I Will (And Did) Survive!!

Okey-dokey...I didn't think it would be as hard as it was...or that a tiny, 5 pound, newborn could kick my butt so completely, but it was...and she did. If I'm rambling, it's because I just finished my 1st 12 hour night shift back at work in the NICU (that's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the uninitiated) after taking a year off to go through breast cancer treatment...and my butt got the beat down of a lifetime. Frankly, I think my chemotherapy treatments went a lot smoother in many ways than last night did. It wasn't that my patient was so sick, or that my assignment was so heavy...they really weren't....they were great to me at work and understood that I wouldn't be back to full capacity on my 1st night back, but.....WOOOOOOO! I didn't think I'd be that worn out, both physically and mentally afterwards. I guess what they say is only too true..."If you don't use it, you lose it." My brain felt like Jello left out in the sun on the 4th of July when I got home. And I hadn't been that busy, just steady. But despite the need for major recuperation, I am ever so glad to be back among my babies. I knew I missed caring for my little ones, but it didn't really hit me until I was back. I not only missed working with my friends (and having adult and human conversations after talking to the dog for 8-10 hours a day), but I missed working with the kids and using my head. Funny. People always say that they'd quit tomorrow if they hit the Lotto. And I used to agree with them. Until today. Funny....