Nurse Neglect

The title of my blog leads one to believe I've been neglecting something; patients, work details, etc. The truth is, I've just been neglecting to keep up my ramblings on this blog.

I know this is disappointing for those who check in every now and then to read the latest installment of life through the lens of my less than focused eyes.

I've just been so tired lately that I haven't had the energy to move my fingers around the keyboard. Working afternoon shift has been hell on my sleep schedule. Certainly not as bad as working midnights, but for this old broad, close enough. Being part-time doesn't help either. Three days on, two days off, two days on, three days off. Probably sounds glorious to those who are slaves to the full-time schedule. But it is hell on my circadian rhythm. What in the world is that, you ask? 


I can tell you what it is not, and what it is. It is not some new method of birth control.
What it is: In over simplified terms, it is the internal 24-hour clock in our brains, sensitive to light and dark exposure that sets the rhythm of our ideal sleeping and waking patterns.
Mess with the circadian rhythm, and you face certain sleepiness/bloglessness.
Once again, I'm quite aware that bloglessness is not a word. But in my world devoid of a regular sleep-wake cycle, I have been unable to blog on a regular basis. Ergo, bloglessness.


I know. Oh the horrors.


Even now, I struggle to stay awake, waging what will probably be a losing battle. A war in which I fight to stay awake and do the things that need to be done before I clock in this afternoon. A struggle to cave in to my natural inclination to lay down and wake up long after my shift has begun.


After all of this dribble, I will probably set my alarm, sleep for an hour, smash the snooze bar to smithereens several times, and feebly drag my sorry body out of bed.


Good thing I've finally made my point, and met my fate. Because my laptop battery has just signaled it's 14% availability until lights out.


Like me, if it doesn't recharge soon, it will be unable to perform at it's optimal 99-100%.


And woe to all of us then.


Have a great day. And if you must stay awake, drink caffeine and eat chocolate.

Works for me.