In the last two weeks CA Cop has worked 50+ hours of overtime. That is in addition to his regular full time shift.
I. Miss. Him. Terribly.
Showing posts with label Shift Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shift Work. Show all posts
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Enlighten Me.......Sleeping Aids
Sleeping during the day is hard.
Combine that with the fact that CA Cop sleeps half the week during the day and then switches to sleeping at night the other half so that he can see his babies.
That is a rough schedule. Now when you also add court into the mix often times during the middle of a day when he should be sleeping you end up with one tired man.
So I ask the following question: Do you have any tried and true methods to make the sleep happen, last, and feel restful? Have you (officers) or does your cop (family members) use any sleeping aids? Be it a pill, a beverage, a music mix, birds tweeting, ocean sounds? What is your process (or your cop's process) for winding down and staying down for the maximum amount of time? Have you ruled out sleeping pills? Why or why not?
I will comment later on our current process, but for now I really want to here any tips!
Combine that with the fact that CA Cop sleeps half the week during the day and then switches to sleeping at night the other half so that he can see his babies.
That is a rough schedule. Now when you also add court into the mix often times during the middle of a day when he should be sleeping you end up with one tired man.
So I ask the following question: Do you have any tried and true methods to make the sleep happen, last, and feel restful? Have you (officers) or does your cop (family members) use any sleeping aids? Be it a pill, a beverage, a music mix, birds tweeting, ocean sounds? What is your process (or your cop's process) for winding down and staying down for the maximum amount of time? Have you ruled out sleeping pills? Why or why not?
I will comment later on our current process, but for now I really want to here any tips!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
How To Sleep With A Cop
So how many badge bunnies will now be drawn to my site when they type that into the google search engine?
So here's the routine. For the future cop wives or the cadet wives this is what I have learned about sleeping with a cop (and I do mean the literal form of the word sleeping, all you dirty minds out there).
This scenario applies 100% of the time when the cop is on graves and about 80% when they are working swings.
So the work week is through. Your cop finally has some time off. And for you, after some sleepless nights of worrying about him or sleepless nights because its just not the same having your bed empty you are looking forward to some synchronized rest next to your main man.
You have dinner together, give your cop the run down on all the happenings that he missed during his long shifts. He fills you in on his week and you watch a little TV together. For us, its Survivor. I don't watch it until his day off.
You both climb into bed, turn down the lights perhaps the TV glows with the sound down low. You toss, he turns. You doze, he doesn't. You wake to the sound of sirens, its just the new episode of The First 48, the volume not so low anymore. You look at the clock, its midnight. You turn, he tosses. You doze. You wake, he's eating a bowl of cereal, afterall its lunch time for him. You look at the clock, its 1:30am. You roll over, You doze. You wake, your bed is empty. You catch a glimpse of him as he leaves the room. You look at the clock, its 3:00am. You doze. You toss and turn in your empty bed as the sun begins to break through the corners of your darkening shades.
Without fail, this how I sleep with my cop. And yet I still feel disappointed when I wake only to watch him leave the room in the wee hours of the morning. I don't know why. I can't imagine being in his shoes and switching my sleeping schedule every few days.
So, to my cop I say this, I look forward to "sleeping" with you honey, even if it doesn't last all night.
So here's the routine. For the future cop wives or the cadet wives this is what I have learned about sleeping with a cop (and I do mean the literal form of the word sleeping, all you dirty minds out there).
This scenario applies 100% of the time when the cop is on graves and about 80% when they are working swings.
So the work week is through. Your cop finally has some time off. And for you, after some sleepless nights of worrying about him or sleepless nights because its just not the same having your bed empty you are looking forward to some synchronized rest next to your main man.
You have dinner together, give your cop the run down on all the happenings that he missed during his long shifts. He fills you in on his week and you watch a little TV together. For us, its Survivor. I don't watch it until his day off.
You both climb into bed, turn down the lights perhaps the TV glows with the sound down low. You toss, he turns. You doze, he doesn't. You wake to the sound of sirens, its just the new episode of The First 48, the volume not so low anymore. You look at the clock, its midnight. You turn, he tosses. You doze. You wake, he's eating a bowl of cereal, afterall its lunch time for him. You look at the clock, its 1:30am. You roll over, You doze. You wake, your bed is empty. You catch a glimpse of him as he leaves the room. You look at the clock, its 3:00am. You doze. You toss and turn in your empty bed as the sun begins to break through the corners of your darkening shades.
