Sunday, January 16, 2005

It's been awhile..

Over a week in fact. Well, I've been busy. Work is, extremely crazy and nuts. We’ve done some calculations, and we’re something like 65% OUT of compliance. It’s NUTS! Anyway, I’ve been working long hours and crashing when I get home. I usually get home, have a bit to eat and then I read a bit to unwind and then I go to sleep.

I’ve been devouring books lately. I haven’t read for pleasure in the longest time. I went to the library a few weeks ago and got out some books. J Some of the ones I’ve enjoyed the most…

Burn Unit, by Barbara Ravage. This book I read in like 3 days. It’s REALLY interesting, discusses with Burn Doctors, nurses, therapists, patients, families mostly from Mass General Hospital in Boston. That’s one of the premier burn units in the country. And the book goes into the history of burn care, past and present treatments used and why, what happens physiologically to a burn patient and why, it was really very interesting. As someone relatively new to working with burn patients, it was really cool to read exactly why and how things happen in the body, why there’s so much swelling, why certain treatments are used, all with great detail, yet in lay-mans terms. I loved it. J But then again I love that kind of stuff. Biological, medical, and gory. If you have any medical interest or want to learn more about what I do, and what goes on in a burn unit, what patients and families go through, read this book.

The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay. This one is about a British boy growing up in South Africa during the WWII and post WWII eras, about his life, learning, relations with people of all races, German, Afrikaans, British, Zulu, Shaangan and other tribes, etc. It's about his life, relations, his love of learning and of boxing, his views on equality, the meaning he had to all of the different races and tribes and groups in South Africa. A movie was made out of it, which is what got me to read the book. But as usual, the book was much better.

The Ladies Auxiliary, by Tova Mirvis. This one is about the Orthodox Community in Memphis, Tennessee. And what happens when someone different, yet the same moves to town. How the community reacts and what goes on. I really liked it. I really like this author. I love her quirky writing style, it almost always brings a smile to my face, the Jewishisms that pop up, and I love how well she writes characters, how well I can relate to them. Her second book, The Outside World, which I own, and actually read before first, I REALLY enjoyed. I related to every single character in this book. Every thought, feeling, fear, hope, dream, etc. I’ve read that one many times since I’ve gotten it and I really enjoy it. I love the way she writes, and how she creates characters and happenings that just seem so real and relatable. Again, highly recommend these two books.

So that’s what I’ve been doing with my evenings to unwind from the stress of overwork at work. I love to read, I used to be such a bookworm, but when I was in school, I was doing so much reading and studying, I found it hard to read for enjoyment because I was so tired from reading all the PT stuff. Now I’ve found my way back into getting lost in a book, in the characters, in the story. I had forgotten how enjoyable it all is. J

Anyway, time to go to shluff, gotta be at work early tomorrow to do the schedule.
Nite Nite, and Happy Reading!

No comments: