Well, 3 weeks have come and gone, and rather quickly if I don't say so myself! There were some trying times at the beginning, but I muddled through and made the best of everything.
Improvise, Adapt and Overcome!
Today was my last day here at Cat Lake, and its a bittersweet goodbye especially after meeting a couple of really nice folks. The BBQ yesterday that we had with the local police gave us time to sit and talk with people that were "normal". It was nice!
Today, my fellow nurse and I decided to have a Sunday afternoon drive, and take some pictures so to show all you lovely folks back home really what life up here is like.
Imagine driving up north, on washboard roads at 50km/hr in an F150 lol. It was fun, and since there are no other cars driving around, we decided to have some fun.
Our first stop took us to the Cat Lake Airport, not very exciting, nor secure lol. A couple of quick snapshots and off we went. We travelled down roads we had no idea where they lead to.. one lead us to the dump (and there were no bears! boo!!) while the other lead us to a pair of reservoir ponds which I have no idea why they are there or what their purpose is. We drove down every road we could think of... or that we could find.
Back in town, we toured Main Street and took pictures of the grafitti all over the place. You see, some people here aren't that friendly, and they especially don't like the police. Check the Facebook pictures and you will see what I mean. We visited our constable buddy who was working and had some pictures of Aris taken in the cell, as well as his own lovely mug shot captured by yours truely.
After catching just a small glimpse of what this town is about it was time to head back home. Luckily I am already packed and looking forward to being home tomorrow night. Sadly it takes about 12hrs to get there, but I am looking forward to seeing everyone once I get there, and sleeping back in my own bed.
This has been a truely remarkable and rewarding experiance and I am glad now that I decided to do it. (The pay aint bad either!) I love the north so much, it is so peaceful and quiet. Ahh..
Tomorrow its back to big ole Toronto... and maybe some midgets who knows...
But at the end of today I can say that I won't look back poorly on this experience... and welcome the next time I get the opportunity.
See you all back at home!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Enter Gomer -- Stage Right
Well, I'm sure by now you are all wondering why on earth I haven't been keeping up with this stupid thing, and really it is just not to bore you all with stupid little details. Really, nothing has been happening up here except your usual shyte...and its kinda boring to write about.. until today.
Today was immunization day, and you all know how finiky I am around children, let alone stabbing them with some sharp object just to make them scream bloody murder. GRR. So, that's how I spent my day. Seemingly happy children come in, I stab them, make them cry and wonder at the end of the day why on earth I would have a headache (not that its different, I've had one for 2 days now).
So the day slowed down around 330 pm and luckily tonight I am only 2nd on call, which is OK with me! LOL! I'd rather enjoy a night of tv and fresh baked cookies (that's right, I made it to the Northern Store again tonight!)
However, at 4pm someone called the station, and that's fine, I'd rather see patients than sit here with my finger you know where. Turns out its a pediatric psych... and it gets pawned off on me. FINE. Do the job. And I did my job... to the point that I know I could sleep tonight. That's how someone once told me to practice nursing... Practice so you can sleep at night.
5-0 was involved in this one too, and no matter what, when they walk into a room you can be so far into a trusting relationship and they blow it all to hell. Let me remind you once again, they are all new grads from police college and tout around their 'holier than thou' attitude. There is one thing that separates the boys up here from the boys down there. The boys up here wear track pants, t-shirts, and a police jacket. There are no uniforms, minus the jacket they wear and the truck they drive. There is no sidearm, no handcuffs... no nothing., so I wonder how a community that can be so backwards can have any justice whatsoever.
Knowing the 5-0 back home, means that up here I don't have to fall over them, fawn over them, or really care what on earth they have to say. All I know is they piss me off when they interefere with my dealings in a patient. All said and done, the patient is released... there is no 72 hr up here. There really isn't that situation that you can watch them and make sure they are ok. Unfortunately, suicide is a high risk up here...all I can do is make sure at that time, and that place, that whoever has the supports in place that they require at that time. There is nothing else I can do.
So once she is gone, and 5-0 is still in the hallway canoodling with the other nurses I venture out of my hole. Ugh... please don't make me have to try and laugh at your stories, smile at your stupid remarks Gomer. UGH! I stay for about 5min of polite conversation which revolves around sexual orientation, and what one does behind closed doors. *vomit* That's it...I'm going home.. we'll leave junior and Gomer out there to talk to the other nurses that stay behind to wag their tongues at.