Without fail, this how I sleep with my cop. And yet I still feel disappointed when I wake only to watch him leave the room in the wee hours of the morning. I don't know why. I can't imagine being in his shoes and switching my sleeping schedule every few days.
So, to my cop I say this, I look forward to "sleeping" with you honey, even if it doesn't last all night.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Year One
Now that CA Cop has worn the badge for a year I thought I'd post on how he's changed and how I've changed directly related to that shiny piece of metal.
Me:
More independent- Being a cop's wife has made me step up and do things on my own that I may have otherwise not bothered doing. The kids and I have gone on beach trips, zoo trips, and family parties without our main man. I've flown solo to weddings, dinners, and get toghethers. If you want to survive shift work, you have to be able to live a little while he sleeps a little.
Less Social- At the same time that I am willing to do a lot more on my own, there is a lot less to do or that I can do with sleeping kids at home and CA Cop out working. Also, there are some things that you just need to do as a couple. CA Cop's schedule seems to be opposite the 9-5ers and so we end up missing a lot of dinner dates with friends, hosting other couples, and being invited to do much of anything with anyone as a couple.
More of a caretaker- With CA Cop sleeping and waking at all different hours it has changed my role in the house a bit. I feel like it is my job to make sure he gets as much sleep as possible and I feel like I failed when he's up early. Plus you never know what a cop is going to want to eat and at what time. I'm always worried about his driving late at night and whether or not he has rested enough.
I'm not really sure how else I have changed. Overall, I like our life in connection with all things blue. I appreciate what he does. I don't feel like his job comes first. I feel like as much as he loves his job, he still loves his family more. My goal is to maintain that.
CA Cop
More Tired- CA Cop has always been one of those guys that requires his 8+ hours. Now he seldom gets that and so he always seems to be dragging a bit. Shift work is tough in the sleep department especially when every 3 days or so he switches back and forth from days with the family to nights at work.
In Charge- CA Cop seems a little more prone to ordering rather than asking. I think he's just used to telling someone to do what he needs them to do. Sometimes the lines get blurred at home.
More Concerned- He is far more concerned with where I'm going and when I'll be home than he used to be (not that I do much). Occasionally, he even has an opinion on my plans as far as whether or not he wants me to go.
Road Rage- He is FAR less patient when we are driving around. I think it has something to do with while at work he usually has somewhere to be quickly and every one slows down when they see a cop. I might start requiring the kids to wear ear plugs when we are in the car with daddy.
Less Social- His schedule just really doesn't coincide with most of our friends and family. Although he doesn't really seem to hang out with many other cops they are the ones he is communicating with the most either on the phone or texting.
Family Time- He's all about it. I know it has a lot to do with not seeing his babies for a handful of days at a time. But he seems to soak up the time he has with the little ones and even his wifey. We have a weekly date night now and we both really look forward it. I think we are less social as far as having many friends that we get together with, but we are closer as a family and as a couple because we always hang out together on his days off. Not too many people are home from work on a Tuesday so that just leaves us to entertain each other and have conversations together.
More Organized- This has always been in his nature, but since the academy I've really noticed it again. Every thing must have its place and there is a place for everything.
Overall Happier- He likes doing what he does. He likes being a cop. He wants to be out there chasing down the bad guys.
Less Stressed- As a contractor and a landlord it was easy to see that he stressed about what he was doing. He always worried about making every project perfect. As a cop, yes there is a lot of stress that comes with the job, but he seems to carry it differently. He is not visibly worried about his decisions each day. I think he trusts his judgement out on the streets more than in any other jobs.
Overall CA Cop seems to have adjusted well over the past year. The biggest adjustment has definitely been learning how to function around shift work. Being that he was self employed for the last few years prior to becoming a cop we had a little more freedom in the schedule area. So we are learning the pros and cons of each shift, and trying to focus on the pros.
Me:
More independent- Being a cop's wife has made me step up and do things on my own that I may have otherwise not bothered doing. The kids and I have gone on beach trips, zoo trips, and family parties without our main man. I've flown solo to weddings, dinners, and get toghethers. If you want to survive shift work, you have to be able to live a little while he sleeps a little.
Less Social- At the same time that I am willing to do a lot more on my own, there is a lot less to do or that I can do with sleeping kids at home and CA Cop out working. Also, there are some things that you just need to do as a couple. CA Cop's schedule seems to be opposite the 9-5ers and so we end up missing a lot of dinner dates with friends, hosting other couples, and being invited to do much of anything with anyone as a couple.
