Monday, April 15, 2002
THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF GOING BACK TO WORK
Here are the highlights (or lowlights, as the case may be) of my first day back at work after seven weeks off:
1. UCLA's Occupational Health is so thorough in clearing me for return to work that the nurse sits me down, asks if I'm okay, and signs the paperwork to clear me. Oh yeah, and this is after I waited a whole hour just to see the nurse.
2. We have a Sunshine Committee comprised of two people every month that supposed to make a sign, get some food, buy the cards for any special events going on for that month: holidays, birthdays, weddings, babies being born, etc. This month, two guys are in charge so there was nothing for me when I strolled into work. "Umm, I think there are some leftover bagels in the fridge if you want one." was the best I got.
3. Not to be overly sappy here, but the outpouring of love from everyone from fellow PTs to other stuff including nurses, social workers, even janitors was amazing! I have never gotten so many hugs before in one day. But then again, never have I had to answer so many times the same question: "How is your knee?" But it was well worth it.
4. I was feeling a little uncomfortable and out of sync with my first patient. But I fell right into the groove once I went in to see my second patient of the day and she started yelling at me for no reason. Ahh, home sweet home!
5. I get word from one of the Social Workers that I had won an award while I was away and that she would personally deliver my certificate to the department this week. "But you missed a helluva luncheon!" she added. Great, thanks a lot.
6. Everyone kept telling me to take it easy and to not push yourself too hard. And for the majority of the day, I had done just that because I didn't have any extremely difficult patients that would require maximum assistance ... until, of course, my very last patient. She had to go you know what really bad and needed help to transfer to the commode. When I walked in, four nurses were there and couldn't manage to help her. So it was me to the rescue. And I did it ... no sweat. Well, okay, a lot of sweat, but my knee didn't give in and for that, I was VERY thankful.
Here are the highlights (or lowlights, as the case may be) of my first day back at work after seven weeks off:
1. UCLA's Occupational Health is so thorough in clearing me for return to work that the nurse sits me down, asks if I'm okay, and signs the paperwork to clear me. Oh yeah, and this is after I waited a whole hour just to see the nurse.
2. We have a Sunshine Committee comprised of two people every month that supposed to make a sign, get some food, buy the cards for any special events going on for that month: holidays, birthdays, weddings, babies being born, etc. This month, two guys are in charge so there was nothing for me when I strolled into work. "Umm, I think there are some leftover bagels in the fridge if you want one." was the best I got.
3. Not to be overly sappy here, but the outpouring of love from everyone from fellow PTs to other stuff including nurses, social workers, even janitors was amazing! I have never gotten so many hugs before in one day. But then again, never have I had to answer so many times the same question: "How is your knee?" But it was well worth it.
4. I was feeling a little uncomfortable and out of sync with my first patient. But I fell right into the groove once I went in to see my second patient of the day and she started yelling at me for no reason. Ahh, home sweet home!
5. I get word from one of the Social Workers that I had won an award while I was away and that she would personally deliver my certificate to the department this week. "But you missed a helluva luncheon!" she added. Great, thanks a lot.
6. Everyone kept telling me to take it easy and to not push yourself too hard. And for the majority of the day, I had done just that because I didn't have any extremely difficult patients that would require maximum assistance ... until, of course, my very last patient. She had to go you know what really bad and needed help to transfer to the commode. When I walked in, four nurses were there and couldn't manage to help her. So it was me to the rescue. And I did it ... no sweat. Well, okay, a lot of sweat, but my knee didn't give in and for that, I was VERY thankful.
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