Reboot

Today was a day when my patient's took care of me. When I arrived at her home my shoulders were in my ears, my breath was shallow, and I could barely make eye contact. Clearly trying to keep up with it all is starting to make itself visible in my posture, stability and overall function if the moment I arrived this patient told me to relax and let my shoulders out of my ears.

At one of my jobs we recently switched our medical records system. I am behind a bit in getting started and have had only 3 visits so far on the new system. I enjoy being on the cutting edge of technology and like the convenience of electronic medical records, but when I'm learning I tend to freak out a bit. Did I do it right? Did I miss something? Why am I not okay with holding a tablet thru the whole treatment when every other medical professional does too?

I am finding a rhythm as I learn the system which will make the whole process easier. That helps my brain for the long term, but not so much for the short term angst which my patient was seeing as I started her treatment. 

Of course, just as I was about to have her sign and close the note, I hit a wrong button and then couldn't back out of it. In a panic, I called my manager. At the end she suggested I reboot the tablet. We weren't sure if all I previously entered would be lost, but luckily everything transferred over and all was right again.

This amazing patient and I breathed a collective sigh and then realized that really all that to fix all that ails us we need to remember 2 major things. 1-Complete that exhale, and let your shoulders come out of your ears and 2- When all else fails, find a way to re-boot. What is important will be saved. What isn't will go away.

I felt much better leaving my patient than I did when I started. I was reminded (once again) how important it is to take a moment to catch my breath between the stressful points in everyday life. I was also reminded that sometimes chaos erupts but when you reach out and ask for help it is there. 

I was also reminded that sometimes all that is needed is a re-boot. Shut it down. Take 10 seconds. Re-start. Time away from any situation can put a new perspective on the angst and pain...and any frozen moment we encounter in life.