Quarantine and chill and kindness chatty clubhouse: Jump in and join the conversation! All is welcome!

[easyas123]

Hopefully I stay well this week after this weekend of being around so many sick people (and one person with Influenza A coughing right in my face repeatedly).

I'm curious about this, from a insurance perspective if you don't mind me asking. As a healthcare pro, with this having happened (or any number of other things) where is the line for Work Comp issues? In other words, obviously if you are trying to restrain a patient (for instance), and you break your wrist in the struggle, that is to me at least a obvious work comp claim. Now if you were to get Flu due to someone coughing in your face, what due diligence do you have to do to, if anything, if that is to be considered a work comp claim?

Or is it a situation where in Healthcare you understand the risks and there is no way to trace 100% stuff like Flu and whatnot, so it's not a compensable work comp situation and/or no one wants to rock the boat to much and risk bad shifts/reputations/being let go with to many work comp claims?

 

[Snowysmom]

Baked grilled cheese is simply putting the sandwich together, put it on a cookie sheet (or my lazy way of a piece of foil) with some olive oil cooking spray. I bake it on 375 until it is browned a bit and toasty, turn it over and let the other side get a bit toasty and tanned and the cheese melty. I like the more toasty grilled cheese with not so much butter on it. Nothing special, just my preference.

Supper tonight is beef stew that I froze from the batch I made a few weeks ago.

The real estate agent in the area I am looking at buying contacted me to talk tomorrow. I know I have to do this but I am just exhausted mentally and emotionally. My kids are telling me to sell this condo and stay with Kenny with my stuff in storage. This way when something comes up that I want, I can just make an offer and be ready to go. I just want to know what she thinks of the market this year. I am concerned about the economy. The kids say to sell now so that I can get more money than I may get a couple of months down the road. I will get her expert opinion. I am tired of adulting and having to make decisions.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

eggs were $3.99 instead of $5.50 this time.

There was an incident recently nearby where a 20+ year old got arrested for egging more than 30 cars. I can't imagine buying the expensive eggs just to throw them at cars.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm curious about this, from a insurance perspective if you don't mind me asking. As a healthcare pro, with this having happened (or any number of other things) where is the line for Work Comp issues? In other words, obviously if you are trying to restrain a patient (for instance), and you break your wrist in the struggle, that is to me at least a obvious work comp claim. Now if you were to get Flu due to someone coughing in your face, what due diligence do you have to do to, if anything, if that is to be considered a work comp claim?

Or is it a situation where in Healthcare you understand the risks and there is no way to trace 100% stuff like Flu and whatnot, so it's not a compensable work comp situation and/or no one wants to rock the boat to much and risk bad shifts/reputations/being let go with to many work comp claims?

Much the latter. There is no way to prove where we picked something up when it’s all over the place (and people are all over the place). Different, though, like you said, if you suffer an injury. When that happens we have to go to either the ED or Occ Health and have it documented. At the start of the pandemic it was assumed we got Covid at work if we got it, because everyone was quarantining and we were massively exposed, so they paid sick time, plus they did contact tracing and all that. But since Covid is now a runaway train, essentially, they don’t do any of that anymore. We do try our best to protect ourselves by wearing PPE, but the difficulty is that that is just for known cases. Sometimes people test positive a couple of days into their stay and everyone has now been in there without PPE. And visiting policies are relaxed a bit so that can bring more exposure for everyone. Patients are also supposed to wear masks when we’re in rooms, if possible, but they often don’t. I had to ask this person to please put their mask on. Not sure that answers your question. I suppose there could be other, less common illnesses that could be traced back to a certain person. For instance I took care of someone with Dengue Fever once. Had I come down with that there would’ve been little doubt as to where I got it because it’s just not something we see much. (This person had just come home from Africa.) In that case one could probably apply for WC, but I don’t recall anyone ever having to do that. I don’t think it’s too common to happen if our infection control guidelines are followed properly.

 

[lynxstch]

You guys should head down in early May and enjoy some beach time during the week, weather is nice and crowds are lower.

We tried that once, and ended up in the middle of some kind of bike week, lol!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Auntie, I liked your gingerbread house!

