Work, Grant’s birthday party, Grant’s scare

The User Manual – my parting gift to the Client Relations/Account Management Group – has been a work in progress since I first started in the group in late October. Originally, it was the project of one of our group members but since nothing ever came of that it was divided among us; about twenty pages apiece. Since that did not work either (this is a very busy, overworked group) and since I was not doing anything too cumbersome I looked through the manual in one afternoon, made some obvious revisions and returned the revised copy to our boss. All that was needed at that time was to have one section updated and the proper screen shots copied into the document. The due date has always been January 3^rd. Now the heat is on to get the document out for final editing by noon today. I narrowed the revisions down to a final five pages (out of 86) but the company launched a revision to the system that now must be included in the final document. That will take the revised section up to twelve to fifteen pages. 

One of the ladies in our department is working on those updates now and will hopefully finish soon. That will give us this afternoon to compile, edit and format the document for review. We might make it. We need to finish since, as of next week, I will be relocated to another group. Although my replacement has worked in the Client Relations group in the past I do not know how broad her skill set is nor how much time will be required to bring her up to speed in handling the phones and emails, but there will need to be some focus on integrating her into the group and building her confidence. For that reason, focus on the manual will be divided once again so finishing this week really is urgent. At a minimum, it gives me something to do that is well within my abilities. Which leaves me a little curious as to what challenges await me in my new assignment. This morning I had to ask my new supervisor where I am supposed to report on Tuesday morning, the day I am to take on my new role. (Nothing like good communication.) Turns out that I will be at the same desk at least in the beginning of the week so I can finalize the projects I have been working on for the Client relations group – and my backfill can complete any assignment she is working on. It is a good idea. I do not like to leave things unfinished. 

Grants birthday party went well yesterday evening, but he gave Mama and his parents a scare yesterday afternoon. As Nate was cutting his hair he passed out. Cori was telling me that this is the third time he has passed out for no apparent reason. That is more than a little troubling for an eight-year-old to suddenly lose consciousness. Last night he was very sick; nausea, vomiting, headaches. Maybe the vasovagal episode and the current nausea are connected but it is very difficult to tell. At any rate, he made it through the party and enjoyed the guests (Ethan Burns, the Echeveria children, as well as Grandma, Norman and Seth) and the presents. It was only later that the symptoms that plagued him through the night set in. Since Savanna has had the same symptoms for about a week now we are not worried about the illness – which could last for several days – as much as the episodes of fainting. That may be something we need to investigate further but, according to the research, it is neither uncommon nor necessarily unhealthy. The most common resolution is proper hydration. 

That we can handle.