I can't believe I haven't blogged about this subject yet, considering it's been such a huge part of my life for the last 6 months! I have alluded to stress in my life to explain why my knitting projects have been fairly simple. Six months ago the dentist I work for told me that he was selling the practice. He had an opportunity to go back to school to become an orthodontist and decided to take it. However, I was sworn to secrecy until it was made public, only about a month ago. That in itself has been stressful, but nothing compared to the whirlwind of activities that was required of me, both in preparation for the sale and the transition.
The new doc started last week and I have to say I am favorably impressed. Although he is different in temperament, he seems to be kind and gentle and has a nice way with the kids. But nothing (and I mean nothing!) in a transition is simple. Even in the best of transitions there are a lot of ruffled feathers both with staff and patients and I feel torn in a million different directions. Then there are the logistics, making new arrangements with insurance companies and DSHS to make sure we get paid, talking to telephone companies, computer software people, you name it! We were told by DSHS that it would take 90 days to get all of the new doc's paperwork through due to a changeover in their computer system. I just hit the wall on that one – 90 days of no service for our Medicaid clients?? So I spent a lot of time on the phone and found a friendly woman who actually walked our paperwork through and got us qualified in just a few days.
I worked last Sunday and I have to go in today (Saturday) to deal with some computer issues. The new doc wants to upgrade our internet to DSL (yes, we were in the dark ages and still on dial-up). But after an hour on the phone with Verizon I was having no luck at all. I think it may be that our computer equipment is too old! So I have to go in today and meet with the IT guy to see what the problem is.
So, you can see why I'm under just a little bit of stress. I'll feel better when we start receiving payments from insurance companies and I know our cash flow is, well, flowing. Oh, and to top it all off, the new doc is still commuting to his old job as Head of Pediatrics at Loma Linda University (yeah, he is well qualified)! During this time, the old doc is working some days, the new doc is working some days and our part-time doc is working some days. I told them I was going to name them Who, What and I Don't Know. Who is working Mondays and Tuesdays, What is working Wednesdays and I Don't Know who's working on Thursdays!!
However, stress relief is on its way! Yesterday I booked our flight to Orlando for later in the month. We have about a week when none of the docs are available for a few days. I got a sub for the other two days and told the new doc I was taking off! I think a little granddaughterly therapy is in order.
Hubby was quite instrumental in stress relief this week as well. He called on Wednesday and said he was at the Navy Exchange and they had D-SLR's on sale. We had been doing a lot of research and had it narrowed down to a Canon or Nikon, but I was thinking we would need to wait until the end of the year. I told him to use his judgement and the sweetie came home with this:
It's a Nikon D60. I haven't even gotten beyond automatic and I can't believe the quality of photos that it takes. I tried getting action shots of Maggie chasing bubbles, but she's too quick:
However, when she sits still the results are amazing:
Hubby and Kirby are kinda cute when they sit still too:
I was especially impressed by its yarn photo capabilities. My prize yarn arrived from Sonny and Shear and this photo was taken in the kitchen under artificial light with a flash:
The color is just about spot on! The darker blue is Cascade Heritage and the teal is Araucania Ranco. They will both be destined to become Cookie A. socks if I can ever again in my lifetime wrap my mind around a complicated knitting project.
In the meantime, I've taken break from baby sweaters and have been working on Ivy's Christmas sweater:
I think it's just too cute. I had decided not to worry about the color runs, but to just go with what the yarn gave me. Imagine my delight when I attached a new ball to do the second sleeve that it matched the first sleeve exactly! I couldn't have planned that.
I will leave you with this observation from Ivy (handing a toy to her mother), "Oh no! It's broken. Jie-Jie (big sister) broke it." Ah – the blame game starts early!
missouristar 
Hmm, that pattern looks familiar. Is it from the top-down todder’s book? I made it for a little boy my friend adoped from China. What a great pattern.
LB
…sorry, that would be ‘adopted’ from China!
I may write a blog post today with the same title, but yours is way more interesting than mine about a sweet little dog in pain. (We can see a little improvement though and it’s expected that it won’t go away overnight.)
Sounds like you’re coping well with all the stress. Probably using the stress reduction skills you learned in statistics class?
Congrats on the new camera. You’re going to have so much fun with it.
Those doctors are so fortunate to have you be willing to work out their insurance and computer problems. They should be buying you a camera.
Yay, I new camera for stress relief! Sounds good to me. I can’t imagine what you are going through at work. Orlando will soothe all that stress, too.
Retirement just looks better and better, doesn’t it?!
The camera takes great shots.
You can tell Bill that he did VERY WELL! My #1 suggestion is to read the manual – but of course those are horribly boring 🙂 You should order the Magic Lantern Guide for Nikon D60. Hands down THE best guide to your camera (I keep mine in my camera case and use it often).
You can order the ML Guides from Kits – they may even have the d60 in stock.
Grace wants to see Dr. Olson once before he leaves – probably not an option is it? (me being such a great mom – maybe I should have called and made an appt before now…)
Christall
Sorry you are having such a rough time Nana. Can’t wait for your trip. There’ll be lots and lots of kisses and hugs waiting for you here.
Hang in there! My mantra during stressful times is “This too shall pass.” Sounds like you’re in the home stretch, anyway.
Enjoy your vacation. And that new camera!
The transition of doctors is a big challenge. I hope to retire, either at the same time as my doctors or before would be OK, too.
It is still a few years out.
I need to talk to you two sometime about the camera choice, I was mentioning to C I would like to step up camera-wise. That Maggie photo is so lifelike I’m giving her pat pats with my cursor 😉
It seems like the Orlando trip is just the thing you need. And it will give you a chance to play with the camera.
I still find that the color can vary depending on the light, but I rarely get the aberrations (green showing up as gray, for example) with the D-SLR.
YOu know, transition of any kind fights against every inch of our being, doesn’t it? Our pastor says the unchangeable thing we can count on is that we will change. Can’t get around out. Praying for your days, Dorothy…won’t be long until people forget the transition to New Doctor and think it’s been that way all along! But of course, that’s because of the hard work that people like you do to make it happen!
(((((((((((Dorothy)))))))))))))
This too shall pass….Have fun in Orlando and soak up as much Grands (and Kids) therapy as possible!
Stress is wicked! It is what pushed me into early retirement. Hope everything settles down for you soon. Sounds like you are on the downward slope. Hang in there……
Photos are great. Congrats on the new camera. Enjoy your Nana time. Know you will!
k
Boy, I hope your stress settles down soon. A vacation is just what is needed, with lots of kisses from little girls.
And that photo of Maggie is so realistic that Lewey wants to lick my computer screen.
Sorry for all the stress. I can relate from my pediatric days and knowing what all goes on with those kind of changes. Congratulations on your new Nikon. I use a D80 and Tim uses a D40 (it and the D40x were the predecessors for the D60). We are both so happy with them. It’s nice that they are very light too (not my D80!). I can’t wait to see upcoming photo shoots… I’m sure we’ll be seeing girly pictures soon! 🙂