This Is Me - Part Five

Work:
*What jobs have you had?  

1.  1991-1992   My first job was a courier working with my dad when I was 18 for about a year and half to two years. I drove a little white hatch back all over the eastern suburbs collecting pathology samples.  I did a Tuesday evening run and a Saturday morning.  I loved listening to the radio and stopping at all the centres.  It was a great job.

2.  1993-1997  Next was Melbourne Pathology when I was 19, I was the junior technician in the microbiology department, I was at TAFE and the job was actually handed to me.  Sue Lloyd Jones from MP came to my class one day (she was the boss of micro) and asked if anyone was interested in working, the teacher forced me to put my hand up and I was working about a week later.  I did specimen reception, bacterial swabs plating out (putting onto petri dishes), first stage microscopy of vaginal swabs and faeces specimens. I also did a bit in the immunology department, setting up the tests for rubella, syphilis, arthritis and a little bit of hepatitis. I liked the job, but I got as far as I could go without having a degree.  But once I had the degree I would have sat in the chair beside me and look at gram stains... not very exciting.

3.  1998-2000   Stay at home single mother - the best of all the jobs.  I loved being home with Mark.  He was an easy baby, an awesome toddler.  But it doesn't pay the bills.
 
4.  2000 - 2003  Blood collector also with Melbourne Pathology.  I did this part time during my nursing degree and then full time for a year when Jamie lost his job.  It was also not a very thrilling job.  I was very good at it.  But the pay is crap and really every single day is the same.  No one wants to be there, some people are nasty and job satisfaction is getting a vein.  Not long term thank you very much.

5.  2004-2011  Registered Nurse at Hunter New England Health Service in the Gastroenterology Department.  I loved working on H3.  It was an awesome bunch of people.  The work was crap (literally) but I liked it.  Ended up being a Team Leader.  Had a stint in the Motility Clinic.  Cleaned lots of bums, gave out heaps of pills, help implement change.  

6.   2012   Agency Registered Nurse - this was the WORST job ever.  I hated every minute of it.  New place every day, no friendly faces, no one explaining what to do.  Only did it for about 2 months.

7.   2012   Registered Nurse at St Vincent's Private Surgical Ward.  Thankfully I was only there for 6 weeks, this was the 2nd worst job ever.  The staff again were bitchy and not helpful with explaining protocols and left me to my own devices until I made a mistake and then was told off.  Weekend shifts were often cancelled due to no patients.  Phew only 6 weeks of that shit.

8.   2012   Practice Nurse at Medical One.  I loved this job.  It was a nice pace, lovely staff, friendly to the point of amazing boss.  Huge learning curve, VERY different from hospital nursing.  Very little pushing out of the comfort zone.  Pay was completely crap.  Would happily be there today, but the pay was terrible.

9.   2013 - present.  Practice Nurse at Care Medical.  Some days I love it, some days it makes me cry.  It has taken over my life.  Its fast paced or completely dead.  The role has changed so much since I started 12 months ago.  Its grown into a monster that I don't think I can do it all.  But I'm sticking at it. 

*Who were your bosses?  Did you like them/get along?

1. My dad (he was a great boss).  
2. Sue Lloyd Jones - hmm.... she was aloof, cold, but sometimes fantastic, I recall her having great hair.
3. Mark (oh my darling Mark)
4. Some woman called Marcella and more directly Ellie - strangely enough I met Ellie again recently and she remembered me.
5. Petra / Ginger / Kelly / Kristy / Cheree - disliked Ginger intensely, wrong person for the job.  Got on with Kristy the best she was born to be a NUM.  Petra I sensed didn't like me and always looked confused.
6. Who the f**k cares.
7. What was her name... Sue and she was delightful.  She had an eccentric look about her, big floaty clothes and teased bright red hair.  She was very warm and welcoming.  Everyone else was a bitch.
8. The wonderful Kym Robinson.  I wish she was still in my life.  I loved her.  She was the friendliest person with the most wonderful smile and nature. She quit Facebook after we both left Medical One, and I don't  her phone number 
9. My current boss is Dr Hussain.  I shall leave it at that.

*How did you get along with your co-workers?
Exceptionally well to all except for the agency and the private hospital.
 
*Which was your favorite job?
Hmm... every job is fine when the circumstances are right.  I didn't like the shift work, but my current job doesn't pay as well.  I loved the closeness of the hospital. 
 
*How many years until you retire?
Too many years I guess.  My youngest child is 16 years off being 18... I'm working for a very long time yet.  25 years until I'm 65.
 
*Do you have any big plans for your retirement? (If retired: What have you done since retirement?  What's next?)
I want to travel the world with my Jamie.  I want my boys and their partners to be welcomed into my home as often as they want.  I want to have a heap of grandchildren and be able to spoil them.  But most of all I want to be pain free, healthy, happy and in love in my retirement.

This is me - Part Four

College years:
*Did you attend college or a trade school of some sort?
Its not called college in Australia.  Straight after high school, I went to TAFE (Technical and Further Education), I studied for an Associate Diploma of Applied Science - Medical Laboratory.  This set me up to be a lab technician in the Microbiology Department of Melbourne Pathology.  I did that for just over 4 years.

Then when I was 27 and Mark was 2, I went to RMIT University and studied my Bachelor of Nursing.