I saw this article about a local gingerbread baker that I thought you guys might enjoy:

https://www.patriotledger.com/story...orks-holiday-baking-championship/69678627007/

I’ve driven by it but never gone into her shop. DH and DD usually do gingerbread houses here, but they didn’t this year.

The most amazing gingerbread designs we saw at WDW were these, at AKL:



Yes, the giraffe and zebra were made out of gingerbread!



The others we saw were sort of standard, but at least we did get to see a few, including the mega one at the GF! (Too crowded.)

 

[PollyannaMom]

Sigh. Well I just realized the Rose Bowl Parade is Monday instead of tomorrow, so I guess I’ll get another movie in

I wondered why they picked Monday, but I DVR'd it this morning and am watching now.

Putting away some Santas and kids books but not much. Watching the Rose Parade. Have any of you ever been to it? It's on the bucket list.

I've never been in person, but I bet it's quite a sight!

I've also put none of my Christmas decorations away yet...but then again, we just had more Christmas visitors this morning! - My cousin and her DH came over with their two girls (ages 5 & 3) so it's still very much Christmas here.

The girls loved their gifts and then we had lunch and they made us some sticker pictures. (They discovered our printer makes photocopies, so sharing was easy!!)

 

[Kirby]

Pea was talking about the price of eggs. I know I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that an 18 count carton of eggs had dropped 30 cents. I should have bought several of them because they have risen almost a $1.50 to $6.69!

DD had a teacher work day today. She hasn't heard from her ex since Saturday. Emails have been going back and forth between her and her attorney but just stuff he is looking for and clarification on other stuff. So we're assuming the kids will be back tomorrow.

DH made breakfast this morning. We sat at the table for a couple of hours just chatting. Haven't done that in awhile, felt good to do it.

I've started a load of laundry and then spent the rest of the time till now putting together my New Year email to all of DH's family. He has four brothers and two sisters and a lot of nieces and nephews plus great nieces and nephews in the bunch. The two oldest of the greats are girls and they are in their first year of college. Where does time go? Two of his siblings have passed on. We all try to keep up with one another.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good afternoon friends from chilly LA,

Grateful dad get in his morning errands of the 99 Cent Only Store and Pavilions before any new comes. More rain is expected this week ahead. It is blessing because CA sure does need the rain. Just makes it more of a challenge when he has to go out. I wore my nightshirt earlier and may put it back on shortly. So very thankful to God in all, always, and of course in chillier weather His Grace of clothes and shelter. I do pray every day that all of His children and creation have the same and truly know safety and love. I thank you all again always for all the loving faith and kind care you spread to so many.

Dad and I did start watching last night the Hallmark Christmas movie A Little Christmas Charm and are enjoying it. I'm not into jewelry at all, I just have a simple cross necklace. The way Holly, the main female character, shared about this older charm bracelet with her romantic counterpart, Greg, (Carol, I do still need to read the book by that same name in full, I haven't forgotten and will) that each charm may represent something a part of the history of the woman who owned it made the idea more fascinating and endearing to me. I do hope (in a movie, I'm sure they will) find the owner. I'll share more when we've finished watching it

Kirby, lol, I want to know whether the won anything! I don’t gamble at all, but it was so sweet of you to include tickets for the pups. I do hope you and your DH both enjoyed your dinner last night too. When I was younger and able to eat them, I sure enjoyed Cheetos. I think I liked the puffy ones better than the crunchy. Grandma and Dad liked the crunchy. Cheetos would be way too chewy and hard for me now, plus, I am no longer into eating them anyway but good memory, orange-stained fingers and all a ton continuing especially for Lil Joe and Lou Lou!

Snowysmom and prayers that your workday today is going well, my friend. Thank you on the cookies. We do try to bake them on a day of or before we know dad would be able to share the majority. The half recipe that we bake, makes 30 or so cookies. Continuing prayers of all-around and extra new wise. Baked grilled cheese sounds warms and tasty. I would just pass on the oil on the baking sheet and perhaps use a piece of foil. I also prefer a bread and other bread products as I’ve shared like pancakes, to be more bread-y than laden with something on it. Lol, something odd about me is I’ve never liked butter on toast, the same as my grandma used to tell me as her mother. Although I very vaguely remember as a young child being fed bread with butter as an afternoon snack at a school. The thought of that now…yuck but I guess back then I didn’t mind it.

