chapter 3

As Simon's nursing studies progressed, He and Jennifer really started to struggle financially. Simon elected to take on extra work at the hospital. He joined the nurse bank. He could be sent anywhere and he had to work as a nursing assistant, but at least the work he did was paid and he was gaining more experience in his overall training.
The extra work put a stop to his social life. He might go into work as a student on one ward and complete a full shift, then get changed and do an evening shift as a support worker somewhere else, or the other way around.
He tried to keep his days off as days to study, but struggling wards often pleaded with him to come in and help them out. He felt guilty turning them down and the extra money would definitely help to pay the bills. So he often gave in and did the extra shifts.
Practically, it made life a lot harder. When did he have time to prepare two lots of packed lunches for a long day when he didn't get in until half nine at night and he had to get up at six the next day?
He found himself having to rely on canteen meals and takeaways more often. It was more expensive to do it that way, but he was earning money now to pay for them. However, was it a false economy?
Simon did not mind the trade off. He was sick of sandwiches for every meal. Surely it was more healthy to eat hot food anyway.
However, he was not looking at the food choices he made in a healthy manner. He still had to choose the cheapest meals. He had to have something quick, filling and easy.
A plate of chips on their own for lunch. Pie and chips for tea, chop suey roll, chips and gravy for supper.
Nevertheless, he did not put any weight on. He walked miles every day. His feet never stopped aching. His work on the wards involved a lot of bending and stretching. Lifting heavy weights was banned these days, but he still had to support patients, expending energy as he did so. He still had to push trolleys with heavy patients on them. He still had to push the heavy meal trolley.
His social life may have been curtailed, but he was using more energy helping on the wards than he did in any night club.

When his mentor was allocated night duty, he had to follow. He learned that he could sleep during the day without too much of a problem. But how did you organise your meals?
It was good being in when Jen came in from work for once. It was nice to sit down with her, discuss her day and eat dinner with her, even though his body was not ready for dinner when he'd not long woken up.
Once all the patients were settled for the night, the staff all gathered round the nurses station for a cup of coffee and a biscuit. They'd finish the chocolates left over from the day staff as well.
Then they had little bits of things to check up on for the rest of the night. Fred had chest pain. Marjorie needed her drip changing. Ted needed help to go to the toilet, that kind of thing.
Simon got to take an hour long break somewhere between midnight and three, when he would consume his 'lunch'.
Later on he had the opportunity to have another hour long break to relax and close his eyes a bit between three and six. Everyone took their turn.
Between six and half past, they prepared for this morning work, drawing up intravenous drugs ready to be given, finishing off reports. One of the support workers made a big pot of tea and a huge pile of toast for them all. He had not realised how hungry he was. The toast was devoured. But it was needed because the last hour was the busiest of the shift. They had everyone to weigh, everyone had to have their blood pressure and temperature done. Wet beds had to be changed, intravenous antibiotics had to be given.
On his walk home, Simon was tired, but ravenous despite the toast he'd consumed earlier. He tried to ignore the feeling. He just needed to go straight to bed and sleep, but he found himself calling in to the paper shop. He bought two bags of crisps and a bar of chocolate.
He waited until Jennifer headed out to work and ate the lot! He was still hungry and searched the kitchen for something else to eat. He had to be satisfied with a few plain biscuits.
On his first morning off, for some reason Simon fancied a nice crispy bacon sandwich. He bought the ingredients on his way home and waited until Jen went out. He did not want her to know how indulgent he was being.
He cooked the bacon under the grill and mopped the fat from the grill pan up with his bread. He made up the sandwich with lots of butter and tomato ketchup. The hot fat melted the butter and oozed out, dripping onto his plate as he bit into his sandwich. Mmmmm. The salty, greasy crispness was just what he needed! Oh yes! That felt good! He felt guilty for having it. He washed the grill pan and his plate so there was no evidence left. That bacon sandwich was the best thing about his night shifts!