October

Homecoming weekend and opening of pheasant hunting are signs that fall has arrived in the Dakotas. It is finally cooling off, and we got rain for the first time in weeks. The farmer is hoping for a hard frost so the corn will dry down enough for him to harvest. It's a race between the combine and the first snow.

The clam shell quilt restoration is going well. There were just two fabrics that needed to be replaced, and I have just one shell left to insert. The more I look at it, the more I like all the color and shadings. I tried to take a picture but my laptop and camera aren't cooperating.

There is still tension at work between those who think working on the computer should be an easy transition, and those who are too busy to take time to learn how to do it fast enough to keep up. The government has a standard of "meaningful use" where they want the visit to be documented and signed off before the patient leaves. I have about three to four patients a morning and I don't always get done before I leave for lunch. When I see the pile of charts on desks late in the afternoon, I feel sorry for the doctors. It reminds me of the "I Love Lucy" episode where she is working at the chocolate factory and the conveyor belt is moving too fast.

She just can't keep up. The problem gets magnifies when three doctors leave in five months, and trained clinic nurses quit or are promoted to administrative roles. I only work one day a week at the quilt shop but it remains my "happy job". I feel a deep commitment to the hospital and clinic. I refuse to give up.