Some one emailed and asked where I have been. Well it's not job burnout
although I wish it was. I am still strugglng to heal from the accident last
August. I just had knee surgery 3 weeks ago. I have been in PT and MD
offices, on and off of crutches and wheel chairs for 10 months. My ankle is
healed but not totally, my finger is permanently deformed (not bad but I will
have to wear a splint forever), and I am hoping knee surgery will help my
knee. I can't drive, can barely walk and cannot squat, pivot, sidestep or get
unbalanced. So I have been looking at health care from a consumer point of
view. It;s not a pretty picture.
In the meantime, the hospital filled my position with an RN and then rewrote
the job description to require a RN. So even though I have more education and
experience, they essentially reduced the requirements but upped the salaryto
hire a RN. So I will not be able to go back to work as a LC at the hospital
and milkbank again.
And if things can get worse they have. My latex allergy worsen while at PT
and I ended up in the emergency room 3 times in 2 weeks in April in
respiratory distress. They are now saying I have a life threatening allergy.
It is interesting that one reason given for the rise in latex allergies is
early exposure to latex in pacifiers and bottle nipples. And now the hospital
is refusing to let me come to the PT department for services because they
said they can't guarantee a safe environment free from latex so I have to
have home therapy which is not at all optimal therapy for me. I can't have
pool therapy or equipment due to being at home. I didn't realize a hospital
can deny services due to a latex allergy.
And my daugher's baby is due in June so I have to try to heal enough to go be
with her. She is delivering at a free standing birth center and she wants me
to be a birth attendant with her husband.  It has been interesting seeing her
educate her husband and his family and friends about breastfeeding, natural
childbirth, attachment parenting, etc. She said her birth experience would be
complete if she could talk Jay Gordon into coming to the Outer Banks to be
her Pediatrician  for the first week or so!! How about a vacation back east
Jay?
So maybe I will be able to see those of you who come to the Outer Banks this
summer for vacation. Hopefully I won't be hobbling still.

Barb Whitehead,
Eastern NC

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