I have been feeling guilty. Don't think that I haven't realized that even my ranting has disappeared. Not only sitting down and blogging, has become a thing of the past, my e-mails to my beloved friends has trickled to nothing. I wake up, go into work, come home, and then I am ready for bed. I explained my serious case of Cabin Fever, but, it is apparent, that is not my only problem. Spring has arrived, and I have a day of yard work under my belt, and still...I am an empty shell.
Years ago, my beloved took a B.C. Ambulance Unit Chief course. I remember one of the chapters was on the 10 things that caused serious stress. I can't remember all 10 things, but loss of spouse, loss of a family member, moving, and loss of a job were on that list.
Well, in the past few months, my Ex passed away (unlike some, he truly was a friend as well as the father to my oldest child). Then my beloved changed jobs. That didn't work, so now he is changing back. When you think your home life is going to become easier, and suddenly, it isn't, and then you have to make a switch in everything you do, it causes upheaval.
Then, I am one of those who has Site C, on my mind at all times. Years back, I didn't think much about it, because I really didn't think it would affect me. Silly Goose!!! Perhaps you will come to some understanding of why I have such a Hate on for this corporation, because, in truth, although I do not work for them, they have taken control of my life.
See, when we came to this town, we could not find a place to rent with 3 bedrooms. We had a two bedroom trailer at first, but with 2 teenagers, and our Son-In-Law staying while he found work, it was cramped. We bought a trailer, it was perfectly fine, space wise, and affordable. You have to keep in mind, we also had to continue paying the mortgage on our home in the town we left, because the housing market was (and still is) in the toilet.
Then one day, I saw the home I thought was perfect. It was at the edge of town, the yard was full of trees, and it was like it sat all alone. I could see that it was on the river front, and I knew, if we could ever get that house, I would be happy.
The moment I saw the For Sale sign up in the Post office, with the picture of that dream house, I could not let go. We scrimped, and saved, and got the loan to buy the house. Oh, we still had the trailer mortgage and the other house, but, hey, I could work like an idiot, my beloved could work like an idiot, we could give up every moment of social life, we could eat Kraft dinner, and, we could enter our own private garden of tranquility.
That is what my home gives me. Not the house, but the back yard. I can walk out onto my deck, and see the Peace River. Oh, if I want, I can see the other side, where there is someone, but, my eyes are old, and all I know of him, is, he sometimes yells when his dogs bark. There is a gravel road that leads down to the old Ferry Landing directly below my backyard, so if I fall off the edge, I will simply roll down to that road, and not into the river below it. When I sit on the little bench at the edge of my yard, I see nothing but the river, and the birds. It allows me to forget about the weight of the world. I can sit there for some time, with a cup of coffee, and it gives me the same sense I assume folks get from fishing, or golfing, tension disappears, and I am simply in the moment.
I remember the day we took ownership, standing outside with our friends, and one said, you paid fair price for the house, but, you got a million dollar view. That is something I thought would never change. Yes, Site C could raise the level of the river, but because we were so high above it, we would not be affected.
That has all changed. Hydro has decided that they must build a Berm to protect the shoreline from the effects of Site C. That Berm will go for miles, and it will go all along the shoreline below my home. Oh, they informed us it wouldn't affect us, because the Berm would go on the opposite side of the little road. We accepted that, until we received the materials covering the project. It will, in fact, go on the opposite side of the road, but...that road will become the main haul road for the building of the berm. This project will take about 2-3 years. They will have to do serious construction work on the road before large trucks can use it. It has been constructed with old car heaps to stabilize it,and, that isn't going to take the continual rumbling trucks for years, going from 7AM till 7PM. My backyard is not very large, the vibrations of these trucks will definitely cause damage. The noise, and dust, and chance that this road will have to be built up, far closer to my backyard, will definitely affect me.
Now Hydro and their GREEN shit, will come into my world, and destroy the only thing that keeps me sane.I see the peace and contentment I get from my space, which I worked hard for, going down the toilet. I hear they try to mitigate damages for some people affected by this proposed project. What could they give me to mitigate the damage they will cause my life? Is there another home along the river that offers the same privacy I have here? Nope!! There are some homes in a long row, that overlook the river, but, you have neighbours, with backyards along side yours. Mine is different!! We have the odd group that may party down at the Ferry Landing, and we do hear them up here, but, that is easy to ignore. Traffic does go up and down the road when folks are fishing, but it is not a steady stream, and in the winter, there is no traffic at all, because the road is blocked off.
You hear about Green Belts, big buying pros, folks are ensured nothing will go on in the back yard, ever!! Well, we thought the Peace River was our Green Belt, no one is going to build in the river, are they? Hell , yes they are!! Hydro is going to do whatever they damn well please, to get that frigging project on the go. If they can't keep a project as small as a boat launch within budget, imagine miles and miles of Berm, and then everything else this Dam is going to demand.One of their ideas to get the rip rap needed for the Berm is to level off part of a mountain!!! Talk about footprints, eh!
Did we ever think our world would revolve around a company that came into a small historic town, and split it into Hydro and non-Hydro? We lived in a town we felt like immigrants for years, because we did not belong to the majority. We were not welcomed into the Hydro world, but, that was O.K. who needed it? I was never a good one for brown-nosing (pardon the pun), so I lived happily in my back yard. I felt superior, because I had this, and I enjoyed sharing it with my friends. It was a small bit of heaven that I owned.
When I went to do my first day of yard work, yesterday, and paused to sit on my little bench and watch and listen to the wonderful Geese that finally returned, the impact of what may soon happen to my backyard hit me. I will admit, I cried. If Hydro does indeed step into my world, and destroy the single thing I have found, that gives me reason to stay in this godforsaken place, I will have to leave. It is as simple as that. I will have to give up my employment, I will have to go back to where we last lived, my beloved will have to continue working in the Peace, my grandchildren will be too far away to visit,and , my world will be devastated.
So, do I accept hearing how my Hydro rates have to go up, and how we are in desperate need of more Hydro electricity (for all those Greenies to plug their environmentally cars in) ? Do I accept that Hydro electricity is the Green solution? Not for a moment!!! In the Peace we have natural gas, we have wind energy that is incredible. Hydro claims it is not reliable, Helllooooo.. well how many folks in this area have had to spend hours in -40 weather without Hydro? Truth be told, I think between all the different forms of energy we have, we can focus on all of them, and perhaps save ourselves the destruction this project promises.
So for those of you who wonder why I have been so quiet, my tiny little world is being hammered away at, and I am having a hard enough time just coping with everything swirling about. I do miss you, and I hope that this will stop, but I have to focus on protecting my little piece of heaven, and battling the ginormous Hydroidasaur.
Saturday, 30 March 2013
Monday, 25 March 2013
Utter Waste!
Sometimes when I go off on a tangent, I sit here, and actually worry. I worry that I will lose control, and go so far off, that I will hate myself. I worry that I just can't quite put things down the way I want, and that drives me even farther off the wall. The subject I am spewing about, now, has drove me nuts, more than once. It is a constant, and I realize, the fact that I live where I live, allows me to see this |corporation" the way the average person in the province, does not. I see the seedier side. I see the waste, that is so excessive, it twists my stomach.I see people who work for this corporation who have somehow decided they are superior to the rest of humanity. I see the demands, I see the continual issues of entitlement, and special benefits.
In truth, of all the issues , the waste , is what bothers me most. Oh, I hate the lies, I hate the spinning (lies) I hate the secrecy(lies), but, the waste is insane.
