Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

A bit of spending today: coffee with a friend then top-up groceries. It was nice to have the time with my friend, we put the world to rights and have a good laugh.

I haven't got any more decluttering done and realistically won't as I'm off to work in under an hour, but I've emailed the house buyers and attached a tech drawing my Dad did of the house for their interest. This was done many years ago and includes historical detail that I thought might appeal.

I might manage a bit of knitting before I go out. Always good for the nerves.

Spending
Entertainment £6.55
Housekeeping £9.87

in_need_of_direction

Glad you’ve drawn a line re the extra work.  The worst thing is now worrying about colleagues but you’re no use if they are worrying about you being worn out.  Glad you had some social time.

Cherryfudge

Thanks @in_need_of_direction, getting rid of the extra work is turning out to be like stopping the QE2, if you remember that analogy (don't hear it much nowadays but apparently slamming on the brakes could stop the ship in a mere three quarters of a mile).

Last night I didn't get home till nearly eleven because an emergency admission turned into a late-evening problem. The poor shift leader had already spent several hours sorting out medication that hadn't arrived and trying to head off someone from making a difficult situation worse. I think I'm let off shift lead tonight as there's a former team leader picking up the shift, but I have two more and a sleep in over the weekend. Perhaps I should have said I couldn't do these but as you say, there's the 'worrying about colleagues' aspect and I suspect people would have had to give up their own plans/down time to cover.

Added to this, I came within a whisker of making a mistake with medication, but thankfully I checked with a  colleague and she picked up on something I'd got wrong so it didn't happen. That's scary as I know the individual and their medication really well so I've put it down to brain overload which I've seen a number of times with colleagues: people think they are coping but colleagues and family see the cracks appearing and in the end mistakes are made. I emailed the manager to tell her and added that I'd get others to do meds when possible and if I had to do them I'd get someone to check. I'm a believer in not pretending to be stronger than I am. If the cracks are showing, it's time not to lean on them.

Can't wait for Monday in some ways as I've got four days off, but I've also got a phone appointment with the doctor about a few issues that have been brewing too long. On the Tuesday I have the first 'in person' meeting of my little group since March last year so I don't want to miss that - but at the same time the break from work would have been perfect for spending time sorting yet more from the old house. Going round in circles trying to decide what to do, but I think I need the time off.

Stop press: DH has identified a few days at the end of this month when we could go over - possibly last trip? - to take a few more boxes to charity, pick up more papers to sort, possibly arrange furniture to go to auction... phew.

And other positive news: 115 'paper decisions' made today. Not sure why my Dad kept all the tear-off bits of bank communications but I've probably thrown 60+ out today though some of those were batches so it's not 60 decisions.

Cherryfudge

Oops, left for work forgetting to finish a a sentence in the above, but I've put it in now.

I also checked my work mail and had a request from a senior person to liaise with certain other people about a project, but I emailed back explaining that my manager is looking for a volunteer as I have been asked to take on another duty and moreover have stopped doing extras due to stress. It shook me a bit even though I'm quite determined to stand my ground.

Work has been all right though when I arrived and heard lots of loud chatter from colleagues in the kitchen, I couldn't face going in there. I pottered about doing bits of jobs till someone found me and we had a handover in the corridor. I asked a colleague to do the medication which worked very well. I'm being open about not taking on extra and people are very kind and supportive. I also found out that a colleague had worked till midnight last night instead of 9.30. The situation really isn't sustainable.

When I got home and out of uniform I wandered past the room with all the papers in and decided on a quick declutter as it also held a box of surplus toiletries and contact lenses that I haven't even opened yet. I found three boxes were out of date so I've binned them on the grounds they aren't going to get more in date. That also gave me a place to put away a pretty sponge bag I've inherited from Mum, and I discovered a couple of items from a gift set to take out of storage. A lovely body spray is now ready to use and a body shimmer cream is going to be offered to DD as it's far too dark for me but she tans well. I don't know how common this surplus of gift toiletries is in the wider population, but I always have gorgeous hand creams that I can only use part time as I work with people who have autism so strong scents aren't a good idea as some people struggle to cope with them.