PollyannaMom, I also enjoy early morning and am rereading a good Love Inspired series by Brenda Minton right now that takes place in OK, a place I have never been to. The stories are connected to a place called Mercy Ranch. The dad in the books has created the ranch as a safe ad healing haven for veterans, others in need of starting over, and animals, too. I also try to start each day for sure by looking at that day’s Jesus Calling message and sometimes looking up a Scripture in more detail in my Bible. I hope your breakfast was tasty. What a nice Monday extra blessing to get to enjoy some company from your cousin and her family.

Feel better , Lynn. ½ of a cold is too much of one! Take care of yourself, please!

Speaking of taking care, Footballmouse, you please also take care and get some rest! I would not like that change of working shift so quickly either. Then again, I am truly a morning person and not at all a night owl. I worked once a late night shift at a Laundromat of all places up north and was so thankful the next day to hear my coworker who was on the day shift preferred a later one so we traded.

Carol, I’ve never been to a Parade live but as I actually texted Terri earlier, years ago through a high Rotary service club, I did volunteer one Saturday in Pasadena to help with flowers for one of the floats. My only real memory pf that day is how freezing the warehouse room we worked in was! I think it had to be kept cold for the flowers to stay fresh. Grandma loved the Rose Parade and could watch it throughout New Year’s Day. I am not parade patient and couldn’t ever understand how she did that but what mattered, especially as an adult now looking back, is the joy it brought my beloved grandma. One day, God willing you are able to come out here, I hope you can go to a parade live. There also is a library about an hour away from me in Glendale that on an upper floor had a wall display of old Rose Parade paintings. You might enjoy checking that out, too. you are still feeling well, my friend and that your family members feeling under the weather are doing better today.

Easyas, a warm ocean retreat sounds lovely right now to me. I hope both you and Lynn perhaps get to enjoy some sand and sun sometime soon. Prayers your travels go safely and smoothly today.

you do indeed stay well, dear Pea! Please do take care. I’m so glad you saved some money on shopping. These days especially that is an extra blessing indeed! Did your surprise package to your patient get delivered? I just thought of that. I know it brought/will bring her much cheer when it does. Truly was so kind of all of you to do for her and I thank you so much again. Wow, those gingerbread designs sound amazing! I’m so glad you got to see some of the creations firsthand!

Wishing all of you a warm and good rest of the afternoon. I'll check back later.

 

[dazedx3]

Hello friends,
It was nice to read of everyone’s holiday. It was a very sad Christmas hear with lots of tears, and lots of memories. I know in time those memories will bring joy instead of hard they are now.
I am having the hardest time with the loneliness, we were together most days from morning til night. I’m also having a hard time feeling guilty when I have a nice time or when I am having a brief time of not grieving. Irrational, I know, but you feel what you feel.
I just can’t believe I will never see him again, it is so painful to even imagine. His shoes are still sitting on the rug by the door, I can’t move them.
Our son is having a very hard time with all of this, I wish I could find the strength to be of comfort to him, but I just can’t stop the crying.
Tomorrow I have to go to the funeral home to pick up his ashes. I cried so hard and still am when I got the email. They said I could come “ to bring him home”
What a stupid thing to write.

 

[lynxstch]

Hello friends,
It was nice to read of everyone’s holiday. It was a very sad Christmas hear with lots of tears, and lots of memories. I know in time those memories will bring joy instead of hard they are now.
I am having the hardest time with the loneliness, we were together most days from morning til night. I’m also having a hard time feeling guilty when I have a nice time or when I am having a brief time of not grieving. Irrational, I know, but you feel what you feel.
I just can’t believe I will never see him again, it is so painful to even imagine. His shoes are still sitting on the rug by the door, I can’t move them.
Our son is having a very hard time with all of this, I wish I could find the strength to be of comfort to him, but I just can’t stop the crying.
Tomorrow I have to go to the funeral home to pick up his ashes. I cried so hard and still am when I got the email. They said I could come “ to bring him home”
What a stupid thing to write.