Now, picture this. BC Hydro has a row of Town houses. This is set in the perfect area, about a block from the school, just over a block from the Hospital, and grocery store. It is right next door to the Hockey arena, and in a park like setting. This is apparently for short term workers. People who are still working towards their position within the company, and they spend a short time in town (maybe a year, maybe more, or less).
About 9 years ago, it seems someone discovered there was asbestos in the building. Ack!!! What a shock, buildings built back in the 60's did tend to have this. We didn't realize all those buildings that I spent my school years in, were loaded with this stuff, and my government did not tell me that it was dangerous....I expect many homes in this area have asbestos, but, we don't have Hydro concerned about our well being, so we have to live with it.
Not these entitled, precious employees. Oh, No!!! Hydro moves every last one of them, along with their families into Row houses owned by the hotel. They apparently checked that building out (exactly the same as theirs) and it was fine and dandy.
These families move into furnished quarters, at no expense to them. They request laundry service, not a problem, each day, we pick their dirty clothes up, and they are washed and dried, and delivered. Their children pee the beds, not a problem, along we come, clean up the pee, and clean their beds. We must clean their house around them, and their children, because to request them to go away for a few hours, would be an imposition.
While they live, rent and utility free, a contracting company comes in, and tears all the asbestos out, and renovates the whole row of houses. They bring in an inspector, and he confirms, it is safe for the Hydroids, back they go.
Fast forward 9 years, suddenly, once again the nasty asbestos word pops up. It is in the floor tiles, and now the whole place will be demolished, can't allow employees to live in there!!
WTF!!!!! I can't imagine the cost , we, as tax payers, and rate payers had to cover for the first go round. It was dug out of our pockets to put these families up for 5-6 months. I can't imagine what it costs to hire this company to come in, and also put them up at the hotel for this time period. Then to wait 9 years, and decide that it is now unacceptable, in a community with a lack of housing.
So, now what happens? Does Hydro build brand new houses for their people? Or, does Hydro move them into the brand new (what will soon be) 3 building apartment complex, that an unknown independent investor has decided to build on land that they purchased, all hush hush. There has been no new buildings in this town, until 2 new hotels were put up, and suddenly a huge complex, how convenient.......
Rumours abound, bills during the building of this apartment were sent to BC Hydro. Paint was charged to the company, truck drivers have told townspeople that their deliveries to the building during construction were billed to Hydro.
Hey, I hear this, and I go right to the horses mouth. I contacted Hydro with these rumours, and was told this was not fact. Do I believe what I was told? Nope!!! I think hydro has so many secret little boxes, those who are suppose to deal with public inquiries don't know the facts, and the company likely feels it is better to keep even their own people in the dark.But, I don't know the truth, so, I can't say one way or the other.
Hydro also "gave" the town an area by the lake that was created with the building of the dams. Lots of folks spent holiday time there, camping and boating. Hydro did NOT keep this area, they simply handed it over, and costs and maintenance was left on the Municipality. There was a boat launch, and a dock. The grounds were kept nicely, at tax payers expense. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't fancy. Hydro decided it might make the public a little more acceptable to the severe changes Site C will bring,and they decided they would suddenly step in, and build a new boat launch, and a new dock. This meant they had to close everything off to the public. Well, crews were contracted, and put up in the pricey hotel, security was brought in to ensure the public did not go near the lake. At the end of the season, with the arrival of snow , lo and behold, this project was no where near completed. In fact, the place is a disgusting mess!!
The budget is screwed, and guess what, you as a tax payer, and a Hydro consumer, are left holding the bag on this one. I expect, once again, this summer, the area will be again blocked off to the public, and maybe by August, we will be let in through the gates, to see what our money has bought for us.
That is what you folks have to remember. This is your money!!!When they tell you your rates are going up, because they have gone so far into the red, and there is a ton of fixing to do, ask yourself, what did they do with the money they have been sucking back for decades.
I have other tidbits of the perks and pleasures of working for the electricity monopoly. Read the next chapter. Waste is rampant. We should all be so lucky to be one of these Hydroids, the life they live, is so far from average, it will boggle your mind.
BTW, I am NOT jealous, I wish this company would run the way we have to do, within our budgets, it si MY money they waste. I am simply ticked.
In truth, of all the issues , the waste , is what bothers me most. Oh, I hate the lies, I hate the spinning (lies) I hate the secrecy(lies), but, the waste is insane.
Now, picture this. BC Hydro has a row of Town houses. This is set in the perfect area, about a block from the school, just over a block from the Hospital, and grocery store. It is right next door to the Hockey arena, and in a park like setting. This is apparently for short term workers. People who are still working towards their position within the company, and they spend a short time in town (maybe a year, maybe more, or less).
About 9 years ago, it seems someone discovered there was asbestos in the building. Ack!!! What a shock, buildings built back in the 60's did tend to have this. We didn't realize all those buildings that I spent my school years in, were loaded with this stuff, and my government did not tell me that it was dangerous....I expect many homes in this area have asbestos, but, we don't have Hydro concerned about our well being, so we have to live with it.
Not these entitled, precious employees. Oh, No!!! Hydro moves every last one of them, along with their families into Row houses owned by the hotel. They apparently checked that building out (exactly the same as theirs) and it was fine and dandy.
These families move into furnished quarters, at no expense to them. They request laundry service, not a problem, each day, we pick their dirty clothes up, and they are washed and dried, and delivered. Their children pee the beds, not a problem, along we come, clean up the pee, and clean their beds. We must clean their house around them, and their children, because to request them to go away for a few hours, would be an imposition.
While they live, rent and utility free, a contracting company comes in, and tears all the asbestos out, and renovates the whole row of houses. They bring in an inspector, and he confirms, it is safe for the Hydroids, back they go.
Fast forward 9 years, suddenly, once again the nasty asbestos word pops up. It is in the floor tiles, and now the whole place will be demolished, can't allow employees to live in there!!
WTF!!!!! I can't imagine the cost , we, as tax payers, and rate payers had to cover for the first go round. It was dug out of our pockets to put these families up for 5-6 months. I can't imagine what it costs to hire this company to come in, and also put them up at the hotel for this time period. Then to wait 9 years, and decide that it is now unacceptable, in a community with a lack of housing.
So, now what happens? Does Hydro build brand new houses for their people? Or, does Hydro move them into the brand new (what will soon be) 3 building apartment complex, that an unknown independent investor has decided to build on land that they purchased, all hush hush. There has been no new buildings in this town, until 2 new hotels were put up, and suddenly a huge complex, how convenient.......
Rumours abound, bills during the building of this apartment were sent to BC Hydro. Paint was charged to the company, truck drivers have told townspeople that their deliveries to the building during construction were billed to Hydro.
Hey, I hear this, and I go right to the horses mouth. I contacted Hydro with these rumours, and was told this was not fact. Do I believe what I was told? Nope!!! I think hydro has so many secret little boxes, those who are suppose to deal with public inquiries don't know the facts, and the company likely feels it is better to keep even their own people in the dark.But, I don't know the truth, so, I can't say one way or the other.
Hydro also "gave" the town an area by the lake that was created with the building of the dams. Lots of folks spent holiday time there, camping and boating. Hydro did NOT keep this area, they simply handed it over, and costs and maintenance was left on the Municipality. There was a boat launch, and a dock. The grounds were kept nicely, at tax payers expense. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't fancy. Hydro decided it might make the public a little more acceptable to the severe changes Site C will bring,and they decided they would suddenly step in, and build a new boat launch, and a new dock. This meant they had to close everything off to the public. Well, crews were contracted, and put up in the pricey hotel, security was brought in to ensure the public did not go near the lake. At the end of the season, with the arrival of snow , lo and behold, this project was no where near completed. In fact, the place is a disgusting mess!!
