Psych ward next...

I'm due at the psych ward in just 3 hours - as part of my training as a nurse, of course, what were you thinking! It is quite interesting to see, it is not like any other hospital ward I've seen. For one, all the patients use their own personal clothes. I understand why, it's just so unusual and quite striking when you first walk through the doors. Second, everything is locked - but then again, I expected that. Can't have suicidal patients with full access to shower hoses, belts or bath towels! Third - the staff wear long sleeves, rings, watches and fancy nails; a big no-no in the somatic care wards, here not so much. Do psych patients have better immune systems than other patients as a general? I think the rules should be the same no matter what part of a hospital you work in!

In other news, I've now aquired a summer job as a nurse assistant at an old folk's home back in Norway - it's a lot better paid than here in Sweden, so I'll just have to suck it up and miss little H and big S for a month this summer. H will then be joining me for a couple of weeks and spend time with her grandparents while I'm at work, and then we go home again. I have plans to ride my bike to work as well, so I might even get a little fitter as a bonus. I've got a mix between good and bad feelings about this - I know I'll miss them both a lot when I'm there on my own, but at the same time I can forget about the constant bad conscience for leaving H at school for such long hours - I'll actually be having more "free" time than I've had in a long time! And of course, it also means that I'll be having a proper summer vacation before school starts again, to do whatever we want :)

I took H with me to Norway this past weekend when I had my job interview, and we had the best spring weather ever - the sun was shining, there was no wind, the birds were singing and the barbecue got fired up. I've even got a teeny bit of a tint on my cheeks! It felt good - relaxed, sunny, warm in our hearts... And then we drove home, and we both got flat and numb butts from sitting in the car seats for so long - and we did stop for a break. If anyone knows how to avoid that, please let me know. I fear my butt will otherwise be completely flattened out this summer, and a flat but wide butt isn't exactly what I had in mind.