An Unfortunate Lesson in Multi-Tasking

There is no longer any denying it is autumn as the temperature falls and the leaves begin to turn. Definitely one of my top 5 favourite things about Ontario is the long and beautiful autumn, something I didn't even know I was missing back in Winnipeg!

I have one more shift in the NICU before I move on to my second placement of the year. The NICU has been wonderful, and I think it serves as an important addition to the MEP that we spend some time there. I am more comfortable with babies, I can recognize numerous risk factors/abnormal signs, I have more experience helping moms with breastfeeding, I have built important relationships with the nurses, and I have been exposed to a lot of NRP. I feel ready to move on. Next stop is the Women's Health Clinic in Winnipeg.

The truth is, this placement in Winnipeg was once really exciting but as it creeps up on us I'm looking forward to it a little bit less. The placement itself should prove to be really valuable and I'm certain it will be a good experience. It's really just timing. First of all, it means I'm going to miss the best parts of autumn in Ontario. But more importantly, there's stuff going on at home that I don't really want to leave right now. We got our foster cat last Friday and he is a gorgeous and adorable 16-week old named Louie. For one whole day he was playful, affectionate and happy. Then he started sleeping... and sleeping... and sleeping... and sneezing... etc. It seemed like it would pass and we were looking forward to getting on with introducing him and Marve. Then he stopped eating and drinking. He was really lethargic and spacey. We started to force feed him with a syringe... but he was having none of it. Yesterday we brought him to the vet, who confirmed he was dehydrated and needed an IV and an overnight. I called this morning expecting news of Louie being on his way to better and a time we could go pick him up. Sadly, that was not the news I got. He is not better, and is impossible to force feed. They wanted to insert a feeding tube. They also suspect possible distemper... an illness that results in death 60-90% of the time. So now we are preparing ourselves for the fact that Louie may not be coming home.

With all this going on the past week, it has been really hard to focus on homework. I'm falling majorly behind, and with a 12-hour shift tomorrow, dinner with Rob's parents on Saturday night and a move to Winnipeg on Sunday I can't really imagine how I'm going to write a paper and catch up on all the work I have to do. There are several things that are so late that when I think of them it makes me feel literally nauseous.

It will all get done, right?

We'll see.

Louie