A Cardinal Reality

I cashed my reality check this morning. After a terrible day yesterday, I tossed and turned in bed, cursing the sleep that took hours to wash over me. Usually, I'm one of those gals whose head hits the pillow and she's out like a light until the two alarm clocks spew forth their audio assault that announces a new day.

Anyway, I crawled out of bed, dreading the impending doom of my day. I tried to psychologically prepare myself for the day while jamming to "Crazy Train" and "Welcome to the Jungle" on the way in, but I still felt just awful and pitiful. That is, until I turned into the parking lot and noticed the Cardinal Health semi pulling in behind me. The Cardinal Health semi is a piece of my past life at Muppet Corporate (I ordered all of St. Fozzie Cardinal products for years). The semi appears at very strange times. Or maybe I just notice it more when I'm down and out. Regardless, it was a great reality check...I'm HERE, not in the former life at Muppet Corporate. My attitude instantly changed and I felt refreshed, albeit briefly!

EVOO is on vacation and I was given *all* the meetings to lead today (five in total). I went in at 6 a.m. to make sure my ducks were in a row. As it was, I only had about 8 minutes to spare after my prep time. I got it all done, made great progress on the stroke protocol (the order sets are another fiasco, one which I will be fixing tomorrow while I'm at St. Animal's for Six Sigma training....they're teaching us how to graph in Excel and I think I can slack off and work in the back of the room!)

I also received two awesome pieces of news today (which also served as silver linings for me). The Cardinal Foundation grant was accepted and they requested a full proposal of our project. Of the 2,000+ applications they received, we were one of 100 chosen. Not the greatest odds, but I'm thrilled my hard work paid off.

And as I was rifling through the stacks of articles, notes, folders, and mail on my desk this afternoon, Elvis popped in and told me Jim Henson is sending four of us to a class in NYC....two CEO's and two brand-new hospital newbies. I'm thrilled but also sort of mystified as to why I get this opportunity. I'm not questioning it, though, as I'm not usually one to turn down education!

Blogging the next two weeks may be scant...I'm all around the system and in downtown Chicago for a couple days. *This* officially marks the beginning of my crazy travel season!