Elise 1. Night shift 1.
Monday’s night shift was fine. But last night’s had a few hiccups. It started off well enough (same patients, same routine) but after my lunch sleeping break at 3 am, I got busy.
Downside: One of my patients decided to stop breathing (which is never good).
Upside: The hours between 3 and 6 am FLEW by.
Leading up to work I had a nice day. After biking back from work, I showered and crawled into bed, where I promptly dozed off for a solid four hours.
When I woke up I made a good hearty breakfast. I say hearty because the oats were thick enough to tip the pot upside down.
Those are some rib coating oats right there!
You can’t really see them, but there are super plump raisins in there, too. As well as Tropical Traditions coconut peanut butter.
It’s weird (slash fun) how the temperature affects the state of the nutbutter. I don’t even need a thermometer, the melting point of coconut is my weatherman. Coconut butter turns from solid to liquid at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. So obviously yesterday was a cooler day.
I watched Wimbledon in my PJs, read my latest book (On Mystic Lake), and snacked. Nothing fancy, just Sabra hummus with Alvarado Street bread and carrots.
Then I showered (again), packed my food/scrubs/etc. for work, made rice for Kyle, and got ready to peace out. [We have a rice cooker for those who were suggesting we get one, so yes, all I had to do was press a button before I left the casa]
Pre-cycle sesh I enjoyed this Blueberry Muffin Larabar. It made me really pumped for my 6 mile ride which actually ended up backfiring because I arrived at the hospital in record timing (with record sweating). No biggie. More time to read my book.
My work eats: leftover salad with a kilo of kale underneath (I wish you knew how huge this tupperware actually was).
This was the last of the baby shower salad, which is sad because it was SO good. I’m pretty sure it contained more fiber than a nursing home.
I also brought the below Alvarado Street sprouted tortilla and Sabra hummus, in addition to some (unpictured) roasted nuts, eaten at 1 am, and an apple, eaten at 6 am.
Upon arriving home from work, I promptly ditched my helmet and backpack, showered, and staggered into the bedroom. I slept moderately well, but still woke up in time to catch some Wimbledon matches on tv.
Can you believe I haven’t seen Kyle since Sunday night? Working PM shifts is rough. Have you ever worked opposite hours from a loved one? Done the long distance thing?
you are a trooper.
man oh man i cannot imagine working the type of hours you work! i thought waking up at three for a starbucks shift was difficult but nurses definitely win that contest! but really, that’s amazing. and it looks like all your delicious eats power you through :)!
Wow I couldn’t do those shifts! I have a friend who just started and he has mixed emotions on it. Amazing eats I really wish I could do the salad thing. I’m a carb girl :/ I don’t know if long distance would ever work me but I think you do what you gotta!
When I worked in NICU, my partner M worked in the ICU, and we often had conflicting shifts (ie I did a day shift and he did a night shift). So we didn’t see each other daily, but when we both had days off we would spend quality time together.
Now we are doing the long distance thing, because I moved away to get my Masters in Nursing. So he works, I do school, and we see each other whenever we can.
Working PM shifts is rough. = yes, i know firsthand.
Have you ever worked opposite hours from a loved one? = yes the past 12 yrs of our marriage.
Done the long distance thing? = yes, extended work travel on both our parts. It sucks.
I feel for you sweetie! Hang in there!
Lol @ “more fiber than a nursing home.” Hahahaha!
Mmm rib-coating oats and super plump raisins are two of my favorite things!
when i was shooting “yes we’re open” in san francisco last month i was apart from my hubby for 3 weeks – the first time i’ve been away from him for more than 1 week in 14 years!
I don’t know how you do it! Meeker and I had opposite schedules for a while, but we had an overlap of about an hour where we got to see each other. I still hated it. Hated.
🙁 sad you haven’t seen your man since sunday! i’ve been really lucky and as of right now we work similar day shifts.
3 to 6 is my least favorite part of the shift! Lol. My boyfriend and I never see each other since I am on nights. It is really hard especially since he is moving in about a month! I just want to be able to spend as much time with him as I can!
I’m on a night shift right now! I find that 4am is the witches hour…It’s where I think I’m close to being done, but it’s really only half way.
I’m super impressed that you work out by biking home! Major props, girly!
At least your job isn’t leaving bored… One upside to rushing all day! (erm, I guess night?)
The long distance thing sucks to be sure, my younger sister and I had almost no contact for a year. we used to be best friends close, but we both changed and now we can’t stand each other. Hopefully this summer we can find some common ground again…
Tom and I are on different work patterns, and I’ve just finished this week’s night shifts. I think it’s harder for Tom sometimes because he’s the one who has to sleep in a half empty bed at home (I hate it when I have to when Tom’s away). Tonight= QT time with the husband, for sure 🙂 hope your night shifts improve and you get some QT time with Kyle soon x
awesome picture of the oats upside down, lol! The rest of your eats look lovely as always 🙂
no, i have never worked opposite shifts to tom, but i can imagine it must be very challenging. you are amazing for doing it…I have always thought nurses and doctors are incredible.
