Yep, Friday again at the HOSPITAL to volunteer. Woo Hoo!

Today… Today… Today… Well, what happened that was different from other Fridays?

Mmmmm… Oh, had several people throughout my time unable to find parking spots right there and had to park further away. That’s a bummer. Better to just to be lucky have a taxi that picks up at the door…like me. I wouldn’t be able to remember where I parked anyway… 😉

Another thing… Only had one wheelchair at my location. Uh, that’s not enough for me! So, I called another entryway and asked them if they had one I could have.

“Sure. Meet me half-way and I’ll give it to ya.”

Cool! So we both start trotting toward each other, split by two different buildings that are connected by a hallway. I meet-up with her real quick, grab the thing and quickly trot back entrance. Phew! Got that done.

I got all the wheelchairs lined up in my “entrance area” and sat to wave again. I don’t believe it was much more than 15 minutes, but I was down to just ONE wheelchair AGAIN. ok, ok, ok…. I wasn’t going to let this bother me any more. Soon, I had all of them back. How did I get them back? Who knows…?

One more thing while I was sitting there. I start hearing this alarm. I was sitting there and reading my magazine and an ALARM starts going off??? Oh, great. I’m first thinking that I need to start making calls, or something like that. Then it was…. ding, ding!! (in my brain…) I decide that I just should just go outside. I’m “very important” and do not want to be in a very dangerous position to get hurt. Yep, that’s it….

The alarms were shut off by the maintenance staff in just a short period. Went back inside and kept greeting and reading.

Yesss….

It’s Friday again! What do we do on Friday, boys and girls? It is volunteering time at the local hospital!

Set my alarm at a sufficient time this morning and arose just fine to leap into my hospital volunteering outfit. Went to the kitchen, ate my cereal while drinking my Starbucks coffee from my machine and was then ready to go. Look outside and expected my taxi would be there like last week. Uh… No….

After waiting… The taxi got there was there quickly and I got to the hospital in a snap!

Good Day Today. But, then again, what is the definition of a “bad day”?

Couple things to mention about today…

1.  Had an older guy that was brought back in by another person. This other person was saying the guy had been searching for his car and was unable to find it. Uh, ok. Got on the phone for some help, but by the time help arrived, the guy was missing. I don’t know where he went.

2. Had a younger guy come to me asking how to get some place because he was a new volunteer. (Ah! I’m not the newest anymore!) Needed to find another place in the building. I knew… Told him right where it was.

3. Then, every time I have gotten done with lunch, I have the guy to do that job for the afternoon. He’s pretty relaxed. Many for Friday afternoon hospital appointments? Uh, not too many people. Asked him today if he’d help me out one time coming up that I need off and cover me.

“No problem, unless something comes up for me. Then I’ll just leave out the sign telling people to go to the desk around the corner.”

Cool!

When people come to me with a question that’s beyond me knowing, I point them around the corner and say…

“See those people over there? Go ask them.”

It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. 🙂

Yes. It is true to say you should try to understand the outcome of the volunteerism being taken advantage of at the local hospital. This is simple enough. Simple to type. Simple to understand.

Today I awoke, got dressed and was walking toward my kitchen when I looked out the top of my front door and could see the taxi was already here!! He’s supposed to pick me up at 7:30, but he was there about 7:00. Geeze! Well, I wasn’t going to hurry for him. Never the less, cereal was eaten and lovely Starbucks Cappuccino from my maker was drank. Went outside, got in the van and off we went!

Got to the hospital and started thinking about “what do I need to do“. Ah! Walk to the other side of the hospital to receive my paperwork. Uh, well, it’s early. Like, 7:45 or so. I talk and yap with the ladies working over there at their entrance. There was one lady I’d never even met before, so I hadn’t had the chance to converse with her. After a LONG period of time, I choose to walk all the way back.

Getting everything straightened up at MY entrance, I see that I am WITHOUT the paperwork I need! Holy Crap! Should NOT be leaving my position at all, at any time! BUT my choice is to quickly walk all the way back over to the complete other side of the building where the ladies were and receive the paperwork of people staying in the hospital. THAT WAS THE WHOLE REASON I GO OVER THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! Oh, well… Got that and got back. Luckily, I did not find any “suffering” bodies who are that way without my help. Ahhhh….

Time went on, and on, and on……

“Good Morning…”

“Good Morning…”

Another interesting point from the morning was at more-than-one time I had been informed there was an old man wandering around the parking lot. He was unable to find his car. This was interesting because I had to make an “actual call” over to the hospital security to help find this vehicle. Wasn’t the first place to call, but I got a hold of these guys and told them what was going on. Guess they weren’t busy at the moment….

Got done there, had lunch while chatting with more volunteer ladies and I was gone.

That’s about it. 🙂

A-ha! Yesssss… Woo Hoo! Today was that day that I did my Friday Volunteering at the Hospital as a “Lone Greeter”. Yes, boys and girls, I was sitting right there a-greetin’.

“Good Morning…”

“Good Morning…”

All this is while I sit alone… Alone and watching the doors to greet people to create the extremely tough time of working. I was extremely happy with the way that was when I was there, but yet tired. One thing I probably didn’t really need to happen is wait for the next person to show up after lunch. I’ve always felt sorry for people coming in the during the eating period. In past weeks, I have eaten lunch with the person taking my place. What does that mean? No one at the front desk while we were both are at lunch!

So, I was just taking it upon myself to keep greeting these people while they come in until that next person finishes his lunch at a later time and takes my place. This is NO PROBLEM to me. These volunteer people only want me volunteering my 4 hours at a time and 4 hours per week. What? Whatever. Heck, I’d volunteer 24 hours per day.

So, the next person came to take my place after I chose to sit and work an extra 30 or 60 or whatever minutes (I wasn’t keeping track) and I went to go eat. Got my FREE lunch and before I leave I need to stop by and sign myself in/out on the paper and log how many hours worked. I just write FOUR HOURS every time. No more. That’s all. Period. THE END.

I could work for Nineteen hours there and still log down I was only there for FOUR, just to keep everyone happy.

Enough of that… Got that off my chest… Hmmmmm….

That’s it folks. I did it. I got my official day (the lady-helper was there, but for the last time). Friday morning is MY DAY at MY ENTRANCE into the hospital. I’m ready now. Every Friday. Every Friday. Every Friday. Well, except if I am doing something like going on a cruise. (But that’s later down the road. A small road.)

How was today? Well, if I have to say that if every Friday is like today, I did good job at getting intelligently chosen to work a hospital entrance desk. This is complicated, but it still can be done…

“Good Morning…”

“Good Morning…”

Friday is a day where not as many people who are needing my help (hopefully). There was several that really needed it, and the lady with me just showed how to help those few people in the future. I’m sure it could have gone just fine, but I just needed her to show me to make sure I had it correct. Now, I’ll just have to wing it.

Ah! I did see that Occupational Therapist lady passing “quickly” into the building again today!

“Uh, ma’am. You need to slow down.”

She looked over, saw me, recognized me, smiled, yelled “HEY!” and waved to me.

That’s it… I hope she decides to put on some breaks to stop for a bit to talk….. maybe next time.

Yes. Today was a good day. But it is cold outside. I forgot my coat at the hospital.

Ah, I just remember where…