We had a walk out from work and stopped at the supermarket so I've spent 85p on a drink to help keep my fluids up.

Things I'm thankful for this evening: supportive colleagues, not having to do the shift lead and not having many clients in this weekend and... a very beautiful sunset.

Sun_Addict

Good for you turning down the extra work. Sometimes you have to put yourself first.

in_need_of_direction

what sun addict said.  I made it home just around 11 last night.  That was 4 out of 5 nights this week with the earliest finish being 9 plus I’m in this evening from 7 to 10.30.  I’m tired and our board don’t understand that a decision to recruit doesn’t mean that staff instantly appear.  Sorry, here endeth the rant.

Cherryfudge

in_need_of_direction said:

what sun addict said.  I made it home just around 11 last night.  That was 4 out of 5 nights this week with the earliest finish being 9 plus I’m in this evening from 7 to 10.30.  I’m tired and our board don’t understand that a decision to recruit doesn’t mean that staff instantly appear.  Sorry, here endeth the rant.

A decision to recruit is an acknowledgement of weeks without enough people...  

I found out my colleague went home at midnight on the night I finished at 10 to 11. That was a particularly tricky shift - and the tricky stuff with clients usually happens from 9pm onwards, never at tea time - and today we are having a seconded member of staff who none of us knows at all, just to keep numbers up. However she must have some interest to have offered to come and a fresh pair of eyes is often valuable.

Have you any days off on the horizon? I have much of next week and am really looking forward to chilling, if I can wind down enough!

in_need_of_direction

I always have days off on the horizon- unfortunately that’s where they tend to stay

Cherryfudge

in_need_of_direction said:

I always have days off on the horizon- unfortunately that’s where they tend to stay

Oh dear.  

Yesterday was another step in the wrong direction when staff from another workplace didn't turn up to supplement those of us on shift. A team leader stayed on for hours trying to sort it out but good came out of it as several managers ended up involved, even though it was Sunday afternoon, and another person came to our aid which gave us enough leeway to give clients a bit of activity time. I recognised this new member of staff as someone who had supported DFiL a couple of years ago - such is the social care world.

It was tiring but not exhausting and there's a bit of a feeling of 'Well we did it, phew'.

Today - day off. I had my doctor's appointment by phone this morning, with the things that I've been hoping would go away since early this year. The first I can treat with over the counter medication though if certain things change I'll need to go back to the doctor. The second means a couple of blood tests as I suspect I'm on the anaemic side. I left the sore knee off the list as I wanted to focus on the others.

DH made a phone call about the old house for me. It took half an hour to have the phone picked up but was then straightforward so things are back on hold with that aspect of the sale.

DH is doing his volunteer job this afternoon so I've been taking it easy and knitting.

Cherryfudge

Quite a productive day, though I didn't do any decluttering or sorting of papers from the old house. I reckoned a day off is meant to be for me, more or less, so I did a hair mask and a bit of a facial, most of the laundry and two loads of ironing and a bit of 'me' shopping (moisturiser) as well as grocery shopping.

I even remembered to attend the work meeting (online) which means 45 minutes extra pay. It was quite useful too.

While I was out I bumped into a couple I knew from years ago who were in town for a day trip, so I spent ages chatting and didn't get in till after six. Dinner was leftovers, though we still don't seem to have freezer space. I found I was yawning while watching telly so the relaxing must be helping me wind down.

I'm relieved we aren't lifting lockdown just yet (it's been trailed massively, hasn't it! I suppose that's to make people accept it more easily), but I do feel sorry for the companies who will suffer and the people who were hoping for a bigger wedding. I'm also noticing more and more gaps on supermarket shelves but I haven't worked out why this is happening. Is it Brexit, poor harvests, the pandemic or something else?

Shopping
Medical £8.00
Toiletries £5.50
Housekeeping £11.20
Stationery £3.00

Lots of things to be thankful for: supportive friends and family, days off, safe resolution of yesterday's work situation AND management getting involved, progress on the knitting, some yellow-sticker bargains, the prospect of more days off and a cake to make tomorrow!