Hit the ground running...

So i'm home from the O.C., and it was a really good time! Barbara and i hit up Universal Studios, Knott's Berry Farm, the Walk of Fame, and our personal highlight, Laguna Beach. Barbara has some childhood history there too, which made it all the better. Shopping was super fun, what with our good exchange rate, and shopping with Barbara is simply a blast, regardless of financial backing. Lots of good stories, how about this one for you:

What did Hayley and Barbara's tour of Hollywood get interuppted by?

a) Tom Cruise handing out pamphlets outside the temple of scientology

b) A Peace Protest under the Hollywood sign

or c) a Gay Pride Parade

If you guessed C, you're definitely right. Barbara and i saw these four buff, good looking guys walking down the sidewalk wearing white mini-skirts...and only white mini skirts. WOW.
Anywho, the week flew by, and before i knew it, i was home in soggy Calgary... (symbolically, the sun didn't shine the whole week Barbara and i were gone). The following morning, i reported to the ICU of the Foothills for my first orientation as their casual unit clerk. It's very different from the OR... there's 2 unit clerks at the desk from 7 am to 11pm ideally, to answer phones and call bells. And a printer spits out copious amounts of paperwork, which are actually doctors orders and have to be delivered to each of the 22 bedsides. But it's cool, because each bedside has a computer console. The care is 1:1, and these nurses are intense. i really respect them already, they're super nice, and handle stress REALLY well. But all the patients are typically really sick, if they start getting better, they're shipped out to a different unit, like one i'd work on as a student nurse. I see the saddest, most scared families in the hospital.

But anyways, by noon on my first day i was answering the phones, where 75% of the battle is remembering to answer "ICU, Hayley speaking" and not "Operating Room, this is Hayley"... its intense, lemme tell you. But i really like it so far, "thrilling" is how i describe it to people who ask. I'll still be in the O.R., i'm basically on call to either unit, but as booked shifts go, i'm working very close to full time, which is exciting! I'll be working some night shifts too, most of my shifts are 12 hours, 7-7... yeah, h-core.

Maintaining the Professional Facade, OH yeah!