Friday, October 5, 2007

Float Situation - Pt. 1


The ''Float'' Situation
Part 1

---Contrary to opinion, I do not dislike floats. In case you don't know, they are the people who fill - in for the regular workers on your Ward. They come in all shapes and sizes, varying degrees of life experience, intellect etc. In other words- They are like everyone else.
---What I do dislike is this - The training period. By this I mean, the period of time it takes me to teach my particular float the many, many things that I need them to do for me. The difficulty is that I have virtually no usable hands, except theirs. In addition to this, I have many idiosyncratic ways, that repeating them, to a different person [in what sometimes seems a daily situation] is also difficult for me. It increases my stress, etc. It becomes very much a teaching of the same boring class, ad finitum.
---As people, I have no opposition to those who have chosen this as their work. In fact, these are the very people who are learning a trade that I utilize constantly. I feel it is safe to say I probably need what THEY do, more than, say - many other professions [at least directly.]
---At first, I didn't even know there existed a job like this. Before I was in the hospital, it just never came up. I could do things for myself and never thought about what it is people do, who can't. It was my job to do for me, and that is about as far as it went.
---Then I needed help. And with no questions asked, they helped me. I had a stroke and if left to my own devices - I wouldn't know what to do. I was quickly plugged into a system that made it ''possible'' for me to continue on, in a different capacity, but nonetheless, continue doing what I do, whatever that is. I think finding ourselves is what we do - and everyone does it different no matter what the circumstance.
---They have given me another lease on living, and I am grateful. I have been ''different'' now, for four-plus years. In a certain way, they are part of my immediate family, no matter how dysfunctional it gets, sometimes. But, that seems the nature of families, anyway.
---It is NOT the CNA that I have a problem with, but the amount of my own idiosyncrasies. I have a lot of preferences and I verbalize them. To me, they are very natural, as I spent about fifty years - doing each one. But, when someone else does them, that's usually where the ''problems'' begin. I'm supervising someone else doing what I did, and did very easily. I forget that everyone has there own set of the way they do things, and the person making my coffee, for instance, may have a different idea from myself. They begin making it their way. [Do you know how many different ways there are to make coffee?]
---It can be like a dance, where you ''trade - off'' who is leading. I am not as flexible as some would like, while others prefer my direction. Well, I don't know exactly why I never could dance, and in kindergarten I got a check mark next to - doesn't work well with others. I'll work on my flexibility, just please tolerate me, while I do. I'll try to not sound like a tyrrannical dictator the next time I need two Equals in my coffee, and, ''God forbid,'' you forget. Just kidding.
---I am Thankful to all and Hope they know that. Be Well.

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