The budget is screwed, and guess what, you as a tax payer, and a Hydro consumer, are left holding the bag on this one. I expect, once again, this summer, the area will be again blocked off to the public, and maybe by August, we will be let in through the gates, to see what our money has bought for us.
That is what you folks have to remember. This is your money!!!When they tell you your rates are going up, because they have gone so far into the red, and there is a ton of fixing to do, ask yourself, what did they do with the money they have been sucking back for decades.
I have other tidbits of the perks and pleasures of working for the electricity monopoly. Read the next chapter. Waste is rampant. We should all be so lucky to be one of these Hydroids, the life they live, is so far from average, it will boggle your mind.
BTW, I am NOT jealous, I wish this company would run the way we have to do, within our budgets, it si MY money they waste. I am simply ticked.
Friday, 22 March 2013
Oil and Water
So, oil and water, something folks speak of often. We cannot live without water, and there are those who figure the world can happily continue on, without oil. Get a grip!!! Sure we can continue, we can continue on without potato chips, and candy, and Nike, and TV and movies, just as easily. It is possible, but not probable.
Am I a pro Enbridge supporter? Not sure, have to learn far more about things before I make that choice. However, all of you folks who are ranting and raving about the possibility of this pipeline, and the possibility of a leak, are pretty much the same folks who are supporting Hydro and their Site C project. Oh, hey, its water, and gee whiz, that is so frigging green. Grow up!!!
You listen to the spin doctors that this company shoves down your throats at your expense. You believe the same people who have lied for decades, who screwed the people of the Peace over with 2 frigging dams in their backyards, and took their homes and farms away, years ago. You listen to the Green that is going to kill off whole species in the river, and drown forests of trees. Bats, deer, Moose, heck even bugs and moths will be covered by a huge body of water. Ah, but it is water, much better than nasty old oil, right?
You scream about the chance of an oil spill, and the damage it could cause. Chance, could, words that are not used when it comes to the effects of Site C. The damage that will cause is not a possibility, it is a sure thing. Water will cover farms, homes, wildlife areas, it will erode the banks, it will spew mercury (yes, how frigging green is that, folks?) and kill off whitefish. Helloooo...And yet you sit, concerned about a pipeline. You screech about yet another pipeline that was planned for the city of Vancouver to replace an out of date one to carry aviation fuel to your airport, because, that is something that would affect you. Heaven forbid something happens in your backyard!!
Kiss my butt people. I am disgusted by the majority of this province, who seem to think they are the only ones who matter. They are pissed when they are told something might mess with their lifestyle and their comfort, and esthetics, well, come on into my world!
In my world, highways are in the design to flood, homes are in the design to flood, farms that have been in families for generations will disappear under water. The Grizzly bears that you hold so dear, and want to conserve, ("Well, they were here first", you say), they will have to wander somewhere else, along with various other animals, who will have to find yet another "corridor".
But, then again, you want your frigging electricity. You need your air conditioners, and your "clean" heat, and your LED lights, your ice making fridges, and plug-ins for your environmentally friendly cars. You make me want to puke!!
You let a company shove smart meters into your homes. Oh these will help you conserve, but, still we need Site C because, it is not enough. You sit there allowing a single company to violate your privacy with meters that we all know, are simply a way to start to charge you peak hour rates. You know our energy is being sold down the river to another country, at cheaper prices (when they do pay). How did that happen? So, suddenly because contracts were signed, and promises made, we don't have enough for ourselves.
Really!!!Come on people!!! I don't claim to be smart, but I do call a spade a spade. Look very closely at this picture, and see it for what it truly is. Site C will make a huge amount of work for Hydro, a company that has contracted pretty much everything it used to do, out. Take some time to read what this is going to do to the Peace Area.
If you are truly a Green person, you will understand footprints. Yes, Oil and Gas leave footprints, but they attempt to make those prints as small as possible. I agree, it is not perfect, or pretty, and there is a chance something could go wrong. The difference is, companies do try to ensure things do not go wrong. However, this project, that has been shoved back into the cupboard more than once, because of all its faults, has once more been dragged out. If you live where I do, you will know damn well, it is going to happen, once they finish pushing papers. I hear you squawk about the shoddy public consultation with the pipeline, well, again, welcome to my world.
Public consultation when it comes to anything at all involved with Government, is a farce, get used to it! Straight answers are never available, facts are always misted over with pork fat.
Do you know. as you head to turn your lights on, that Hydro has been buying homes and land in the Peace area for years? Yep, they have them all over, and are now, buying up property "passively" . They own chunks all over this town.
Do you know that, although both their present Dams are within our District area, they do NOT pay property taxes? Nope, somehow they have found loopholes that allow them to get all the fixings, and they came up with a set amount that they hand over each year. Hummm...when my property taxes come along, I would love to pick an amount I feel is acceptable, and hand that over, instead of what they want! I wonder about all the homes and property they do own here, do they in fact pay the required property tax on those, or are they included in the tiny little amount they hand out?
I am just beginning on this speel. I have lots to say, about this corporation, from my personal point of view. I have spent some time trying to get all the ducks in a row regarding things I wonder about, but it is not an easy task. Hydro is like the government (cripes it IS government, when it wants to be) you have to search through an awful lot of crap, to attempt to get answers, as everything is coated in the consumer smiley faces.
It will become very apparent that I feel no urge to smile about anything regarding this disgrace to our province. I think B.C. Hydro was sold to the people of this province as a bold face lie, and each and every year, it is sucking us dry. Now Hydro is trying to soak us, yet again, shame on those who turn their heads, and close their eyes. Shame on all of you who scream bloody murder when your backyard is over run by enemies. Shame on those who feel the world should stand up and support them. Site C has been opened up to the public for years now, and everyone has sat back, thinking it won't affect them.
We have pipelines in our area, we have oil and gas. Just a little too late to shut them out, however, when it comes to green, I would prefer to have a frigging pipeline, and a hundred bloody wells, rather than a "reservoir" filled with dead trees, mercury, drowned fur bearing animals, drowned wetlands, drowned farm lands, and drowned creeks, and homesteads. Which, if you sit back and stay quiet, Hydro is going to do, and it will not be an accident. This is a disaster that is done purposefully!
All those of you who think the Aboriginal people will stand fast, and will stop this, speak to the Treaty 8 people from this area. They have been fighting this for years, they are losing their territory. They fought this fight before, and were promised much from the B.C. Government in return for the loss, they are still waiting.They know full well, if this is allowed to happen again, history will repeat itself.
So when you turn up your heat, or flip on your lights, think for a moment, your bill is not the only cost. The Peace region is on the endangered list, and I, personally, am sick and tired of getting screwed so Vancouver can have millions of lights sparkling, while our river dies!
Monday, 18 March 2013
Cabin Fever
Hellooooo...Did you miss me? Did you think I had fallen off the face of the earth, and were in the midst of planing a celebration? Too bad, so sad, I'm still alive and kicking. In fact I am kicking absolutely every thing!! Dogs, cats, kids, Grannys, myself, just anything that gets in my way. I am in the midst of full blown Cabin Fever.