It's days like today, that a beer and some NORMAL conversation would be nice... but ain't gonna happen.
I won't enlighten you as to the ending comment that was darted at me as I left...
I hope I can still sleep...
4 days and I'm goin home...
Today was immunization day, and you all know how finiky I am around children, let alone stabbing them with some sharp object just to make them scream bloody murder. GRR. So, that's how I spent my day. Seemingly happy children come in, I stab them, make them cry and wonder at the end of the day why on earth I would have a headache (not that its different, I've had one for 2 days now).
So the day slowed down around 330 pm and luckily tonight I am only 2nd on call, which is OK with me! LOL! I'd rather enjoy a night of tv and fresh baked cookies (that's right, I made it to the Northern Store again tonight!)
However, at 4pm someone called the station, and that's fine, I'd rather see patients than sit here with my finger you know where. Turns out its a pediatric psych... and it gets pawned off on me. FINE. Do the job. And I did my job... to the point that I know I could sleep tonight. That's how someone once told me to practice nursing... Practice so you can sleep at night.
5-0 was involved in this one too, and no matter what, when they walk into a room you can be so far into a trusting relationship and they blow it all to hell. Let me remind you once again, they are all new grads from police college and tout around their 'holier than thou' attitude. There is one thing that separates the boys up here from the boys down there. The boys up here wear track pants, t-shirts, and a police jacket. There are no uniforms, minus the jacket they wear and the truck they drive. There is no sidearm, no handcuffs... no nothing., so I wonder how a community that can be so backwards can have any justice whatsoever.
Knowing the 5-0 back home, means that up here I don't have to fall over them, fawn over them, or really care what on earth they have to say. All I know is they piss me off when they interefere with my dealings in a patient. All said and done, the patient is released... there is no 72 hr up here. There really isn't that situation that you can watch them and make sure they are ok. Unfortunately, suicide is a high risk up here...all I can do is make sure at that time, and that place, that whoever has the supports in place that they require at that time. There is nothing else I can do.
So once she is gone, and 5-0 is still in the hallway canoodling with the other nurses I venture out of my hole. Ugh... please don't make me have to try and laugh at your stories, smile at your stupid remarks Gomer. UGH! I stay for about 5min of polite conversation which revolves around sexual orientation, and what one does behind closed doors. *vomit* That's it...I'm going home.. we'll leave junior and Gomer out there to talk to the other nurses that stay behind to wag their tongues at.
It's days like today, that a beer and some NORMAL conversation would be nice... but ain't gonna happen.
I won't enlighten you as to the ending comment that was darted at me as I left...
I hope I can still sleep...
4 days and I'm goin home...
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Two more prop jobs and 11 more days to go!
Yesterday at 430pm could no come soon enough. I was happy to leave BAN, her frizzy hair and her unibrow scowling at her desk with 4 patients left to be seen. Teach her to leave me all the indepth patients. GRRR... See ya BAN.
A 1/2 drive later and soon I was airborn. The ride was a bit up and down and I chuckled a bit as the girl in front of me squinted her eyes and held her breath everytime we went through turbulance. Im sure thats how I looked the first plane ride here!!
As we landed I noticed squinty girl was wearing scrubs, and turns out she was working up here too... but luckily on her way home. I offered to split a cab, and she was nice enough just to let me tag along. Our hotels were across from each other so it only seemed fair, and besides, have I mentioned I'm on a budget?!!? LOL..
So I checked into the Best Western and offloaded the 50lbs of suitcase. GRRR... and I decided that dinner was in order. And for ONCE NOT KRAFT DINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I meandered across the street for a $50 chicken quesdillias, 10oz ribeye, potatoes, disgusting corn and a coors light. OMG I was in heaven!!! And promptly scarfed down everything... mmmmmmmmmm dead animal.... *drool* See why I needed to save all the money?!?!?!
I had set my alarm on the table, and on my phone... took a shower and went to bed. Ahh sleep... only to be awakened by the alarm and realizing it was still dark outside even though I was getting up at 630am. That doesn't make sense.... so I checked my watch... 5am. WTF. My phone sailed across the room and I sailed right back into bed. 630 came and off I went for my FREE continental breakfast. Ahh bagal and cream cheese.... not exciting. And its funny, just at this moment I realized that I still have the danish I liberated in my coat. Mmmm... danish.
5 min later....