I have nothing but prayers and 's for you. I hope they help~

 

[AuntieMe3]

He's going to return to Best Buy the newer laptop he got at the very end of October (it can be returned until January 14th) by mid-week.

I hope he's able to return it...I've heard terrible things about Best Buy and their return policy.

Have any of you ever been to it? It's on the bucket list.

I've never been but have always wanted to go. I guess today would've been the best year for me to do it, since it wasn't on New Years Day. We always have company NYE and wouldn't think to get up early the next day to get to the parade...lol

I've also always wanted to volunteer to decorate a float like Mona did. In years past I've seen them advertise for volunteers for certain floats but didn't see anything this year. One day maybe.

Hopefully I stay well this week after this weekend of being around so many sick people

Hope you stay healthy.

beef stew

Yum...that sounds so good. May need to add that to the menu this week.

Yes, the giraffe and zebra were made out of gingerbread!

Wow...thats awesome. I'm actually surprised I tied because my cousins were a little more elaborate(one had a ice skating rink and firepit with sitting around it and mine was more classic(basic). LoL I guess the guys liked the classic...

I wondered why they picked Monday, but I DVR'd it this morning and am watching now.

For some reason the parade is never on a Sunday. It's funny because if it was yesterday. I think it was rainy down there...lol The last time I remember it being on the 2nd, the 1st was also a super rainy day.

I should have bought several of them because they

My friend just told me she paid an absurd amount for eggs this week too. Luckily I still had some from baking and we don't eat them often.

@dazedx3 I'm so sorry... I hope someone can go with you to pick up his ashes.

 

[PollyannaMom]

@dazedx3

 

[flyingdumbo127]

dear Dazed.

AuntieMe3, thank you on Best Buy. I'll let all of you know what happens. Maybe one day we can decorate a float together

Wishing all of you a warm and cozy good night with sweet dreams!

 

[Kirby]

@dazedx3 ,

Mona, you mentioned butter sandwiches. I remember when I was a child the kids across the street ate butter sandwiches. They sprinkled sugar on top of the butter and then folded it over as a half sandwich. I never ate one.

We were supposed to have severe storms today but it all moved east and we've had just a little drizzle.

The GK's are supposed to come home tomorrow. We shall see. DD is wound up tighter than a drum. She actually tried to start an argument with me over something like a tomato/tomahto type of word usage. She went to her room and will probably stay there the rest of the evening. Oh, this is wearing on the soul.

DH cooked dinner tonight. We had hamburgers, crispy crowns and pork n beans.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Kirby, now at least the sugar might help things. Actually, that doors bring back another sandwich type memory of some kid's book where mice create some type of sandwich with mints. I have never been a huge candy person, that was my dear grandma, I did as a kid like the multicolored mint chocolate balls--Dutch mints, I just Googled. I tried once making a butter type sandwich with a few of those and lol it was interesting. Hugs, my friend, you probably did not miss a thing not trying such a sandwich!

Kirby and so very much prayer!

 

[Snowysmom]

@dazedx3 I totally understand what you are going through. I am glad you have your family to be with and share your memories and your grief with. The funeral home was somewhat insensitive with what they wrote. When I went to get Chris' ashes my sons came with me. It did help. Any time you want to PM me, please do. I know everyone's grief journey is different but the feelings are very similar. Chris and I spent the days together especially when we had to work from home so I understand the loneliness. I take it one day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time some days.

@Kirby I feel bad for your daughter. She must be so frustrated and upset. I truly hope her attorney can get things sorted out so the ex cannot do this again.

It is 34 here right now with rain coming in. I do not like rainy days as I need walking to get out of the condo and try to ease my anxiety and sadness. I find rainy days just mess with me and make me more anxious and lonely and sad. At least I will be talking with the real estate agent for Kenny's area today. She says she has some ideas for when to sell etc. I am going to Kenny's on Sunday to take care of the kids for a couple of hours. Maybe I can meet with the agent for a cup of coffee before that. I would like to meet her and talk face to face.

Have a good day.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Happy New Year !

I have enjoyed posting and connecting with all of you. I have been encouraged through all my mishaps like my torn rotator cuff muscles and worries over Tom’s operations, his lung removal last year and knee replacement this year. I loved seeing all of the hummingbird pictures during the summer, and reading about rescue dogs and all the cat posts.

Thank you @flyingdumbo127 for all the encouragement, positivity and prayers you offer all!

Tom and I are at BLT and we will try to stay up for the NYE fireworks. I woke up before midnight last night, to see the fireworks.

View attachment 728841

So glad you made it safely and are having a good time. Looks awesome! Strange to think we were just by there a week ago Monday!

Did your surprise package to your patient get delivered? I just thought of that. I know it brought/will bring her much cheer when it does.

I was so busy this past weekend for three shifts that I did not even get a chance to go to see her!

I am also really worried about my elderly friend and I can’t get in touch with her. Unfortunate timing of her accident where we were going away. We each left messages on the other’s phone but didn’t connect. And now she’s out of the hospital and gone to rehab and I can’t find her! The hospital can’t tell me where she went, and apparently she doesn’t have her cell phone with her. I called several rehabs in our area and she’s not there, so I don’t know where she is and can’t get back to her. She left me two messages (that just about broke my heart) and I left her two, but she has no way of hearing mine. I might try to go by her apartment complex today to see if I can find anyone who knows where she is. Apparently she broke both of her legs in the fall she took, and one side was especially bad, requiring complex surgery. It pains me to think of that happening to her, and what it means for her future. She will not be able to go back to her living situation alone if it’s deemed unsafe and I know that will be devastating to her. I’d broached the subject of assisted living with her recently and she’d said she couldn‘t afford it. I’m hoping if I can find her that I can help support her in some decision making and advocate for her however I can. I would still love to be able to try to get her into some sort of assisted living situation as opposed to a skilled care facility. Please keep her in your prayers, she needs them.

Hello friends,
It was nice to read of everyone’s holiday. It was a very sad Christmas hear with lots of tears, and lots of memories. I know in time those memories will bring joy instead of hard they are now.
I am having the hardest time with the loneliness, we were together most days from morning til night. I’m also having a hard time feeling guilty when I have a nice time or when I am having a brief time of not grieving. Irrational, I know, but you feel what you feel.
I just can’t believe I will never see him again, it is so painful to even imagine. His shoes are still sitting on the rug by the door, I can’t move them.
Our son is having a very hard time with all of this, I wish I could find the strength to be of comfort to him, but I just can’t stop the crying.
Tomorrow I have to go to the funeral home to pick up his ashes. I cried so hard and still am when I got the email. They said I could come “ to bring him home”
What a stupid thing to write.

Dazed, sending you a big virtual hug. It’s hard enough to go through all that but I think that it happening right before the holidays made it extra hard. Please try not to feel guilty for having moments where you’re not grieving. I’m sure your husband would want for you to have peace in your life and to try to eventually find happiness. In many ways you have to carry on for the two of you, right? Don’t you think that’s what he’d want for you?

I was only about 24 when my father died, but it was so sudden, and things were so messed up at the time, that it really hit me hard, and I could not stop crying, either. I was in nursing school at the time, and in clinicals, as well as working in an ER. I went to work one day and someone asked me how I was doing, and I couldn’t even answer, all I could do was cry. They sent me to the head nurse and she was so kind about it, and sent me home, telling me to take my time coming back.

Clinicals were different, though, and I couldn’t miss much in order to pass. One early morning (we had to be there at 6am) I was in the hospital cafeteria, where our group always met, and no one sat with me. My clinical instructor, a guy who was great (and who I think God probably put in my path at that time for a reason) came over and sat with me. I was crying. I told him it hurt that no one would sit with me. He said something like, “Can you blame them?” and I was a little peeved because I thought that, as nurses, someone crying shouldn’t put them off that way. But it was sort of like I couldn’t stop, so I let it go. (They later left me alone at lunch, too.)