For those of you who live in cities, and warm toasty places, with sunshine, and lollipops, and rainbows and all that other frigging crap, you have no clue what this is!!
It is sheer hell!! It sucks the life out of you. It hangs over you like a thick sticky cloud of shit, things look like crap, smell like crap, taste like crap, and feel like crap. The world is crappy from the moment you open your eyes, each day. Windows are the worst, the moment you look out of them, you are mad, the moment you walk outside, you are furious. The weather man is your most despised human being. I hate Mark Madrega. Ohhhh...he gets on there, all toasty warm in his nice neat suits, smiling and joking, warning those in Vancouver that they will experience rain, nasty, nasty. Then for a split second he shows the little boxes that tell the story of my area of the province, oh a dash of a couple of words, stating "things will be very chilly in the Peace for the next decade" and I catch a quick glimpse of double digit minus numbers, throwing me into a temper tantrum. Why does he only speak for a few seconds? He goes on and on about the poor people in Vancouver having to put up their umbrella's as they dash from Mall to Mall spending hours in the false sunshine , wearing shorts and sandels, or designer boots, and cutesie leather jackets, with a jaunty little beret (because it just isn't summer, yet) perhaps a pair of nice tight leather gloves to add to the fashion statement.
F*ck me!!! I don't even put shorts on in the frigging house!! If I wore leather it would crack in a second!! Designer boots, the only designer we can even think about wearing is Snow Paks. I wear long johns, stupid looking hats with flaps over the ears, I ensure my socks go over the long johns so no bare skin is ever exposed to the elements.
The risk of Frost bite is not just a tiny highlighted statement at the top of a screen, it is a fact of life for me!! I have had the pleasure of an ear becoming cold, and then burning hot, and then peeling, not because of the sun, but because the poor thing was left uncovered for a short period of time in the cold!!
My winter started the middle of the month of October, and continues still in the middle of March!!! I spent months with a few hours of day light.Winter may look lovely on those beautiful Christmas cards, tiny little hamlets buried in mounds of white sparkling snow. The true facts are, along with the pretty fluffy white crap, come mind blowing winds, that suck that sh*t up and beat it against your body, and it feels like you are being attacked by a BB gun. The thermometer says -25, but the winds drop that frigid temperature another 10 degrees, making breathing painful.
If you are unlucky enough, like myself, to wear glasses, well you are in for a treat! The metal that touches your face becomes so cold that it burns into your nose, and the pieces that fit over your ears, seem to melt into your flesh.
Those nice little cards disgust me!! Who the heck wants to get a winter card, when they actually have winter? Oh, maybe those twits that go to Whistler . Hellooo...yours truly does not do winter sports. Oh, I used to, many years ago when I had winters with snow, but not bizzarro deep freeze cold. Get a grip!! For some reason, beyond comprehension, I apparently get to experience absolutely everything horrid about winter, and nothing nice (is there anything nice?).
I think that at the ripe old age of 57, to waste a full 6 months dealing with my least favourite season, is not a smart thing to do. How many years do I have left? Take 1/2 of that away, because for those 6 frigging months I am prisoner in my home, I am now blowing 50% of my life. What a terrible waste!!!
Now, granted my honey is almost a decade younger than me, so perhaps he has not clued in, that he is losing so much time, trapped in the ice age. No, I am not like those frogs, you read about, I don't freeze for the whole 6 months, and then melt to reveal myself as I was before winter began. Instead, my skin dries out to lizard skin, if I could simply molt, and start the spring off with nice moist skin, that might be appealing, but instead , I just flake...The static that builds up with the cold does not spark romance, instead , I find myself ensuring I am not close to the toilet paper rolls in case I cause a flipping fire with the constant shocks I give off. Really!!! You idiots that keep harping about Climate change, shake your damn heads! Read the history of this place!! Same nasty, horrible, asinine weather was happening back in the 1800's. This is reality, if someone came along and said they were going to start a business that would cause the temperatures in this area to warm up in the winter, I think I just might jump on their band wagon.
" Just move", you say...well, here goes...If you will sponser me , say $2500 a month, I will find a way to pack myself and my beloved (and the dog, of course) off to some tropical island, and live 100% of the rest of my life, without the issue of cabin fever. I will even promise to stop blogging this negative spew, and concentrate on writing recipes for pineapple alcoholic beverages, and weaving coconut leaves into place mats, I promise to mail out to each and every sponser.
I figure I have at least one more month, until I am free from this season. I know, the stupid calender says that spring begins on Wednesday, well, in my world they are calling for snow that day! Today I woke up to -25, and it has "warmed" up to - something or the other. Tomorrow it is suppose to reach a balmy +1, imagine, +1, wow, thats something to look forwards to. Maybe I will risk leaving the long johns at home?
So, by now, I expect you are thankful that I have remained silent for so long. I know those who have been unfortunate enough to have to bear with me through these months, wish they had taken up a collection and sent me away. Well, guys, there is still plenty of time (sadly), and you decide, do you have the ability to stand me for yet another month, or do you do your part to make the workplace a safe environment?
For those of you who live in cities, and warm toasty places, with sunshine, and lollipops, and rainbows and all that other frigging crap, you have no clue what this is!!
It is sheer hell!! It sucks the life out of you. It hangs over you like a thick sticky cloud of shit, things look like crap, smell like crap, taste like crap, and feel like crap. The world is crappy from the moment you open your eyes, each day. Windows are the worst, the moment you look out of them, you are mad, the moment you walk outside, you are furious. The weather man is your most despised human being. I hate Mark Madrega. Ohhhh...he gets on there, all toasty warm in his nice neat suits, smiling and joking, warning those in Vancouver that they will experience rain, nasty, nasty. Then for a split second he shows the little boxes that tell the story of my area of the province, oh a dash of a couple of words, stating "things will be very chilly in the Peace for the next decade" and I catch a quick glimpse of double digit minus numbers, throwing me into a temper tantrum. Why does he only speak for a few seconds? He goes on and on about the poor people in Vancouver having to put up their umbrella's as they dash from Mall to Mall spending hours in the false sunshine , wearing shorts and sandels, or designer boots, and cutesie leather jackets, with a jaunty little beret (because it just isn't summer, yet) perhaps a pair of nice tight leather gloves to add to the fashion statement.
F*ck me!!! I don't even put shorts on in the frigging house!! If I wore leather it would crack in a second!! Designer boots, the only designer we can even think about wearing is Snow Paks. I wear long johns, stupid looking hats with flaps over the ears, I ensure my socks go over the long johns so no bare skin is ever exposed to the elements.
The risk of Frost bite is not just a tiny highlighted statement at the top of a screen, it is a fact of life for me!! I have had the pleasure of an ear becoming cold, and then burning hot, and then peeling, not because of the sun, but because the poor thing was left uncovered for a short period of time in the cold!!
My winter started the middle of the month of October, and continues still in the middle of March!!! I spent months with a few hours of day light.Winter may look lovely on those beautiful Christmas cards, tiny little hamlets buried in mounds of white sparkling snow. The true facts are, along with the pretty fluffy white crap, come mind blowing winds, that suck that sh*t up and beat it against your body, and it feels like you are being attacked by a BB gun. The thermometer says -25, but the winds drop that frigid temperature another 10 degrees, making breathing painful.
If you are unlucky enough, like myself, to wear glasses, well you are in for a treat! The metal that touches your face becomes so cold that it burns into your nose, and the pieces that fit over your ears, seem to melt into your flesh.
