I wake up somewhere before 6, normally because the cat is walking on top of me, giving out because she hears the preset coffee pot going. Maybe she hears P.’s alarm. I don’t really hear much because my hearing aids are still in the charging box. Never the less, I am up and lucky to get my tea tray brought to me.

The deal with separate rooms is that I allegedly snore and I know for a fact that P. grinds his teeth. That and I sleep like a little clam in a clam shell made up of heavy wool blankets in a room kept around 55, with a very soft and squishy mattress. P. sleeps like a starfish with maybe one sheet and kick boxes all night long on a mattress that is really a plank.

The truth of a good relationship is separate sleeping quarters with the agreement that we watch TV in my room until I allegedly snore, indicating I have fallen asleep and in the morning, there is a tea tray next to my bed while P. gets ready for work. He leaves at 6:15. so I get about 15 minutes with him in the morning and about 1.5 hours with him at night. sometimes.

P. has now come into the room asking if I am writing up a crime report because of having to ask him how to spell Allegedly. What would have been more accurate is that I would be charting. I just finished a short while ago (7:30p) after starting my day a 6 A with the work laptop open to get ready for the day. Mondays are always catch up because new patients have come on and we have 5 days to make a call and try to get to see them and do a spiritual assessment.

Giving that I an going to be away for a while, I spent extra time this morning going over the client list -61 I think- and making sure that I have the care plans in and ready for recertification. Last week a couple of patients passed and some came on, so the balance is there but take out 3 or 4 and add 3 or 4, I can’t keep everyone straight and have to have a list to remind me of who is who.

Then 8:15 am is morning Huttle. What happened over the weekend, who is on and who is off, as in staff. We have a bunch of nurses, some steady and some travelers. A director, a clinical manager, three social workers, a volunteer coordinator, we are missing a bereavement coordinator and are looking. And then there is me at the bottom of the barrel; the chaplain. Even though hospice is required to have a “spiritual care ” provider, not all hospices understand the scope of the work we do and are too busy trying to stay afloat with getting nursing staff. “Don’t you just pray with people?” Actually, no I don’t. I do a whole lot more, but that is for another time.

I generally make my Monday calls after Huttle, and introduce myself and my scope to the new patients and their families. Some have no desire, some are curious, and some and fully in before I have even called.

Then off to see patients all over the county. Here is the thing, I live about 5o minutes to the office with no traffic, road construction or snow. My patient’s generally don’t get up or want to be seen early. There is a window right before lunch and right after, but generally folks nap. Today I headed over to the other side of the county and made it in about 1 hour 25 mins. Spent an hour and then got dinged on the phone that another patient was now IDP (slang for Imminent death protocol) which means I turn and head out to pray. Post prayer and talking with family and facility staff, I head back out to the second visit, which is now the third. Finishing up that, I am now at 3p and about 30 minutes from the office and 1.5 hours from home.

I had been getting texts from the office to get orders in for a couple of patients, so I figured I would head there vs. home. Smart idea because there was more work that needed to be done on the computer. Then afternoon Huttle and head hone, in the rain and arrived at 5:30.

Meet up with P and take the car to the shop for annual snow tires, then home and an email from someone who was grieving. Short conversation to normalize the feelings and back to the laptop and charting. Finished up and back to jammies and bed. 7:30 pm

Self care happens in the driving part of the day where I put on the tunes and sing my brains out. Self care comes with writing and putting today to bed. Self care comes from knowing that not all days will be with this. Self care comes from friends who text me while I am driving and I can listen to the text and auto return a message.