 
*How did you choose what you wanted to be when you grew up?
Dad worked for a pathology company as the courier when I was in my late high school years.  I did some courier work with him. I also did my year 11 (I think) work experience with Victorian Pathology and quite liked it.  I didn't get the marks to go straight to uni and do Bachelor of Applied Science, so I did the TAFE equivalent. It allowed me to be a lab technician.  

 
*What did you think was the hardest thing about your chosen profession at that time?  Did it turn out that way?
My chosen profession wasn't that difficult.  More dealing with the personalities of the staff... its always about personality.  I had some difficulty recognising the different parasites in poo to start with.  But I shall always remember what a Giardia looks like.

 
*What dumb things did you do during those years?
I don't recall doing anything dumb.  I was pretty straight laced until I met Mark's biological father.
 
*What good things did you do?
Again, I don't really recall.  My memory is pretty crap for that time of my life.
 
*Did you live on your own?  How well prepared were you for that?
I lived with my parents until I was 21 years old.   Then I moved out with my sister Jo to North Fitzroy.  We did pretty good. 
 
*What life lessons did you learn?
Best if I don't live long term with my sister.  That poo doesn't really bother me.  That I don't' really enjoy looking down a microscope.
 
*What choices did you make that affect where you are now?
Nothing that I can think of.

Long day

Hi!

Just thought I'd share my day... you know, with myself.

Up to have a shower before the little boys wake up, who am I kidding?
Both boys wake up at 6:55 and need a cuddle.  Put Mickey Mouse Funhouse on my phone and they both hang out on my bed watching that whilst I have my shower (this is a normal start to the day)
Wake Marko up and kick him out of bed, didn't want to get up today.  Even Ben says to him "in the shower" in a very bossy voice.
Ryan and Ben want Weetbix and thankfully they pretty much feed themselves.
Open the garage door for Jamie to come home.
Have the coffee machine ready for Jamie to make me a latte :)
Little boys want a hot chocolate, so have to make them for them, in Mark's special double walled cups.  Awesome milk moustaches in tiny faces.  Teach them to use the cloth napkins that I have made to wipe their faces.
Mark sees that hot choc is on offer, so make one more!

Just to let you know.  Ryan is naked for all of this.

Get two little boys dressed whilst they think they are playing a game of chasey - its challenging.

Make my lunch, convince Mark to make his own lunch (I do interact with Mark as well, give him a morning cuddle and then turn bossy).  Put the dishwasher on, take all of the recycling out and then put all the kids in the car to head off to work.

Drop Mark off at the shopping centre and he walks the a block and a half to school.  Head to childcare and drop of the littlies.  Ben's class was already outside and Ryan's class was learning about opposites (using flash cards)... when I picked him up I asked him "how did you go learning about opposites" the reply "oh mum, learning is hard"

Work was busy today. Lots of health assessments, careplans, flu vaccines, trying to put some order into the recall list, I feel I'm losing the battle with the recall list, not sure how much effort to put into it.

After work, picked up the kids and then dropped in home for a change of nappy and some spare clothes, then off to Connie & Paul's for dinner.  The boys love playing with Toby and looking/cuddling Zahli.  Had a super delicious dinner of schnitzel with a cornflake & parmesan cheese crumb, it was the best schnitzel I've ever had.  We ducked out for icecream and the boys were covered in chocolate creaminess.

Finally home at 7.45pm.  Boys went into the shower and Marko played his xbox. They are metrosexual kids, they like body wash of the puff rather than soap!  Then it was another game of chasey whilst getting them in their pjs.
Read three stories

 

Sang the usual songs - Bananas in Pyjamas, Twinkle Twinkle little star, Humpty Dumpty, If you're Happy and you Know it.

Milk for the fellas and then they went to sleep.

THEN... 4 loads of washing done and hung out. Marko emptied the dishwasher. I attempted some Easter craft, don't think it'll work, so I think it'll be a papermache basket for the Easter Egg hunt.

Of course I've also been Facebooking and writing this mammoth blog post.

Things I notice about today - no Jamie.  He came home from work at 7.30am, I left at 8am.  He left for work at 5.30pm, I got home at 5.35pm... yeah that works, thankfully that only happens on a Friday.

Now its 11pm, I forgot to have my Sifrol at 8.30, so the Restless Leg Syndrome is starting to kick in.  We are at day 6 of a heatwave, and its not due to break until Wednesday or Thursday of next week... every day over 30 degrees and its March.  I for one am sick of it.  Insomnia is easing, but I'm still not sleeping very well.

CHOCOLATE

Lucky you can't see the toddlers face up close.
Toby and Ryan were given hot chocolates and Jamie makes them the way he'd have them, if he were to drink a hot chocolate. With HEAPS of chocolate. I'm not sure 1.5 and 2 year old boys need that much choc in their hot choc, but if Jamie is a making, I'm a not complaining.


Which reminds me of primary school. Every Wednesday was netball training night, Jocelyn and I went to Clare Owen's house and her mum took us to training (or so I think), we always had afternoon tea there, it was something healthy and a glass of chocolate milk. A middle sized glass with one teaspoon of Quik mixed in. Yes that's right, only one teaspoon, it was never chocolately enough for me. Which is probably why I overdose on Quik now, and why I'm overweight!

Here is a picture of relaxing Ben for your viewing pleasure.