More of a caretaker- With CA Cop sleeping and waking at all different hours it has changed my role in the house a bit. I feel like it is my job to make sure he gets as much sleep as possible and I feel like I failed when he's up early. Plus you never know what a cop is going to want to eat and at what time. I'm always worried about his driving late at night and whether or not he has rested enough.
I'm not really sure how else I have changed. Overall, I like our life in connection with all things blue. I appreciate what he does. I don't feel like his job comes first. I feel like as much as he loves his job, he still loves his family more. My goal is to maintain that.
CA Cop
More Tired- CA Cop has always been one of those guys that requires his 8+ hours. Now he seldom gets that and so he always seems to be dragging a bit. Shift work is tough in the sleep department especially when every 3 days or so he switches back and forth from days with the family to nights at work.
In Charge- CA Cop seems a little more prone to ordering rather than asking. I think he's just used to telling someone to do what he needs them to do. Sometimes the lines get blurred at home.
More Concerned- He is far more concerned with where I'm going and when I'll be home than he used to be (not that I do much). Occasionally, he even has an opinion on my plans as far as whether or not he wants me to go.
Road Rage- He is FAR less patient when we are driving around. I think it has something to do with while at work he usually has somewhere to be quickly and every one slows down when they see a cop. I might start requiring the kids to wear ear plugs when we are in the car with daddy.
Less Social- His schedule just really doesn't coincide with most of our friends and family. Although he doesn't really seem to hang out with many other cops they are the ones he is communicating with the most either on the phone or texting.
Family Time- He's all about it. I know it has a lot to do with not seeing his babies for a handful of days at a time. But he seems to soak up the time he has with the little ones and even his wifey. We have a weekly date night now and we both really look forward it. I think we are less social as far as having many friends that we get together with, but we are closer as a family and as a couple because we always hang out together on his days off. Not too many people are home from work on a Tuesday so that just leaves us to entertain each other and have conversations together.
More Organized- This has always been in his nature, but since the academy I've really noticed it again. Every thing must have its place and there is a place for everything.
Overall Happier- He likes doing what he does. He likes being a cop. He wants to be out there chasing down the bad guys.
Less Stressed- As a contractor and a landlord it was easy to see that he stressed about what he was doing. He always worried about making every project perfect. As a cop, yes there is a lot of stress that comes with the job, but he seems to carry it differently. He is not visibly worried about his decisions each day. I think he trusts his judgement out on the streets more than in any other jobs.
Overall CA Cop seems to have adjusted well over the past year. The biggest adjustment has definitely been learning how to function around shift work. Being that he was self employed for the last few years prior to becoming a cop we had a little more freedom in the schedule area. So we are learning the pros and cons of each shift, and trying to focus on the pros.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Roommates......
"Really?" There they were, our friends, their chins now resting comfortably on our solid oak table, mouths agape. In my mind I used my serving spatula to lift their jaws back to their correct positions.
I watched the husband give the situation a second thought as a look of shock turned into careful contemplation. His eyes began to glaze over as he imagined wonderful things that might occur if he too, had his own room.
You see, they were over for dinner the other night. Sierra and Shasta playing happily with their children while we enjoyed good conversation and good food. The conversation had an awkward pause at one point in the evening. I asked CA Cop where his iPod was at and he casually replied, "Oh, its in my room," then laughed as he turned to our friends and proudly announced, "because I have my own room, now!"
I guess this seemed very odd to them. For us, it makes total sense and is actually working out very well. I blogged that we were toying with this idea due to his shift change, and we went for it. He gets great sleep, I get great sleep, and I still have access to my closet, clothes, hair products, etc. He "moves back in" on his days off.
When our babies were newborn we set up this same scenario. That way I could tend to the needs of a sleepless, hungry, in need of diaper changing infant without disturbing my man who had to get up early and provide said diapers, blankets, and food.
CA Cop and I are very close. Getting good rest allows us to remain so!
And so we continue on this journey......
I watched the husband give the situation a second thought as a look of shock turned into careful contemplation. His eyes began to glaze over as he imagined wonderful things that might occur if he too, had his own room.
You see, they were over for dinner the other night. Sierra and Shasta playing happily with their children while we enjoyed good conversation and good food. The conversation had an awkward pause at one point in the evening. I asked CA Cop where his iPod was at and he casually replied, "Oh, its in my room," then laughed as he turned to our friends and proudly announced, "because I have my own room, now!"
I guess this seemed very odd to them. For us, it makes total sense and is actually working out very well. I blogged that we were toying with this idea due to his shift change, and we went for it. He gets great sleep, I get great sleep, and I still have access to my closet, clothes, hair products, etc. He "moves back in" on his days off.
