The long awaited revival (maybe)

Okay so this blog has been dead for a while, but I'm hoping to start posting again.

Major events for me in the past year include:(in chronological order)

*Moving in with my boyfriend in September
*Joining a local Brownie unit as a leader
*Being broken into November and losing my laptop and my work when deadlines were looming
*Getting engaged to my boyfriend of 2 years in March
*Winning the Varsity of at least the archery part
*Finishing my 4th year in aprilgoing on holiday last week

With one year of my life condensed to 6 events it almost makes me glad I haven't been blogging.

Boredom, quizzes and procrastination.

Out of boredom I've been doing some daft quizzes, here are the results

Your Dosha is Kapha

Calm and grounded, you are not prone to mood swings or anger. However, once you do get angry, it takes a lot to cool you down. You tend to think a little slower than most people, but your logic is astounding. Overall, you very loyal and trustworthy. You're not scared of being who you really are. With friends: You enjoy their company, but often listen more than talk In love: You crave connection and affection. It's hard for you to be single. To achieve more balance: Exercise vigorously (especially in the sun) and let go of attachments.

What's Your Dosha?

There's Not a Violent Bone in Your Body

You're cool and collected, even when someone really gets under your skin. And while you don't blow up when you're angry, you know how to express your anger calmly. You don't bottle emotions up or let them get out of control. For you, violence would never be an option.

Could You Be Violent?

You Will Be a Cool Parent

You seem to naturally know a lot about parenting, and you know what kids need. You can tell when it's time to let kids off the hook, and when it's time to lay down the law. While your parenting is modern and hip, it's not over the top. You know that there's nothing cool about a parent who acts like a teenager... or a drill sergeant!

Would You Be a Cool Parent?

Hmm I'm not so sure...

You Are Grape

You are bold and a true individual. You are very different and very okay with that. People know you as a straight shooter. You're very honest, even when the truth hurts. You are also very grounded and practical. No one is going to sneak anything by you. People enjoy your fresh approach to life. And it's this honesty that makes you a very innovative person.

What Color Purple Are You?

Your Brain's Pattern

Your brain is always looking for the connections in life. You always amaze your friends by figuring out things first. You're also good at connecting people - and often play match maker. You see the world in fluid, flexible terms. Nothing is black or white.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Your Gemstone is Orange Saphire

Courageous, optimistic, and successful. Your confidence helps you handle the ups and downs of life

What Gemstone Are You?

I much prefer blue or black ones, and its spelled sapphire! :-P

You Are More Yin

Feminine Devoted Forgiving Fall Winter Afternoon Moon Time Passive Metal Honey

Are You More Yin or Yang?

Okay I think thats more than enough silliness. Here's hoping for a real post soon

At last

I finish my placement tomorrow and I can't wait! At 8pm I will once again be a free woman! This placement has given caused me a lot of grief, not least injuring my somewhat dodgy back more than ever. The end of my placement did get me a fantastic overnight stay in Coombe Abbey Hotel with several other pre-reg's, including a medieval banquet. The mead was lovely, I wish I knew where to get more!

I've been getting some archery coaching recently with Warrington Sports Club archers, which has resulted in me needing longer arrows due to increasing my draw length. WSC is a nice club, the other archers are friendly and the area is really pretty.

Still hanging on

I've not fallen of the face of the planet, honest. My placement has kept me kinda busy, and to be honest with 6 weeks left I really can't wait for it to all be over. I still need something for my "critical incident" coursework write up but I can worry about that later. I still need to finish of my hospital application form and get that sent off.

I'm really looking forward to having nothing pressing on my agenda except maybe some light packing for a month or so. I'm hoping I'll get the opppertunity to go to the beach and maybe a theme park even if I don't get to go away on holiday, mainly because it's where I always wish I was every time I have to work on a sunny day.

What wonderful people we have!

Today I'd like to describe an incident that happened in the pharmacy yesterday.

A man came in asking for some nicotine replacement gum, we had none of the brand and strength he requested on the shelf.
“Sorry we don't seem to have any in stock" I said
"She [one of the counter assistants who is on holiday] usually saves me some in the drawer"
"Ok" I check the drawers.
"No that 1" He points to the drawer where the till rolls and pods are kept
"There shouldn't be any in there" I said as I checked anyway
"No, sorry I can't find any." The bloke wandered off.

Five minutes later this woman comes in shouting about how nasty I was to her husband and calling me names and telling everyone what a "nasty piece of work" I am. Luckily a manager who had been there all the time stepped in and explained that he'd been there when i served the husband of the woman and that I hadn't said anything inappropriate. The woman then leapt into another barrage of abuse and told the manager
"She didn't need to say anything, she's a nasty piece of work that one!" "She was just...with the drawers" she said as she made a drawer opening gesture (Funnily enough I thought looking for things in drawers requires me to open them, if someone knows an alternative way please let me know!) "She's got a nasty attitude that one" she continued.
The manager reiterated "I've been here all the time she's done nothing wrong."
"You would side with HER! My husbands not a liar!"
Anyway in the end she wandered off still calling me names and saying that she'd put in a complaint about me.
At this point I who had been completely gobsmacked and hadn't really said anything get I told her to feel free "My name is Stephanie" I said pointing at my badge. Then I went back into the dispensary because I was actually shaking. I manage to keep my composure long enough to tell one of the pharmacists what had happened when the man was in (ie a big pile of bugger all) before I burst into tears (which I am NOT proud of) I was just so completely shocked.



Incidentally it was only last week that a patient had commented on how helpful I was and my tutor has already said that she's gonna sign me off on being polite, helpful and such things at our next meeting. Does that sound like a "nasty piece of work with an attitude problem" to you?

The joys of the counter

Okay so I've been on placement for 2 weeks now. This week has been mad busy and the work is hard. The pharmacy staff are really nice and helpful, which is good because I have a tendency to need a lot of help at the moment. Aside from the amount of clinical knowledge I still need to gain, one of the biggest problems is when customers start asking me where things are. Since it's not my local store I have never shopped there, so I have no idea where the bloody eggs are. Seriously there's so many other staff on the shop floor who will know where to find it, why queue to ask me?

I've found it hard to get to sleep recently, every time I settle down to sleep I see the pharmacy counter with a massive queue and I just can't make my brain switch off. That makes getting up to be in work by 8am that bit more difficult, though surprisingly I think I prefer working earlies to the late shift.

Placement

Well its been a while since my last update. Exams have come and gone and the results are out, I was pleased to see that I had done better than I expected. I'm now back living with my parents in St Helens as I start my first 6 month placement on Monday and I'm excited yet apprehensive. I'm going to have to have a very steep learning curve as I have no previous experience in community pharmacy. I'm also a bit apprehensive of the mountains of paperwork we need to fill in to complete the pre-reg placement. The good bit is that I'll be earning, and that I will get 11 days holiday entitlement according to my tutor. Anyway, on Wednesday I met my tutor and some of the staff I'll be working with and they all seemed friendly.


The thing about living at home is that I'll miss all my friends from Bradford. I'll also miss the archery club and the regular competitions. The person I'll miss most will be Mike, there'll be 242miles (according to theAA.com's route planner) between us. It's going to be hard, I miss him already.