I also had a psychiatric clinical at the same time, and I did not like my clinical instructor. I remember sitting at the conference table talking about clinical things and I just kept crying and couldn’t stop. Talk about uncomfortable! I was trying not to, and holding in sobs, and she didn’t even acknowledge it or talk about that. If that were me I think it would’ve been a great lesson for a group of young nursing students in how to support someone who is grieving so acutely. But whatever. I remember thinking something to the effect of, ”How can the world keep going on when I’ve suffered such a loss?” Anyway, the lesson I learned with that, for me, has helped me to help other people. I’m not afraid to sit with someone or talk to someone who is grieving. There’s always the chance you could say something unintendedly stupid, but overall it’s good to be there, I think. (At the funeral my best friend from school elbowed her fiancé up at the casket when he said something like, “It’s been 25 years since I lost my father and I still miss him every day”, which made me cry when I’d been able to talk to people up to that point. (Lol.) I never forgot that. And during the whole service I cried and cried, and could barely talk to people afterward.

Strangely enough, at my mother’s services, I didn’t cry at all. It wasn’t until we had to leave her at the cemetery that I started. I was so protective of her I had a hard time leaving her there. But thankfully the nice man from our funeral home stayed, and made sure she got to where she was going, next to my father (where @PollyannaMom puts flags out). It was this time of year three years ago now (hard to believe) and there was snow and ice on the ground, so they had to create a track made of wood to wheel the casket from the chapel area to the gravesite, and just seeing that made me feel awful. (It’s so beautiful there in the summer!) But thankfully the nice man had my back and I left it with him to take over where I couldn’t. This will sound strange, but sometimes I have to take care of people after they’ve passed, and also bring them down to the morgue, and it honors me to do so. I give it the highest regard. My DS does the same thing in his job now. Recently he had to take a child down there, and it was really hard for him. It was nice of the hospital personnel to include him in their decompression briefs because he’d had to do so. (Some losses are traumatic for staff, believe it or not, so they sometimes offer support, if needed.) I love that he has the compassion gene.

Didn’t mean to go so OT but I guess I’m just trying to convey to dazed (and others) that it’s ok to cry. Losing those we love the most is one of the hardest parts of life, I think.

@dazedx3 ,

Mona, you mentioned butter sandwiches. I remember when I was a child the kids across the street ate butter sandwiches. They sprinkled sugar on top of the butter and then folded it over as a half sandwich. I never ate one.

We were supposed to have severe storms today but it all moved east and we've had just a little drizzle.

The GK's are supposed to come home tomorrow. We shall see. DD is wound up tighter than a drum. She actually tried to start an argument with me over something like a tomato/tomahto type of word usage. She went to her room and will probably stay there the rest of the evening. Oh, this is wearing on the soul.

DH cooked dinner tonight. We had hamburgers, crispy crowns and pork n beans.

That’s funny that you mentioned the butter sandwiches with sugar. Not something I’ve ever heard of, yet DD had a patient recently who was requesting them (but with Splenda, as diabetic!). I will have to tell her about this, lol.

I was beyond exhausted yesterday and fell asleep early. Grady woke me up to go out around 0330 so I’ve been up since then. Got a lot of my housework done since I was awake, and then saw DH and DS off to work. Probably going to take dogs out early to get them some exercise and I have a few errands to run, then have to do some paperwork when I get home. At some point will have to start the pot roast unless I decide to do it tomorrow instead and just get a bite to eat somewhere tonight. We’ll see. (DH doesn’t take a lot of convincing.) DS is up for a promotion at work, interviewing this week. Fingers crossed that he gets it, not just for the experience, but it would be a significant pay raise. He is doing baseball practice later. He’s going down to FL again for a tournament closer to spring with a new group of players, including DD‘s boyfriend, and he’s getting ready for that. They might do a side trip for a day or two at Disney too.

Have a good Tuesday, everyone.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I find rainy days just mess with me and make me more anxious and lonely and sad.

I have one of these:

for rainy days, and I do believe it helps when I can't get some outdoor sunshine.

to you, and so many to @dazedx3, and @Pea-n-Me as well. - I'm sorry about your co-workers back then, and I really hope you can find your friend soon.

 

[bobbiwoz]

@dazedx3