Week 4 completed at work

Not good with titles and when I started down to write about this past week...I had nothing.  Maybe it was because it was a regular week.  

I'm still learning stuff at work but also a lot of down time at work :(. Still no schedule but I am getting consults for people that cannot be booked! Not good!  I thought I had a plan B but that failed and now I'm on plan C....we will see how it works with this coming week!

This past Monday manning was strained due to people calling in sick.  So I was given the opportunity to step up and see some same day clients.  It was a good learning experience and I was able to get that OJT type of training, the training that works for me once I've watched others.  I ended up seeing 3 people and I felt things went rather smoothly.  The longest part of patient care is the documentation and it's doubly long for me due to not being familiar with all of the parts of the electronic records.  I'll get it though the more I use it!

One thing I DO NOT like is typing on the computer while talking to a patient.  I'd rather face them and hand write stuff to be inputted to the note later.  It feels impersonal for me to be talking to someone and typing while they are talking especially if they are emotional.  I am unable to see their facial, physical, little nuances if I'm looking at a computer screen.  I was speaking with a veteran and he got teary eyed and I was able to comment on that and bring more information out of him.  If I was focused on typing the the computer, that moment would have been lost.

Still working on my "grove".  With that Monday of stepping up I got a chip for 59 free minutes to use when I want...leave early, long lunch etc., so that is cool!

It was a short week with Friday being a holiday so that is nice!  Thursday we checked out the local cidery and I really enjoyed being able to try different types of ciders!  

I just clarified with Joe that we've been here almost two months but it feels longer.  Since living here I have only seen 3 moose! Joe has seen more :( and he also saw a wolf on base!  The days are getting shorter daily but I've been consistent with my vitamin D supplement and using my happy light.  The gym usage..... ugh, it's ugly and I still haven't made it back.  I need to play with the days that I go.  I don't do well trying to go during the week.  I can make it during the beginning of the week but by Wednesday on my motivation and energy to go is close to nonexistent.  SO today, which is Saturday, I am going to attempt....NO I will go to the gym while Joe does some school work.  Joe is plugging along with his degree and had a driving test with UPS on Friday, which he passed, for some seasonal work.  He's been keeping himself busy with school work, job hunting, and networking.  Joe is the extrovert between the two of us and he needs more social interaction that I do but he helps me get out more.  

Last night we had food and drinks with our neighbors.  First off it's awesome to just throw my slippers on and walk over for a hang out!  We had a wonderful time munching on good food, drinks, and conversations.  Prior to going over there I was in a mood but I had some alone time, did my own thing, and by the time we came home I was doing well and today I'm feeling good (thus a good time to hit the gym right?!). 

I find that when I am able to focus on things outside of myself  my moods are not as intense and debilitating.  Being in a depressed bitchy mood for a majority of the day yesterday was switched by focusing on Joe, getting out, and then having dinner with friends.  Now if I spent yesterday focusing on my thoughts, feeding them, over thinking things, and never turning my focus outward I will place money on the table that I would still be in that mood, if not worse, today.  

Being active in our own life allows us to be in more control.  When making an active decision to think a certain way, view something, not do something.... THAT is what is in our control.  We cannot control people or things or anything in life other than our selves.  Once we harness that, life is less stressful and it is more enjoyable!

Pain and Stuff

There is a gym pretty much across the street from our place, The Alaska Club.  We checked it out and it's one of their bigger sites with an indoor pool, tennis courts, etc.  We thought they had the basics we wanted in a gym and even more so we signed up.  With that sign up we got to meet with an trainer to do an initial assessment which we did on Monday.  I'm STILL not walking normally and it' Thursday!  The guy, Roman, talked us about our goals and gave us some education.  He also put our information into a computer and gave us our "current age" based on our health.  I am at 48 :( it's not terrible but I knew I had work to do!  He did our BMI and all that fun stuff and again, I'm not in a crazy unhealthy zone but I got a few pounds to loose to get back to feeling healthy.  After all that fun stuff he took us not he floor and walked us through some exercises, just three of them and we are both waddling around like 90 year olds.  He started us on a machine for squats, he didn't add any weight to mine but the bar itself weighs 105lbs!  We warmed up and then two sets of 10.  I was hurting.  Then we did bench presses, again I was just using the weight of the bar and that was enough but I managed to do more than I thought I could.  Then we did dead lifts with the kettle bells.  He tried to sell us the personal trainer thing and we told him we'd keep it in mind.  
The weights and machines are upstairs.  The first step I took down stairs I thought my legs were going to buckle under me and I was going to fall down stairs!  Have I mentioned we are on the top floor of our condo place?!  UGH. 
We ended up meeting Adam and Michelle for dinner and I was managing the discomfort and it wasn't too bad.  The next day OMG!  I was sore BUT we found out that our household goods would be delivered on Wednesday so we were stoked about that.  It was a low key day for me and Joe did some errands and shopping for new tires on his truck.  I managed the stairs slowly and with a firm grip on the railing.
Wednesday, we get our stuff!  I'm STILL in pain but I popped some Excedrin and pressed on.  Alaska continues to impress us.  We both have moved numerous times and dealing with moving companies we get "we will be there between 8-5" and there is a lot of waiting involved.  These guys were calling us probably around 8:30!  We both drank what we could of our coffee, I ran to the store to pick up bottle water and donuts for the movers, and when I returned they were already there! The two guys were efficient and quick!  They had unloaded us by 2 I believe!  Now we are living in an apartment with boxes and chaos but we're happy! 
With this delivery it gives us ample time to get settled before I start work. Tux is happy he has the couch back and we're happy he isn't sleeping with us all night!
We downsized before coming here and we lost a little bit of room in comparing the two places but we lost a lot of space in our kitchen :(. So more downsizing is in order!  I tend to downsize better when unpacking.  I'm looking at stuff, not finding a place for it and ask "when did I actually use this last?"  and if I have to struggle to think of an answer... it's gone/donated/sold!  We are staying busy that's for sure!
One thing that I have been and am concerned about here in Alaska is my depression.  I already have a vitamin D deficiency that I take supplements for and here I am moving to a state that has months of limited sunshine!  Right now the sun doesn't actually poke out over the mountains till around 8:30/9!  I've been taking my supplements religiously (need to take them today) but I also bought some things to help out.  In our bedroom I bought one of the alarm clocks that wakes you up by mimicking natural light.  Not only is it a gentler way to wake up but it will aid me in getting in a positive gear in the morning.  I then bought a light box to sit in front of in the mornings when I'm having my coffee and breakfast.  The thing is BRIGHT and we've used it a couple of mornings so far.  I didn't use it this morning because it's a lazy day, Joe is still in bed hangover, and we all need a cozy low key day.  I haven't seen the sun yet (it's 10:53am) and looking outside it's grey, mist over the mountains, and low clouds.  I've been nursing my coffee all morning but I got a massage scheduled at 2 that I'm looking forward to with my sore legs! In addition to those lights the gym has tanning beds.  So I'm going to incorporate regular tanning to my "to do" activities to keep my sanity during the winter months!
I ordered a work out notebook so I can schedule and plan my weeks.  I know it will be important for me to stay on task with my workouts, tanning, vitamins, etc. to avoid a depression or resurgence of my PTSD symptoms.  I feel that I have been managing these things well but here in Alaska, I think that I have to be more aggressive with my self care for my mental health.
We will see how everything works out.