Some of my favorite ways to signal safety:

*offer extra pillow, coffee, warm blankets

*Stern speech about not being afraid to bother me

*"your nurse from dayshift said you're lovely/funny/cute"

*"it's ok to be frustrated/angry/discouraged, I would be"

*"I'll be back to check on you, ok?"

You know what? Like half of what I do as a nurse is give people permission to treat their pain and take it seriously. Saying "Even though it's expected that you be this sore after surgery, it's also expected that you have your pain managed" is such a gift. People don't always know.

"Your hair smells lovely" says my classy, elegant, designer sunglasses wearing step mother in law
"Omg thanks!" Says me, her autistish dil wearing thrifted everything down to the underwear, bitten nails, loop earplugs, "I put like three different products in it!!"

Very proud, pls clap

Everybody needs to stop talking to me for like 2 weeks, it is too loud out here

I'm pretty depressed! I'm self aware enough to know, and I have enough practice to use all the tools in my kit to manage it, maybe it would be worse if I wasn't. Still. Can't wait to go back to work. Counting down 3 is weeks

I'm not sure this is going to be good for me but I'm out of work (broken hand) for 3 more weeks and I am RAGGED around the edges so