Those nice little cards disgust me!! Who the heck wants to get a winter card, when they actually have winter? Oh, maybe those twits that go to Whistler . Hellooo...yours truly does not do winter sports. Oh, I used to, many years ago when I had winters with snow, but not bizzarro deep freeze cold. Get a grip!! For some reason, beyond comprehension, I apparently get to experience absolutely everything horrid about winter, and nothing nice (is there anything nice?).
I think that at the ripe old age of 57, to waste a full 6 months dealing with my least favourite season, is not a smart thing to do. How many years do I have left? Take 1/2 of that away, because for those 6 frigging months I am prisoner in my home, I am now blowing 50% of my life. What a terrible waste!!!
Now, granted my honey is almost a decade younger than me, so perhaps he has not clued in, that he is losing so much time, trapped in the ice age. No, I am not like those frogs, you read about, I don't freeze for the whole 6 months, and then melt to reveal myself as I was before winter began. Instead, my skin dries out to lizard skin, if I could simply molt, and start the spring off with nice moist skin, that might be appealing, but instead , I just flake...The static that builds up with the cold does not spark romance, instead , I find myself ensuring I am not close to the toilet paper rolls in case I cause a flipping fire with the constant shocks I give off. Really!!! You idiots that keep harping about Climate change, shake your damn heads! Read the history of this place!! Same nasty, horrible, asinine weather was happening back in the 1800's. This is reality, if someone came along and said they were going to start a business that would cause the temperatures in this area to warm up in the winter, I think I just might jump on their band wagon.
" Just move", you say...well, here goes...If you will sponser me , say $2500 a month, I will find a way to pack myself and my beloved (and the dog, of course) off to some tropical island, and live 100% of the rest of my life, without the issue of cabin fever. I will even promise to stop blogging this negative spew, and concentrate on writing recipes for pineapple alcoholic beverages, and weaving coconut leaves into place mats, I promise to mail out to each and every sponser.
I figure I have at least one more month, until I am free from this season. I know, the stupid calender says that spring begins on Wednesday, well, in my world they are calling for snow that day! Today I woke up to -25, and it has "warmed" up to - something or the other. Tomorrow it is suppose to reach a balmy +1, imagine, +1, wow, thats something to look forwards to. Maybe I will risk leaving the long johns at home?
So, by now, I expect you are thankful that I have remained silent for so long. I know those who have been unfortunate enough to have to bear with me through these months, wish they had taken up a collection and sent me away. Well, guys, there is still plenty of time (sadly), and you decide, do you have the ability to stand me for yet another month, or do you do your part to make the workplace a safe environment?
Friday, 1 March 2013
Totally Screwed!
Yes, I am still alive!!! I have not been this far behind with my every day life, in decades. I have started a blog, regarding the reason I have assumed I am totally screwed up, but, apparently I am so screwed, I haven't even managed to finish that!!
My children have left home, I have an amazing partner, a dog, and a job, this is what I have been waiting for since my 20's, this is the time of life I figured I would do amazing things, with all the freedom after child rearing , Hah!!!I must have missed some step along the way, the organization factor, now, although I have this "spare" time, it is filled with crap, and I am simply going backwards.I hate myself!!! I wander about, looking at all I have to do, and it overwhelms me. I so want my house to be neat and tidy. I want the freedom of never having to worry when someone surprises me with a visit, that clutter reigns. I want surfaces cleaned, I want all seating areas to be free of objects, I want toilets to shine, floors to glow, and cobwebs to disappear. My windows should be a source of pride, as they overlook incredible views. None of this is happening! I spend at least one of my days off, doing housework (without pay) and I should really use every single moment.
Now, at this moment, the house is clean, not to the standard I wish it was, but to something acceptable. I still have the urge to throw everything out, except the furniture, but I am trying to control myself. In the perfect world, I would have a home that is bare basics. I don't mind pictures on the wall, and stuff hidden in closets and drawers, but for some ungodly reason, I can't stand anything else. The worst part, my life has been filled with too much stuff! Kid's toys, papers (my biggest downfall and peeve) clothing, footwear, tools, and now, pet toys. I don't collect things (besides the frigging papers) but, still, my house is filled with clutter.
Oh, we can say it is "lived in", I have had comments from co-workers that my house is "bare" , no, none of this is correct, or what I want!! I just don't know how I can possibly reach the point that I am content with happily welcoming others into my home.
There have been moments when I reach my standards, but they are so fleeting. Would a housekeeper make a difference? Nope, don't think so!!! Because, in truth, my place is usually clean, it just has far too much useless stuff. I know, the stuff is not useless to others, heaven forbid. My problem is I can't throw the other stuff out, because it is not mine!! I just can't find a place to put it, that it doesn't drive me batty!! My issues get on everyone's nerves. I harp constantly, I make noises...You know those noises..The others get mad at my noises, and I get mad at them making me make them. The worst part, they just don't seem to understand exactly what I expect.
Actually, that really isn't the worst part, the worst part is...they don't get the fact that, if someone does show up, and the place is a mess, who gets the blame? Do folks say, "Man, that guy sure doesn't do any cleaning"? Nope, because of the way of the world, housework is directed at the female species. Do I place a sign on my front door, with a check mark stating the place was cleaned on a certain date at a certain time, like Wal Fart washrooms? Cripes, I can't put a sign up requesting guests state whether the place was clean when they visited, because they would always be signing, "needs cleaning".
The housework has caused more fights than money. I try the subtle approach. While other watch TV, I will start to whip about, picking stuff up, usually this does not even cause eyebrows to raise. Then, I start getting a tad louder, maybe throwing something very hard into the garbage, or banging the dishwasher door shut, just a little too hard. The conversations between others do not even pause. Then I begin stomping, you know, footsteps obviously harder than necessary, and this is usually when they begin to notice me.
What happens next, is never what I intend. In my tiny mind, I think, maybe, they will get the clue that they should take a few moments to clear the coffee table off, or hang up jackets that are thrown over the chair backs, or on the couch. It is clear they got the message I am ticked, and cripes, they have to realize it is the clutter driving me batty, right? Nope, what always happens is, they get upset with me being upset. Oh, then the war is on!!Couches are ripped away from the wall, closets are thrown open to receive intense cleaning, stuff that I didn't see before, magically appears in the middle of the room, and the place becomes a far bigger mess than originally. I am then faced with a ginormous cleaning job, that I didn't really want, with the others contributing their unwilling help, and the whole damn house is pissed off.
I understand, everyone has their own comfort level, but, in truth, I have had so very little time in my comfort zone. I am adjusted to the fact that it is doubtful I will ever have the home of my dreams, that lily white, sparkling Martha Stewart country comfort place. No quilts will ever be placed in frames to be hung upon my gleaming walls. Dog hair will forever coat every single piece of bedding and clothing in my home. I will tell myself, over and over again, "it's messy, but clean". In fact, perhaps, if I take some time, and think about things, "lived in" is a good thing, right?
I must simply accept that, like my phobia about spiders, I have a phobia about clutter. Like the damn spiders, clutter will always be a part of my life. Unless, of course, they one day, wrap me in a jacket I can't get out of, and drag me off to the bare white room of my dreams, with no clutter..yikes..now that I have put that down in words, it really doesn't seem all that appealing. Guess this place is not so bad, after all.
