Got a new job that I love!!! :-)

[hdb1982]

I think I posted back in October that I started working for a home health agency as a nurses assistant. I assisted the elderly in their daily living tasks in an effort to keep them in the home versus a nursing facility. While I loved the clients there were a few down sides. My schedule was constantly changing. Midnights, mid days etc. With a kid it was very frustrating. I would have 52 hours one week and 8 the next. Secondly, they didn't pay mileage. That wasn't a big deal when I worked in town but a majority of clients were 20+ miles away. Third, the pay sucked. So, whilst still working with them I started looking for other work. I called about an ad in the paper for the same type of work except it was private duty, meaning I had the same clients. It is a 77 year old female and 79+/-? year old male. Nancy is a quad, paralyzed from the neck down, and Ray has Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's onset dementia. They live in a basement apartment beneath their daughters house. Well, I was hired immediately after she spoke to my past client, Mr. Blossers' daughter. I guess they fell in love with me. Plus they liked the amount of medical experience I carry from taking care of Mr. Blosser, those whom have been members a while know of my duties with him. Don't get me wrong. It is a lot of work. Nancy can't even scratch her face if she needs it so it is a very demanding job. But so rewarding. Ray is easy. Just assisting getting up and down, make his lunch and shower assist every other day. With Nancy on the other hand, she requires much more. Tuesday and Friday we do bowel program. Another aide from an agency comes in and assists me those days. Bowel program involves suppositories, digital stimulation and manual removal of impactions. We do her shower those days as well. On a daily basis, I feed her, crush and administer meds, do range of motion exercises, trach care ( she is on a ventilator) including cannula changes, deep suction via the trach to clean the lungs, straight cathing every 4 hours and incontinence care, wound care ( she has been battling a bed sore for 8 months but it is almost healed up) dressing, repositioning and transfer in and out of bed by means of a hoyer lift. I love every bit of it. It feels so good to make such a big difference in someones life. They have someone 24 hours a day.My schedule is pretty much consistent. M-F 9A-5P AND 1 weekend a month 9a-6p. When it is my weekend I have 2 week days off of my choosing. It pays very well. I started on Dec 3 at 10.50 an hour. I will go to 10.80 by Jan then I get a 1.00 raise every year on the anniversary of my start date with no cap.From what the other girls tell me anyway. I am responsible for deducting my state and federal taxes but they deduct the rest. That is no biggie b/c of Adam's business I am used to withholding taxes. It just makes me sad b/c for the first time in my life I found my dream job. I really love it but I have to accept the fact that I won't retire from this specific job as they won't live forever. I know I can find a job doing the same but it is the people I care for that make this job so special to me.

I just wanted to jump on and update everyone as I have been kinda MIA. I have gotten a lot of PM's asking how I am and how work was going so I figured I'd just update everyone as opposed to sending out 20 replies with the same info. When I get home I am spending the evenings with Adam and Katie so I am not online as much as I was.

I hope everyone is doing okay. To those who have PM'ed me: I will get back to each and everyone of you but it will probably be after the holiday as I am super busy. Thank you for checking on me tho, I appreciate it.

Kaitlyn had extensive dental surgery on Friday..She all of a sudden developed an insane phobia of the dentist after going without incident for 2 years. She has periodontal disease as Adam and I do and no matter how well we take care of her teeth she still is getting cavities. The removed her 2 front teeth, she had chipped them when she was like 2 and they were just wearing away -- she looks so darned cute. She aslo had 2 root canals, 4 metal caps and 2 normal surface fillings. This was done at the local hospital in the OR. She was given Versed (sp) prior to going into the OR to calm her, calm isn't the word, girl seemed drunk. Then the normal meds for general sedation. One was Fentanyl and I can't remember the other. She did wonderful. Never cried once, not even when they removed her IV. She didn't get sick from the anesthesia either. We were on our way home 45 minutes after she woke up. I am so proud of her she did so very well!! I was exhausted tho. I worked Thurs 9-5 then got called in to cover for the midnight girl who had fallen at home and worked from 11p-6:30A (couldn't turn down the over time) then had her at the hospital at 7:30am for a 10:30 surgery. I finally went to bed at about 2am Friday night/ Saturday morning. Maybe I'll get to rest next weekend!!!



A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO READ THIS. I GUESS I HAVE MISSED BEING HERE AND HAD A LOT TO SAY!!![/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]


UPDATE*** Well there is some turmoil at work, regarding stolen gift cards. I dunno what will happen yet. All I know is I am completely devestated. I will update again when I know.***

[mlzippy7]

So glad to hear you are doing well and enjoy your job!
It is a great feeling to help people that really need help!
Thanks for the update!!

[VickiB]

Yes, good to hear from you! I've often wondered if it wouldn't be better for the person requiring the care to have the same caregiver day after day too. Anyway, it's great to hear you so up-beat about your new job!

If you don't have the chance to drop back in between now & then, have a wonderful holiday season!

Vicki

[snowgirl]

Glad to here about your new job. Yes I was one that sent you pm about your job and family. The lady patient is total care. This family is blessed and fortunate to find people to come into their home to do this care - especially since she is on a ventilator. Good thing you have the lift. Hope it continues to work out for you. That exta bonus will be nice for Christmas presents

see I told you - you were young and would work again. I got official diagnosed at 25 but had childhood problems. In my 20's and 30's My ic was so much different. I did have urgency , frequency and nocturia but still worked and went out socially and even drank alcohol. I hit 40 of course I was begining to have more pain l just worked and lived with it till I was 45-46.
Now I have the terrible pelvic pain that in my earlier years I did not as bad. I get up so many times at night- I did get up in my earlier years but not like now. It's like the last two year the pain boom it was there just not at night but 24-7. Ijust read an IC article and it said it starts with urgency, frequency, then years later the pain sets in.

