I don't need a new menorah as we got a simple but pretty one a couple years ago, but I am very very tempted by the Lego one. Very.

I think this [link] one is too beautiful to be a component of a religious ritual, since I don't have a religion and I would totally use that as a dining room centrepiece all year round. No need to set off the appropriate alarms--if it was for a religious ritual, then maybe there'd be a reason for me to drop the dosh.

There's a patient in the bed next to mine having something immensely painful done--she was in a car crash bad enough for the jaws of life, and her femur dislocated, shattering the socket as it got knocked out of place.

She's on dilaudid, and before they started doing anything (this is their second go at putting things back together) her vocalisatons sounded were the murmuring moans that lolling must make. Totally out of it and babblng--no actual words., and there was also a lot of exhortation from the nurses and doctors for her to stay awake.

She became immediately focussed and voluble once the work started, though. She didn't seem to be able to talk before, but now she's screaming prayers to be left alone.

I cannot fucking imagine. I do wish it weren't happening in the room next to me, but I wish it weren't happening at all much more.

Now they're trying to arrange conscious sedation for her (propofol?). I'm not sure why she has to remain conscious--to be able to respond for the doctors to gauge their success? Reluctance to go the whole hog that requires an anaesthetist and the increased risks that come along with general?

They are putting in a pin because it won't stay in place otherwise, I think,, but the apparatus whine sounds like a drill or a hand held mini circular saw. I'm about to start screaming myself.

But they're done! Didn't require the propofol after all, and the doctors are telling her that was probably the worst thing that will ever happen to her. Interesting to think about.

The nurse is totally bossing the doctors around to get the pain management tasks she thinks are best ordered from now, so they don't have to hunt down a doctor when her current painkillers wear off

Thankfully, she's my nurse too, and she bossed around my (relatively new--I don't remember his face) my doctor too. It was pretty amazing. She's one of the cool nurses, clearly, and as soon as she saw me when she came on shift she asked which of the three doses was I on?

I am running late, so I was on #1. When the doctor came around as Nurse Awesome was doing her rounds, she told him to order dose #2 now, and that he should also write for #3 with an hour's delay, and also the heparin they'll need to flush the port when we're done.

She'sotally on top of shit, and there was no way that doctor was going to second guess her on the # of doses (I hope it's not something an attending gets hold of and dislikes). She has me running a timer on the tablet so she'll know exactly when to come back.

Should be any time now.

Man. The guy in the hall outside our door is a homeless alcoholic who is (doctor says--I can hear them talking) at risk of the DTs. God, life is depressing.

(The car crash that shattered the girl's socket was a one car accident--it sounds like they spun out in bad road conditions. The driver is also in hospital (she came by in a wheelchair, understandably upset).

Shit is so fucking random, man. I'm lucky to be able to sit here vaguely coherently and have yet another Oh-how-do-you-like-your-phone/tablet? conversation (which I truly love--I have another woot equivalent to check out now) of 8 feet over screaming as they insert a pin to compensate for shattered bones, or be facing one of the worst withdrawals you can get from something legal.

There but for the grace of everything go I.

(Bossy nurse took a lunch break-instead I got another phone guy, whic is also cool).

Hooray for bossy nurses and dr's who listen to them!

All the pretty menorah's are pretty. I have two plain ones and that is already more than I need, but I do keep them displayed year round right now because there's no where to put them away, and why not have them on the shelf to be seen?

Y'all, I tried this chocolate wine yesterday. Yum! Seriously.

An EMT friend of mine up in NH has to regularly deal with snowmobile accidents that throw the riders over the handlebars so that they break both femurs, which can be so painful that they pass out. He also says it's not unusual for the injured half-conscious guys to be calling for their mothers -- it isn't a dramatic cliche.

Wow, ita. That sounds horrible and will have me driving even more carefully if I venture out today. Glad you got that same together nurse!

Thanks, Cass.

It's so very nice to sleep in late on a rainy Sunday. It's kind of screwed my schedule (such as it is), but seriously, it's one of my favorite things to lay in bed under clean flannel sheets and listen to the rain hammer down, and know that I can just stay in my little cozy cocoon for a while.

My sister called me at 8 AM and I went back to bed for an hour. So nice.

Last night I caught up with a friend for Chinese takeout and a bottle of wine, which was great. She's done the parental-care thing worse, and longer, so she's really sympathetic and willing to let me bitch and moan.

I set up a little fake tree for my folks, and ran over to Target to get stuff for it (and forgot to get a tree topper for my own tree, darn it). Then my sister took them out to the movies, where Mom continued to be awful to Dad. Poor guy: he just never developed the tools to shut her up. If he talks back she rages at him and if he stays silent she still rages at him.

Ah, well. Off to groom the dog and get the day started.

Inviting aromas of black cherry and dark chocolate entwine and continue on the palate

Entwine? But how can you make wine out o...

Never mind. Please don't put that on my permanent record.

That poor girl next to you, ita. Sounds awful.

Your story about the nurse reinforces something my sister told me, which is that in the hospitals everything depends on the nurses. The good ones are worth gold.

WIne made by ents, not of ents, surely.

Made by entwives, more likely.

Overheard recently at my work here in the heart of Mormon Utah: "(longsuffering sigh) No, dude, a menorah is not just a fancy holiday candleholder."