When our babies were newborn we set up this same scenario. That way I could tend to the needs of a sleepless, hungry, in need of diaper changing infant without disturbing my man who had to get up early and provide said diapers, blankets, and food.
CA Cop and I are very close. Getting good rest allows us to remain so!
And so we continue on this journey......
Friday, January 14, 2011
Commuting
My bedroom door opened. I was already awake. My body in tune to his schedule. He was different. Usually he does an immediate face plant onto the bed and allows slumber to overtake him instantly. After all, most people are getting their deepest, most restful sleep at that hour. Tonight, he sat upright in bed next to me. He flipped on the TV. Fidgeted around. He was wide awake.
"How was your shift?" My voice cracked. I rested my head on my hand as I forced my elbow to support the weight. He needed to talk, I could tell. Or at least to calm down.
"I was almost in a car accident. Almost- meaning inches from an accident. I don't know how I avoided it." His eyes seemed to tell the story. Large. Alert. I could tell now, what was different. Adrenaline was still pumping through his body. Although, I'm sure it had slowed down, it was still very much a factor.
On his weary way home. Flying down the freeway at probably a cool 80mph. Fighting the burn to keep his eyes open, music blasting to keep his brain from succumbing to the need for relief, air conditioner forcing the chilled wind to slap his cheeks. His hands gripped the wheel. He sat upright. And all the sudden there it was, in his lane. A black car that had just met the guard rail was now sitting stalled in the #1 lane with no lights or hazard lights to speak of. A dazed driver stood outside the vehicle, in the middle of the freeway, starring at the scene. CA Cop swerved at the very last possible moment missing the vehicle and the driver by "inches", maintained control and pulled over to the shoulder.
I think he had some choice words for the guy. He directed him as to the correct way to handle the situation. Waited for CHP, then made his way home to his family.
Similar scenarios have happened on CA Cop's wee hours of the morning drives home from work. He will be first on the scene of an accident, witness to an accident, or narrowly avoid an accident.
I guess I'm just grateful for prayer and for faith. Two things I couldn't live without.......Sierra prays for her daddy's safety each night. I think the Big Man listens.
"How was your shift?" My voice cracked. I rested my head on my hand as I forced my elbow to support the weight. He needed to talk, I could tell. Or at least to calm down.
"I was almost in a car accident. Almost- meaning inches from an accident. I don't know how I avoided it." His eyes seemed to tell the story. Large. Alert. I could tell now, what was different. Adrenaline was still pumping through his body. Although, I'm sure it had slowed down, it was still very much a factor.
On his weary way home. Flying down the freeway at probably a cool 80mph. Fighting the burn to keep his eyes open, music blasting to keep his brain from succumbing to the need for relief, air conditioner forcing the chilled wind to slap his cheeks. His hands gripped the wheel. He sat upright. And all the sudden there it was, in his lane. A black car that had just met the guard rail was now sitting stalled in the #1 lane with no lights or hazard lights to speak of. A dazed driver stood outside the vehicle, in the middle of the freeway, starring at the scene. CA Cop swerved at the very last possible moment missing the vehicle and the driver by "inches", maintained control and pulled over to the shoulder.
I think he had some choice words for the guy. He directed him as to the correct way to handle the situation. Waited for CHP, then made his way home to his family.
Similar scenarios have happened on CA Cop's wee hours of the morning drives home from work. He will be first on the scene of an accident, witness to an accident, or narrowly avoid an accident.
I guess I'm just grateful for prayer and for faith. Two things I couldn't live without.......Sierra prays for her daddy's safety each night. I think the Big Man listens.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
19 Hours, A New Record
I rubbed my eyes. They were burning and hurt to open. But Shasta was announcing that it was time for me to get up regardless of what my body was telling me. I emerged from the bed as quickly as I could without making the mattress move or rustling the blanket too much. I grabbed the monitor and unplugged it immediately muting the baby jabber that had been filing our room and disturbing well needed slumber. I shut the door in the- hold the handle and slowly release the latch so as not to make a sound- fashion. Tiptoeing across the hallway I greeted our little boy with a smile and good morning kisses. There is nothing like baby kisses in the morning. We crept down stairs to start the day.
