apartment a bit (not enough to seriously brag about, but enough no not cry if company comes crashing in unannounced). & I sorted some laundry to haul to the laundromat so I have enough socks & scivies to get me through the work week! & I finally found my passport (it only took me 2 weeks of freaking out that my identity was stolen!) & now can try to renew it!

I'm going to go read my library book now before I have to give it back.

How bad is that, really?

Somethings will always be funny to me, no matter how bad I feel for laughing. Boris Katinov, my new kitty got neutered today. Needless to say he didn't have a very good day.

He's always been a little weird about his balls (what boy isn't?)--& by that I mean I swear he used to put them on me on purpose: sitting next to me on the couch? he'd back up his butt, will the tail up, of course. Standing next to me? He'd find a way to lean them against me. It always squicked me out a little. But now I can tell you that having fuzzy cat balls pressed against your leg is infinitely less horrifying than having shaved cat balls pressed against your leg.

So, to re-cap Boris' no good, very bad day: shaved balls--check. Testicles removed--check. Locked in the bathroom--ok, well, I tried because he isn't supposed to run or jump or play for 10 days (is this vet's office used to neutering kitty-senior citizens?). But after I found him stuck wedged between the baby-gates he'd climbed & stuck his upper body while howling I decided that attempting to escape the bathroom was a lot more vigorous than just his normal crazy-play-time shenanigans (also, my bathroom door only latches shut if you lean against it from the inside, so it was baby-gates or nothing).

On top of everything else he has to wear a cone on his head so he can't lick his shaved balls or leg (kitty IV site). So he has no peripheral vision & less coordination. Also, he really pissed Richard Parker (the older & bigger kitty) before he left, so she's been stalking him & jumping on him. & not only can he not get away fast, but he can't even see it coming. Add that to the indignity of trying to eat & drink while wearing even the soft cone & I've pretty much not stopped laughing since I brought Boris home from the vet

Am I a Hunter or Gatherer?

I have been searching for a new apartment in earnest for the past few days. I'm not sure whether it's the time of year or the economy or I'm just lucky this time but I've actually found not one, but two apartments that I'm not only willing bit excited to live in. And did I mention that each of these apartments is not only larger than my current apartment, but at least $150 cheaper & in a way better neighborhood. Not just better in that there are far fewer shootings there, but it has a cooler vibe & bars I want to go to & people I want to hang out with! I just hope I get approved for one soon so I can give notice at the old apartment.

The first one I applied for is in a building recently renovated to condos, but *surprise* the market sucks! So the condo association has decided to rent out the last few units until someone can buy them. It has a balcony & great location & a washer/dryer in the apartment. OK, so I admit I made fun of this building, but I was making fun of how ugly it was even after the remodel/renovation & how I would never buy a condo in a building that ugly, & I still wouldn't. But I don't mind renting an apartment in a hideous building, the one I live in now isn't pretty by any means.

The second (& the one I like best) is not is quite as good of a location, it's about 5-10 blocks or so away from everything. But a 5-10 block walk or cab-ride is way better than the 20-40 blocks from my current apartment. It's this gorgeous old building with TONS of windows & arches ceilings & hardwood floors. It's also about $100 cheaper than the 1st apartment. While it doesn't have a washer/dryer in the unit, they are in the building. & I love funny old buildings with they're weirdly shaped closets & funny sloped floors. Not to mention the fact that I'm allowed to paint the apartment whatever color I want. And the manager has "given up" on pet deposits. ooooh, I want, I want, I want!

Definitely a successful hunt!

All that remains now is trying to get rid of all the stuff lying around the old place that I've collected over the years & not yet thrown away... does hoarding count as gathering? Probably only if you hoard useful or valuable things, which is my case is highly debatable. Please, oh please let me get apartment #2!

Over-kill?

Seriously? Swine flu? There is an entire news story about the single death in the US from swine flu on MSNBC. Are you fucking kidding me? You could probably find someone that dies from Ebola, too. Not to mention the 36,000 people that dies from the regular Human Flu every year. Let's all panic! Good gravy! The woman who died didn't even die of the Swine Flu! It's a "Swine flu related death" but is attributed to "chronic underlying health concerns". So someone who has already sick caught a weird version of the flu & died. Sad? Probably. Reason for panic? Nu-uh.

In completely unrelated news, the Metro Police pulled a dude off the 12 yesterday. He was sleeping & riding in loops without paying. They cops were all confused that the dude wouldn't pay his $20-bill for the fair (drivers don't give change, & apparently neither do the police). So they wrote him a ticket, like he's going to pay it & banned him from metro for 2 weeks. Like they can enforce either of those punishments. I know this because the driver gave a play by play to the rest of the bus & wouldn't pull away from the bus stop until all the drama was complete. No wonder the bus is always late. It seemed a little bit over the top that a dude sleeping on a bus merited a county sheriff car, a SPD car & a Metro supervisor to haul him out. He was sleeping, not waving a baseball bat (which has happened on a bus with less consequenses).

Y trumps X. At least in Research & Development

So I understand that there are a fewer number of women hitting the slopes than men. But the amount of technology & availability of quality products is TOTALLY disproportionate. I really don't care about having "cute" bindings. I don't want sparkly pink bindings. I want freaking fastback bindings that #1 fit my boots (& my feet) #2 are quality made & don't fall apart #3 are made by a company that knows a thing or two about snowboarding. I'm sorry for all you suckers out there that bought them, but K2 & Rosingnol think of snowboarding as a secondary market & make shitty snowboarding products.

But why can't companies invest HALF as much energy in developing women's gear as men's. Seriously. Gnu has 4 women's boards, & 7 men's; the women's bindings are smaller versions of the men's that don't take into account size or shape of the body attached to the feet. Burton is marginally better, but still is seriously lacking. Flow bindings totally rock if you're in possession of a y-chromosome. If you only have 2 x's don't hold your breath trying to find a Flow binding that fits your needs. They have 3-shrunken men's sizes & 1 actual women's binding.

Fraidy Cat

I never though I was scared of heights. Sure, I get a couple butterflies in my stomach standing close to a rocky ledge & I get the adrenaline rush standing on a rooftop, but I've never been so scared that I wouldn't climb over the safety rail to have a good view of the fireworks. That was until today.

Today I was watching CSI: NY & had to change the channel because I was getting queasy watching the detectives on the top of the Empire State building. I was watching people on TV & I was scared of how high they were. This never happened with Fear Factor. Why am I so scared now?