Thursday, July 10, 2008

A Cure for What Ails Me

I am SO relieved to be here at home, indulging (ahem--busy) in some fabric therapy, after the week I've had at the (looney bin) hospital. Something is afflicting that little place--staff, physicians, visitors and patients. And I don't mean a physical virus, either.

This week I've seen brothers and sisters feuding over who is worthy and responsible enough to be mom's power of attorney, in charge of her care, and probably, her property. And I'm not sure if mom is ignorant of it all, playing it up, or just passively letting them do it.




I've seen an employee put on call due to low census, but be unavailable when we needed her to come in--for the second time in less than a week--and seemingly get away with it.

I've had an old WWII vet, who has never been the same mentally since the war, grab my throat in a warning to not bother him with petty heart medications while he's trying to sleep--and not remember the incident 16 hours later.

I've spent hours of one-on-one nursing all night pumping blood and fluids into a post-op patient sporting a whopping 50/0 blood pressure whose (addle-brained lunkhead) physician refused to transfer her to ICU. And then saw her sit up, call her boyfriend, and ask me what was for breakfast.

I have been the Princess of Poop/Duchess of Doo-Doo/Conquerer of Caca, then talked quilts and crafts with a patient and her daughter, and eaten a chocolate cupcake with blue icing--all in the same night.




Tonight J-Man took me to a little Mexican restaurant for supper, partly, I think, to make up for waking me an hour and a half early yesterday afternoon with the smoke alarm. ( He forgot the burner was on high.) The meal was so-so, (by New Mexico standards, and the salsa wasn't any where near thick and hot enough, but the fried ice cream we shared was pretty good.


And for the next 3 days, I am refusing to answer the phone. I let it be known I have no intention of darkening the door of that place, unless I am wheeled in on a stretcher. They'll call anyway. They always do.




So I've had Kate Havnevik on the CD player and have been preparing my version of the 4 Seasons Quilt Swap for Summer. I haven't finished my swap quilt, but before putting the fabrics back in their bins to multiply while I am not looking, I decided to go ahead and cut the strips for my wallhanging.

I'll post photos after I've finished my partner's.

Tonight seems like a Dido/Havnevik/Norah Jones type of night--except I don't have any of Norah's CD's yet. It's on my wish list for my birthday. Sometimes it's a Sarah Brightman/Andre Bocelli kind of day, or a Delilah love songs night, or time to listen to "The Point" again.




Judy Martin had a blurb in her last newsletter of the Pandora music station. Have you checked it out yet? It's pretty cool. You just go to www.pandora.com and post the name of your favorite artist or a favorite song. Then they analyze the artist or song or album and play songs that fall into those general categories. You can click on the little album logo and give a thumbs up or thumbs down to the current song and they will adjust your music selections. You can design several stations, and with a button, you can mix the two. So far I have a "Barry Manilow" station that plays a lot of Lionel Richie, Manilow, etc. and a Dido station that plays Dido and Jewel and Frou Frou and Norah Jones. If the computer were in my craft room, (and if it wasn't older than Henry VIII) I'd probably have it on most of the time.




What do you listen to when you're crafting/sewing/quilting?

15 comments:

jacquie said...

Yikes...what a time! You deserve a little music and fabric! I love to listen to music as I sew, in fact, I don't work well without it. Classical is my thing...or broadway show tunes. I sing all the time...my family walks by and quietly closes my door. My song choices drive them all nuts!

Stephanie D said...

Sometimes I get revved up and put on oldies with a beat! A little
singing and hiney wiggling--inspiration at its finest! lol

No one closes the door, but Tandi has been known to get up and leave at times.

Anonymous said...

Thank You! You are sincerely appreciated and a true modern day hero!

(that's on behalf of all the people who neglect to say it to your face.)

You are making a difference!

Stephanie D said...

Awww, what a sweet thing to say! But I wasn't fishing for
gratitude--I hope it didn't come across that way. Sometimes people
just make me shake my head in amazement.

You remember that old saying: " Everyone's crazy but thee and me--and
sometimes I wonder about thee."

Of course, we're all "thees" to someone. 8^P

Arlette said...

Stephanie...Please visit my blog when you have the time. You've been awarded!
Aloha!

Lori in South Dakota said...

Josh Groban, Sarah Brightman, Toby Keith, Alison Krause, oh-I have varied tastes! Thanks for the pandora link--I am playing with it now.

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

I had Rod Stewart playing on my Ipod a little while ago, it's that kinda day here. I love Norah Jones. Good luck dodging the phone this w/e.

Gill - That British Woman said...

I am shattered, you have certainly been busy, you deserve the break.

At the moment I have the Bee Gees one in my sewing room. I played the soundtrack from "Pulp Fiction" for a long while. Then I had Boney M's greatest hits cd on for a while. You see I like all sorts of music.

By the way we have seen Sarah Brightman in concert twice now. Really good singer, annoying person though!!!

Gill from Canada

Steph said...

I don't quilt or do much crafty stuff (other than work, because I'm a graphic designer.) But, I almost always have music on while I'm doing anything. I like to listen to Amos Lee, Ben Harper and Marc Broussard a lot while I work... and while I do anything else.

Enjoy your much needed and deserved break! Can't wait to see that four seasons quilt. :)

Arlette said...

Stephanie, it sounds as if you had a wickedly strange twilight zone kind of a day. You seem to have had one weird episode after another. I sure hope you don't have to deal with this kind of stuff on a daily basis and this was some kind of a fluke or something. I don't blame you for not answering your phone for a couple of days. I hope you enjoy your time off in peace and quiet.
To answer your question, as strange as it may sound, I prefer to have the national news on while I craft. No music for me.
Aloha!

Stephanie D said...

And it wasn't even in one night--it was spread over three nights. It
was definitely a strange week. No, that doesn't happen often.

You know, I knew a gal who liked to have talk radio on while she
quilted. Not me--I would have puckers everywhere and dull seam
rippers.

Funny how different things inspire us, or mellow us, or permit us to
do "our thing", isn't it?

Libby said...

Fabric therapy is just the best. Lately I've been listening to nothing - just my own thoughts. I try to focus on breathing deeply (get those shoulders down *s*) and the really good things in my life. Okay maybe that sounds a little dopey and new-agey, but it works.

Perry said...

I don't envy you your job at all, but I am thankful that there are people out there willing to do what you do. You are one of a special kind. As for the music, I am going to investigate this sight. I usually listen to my ITouch with Zazz I have recorded, or the easy listening station on casble when I sew.

Anonymous said...

Stephanie, I'm so sorry about not commenting in so long! I just now corrected your address! ugh.
What do I listen to? My kids fighting. ha. ha. blah.

If I"m alone, I listen to my iPod...Coldplay, Sinead O'Connor, Amos Lee, Jack Johnson. That's the latest stuff. It changes regularly. good post!@!`

MightyMom said...

that would be a night/week that would find me singing. "Zippadeedodah" or "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocous" or "Won't you be my Neighbor" all come to mind.....

just another night at the loony bin. I had a doosy the last 2 nights. go in one time and she'd bark at you over everything...next time she was sweet as pie....bout drove my charge nurse to tears...of course the fact she kept pulling out her IV and only the charge was able to actually get a cath in her tiny fragile crookedly old veins didn't help......

I either put on a Harry Potter movie to sit in front of and do handwork or I listen to mostly Bon Jovi or Gloria Estefan as loudly as I dare. (don't want to wake the babies after all...)