I am so glad you must be feeling well with your bladder as this work you are doing is very hard work and hard on your IC. Enjoy your days off and try to stay off your feet when you get a chance- like that every happensl.

Sounds like you will be having a good Christmas this year my friend. You deserve it. Don't overload yourself. Do you still wear your ****** pen?

Merry Christmas. Thanks for the update. I just happened to come across it.

Your friend Vicky

[hdb1982]

Thank you very much for the well wishes Vicky. And, yes I still carry my little ****** pen. LOL. It is very hard work, you are right about that. They said a lot of people are afraid of the vent and having to deep suction the trach. I don't see the point in being afraid. I think it is valuable experience that'll last a lifetime. I hope you have a great 2009 as well. Merry Christmas.

[kuntrygurl78]

Thanks for the good news! It gives all of us, like myself, hope at finding a good job! Being unemployed is no fun! We are all so very proud of you!:smile tee

[Briza]

Heather,
I meant to post when I first saw your post about your new job a few days ago, but oh, it touched close to home for me as I lost a friend this year who had a stroke and was invalid for a year and I spent quite a bit of time helping his wife take care of him. His wife could be a nurse with all the things she learned and the 24 hr care she gave him including all of the things you mentioned that you have to do in your current job. So when I saw your post it was very emotional for me because I can truly empathize with you when I read that you know this is not a job you will "retire" from. ((hugs)) and many prayers for you for doing what you do because I do know that while it is in many ways rewarding, it is physically and mentally exhausting and in the end sad because you obviously already have formed a bond with them. But many blessings to you, because I know there are many people who are not up to this kind of work...and when I first started helping my friend with her husband I doubted if I myself were up to the job! But I did pull through and I feel blessed that my friend loved and trusted me enough to put some of her respsonsibilities in my hands for a few hours each day so she could get some rest, sleep, eat, go for a walk, whatever, so that she did not make herself ill from the 24 hr requirements of caring for her husband.
Merry Christmas! I am happy that you have found a job you find rewarding and are obviously skilled at doing and that you are able to work a more normal schedule than your last job. Take care!

[hdb1982]

Thank you guys. You are all wonderful.:grouphug: It means a lot to me to have your well wishes and words of encouragement. I never thought this would be something I'd 1. enjoy or 2. be good at. Boy was I wrong. When I was taking care of my my past client, everything came so natural to me. Like I had been doing this my entire life. I picked up on everything so fast, always remained calm had quick solutions to problems and a knack for soothing the person. Since that time, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I have some extensive training for someone un certified. I did 18 hours of dialysis training for home dialysis, IV antibiotic administration training, 6 hours of wound care training from Mon General's wound healing center, training on injectible medications like insulin and epiogen(sp). The rehab center taught me how to use different lifts and many methods of lifting and transport. My new job has offered me a lot in way of training as well.I am waiting for their daughter to train me more on the vent, its function, the messages and controls one afternoon and also taught me how to use the amu bag if needed. I have learned how to straight cath someone else, may come in handy one day. I now know how to use a suction cath to suction mucous out of the lungs, change the entire trach and all components, even those that go into the body, the cannula but not the internal tubing. Nancy has shown me how to do different exercises. I have to do bowel program as well.

Sorry, I am sure no one wanted to read all of that. If you did, God bless you for your patience. I didn't mean to ramble but I obviously love my job. I have such a passion for medical anything.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas. "Santa" needs to go get the stockings stuffed, presents under the tree, cookies eaten, muddy footprints on the floor--we have had a rainy few days so no snow here only mud, and hopefully get to bed before she gets up. Nighters

*update** Reading this is breaking my heart b/c of the possibilty of loosing my job over something I din't do and have done everything in my power to correct. Why can't I get a break?

[bjcov]

Let us know how things work out.


Thank you guys. You are all wonderful.:grouphug: It means a lot to me to have your well wishes and words of encouragement. I never thought this would be something I'd 1. enjoy or 2. be good at. Boy was I wrong. When I was taking care of my my past client, everything came so natural to me. Like I had been doing this my entire life. I picked up on everything so fast, always remained calm had quick solutions to problems and a knack for soothing the person. Since that time, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I have some extensive training for someone un certified. I did 18 hours of dialysis training for home dialysis, IV antibiotic administration training, 6 hours of wound care training from Mon General's wound healing center, training on injectible medications like insulin and epiogen(sp). The rehab center taught me how to use different lifts and many methods of lifting and transport. My new job has offered me a lot in way of training as well.I am waiting for their daughter to train me more on the vent, its function, the messages and controls one afternoon and also taught me how to use the amu bag if needed. I have learned how to straight cath someone else, may come in handy one day. I now know how to use a suction cath to suction mucous out of the lungs, change the entire trach and all components, even those that go into the body, the cannula but not the internal tubing. Nancy has shown me how to do different exercises. I have to do bowel program as well.

Sorry, I am sure no one wanted to read all of that. If you did, God bless you for your patience. I didn't mean to ramble but I obviously love my job. I have such a passion for medical anything.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas. "Santa" needs to go get the stockings stuffed, presents under the tree, cookies eaten, muddy footprints on the floor--we have had a rainy few days so no snow here only mud, and hopefully get to bed before she gets up. Nighters

*update** Reading this is breaking my heart b/c of the possibilty of loosing my job over something I din't do and have done everything in my power to correct. Why can't I get a break?