My children have left home, I have an amazing partner, a dog, and a job, this is what I have been waiting for since my 20's, this is the time of life I figured I would do amazing things, with all the freedom after child rearing , Hah!!!I must have missed some step along the way, the organization factor, now, although I have this "spare" time, it is filled with crap, and I am simply going backwards.I hate myself!!! I wander about, looking at all I have to do, and it overwhelms me. I so want my house to be neat and tidy. I want the freedom of never having to worry when someone surprises me with a visit, that clutter reigns. I want surfaces cleaned, I want all seating areas to be free of objects, I want toilets to shine, floors to glow, and cobwebs to disappear. My windows should be a source of pride, as they overlook incredible views. None of this is happening! I spend at least one of my days off, doing housework (without pay) and I should really use every single moment.
Now, at this moment, the house is clean, not to the standard I wish it was, but to something acceptable. I still have the urge to throw everything out, except the furniture, but I am trying to control myself. In the perfect world, I would have a home that is bare basics. I don't mind pictures on the wall, and stuff hidden in closets and drawers, but for some ungodly reason, I can't stand anything else. The worst part, my life has been filled with too much stuff! Kid's toys, papers (my biggest downfall and peeve) clothing, footwear, tools, and now, pet toys. I don't collect things (besides the frigging papers) but, still, my house is filled with clutter.
Oh, we can say it is "lived in", I have had comments from co-workers that my house is "bare" , no, none of this is correct, or what I want!! I just don't know how I can possibly reach the point that I am content with happily welcoming others into my home.
There have been moments when I reach my standards, but they are so fleeting. Would a housekeeper make a difference? Nope, don't think so!!! Because, in truth, my place is usually clean, it just has far too much useless stuff. I know, the stuff is not useless to others, heaven forbid. My problem is I can't throw the other stuff out, because it is not mine!! I just can't find a place to put it, that it doesn't drive me batty!! My issues get on everyone's nerves. I harp constantly, I make noises...You know those noises..The others get mad at my noises, and I get mad at them making me make them. The worst part, they just don't seem to understand exactly what I expect.
Actually, that really isn't the worst part, the worst part is...they don't get the fact that, if someone does show up, and the place is a mess, who gets the blame? Do folks say, "Man, that guy sure doesn't do any cleaning"? Nope, because of the way of the world, housework is directed at the female species. Do I place a sign on my front door, with a check mark stating the place was cleaned on a certain date at a certain time, like Wal Fart washrooms? Cripes, I can't put a sign up requesting guests state whether the place was clean when they visited, because they would always be signing, "needs cleaning".
The housework has caused more fights than money. I try the subtle approach. While other watch TV, I will start to whip about, picking stuff up, usually this does not even cause eyebrows to raise. Then, I start getting a tad louder, maybe throwing something very hard into the garbage, or banging the dishwasher door shut, just a little too hard. The conversations between others do not even pause. Then I begin stomping, you know, footsteps obviously harder than necessary, and this is usually when they begin to notice me.
What happens next, is never what I intend. In my tiny mind, I think, maybe, they will get the clue that they should take a few moments to clear the coffee table off, or hang up jackets that are thrown over the chair backs, or on the couch. It is clear they got the message I am ticked, and cripes, they have to realize it is the clutter driving me batty, right? Nope, what always happens is, they get upset with me being upset. Oh, then the war is on!!Couches are ripped away from the wall, closets are thrown open to receive intense cleaning, stuff that I didn't see before, magically appears in the middle of the room, and the place becomes a far bigger mess than originally. I am then faced with a ginormous cleaning job, that I didn't really want, with the others contributing their unwilling help, and the whole damn house is pissed off.
I understand, everyone has their own comfort level, but, in truth, I have had so very little time in my comfort zone. I am adjusted to the fact that it is doubtful I will ever have the home of my dreams, that lily white, sparkling Martha Stewart country comfort place. No quilts will ever be placed in frames to be hung upon my gleaming walls. Dog hair will forever coat every single piece of bedding and clothing in my home. I will tell myself, over and over again, "it's messy, but clean". In fact, perhaps, if I take some time, and think about things, "lived in" is a good thing, right?
I must simply accept that, like my phobia about spiders, I have a phobia about clutter. Like the damn spiders, clutter will always be a part of my life. Unless, of course, they one day, wrap me in a jacket I can't get out of, and drag me off to the bare white room of my dreams, with no clutter..yikes..now that I have put that down in words, it really doesn't seem all that appealing. Guess this place is not so bad, after all.
Saturday, 2 February 2013
Real Medical Professionals
Well, I imagine many of you know, the brain works in the strangest ways. I wasn't to sure if I was going to continue on my medical rant, but I guess I am just not finished. I really wanted to go to sleep at a decent hour last night. Got a ton of stuff I must do, and, no excuses, short time line to do it in.
I crawled into my bed, closed my eyes, and suddenly that one organ, with it's own mind, as well as being my mind, kicked into gear. Apparently I have been a real negative Nelly, and somehow I managed to leave out some very positive medical folks, people who have been forgotten by many, people who have been maligned in the media, in public, by their own ...Those are the folks of the B.C. Ambulance Service.
O.K. Granted I have a pretty long history with some of these folks. My honey dedicated his time to this service for 15 years. Well, it wasn't just my honey, our whole family dedicated to the service. Our lives revolved around this, a pager was a part of our lives for the 15 years he belonged to it. I know what is behind this service in small town B.C. and when I hear complaints about the lack of Ambulance personal in tiny little town, I want to slap people, because, it is clear, they think they live somewhere the government actually cares about!!
Folks, B.C. Ambulance attendants in places that do not matter to the government are staffed with ordinary citizens who have made the choice to give up their free time, and, now, their money, to attempt to provide a lifesaving service in a location the Ambulance Service (therefore the government) feels is not financially beneficial to them. Those folks who show up when you make that 911 call, have likely crawled out of their beds, just like your local volunteer fire department, dressed, and jumped into their personal vehicles to rush to the station, start the ambulance, and make their way to your doorstep! They are not paid by our government to sit at the Station waiting for a call. Do you actually think that if they are placed on a schedule to cover ambulance for 4 nights of the week, they receive a pay check for those 4 nights? Nope, if they happen to get a call, they will get paid, but they will also simply get something called pager pay (this did not happen when we were involved) and perhaps speak to one of those you may know, and ask them exactly what that amounts to. Then decide if you would be willing to throw all your plans on the back burner, for the insulting fee they get to dedicate to your community.
Anyhow, times have changed a little since we were a part of this service, and I can't speak about much, as I could possibly be wrong in some matters, I do know that they paid out of their pockets what amounts to a whole whack of cash now, to cover in small town B.C. and , the system is set up that if they really want to make the service a career, they will not stay in a little town, they will go off to where the government and the service wants them, the big cities, where they will actually get a paycheck, and sit at the station. Their Unions will support them, and your little town will sit, hoping another citizen will dish out the cash, and step up to the plate to ensure you have a chance if something horrible happens to you.
But, onto the professionals. In the past few years, we have seen the other side of the B.C. Ambulance service, the side of the patient. It has been a pretty scary education, but, it has shown us, the compassion in the medical system is NOT dead. Each and every time we have had to get into the ambulance, we have been shown care and consideration. The attendants have answered all our questions, ensured we were comfortable, and attempted to relieve our stress. They have taken back roads that they knew where not filled with potholes to ensure my honey's back did not suffer the bumps, they informed us on what was to happen when we arrived at the hospital, they made us laugh, and continued to inquire about his comfort. They, in truth, managed to take what was a horrible situation, and make it bearable.
