Happy 60th B-day! It was a wonderful celebration. We spent 2 1/2 days visiting, cooking, eating, playing! I was worn out upon return to work! One day we had an "Iron Chef" cook off, with everyone voting and critiquing. Incredible food. A foot tall chocolate cake that was to die for. A few days prior, I went to the last required retirement seminar.

Work! It has sucked! Last week, one girl slit her wrist, and ODed. So, to the ER! It ended up not being as bad as we thought, but still caused a lot of drauma. Her intent, of course. This week, a kid drank a bottle of Purel, an alcohol based hand cleanser. Again, to the ER! He said he just wanted to feel tingly inside, but that did not happen (not enough alcohol). Staffing issues included: a staff out b/c of a positive PPD, a staff quit without saying goodbye .... just picked up his pay check and turned in his keys and badge, a staff's wife was severely assaulted and is out on leave, a staff's father is deathly ill and she is out, the PM manager is still on maternity leave, a staff is on vacation ... therefore we are too short. Plus, we got a new kid yesterday who is a hemophiliac, and has internal cranial bleeding, therefore dementia, and will probably die soon. Next week, we get a six foot, 230 pound criminal to restore to competency.

I am interviewing and hiring staff right and left, and have hired 3 staff for our pool ...but of course, they have to attend a two week training off the unit and a 3-5 day training on the unit, before they can be of use to us. The permanent position that is open, finally posted yesterday, so I have to interview 3 people before I can hire for that job. It is TOO much!