JUNE 14- UP EARLY

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
Isaiah 26:3

It's almost 5am. I'm up because I have a splitting headache. I'm having coffee with caffeine to see if it will relieve the most of it. My list for "to do" today says I have to do more cleaning here in the bedroom and consider painting also. One small section at a time..

I did work all 8 hours yesterday. They needed me pretty badly. The first 4 hours I spent on my own unit. I wish I'd had a camera to show the chaos there. Every chart was out of the rack at one point.. 24 charts with orders, and then doctors , nurses, social workers, and whoever else needed them kept taking them out and putting them back above my head. The other secretary, Tina, was overwhelmed with orders AND they had her orienting a new RN for the department. The phone just wouldn't stop ringing, and each time we would have to get up and try to find the person who was being paged. And then risked someone taking our seat at the computer and slowing us down. At any one time, there were over 20 bodies in the nurses' station, and it was indeed chaos. We had so many discharges and then the beds were filled immediately with new admissions. Before one patient was gone, another was being registered for their beds. Very confusing. But by 3pm, there were only 5 charts left in the orders rack, and I was told to go to 5 North to help out . When I got there, I wasn't the help, but the other secretary left to observe a patient who was a 'one to one', and I was THE secretary. Here was another busy unit- they take orthopedics and most surgical patients. It was like Grand Central Station with people coming and going constantly. I wish I had been more help to them, but I didn't know where they kept their supplies and had to be constantly looking and asking for small items and papers. UGH. I was so glad when my relief showed up at 7pm. I went back to get my handbag from my locker on 5 Main and the secretary asked me if I could stay and help her get caught up. I guess it had been crazy even after I left, and the rack of orders was overflowing again. But I'd had enough for one day, and that is where the headache began- all I wanted to do was go home.

Well, today is Flag Day.
Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands; one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.