These folks, are at the bottom of the system. They do not make the big bucks, they do not get the recognition, and they are not allowed to speak to the public or the media, without their big wigs giving permission. They are doing this job, because they love it. Imagine that!!! It takes a very special person to be a part of small town ambulance, a person whose biggest fear is to get a call to an accident or death of family or friends (good chance in small town). A person who will give up their plans for days off, simply because they do not want to leave their community without ambulance coverage. Yet, somehow, they are still the ones who love what they are doing, are definitely not in it for the money, and are still able to actually care about the person in their charge.
So, maybe that is the answer, maybe the almighty dollar, and the need to push as many people as you can in and out the door, to try and get as big of a pay check as possible, is the problem? See, Ambulance attendants don't have that, they may hope they get a second call during their shifts, and then they will get a bigger cheque, but, if they have to dedicate the time needed to one patient, they are still getting paid.
Kudos to the small town B.C. Ambulance folks. I hope and pray that there will always be someone who feels the need to provide the community I live in with this service. I also hope (but it is doubtful) that our government makes needed changes to the lack of this service in communities that desperately need it, and stop putting all the money into the huge centers, leaving those who do not have hospitals close by, holding the bag. It has been over 20 years since we were involved in the service, and it appears they are simply making it more difficult for us to have this, so be very worried, the day you need an ambulance may be the day there is no one there. It is not because those dedicated folks are not out there, it is because our system apparently has a problem with places that do not make the big bucks at year end.
I crawled into my bed, closed my eyes, and suddenly that one organ, with it's own mind, as well as being my mind, kicked into gear. Apparently I have been a real negative Nelly, and somehow I managed to leave out some very positive medical folks, people who have been forgotten by many, people who have been maligned in the media, in public, by their own ...Those are the folks of the B.C. Ambulance Service.
O.K. Granted I have a pretty long history with some of these folks. My honey dedicated his time to this service for 15 years. Well, it wasn't just my honey, our whole family dedicated to the service. Our lives revolved around this, a pager was a part of our lives for the 15 years he belonged to it. I know what is behind this service in small town B.C. and when I hear complaints about the lack of Ambulance personal in tiny little town, I want to slap people, because, it is clear, they think they live somewhere the government actually cares about!!
Folks, B.C. Ambulance attendants in places that do not matter to the government are staffed with ordinary citizens who have made the choice to give up their free time, and, now, their money, to attempt to provide a lifesaving service in a location the Ambulance Service (therefore the government) feels is not financially beneficial to them. Those folks who show up when you make that 911 call, have likely crawled out of their beds, just like your local volunteer fire department, dressed, and jumped into their personal vehicles to rush to the station, start the ambulance, and make their way to your doorstep! They are not paid by our government to sit at the Station waiting for a call. Do you actually think that if they are placed on a schedule to cover ambulance for 4 nights of the week, they receive a pay check for those 4 nights? Nope, if they happen to get a call, they will get paid, but they will also simply get something called pager pay (this did not happen when we were involved) and perhaps speak to one of those you may know, and ask them exactly what that amounts to. Then decide if you would be willing to throw all your plans on the back burner, for the insulting fee they get to dedicate to your community.
Anyhow, times have changed a little since we were a part of this service, and I can't speak about much, as I could possibly be wrong in some matters, I do know that they paid out of their pockets what amounts to a whole whack of cash now, to cover in small town B.C. and , the system is set up that if they really want to make the service a career, they will not stay in a little town, they will go off to where the government and the service wants them, the big cities, where they will actually get a paycheck, and sit at the station. Their Unions will support them, and your little town will sit, hoping another citizen will dish out the cash, and step up to the plate to ensure you have a chance if something horrible happens to you.
But, onto the professionals. In the past few years, we have seen the other side of the B.C. Ambulance service, the side of the patient. It has been a pretty scary education, but, it has shown us, the compassion in the medical system is NOT dead. Each and every time we have had to get into the ambulance, we have been shown care and consideration. The attendants have answered all our questions, ensured we were comfortable, and attempted to relieve our stress. They have taken back roads that they knew where not filled with potholes to ensure my honey's back did not suffer the bumps, they informed us on what was to happen when we arrived at the hospital, they made us laugh, and continued to inquire about his comfort. They, in truth, managed to take what was a horrible situation, and make it bearable.
These folks, are at the bottom of the system. They do not make the big bucks, they do not get the recognition, and they are not allowed to speak to the public or the media, without their big wigs giving permission. They are doing this job, because they love it. Imagine that!!! It takes a very special person to be a part of small town ambulance, a person whose biggest fear is to get a call to an accident or death of family or friends (good chance in small town). A person who will give up their plans for days off, simply because they do not want to leave their community without ambulance coverage. Yet, somehow, they are still the ones who love what they are doing, are definitely not in it for the money, and are still able to actually care about the person in their charge.
So, maybe that is the answer, maybe the almighty dollar, and the need to push as many people as you can in and out the door, to try and get as big of a pay check as possible, is the problem? See, Ambulance attendants don't have that, they may hope they get a second call during their shifts, and then they will get a bigger cheque, but, if they have to dedicate the time needed to one patient, they are still getting paid.
Kudos to the small town B.C. Ambulance folks. I hope and pray that there will always be someone who feels the need to provide the community I live in with this service. I also hope (but it is doubtful) that our government makes needed changes to the lack of this service in communities that desperately need it, and stop putting all the money into the huge centers, leaving those who do not have hospitals close by, holding the bag. It has been over 20 years since we were involved in the service, and it appears they are simply making it more difficult for us to have this, so be very worried, the day you need an ambulance may be the day there is no one there. It is not because those dedicated folks are not out there, it is because our system apparently has a problem with places that do not make the big bucks at year end.
Friday, 1 February 2013
Non professional 2
Hey, I suppose you have realized, this is something that I have kept bottled up for some time, and it has festered, right? You have no clue!!It is right next to the political chaos that is driving me nuts, in fact, it is a part of politics, so perhaps that is why I am so pi$$ed off.
Now, onto the bit that I hope my nursing friends understand. I hear the stories of overworked Nurses, I understand. I think they have simply found themselves backed into a paperwork corner, under management control, that is trying desperately to save as many pennies as they can for the big year end bonus the top dogs get, and all the bloody bits and pieces all the new departments cut right off the top, before anything actually dribbles down into the care part of things. There are so many policies and procedures that must be written up (not unlike our criminal system) that the actual time that used to be given to patients, is bogged down in the time used to fill out the forms.
If, heaven forbid, you should ever find yourself in the position a loved one has to go into the hospital for any length of time,please, do NOT let them go alone!!! If what they have is not making them totally sick, they will simply get sicker in that system. It is not only the food, it is the total lack of care they will receive. If they are bedridden, they are in trouble. Say what you will, I have seen what happens more than once. You think the lack of care my loved ones received was simply because the staff knew I was there, and did not see the need to provide for this patient, because I was taking care of them? Think again!!! There were other patients in the rooms, people I actually had to clean up urine for, and search the hallways to find a nurse for, although the buzzer was used over and over again! I had to clean the washrooms each time the other patient made his way in, after attempting to call for assistance. It wasn't the patients fault, poor person was frail, and hooked up to various tubes, but he had his pride, and wanted to use the toilet! I could not allow my loved one to walk through a mess when he struggled to the washroom.