Breakfast, bath time for two little ones, shower for me. All the while trying to keep the noise at a minimum. Sierra was helped into her black tights and red and black Christmas dress. Black shoes were velcroed at the latches and an over sized red satin bow dressed up her straight brown hair. Shasta wore tweed gray pants and a black vest. A white button up shirt was the perfect contrast to the red and black checkered tie. I placed a little black hat over his blond Mohawk. Glancing at the clock, I quickly threw on a red skirt, white top and black cardigan and we were ready to go. My eye caught a glimpse of CA Cop's red and black Christmas tie hanging in the closet. It was the Sunday before Christmas. We made our way into the Chapel and sat down on a cushioned pew. The kids looked absolutely adorable. The service was nice, as usual, and strangely the kids were actually pretty well behaved. I wished he was there. As people passed us in the hallway I was stopped by the usual friendly salutations followed by the "CA Cop working today?"
He was supposed to be with us. But the day before he worked 19 hours!? 19 hours! There I was in bed watching the bright green numbers on the alarm clock change from one minute to the next, from one hour to the following hour. As the day turned to night and night into morning. He had left our house before 6AM on Saturday and returned home at 3AM Sunday morning. I couldn't believe it. And I couldn't sleep knowing where he was at that night. In the trenches. In the gutters of the bay area.
As church drew to a close I packed up my family and loaded them into their car seats. I made the drive back home staying alert amongst all the frantic Holiday shoppers clogging the roadways. I had one thing on my mind. I hoped he was awake. I wanted him to see that bow in his little girl's hair and how she still fit the Christmas dress his mom made her last year. I wanted him to see Shasta in that 1920s newspaper boy hat that he miraculously left on for the entire duration of church. I wanted to ask him about his night. We pulled into the garage and I unloaded the babies. We really need a new car. My back is aching from bending down and fiddling with car seats. An SUV is in order, at some point anyway.
I heard the squeals as they entered the house and I knew he was up. He smiled at Shasta and complimented him on his future ability to get girls with those looks. He smoothed down Sierra's hair and laughed at the obvious fact that she must not have grown much since last year. I looked around our home and the chaos of the morning had been cleaned up and put away. The counters were bare and freshly wiped down. The pillows were neatly placed on the couches and my best friend was in the recliner. Home. He stood up and put his hands around my waste.
19 hours straight is a new record for him. I'm sure to some this is nothing. So what's the longest shift your family has endured?
Breakfast, bath time for two little ones, shower for me. All the while trying to keep the noise at a minimum. Sierra was helped into her black tights and red and black Christmas dress. Black shoes were velcroed at the latches and an over sized red satin bow dressed up her straight brown hair. Shasta wore tweed gray pants and a black vest. A white button up shirt was the perfect contrast to the red and black checkered tie. I placed a little black hat over his blond Mohawk. Glancing at the clock, I quickly threw on a red skirt, white top and black cardigan and we were ready to go. My eye caught a glimpse of CA Cop's red and black Christmas tie hanging in the closet. It was the Sunday before Christmas. We made our way into the Chapel and sat down on a cushioned pew. The kids looked absolutely adorable. The service was nice, as usual, and strangely the kids were actually pretty well behaved. I wished he was there. As people passed us in the hallway I was stopped by the usual friendly salutations followed by the "CA Cop working today?"
He was supposed to be with us. But the day before he worked 19 hours!? 19 hours! There I was in bed watching the bright green numbers on the alarm clock change from one minute to the next, from one hour to the following hour. As the day turned to night and night into morning. He had left our house before 6AM on Saturday and returned home at 3AM Sunday morning. I couldn't believe it. And I couldn't sleep knowing where he was at that night. In the trenches. In the gutters of the bay area.
As church drew to a close I packed up my family and loaded them into their car seats. I made the drive back home staying alert amongst all the frantic Holiday shoppers clogging the roadways. I had one thing on my mind. I hoped he was awake. I wanted him to see that bow in his little girl's hair and how she still fit the Christmas dress his mom made her last year. I wanted him to see Shasta in that 1920s newspaper boy hat that he miraculously left on for the entire duration of church. I wanted to ask him about his night. We pulled into the garage and I unloaded the babies. We really need a new car. My back is aching from bending down and fiddling with car seats. An SUV is in order, at some point anyway.
I heard the squeals as they entered the house and I knew he was up. He smiled at Shasta and complimented him on his future ability to get girls with those looks. He smoothed down Sierra's hair and laughed at the obvious fact that she must not have grown much since last year. I looked around our home and the chaos of the morning had been cleaned up and put away. The counters were bare and freshly wiped down. The pillows were neatly placed on the couches and my best friend was in the recliner. Home. He stood up and put his hands around my waste.
19 hours straight is a new record for him. I'm sure to some this is nothing. So what's the longest shift your family has endured?
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