"The warmer it is, the more snow the atmosphere can hold". That's what the guy on NPR said this morning. The cherry blossoms are blooming in New York...."At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, it hardly seems like the dead of winter. Most cherry blossoms don't bloom until the beginning of spring when the winter chill finally begins to warm up. But there hasn't been a winter chill for most of the season, and for that reason, a cherry blossom tree was in practically full bloom on this the second day of January." (according to wcbstv.com)
NPR also says it's going to discuss "The Politics of Mental Health Care" tomorrow morning (That'd be Monday, January 8th). I'd like to hear that...might get me refocused.
But I'm struck by how the weather can take over experience. When I posted the last "blog", it was just after the first storm. Then there was the second storm...then the third.... On the news last night, the weatherman warned about the possibility of another "big" storm next weekend. Work is providing an unprecedented number of "snow days". I bless them for it. I thank my lucky stars I'm not "essential personnel" any more.
How extrodiarily difficult it must be for those who are having to go to work, or leave it, at midnight...or who are kept in cold hotel rooms on their off time, so they'll be available tomorrow. One weekend is one thing. Two, three...maybe four...maybe more....is another.
I hope you're all finding ways to take care of yourselves. Even though I'm now non-essential, I took up T'ai Chi...figured it couldn't hurt. Even for the non-essential, the snow adds a layer of challenge and uncertainty to ordinary activities. Deciding to go grocery shopping becomes measuring your willingness to launch the car into the uncertain reception of the street you live on, bump your way around and through remarkable snowy caverns, find a parking slot in the piles of snow in the parking lot, then shove your cart fully laden back to the car through inches of slush. All of which requires movement with strength and balance...thus, T'ai Chi!
The instructor was late the first morning...came in through the snowy steets, stamping and swearing..."Hey! I thought this T'ai Chi stuff was meant to increase serentity!" I said. He mumbled and grumbled off to the changing room.
He felt better after class. At least that's what he said.
I left class wondering why I can't automatically know my right from my left. I think I'll put a big X on my right hand before class next week.
Nevertheless, the T'ai Chi class brought to mind the hexagram of "Return" in the I Ching..the one that says,
Merchants and strangers did not go about,
And the ruler
Did not travel through the provinces."
The gist of it is that in the dead of winter, as the earth changes from days getting shorter, to days getting longer, everything should rest. All this snow seems to underline that advice. Everything tends to slow you down. The non-essentials are abandoned. The essentials turn out to be eat and stay warm. So simple. So restful. Unless you're an "essential personnel", of course. Then you're toast.
Humor, surely, is the only helpful response to our snowbound predicament.
....I'm trying to think of a joke....
Well. That's all I can muster this week. Hope somebody out there wants to post an interesting comment or two!! Everybody could use "em!
Good Comments since last post on the most recent three essays.
8 comments:
I stayed at the hotel, and thought it was wonderful. Even though I was working long hours, I had a tv a hot meal, a warm room, a hot tub, and the staff at the hospital, and the hotel were truly wonderful. So not sure why people are complaining.....I thought it went well.
Here comes another bout of snow. How will staffing, rides to and from, sleeping over, go this time. I hear this storm will be colder and less snow. While some folks did get some rest at the hotel, others did not related to problems with heating in their rooms, late night and early morning phone calls, and mandated rides back to the hospital the next morning only to find out they were going to work days instead of evenings. So I can see why it went well if you had heat, but I wonder what your comment would have been, if you had not. A superb effort was made to get folks into work, but there was a glitch getting some back home, during the last storm. And I don't mean just a slow process. Those caught up it it, were questioning how this developed and have since been assured it won't happen again. There are also some people who made no effort to come to the hospital to help, which was offset by those who drove and drove and drove, and those who worked two shifts in a row to provide adequate patient care. So it appears that not everyone has a horror story to tell, and not everyone had a good experience. I must say the effort to staff was a phenomenal one, and the preplanning for the second storm was good. What people will remember, though, is the Thank you, the muffin, the help with digging out a car, done by co-workers and for/with co-workers. Sometimes it's the simplest gesture that shines the brightest.
Sounds like you appreciated the efforts to care for you. It is good to hear that something positive can occur during the hard times.
Does anyone know the names of the staff that worked the long hours?
Does anyone know how many of those stalwart souls had this opportunity?
Does anyone know who we all should be thanking for providing the caring?
Does anyone know if this was mentioned in the forum?
Does anyone know...?
Can you see it?
To the last blog poster, I know some of the answers to your questions. Just from being there those nights and days.
1. Names of all the people that show up and worked?
I don't know all names, besides I would miss someone. But I must say there was a new level set. We were co-workers caring for each other. People were talking, actually smiling as they passed in the halls and telling stories of their heroic efforts.
2. Does anyone know how many of those stalwart souls had this opportunity?
No idea of the numbers.
3. Does anyone know who we all should be thanking for providing the caring?
From what I saw and heard it was management. They stepped up to the day. They may not be able to control all the things like pay, staffing and political problems, but hats off, they stepped up to take on the storm. All departments had hero’s large and small. Those nights and days friends were made. People put aside differences to take on the challenge of what needed to be done. I want to think of it as a seed planted in the winter snow of good things to come.
4. Does anyone know if this was mentioned in the forum?
No idea, I'm don't get to go to the forms.
All I can say is thanks for the co-workers that made the cold outside change to warmth and caring inside.
The adds are in Sunday's paper for the new hospital. Check it out might be a good place to start the New Year...
Ditto in my thanks to the coworkers who made working during a snow storm crisis a pretty good experience. And yes, some admin types and managers where there too, and that was good to see. But again, I reiterate, my thanks goes to my coworkers because they were by my side helping me with the patients.
What date were the ads for the new hospital posted? I've been watching and must have missed it. Just curious. Anybody know the name of the hospital or what company running it? Just keeping my options open.
Adds for the new hospital were in the Sunday's paper on the 14th...
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