I am aware the Health system is in shambles, places are overflowing, and it is not the staff that is at fault, but.....It appears they have become so disillusioned with the state of the mess, they have stopped even trying! One hospital has only a few actual patients, it is now basically a long term care facility, with most beds filled with old age folks, just waiting for the end. The Nursing staff have cared for these people for months, maybe even years, they need a great deal of care, and I, for one, am all for full time care for the aged, but...not in a hospital! So, between paperwork, and caring for long term patients, what is left for the rest? Nothing!!
One thing, I noticed that appears to have disappeared, Practical nurses. These were the folks who did the majority of the personal care, and lifted the work load of the Registered Nurses, so they could actually deal with folks who needed medical care. The RN's did not like having to clean bathrooms, or pick up the adult diapers, or run down the hall because a patient needed assistance to use the washroom, or had their IV tube kinked so it would not stop beeping. They did not like to be interrupted in the middle of their paperwork, that they likely would get sh*t from their boss, if it was not completed. Each time they handed out a pill, there was another paper to fill out.
Besides the fact that my loved one spent 2 nights with a broken back, laying on a stretcher in the casting room, with no washroom in it, and next to the door that leads into the morgue (yes, we were asked if we wanted to wheel the stretcher out, when they had to assess the morgue for a poor soul who had passed), the worst thing was the absolute disregard for the patients needs. Now, not many of us have broken their backs, and I could go into the whole frigging scenario of how disgraceful things were in ER leading up to his being placed in the casting room, but,maybe another time. Suffice to say, he was flat on his back, and unable, and not allowed, to get up. He had to poop!! Hey, happens to be a pretty basic bodily function. The old biddy (yes she had been around the block more than me) told me, she had no clue what to do, except, put some plastic pads under him, and let him do his business. She informed me, he better get used to this. HUH? This was 2012, I assumed we had advanced a little farther than this. BTW, this never went to the point of plastic pads, we waited until the next day, and were given the green light to figure out a way to get to the modern facilities. So...If I had taken this RN's advice, I would have had an extremely upset honey, and I would certainly have been left with a nasty mess, I am sure she would not have had time to clean up!
Now, the one and only positive note for this particular hospital was the custodial and kitchen staff. Upbeat, friendly, and compassionate. The place was spotless, during the day. These folks took pride in their work, and realized they were in a place where people were miserable, sick and often stressed. They were the ones who figured out how to get us into a more comfortable place, they were the ones who actually considered my feelings, and found a lounge chair I could lay down in, instead of a plastic seat.
It is time to bring back pride in nursing, maybe the white caps have disappeared, perhaps it is time to put in place some type of identification, to single an RN from a custodian, or kitchen staff. Something to make it obvious what they are, and who to go to for assistance. Perhaps it is time to change their shifts, make it more humane, and cut their hours so they can actually provide care, instead of watching the clock till their shift is over, buried in paperwork.
It is time for Nurses to become what they are suppose to be, caregivers, allow them to put into use all the education they spent years getting. I think if I were a nurse, I would probably be disillusioned as well, and we all know, I would likely be the most miserable one on the floor. But, something has to change, this is definitely a step backwards in time. Florence Nightingale must be rolling over in her grave!!
Now, onto the bit that I hope my nursing friends understand. I hear the stories of overworked Nurses, I understand. I think they have simply found themselves backed into a paperwork corner, under management control, that is trying desperately to save as many pennies as they can for the big year end bonus the top dogs get, and all the bloody bits and pieces all the new departments cut right off the top, before anything actually dribbles down into the care part of things. There are so many policies and procedures that must be written up (not unlike our criminal system) that the actual time that used to be given to patients, is bogged down in the time used to fill out the forms.
If, heaven forbid, you should ever find yourself in the position a loved one has to go into the hospital for any length of time,please, do NOT let them go alone!!! If what they have is not making them totally sick, they will simply get sicker in that system. It is not only the food, it is the total lack of care they will receive. If they are bedridden, they are in trouble. Say what you will, I have seen what happens more than once. You think the lack of care my loved ones received was simply because the staff knew I was there, and did not see the need to provide for this patient, because I was taking care of them? Think again!!! There were other patients in the rooms, people I actually had to clean up urine for, and search the hallways to find a nurse for, although the buzzer was used over and over again! I had to clean the washrooms each time the other patient made his way in, after attempting to call for assistance. It wasn't the patients fault, poor person was frail, and hooked up to various tubes, but he had his pride, and wanted to use the toilet! I could not allow my loved one to walk through a mess when he struggled to the washroom.
I am aware the Health system is in shambles, places are overflowing, and it is not the staff that is at fault, but.....It appears they have become so disillusioned with the state of the mess, they have stopped even trying! One hospital has only a few actual patients, it is now basically a long term care facility, with most beds filled with old age folks, just waiting for the end. The Nursing staff have cared for these people for months, maybe even years, they need a great deal of care, and I, for one, am all for full time care for the aged, but...not in a hospital! So, between paperwork, and caring for long term patients, what is left for the rest? Nothing!!
One thing, I noticed that appears to have disappeared, Practical nurses. These were the folks who did the majority of the personal care, and lifted the work load of the Registered Nurses, so they could actually deal with folks who needed medical care. The RN's did not like having to clean bathrooms, or pick up the adult diapers, or run down the hall because a patient needed assistance to use the washroom, or had their IV tube kinked so it would not stop beeping. They did not like to be interrupted in the middle of their paperwork, that they likely would get sh*t from their boss, if it was not completed. Each time they handed out a pill, there was another paper to fill out.
Besides the fact that my loved one spent 2 nights with a broken back, laying on a stretcher in the casting room, with no washroom in it, and next to the door that leads into the morgue (yes, we were asked if we wanted to wheel the stretcher out, when they had to assess the morgue for a poor soul who had passed), the worst thing was the absolute disregard for the patients needs. Now, not many of us have broken their backs, and I could go into the whole frigging scenario of how disgraceful things were in ER leading up to his being placed in the casting room, but,maybe another time. Suffice to say, he was flat on his back, and unable, and not allowed, to get up. He had to poop!! Hey, happens to be a pretty basic bodily function. The old biddy (yes she had been around the block more than me) told me, she had no clue what to do, except, put some plastic pads under him, and let him do his business. She informed me, he better get used to this. HUH? This was 2012, I assumed we had advanced a little farther than this. BTW, this never went to the point of plastic pads, we waited until the next day, and were given the green light to figure out a way to get to the modern facilities. So...If I had taken this RN's advice, I would have had an extremely upset honey, and I would certainly have been left with a nasty mess, I am sure she would not have had time to clean up!
Now, the one and only positive note for this particular hospital was the custodial and kitchen staff. Upbeat, friendly, and compassionate. The place was spotless, during the day. These folks took pride in their work, and realized they were in a place where people were miserable, sick and often stressed. They were the ones who figured out how to get us into a more comfortable place, they were the ones who actually considered my feelings, and found a lounge chair I could lay down in, instead of a plastic seat.
It is time to bring back pride in nursing, maybe the white caps have disappeared, perhaps it is time to put in place some type of identification, to single an RN from a custodian, or kitchen staff. Something to make it obvious what they are, and who to go to for assistance. Perhaps it is time to change their shifts, make it more humane, and cut their hours so they can actually provide care, instead of watching the clock till their shift is over, buried in paperwork.
It is time for Nurses to become what they are suppose to be, caregivers, allow them to put into use all the education they spent years getting. I think if I were a nurse, I would probably be disillusioned as well, and we all know, I would likely be the most miserable one on the floor. But, something has to change, this is definitely a step backwards in time. Florence Nightingale must be rolling over in her grave!!
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