Hope your next shift is that perfect combination of uneventful by speedy, and you get to spend some time with Kyle soon 🙂 xyx
I work normal hours but my husband works midnight to 8am three days a week and then 2pm-11pm on the weekends. It’s not fun.
I’m a night shift nurse and my boyfriend works more 9-5 hours in financial marketing. This week has been crazy and I haven’t seen him in a week and it’s definitely tough. Lucky for me his mom is a nurse and his dad is a surgeon so he totally gets it.
As you know working a few nights in a row can leave you a bit dazed but when you have someone who loves you to go home to it can be a little easier 🙂
You are such a trooper indeed! Your patients definitely appreciate you I’m sure 🙂
I used to do the long distance thing, my boyfriend (of 6 years) used to play baseball for the Mariners…totally different from your opposite shifts marriage you’ve got for the time being, because I would get to go on cool vacations to meet/visit him in different towns. 🙂 I know a lot of people don’t like long distance, but I actually enjoyed it! Don’t tell him though 😉 hahah
I have that exact same tupperware, and you’re right that picture doesnt do the size any justice. I fill mine with kale for salad too!!!
I am doing the long distance thing now, and this stretch of time is actually the longest we’ve gone without seeing each other in over 3 years. It’s rough but we both have a lot of really important things going on in our lives right now, and time just didnt allow anything. I wont see him until August (if that makes you feel any better)
that’s so crazy that you haven’t crossed paths with kyle since SATURDAY! that must be hard. that’s borderline distance relationship haha! luckily my boyfriend and I are on the same basic schedule, alhough he’s been in London for the past couple weeks–too long!!
your kale salad looks amazing.
This post is a good example of yet another reason I could never be a nurse–what crazy shifts! Its like night and day mean nothing in your life… I just cannot imagine.
I second that!
I just recently stumbled upon your blog and I find your way of eating very interesting. Especially your love for hummus made me want to try it. It’s not that big here in Germany. I thought I was sure about not liking peas, but this now has changed – at least for this very purpose. I guess it wasn’t real hummus, since I didn’t have any tahini to add, but peas and creamcheese along with lemon juice and spices did the trick for me. 🙂
I’m so very thankful that the living-apart-from-eachother-time is finally over for my husband and me. “Distance makes the heart grow fonder.” – yeah – but really I believe we all liked our spouses enough in the first place in order not to have our love for each needed to be refined by heartache.
That kale salad looks amazing– I love massaged kale 🙂
I also throughly enjoy those sprouted wheat tortillas– their delicious broiled with herbs, olive oil, nooch and served with hummus!
haha. you are so right about that last sentence 😉 a tiny bit of distance is fine occasionally, but i married him for a reason (because i like being around him)!
glad you discovered hummus!!!! tahini is definitely a unique flavor addition, so if you get a chance to try it, you definitely should. thanks for reading and commenting.
awww…sorry jennifer…i empathize with you. it takes a strong couple to do it so props to you both.
vacations and seeing new cities sounds fun! i promise to never tell him you enjoyed the space, haha.
totally agree chelsea. its nice that he understands the lifestyle of a nurse.
word on the QT
its SUCH the worst time!!! im groggy from kinda partially sleeping on my break and unless its an emergency or im getting an admission its so boring. blah. night shift 🙁
the witches hour! yes!!! its seriously the worst.
well thats true. its definitely not boring…unless its a slow shift. and then its SOOOOO SLOW between 3 and 6.
boo. thats a long time to be away. even more impressive that in 14 years you guys never did more than a week.
my 2 weeks in europe was the longest for me and kyle in a while but sicne i was with family and friends i didnt really notice it until the end. then missing him came on strong and fast.
12 yrs! dang. thats a lot of opposite schedules. do you see it being this way always? you dont have to answer, but im just curious because im currently doing my damnedest to get to day shift only. i may have to retire before i reach 12 years of night shifts!
thats great that your days off were fully devoted to together time. its one of the harder things about having non nursing friends/family because nobody else has middle of the week days off! did you ever put in the same schedules to try and align them?
thanks guys 🙂
sometimes im not in the salad mood, but the warm summer weather has me craving them, so im going with it. im a carb girl too though – love my bread, pitas, tortillas, etc. 🙂
He works off a masters schedule and I did self-scheduling, so I tried to arrange it so that our days off matched. Otherwise we might never see one another!
Now that we are doing long distance, the longest we have gone without seeing one another was 2.5 months. It sucked.
I am soooo dreading having to work night shift after I graduate. I have worked it before as a CNA… always after already working an 8 hour pm shift. It’s rough. I’m glad you are making it work though. Thats awesome that you ride to work! I ride my bike to 2 out of my 3 clients (I do home health care, so they are different locations) and it always makes me feel good.
Between our jobs and school, my husband and I rarely see eachother. Its sad! I feel like we are young and shouldn’t have to wait until we are old and retired to enjoy each other’s company!
well said. i want to enjoy his company NOW!