So, I boarded another plane...and off into the sky I went again. This time a bigger plane...2 props this time. Still only 9 seats.... ugh. And then I landed at the "airport"... basically a runway with a shack on the side. And once again, just like the first time... "hey follow me and get in the truck" Ok, I'll bite... lets get in the truck... with the guy with 4 teeth. But its only 2min to the clinic and there I am... I am greeted by 2 nurses who are nice already. I get the 5c tour and its time to work.... its officially 0930 lol. Luckily I can start since I've just finished a week and I'm a pro now lol. I ask the charge where the nearest Northern Store is, because I am not living on Kraft Dinner any longer... and she gives me the directions... I will try to go there early next week for food. YAY!
But what to do for today, its lunch time now, and I have pretty much zero. Well, the charge, the wonderful Newfoundlander invites me to her apartment, and makes me some lunch. Thanks MOM! Oh, and she's a vegetarian, so all the meat in her freezer goes to moi! 2lbs of hamburger, bacon, sausage and a couple TV dinners and I am set for a bit. Woohoo. Oh ya, and some Tuna! This is working out wonderfully.
This apartment I am in now is 3 times the size of the last one. Is still 2 bedrooms with a huge living room, kitchen and teeny bathroom. Oh well... I won't have to move this time hopefully.
I have my schedual for the time I am here, and the clinic is closed until Tuesday now. I start on call Saturday at 0800... then remain on call Monday - Friday. Ah well...let the money come in.
So here I sit, finally with a stable internet connection and ethernet cable. Woohoo! Time to sit and relax... then sleep in tomorrow..
A 1/2 drive later and soon I was airborn. The ride was a bit up and down and I chuckled a bit as the girl in front of me squinted her eyes and held her breath everytime we went through turbulance. Im sure thats how I looked the first plane ride here!!
As we landed I noticed squinty girl was wearing scrubs, and turns out she was working up here too... but luckily on her way home. I offered to split a cab, and she was nice enough just to let me tag along. Our hotels were across from each other so it only seemed fair, and besides, have I mentioned I'm on a budget?!!? LOL..
So I checked into the Best Western and offloaded the 50lbs of suitcase. GRRR... and I decided that dinner was in order. And for ONCE NOT KRAFT DINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I meandered across the street for a $50 chicken quesdillias, 10oz ribeye, potatoes, disgusting corn and a coors light. OMG I was in heaven!!! And promptly scarfed down everything... mmmmmmmmmm dead animal.... *drool* See why I needed to save all the money?!?!?!
I had set my alarm on the table, and on my phone... took a shower and went to bed. Ahh sleep... only to be awakened by the alarm and realizing it was still dark outside even though I was getting up at 630am. That doesn't make sense.... so I checked my watch... 5am. WTF. My phone sailed across the room and I sailed right back into bed. 630 came and off I went for my FREE continental breakfast. Ahh bagal and cream cheese.... not exciting. And its funny, just at this moment I realized that I still have the danish I liberated in my coat. Mmmm... danish.
5 min later....
So, I boarded another plane...and off into the sky I went again. This time a bigger plane...2 props this time. Still only 9 seats.... ugh. And then I landed at the "airport"... basically a runway with a shack on the side. And once again, just like the first time... "hey follow me and get in the truck" Ok, I'll bite... lets get in the truck... with the guy with 4 teeth. But its only 2min to the clinic and there I am... I am greeted by 2 nurses who are nice already. I get the 5c tour and its time to work.... its officially 0930 lol. Luckily I can start since I've just finished a week and I'm a pro now lol. I ask the charge where the nearest Northern Store is, because I am not living on Kraft Dinner any longer... and she gives me the directions... I will try to go there early next week for food. YAY!
But what to do for today, its lunch time now, and I have pretty much zero. Well, the charge, the wonderful Newfoundlander invites me to her apartment, and makes me some lunch. Thanks MOM! Oh, and she's a vegetarian, so all the meat in her freezer goes to moi! 2lbs of hamburger, bacon, sausage and a couple TV dinners and I am set for a bit. Woohoo. Oh ya, and some Tuna! This is working out wonderfully.
This apartment I am in now is 3 times the size of the last one. Is still 2 bedrooms with a huge living room, kitchen and teeny bathroom. Oh well... I won't have to move this time hopefully.
I have my schedual for the time I am here, and the clinic is closed until Tuesday now. I start on call Saturday at 0800... then remain on call Monday - Friday. Ah well...let the money come in.
So here I sit, finally with a stable internet connection and ethernet cable. Woohoo! Time to sit and relax... then sleep in tomorrow..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)