AWKWARD AND AWESOME THURSDAY

This week I am starting with awkward...

Thanks to the new medicare laws, any time a patient comes in with any kind of skin breakdown or wound the admitting nurse has to take a picture of it for the chart.  To prove that we didn't cause the wound.  This week a very old man came in with a breakdown on his buttocks, inner thighs and very red and swollen scotum.  So I had  to take a picture of the skin issues, including  his genitals for the chart and it's not just a picture, I have to stick a measuring tape and a piece of paper with his name on next to it too.  Talk about awkward! No, I was not measuring the size of his genitals!  I did my best to be professional about it.  When the printed picture came back the supervisor discretely handed me the picture for the chart.  Now generally we post these things right in the front of the chart, I started to do that, but I just couldn't, I ended up burying it way in the back somewhere......Nurses have to do some crazy awkward things and act like they are routine every day things.  It is a weird thing, the profession of nursing sometimes.

That's enough awkward

I always try to come up with at least twice as much awesome as awkward, some weeks it's tougher than others:)

Today's awesome was that my sister gave me a whole bunch of apples off her tree and I was able to spend 14 hours making applesauce (I did take a time out to run in the middle of it, but thanks to a sore ankle it turned in to a walk).  I now have 4 cases of applesauce.  It always feels awesome to be able to look at canned goods and know that you did that.  Being as making applesauce doesn't take a lot of thinking and it is something I almost never do,  it was a real change of pace, si it gave me a good mental break. 

The biggest awesome is having a husband that is so supportive.  After a rough day he was willing to go to the store and get me the stuff for nachos and rootbeer floats for dinner and not say one critical or judgemental word..  I have decided that while 2 plates of nachos and 3 rootbeer floats over the course of the evening tasted awesome, they were not what made me feel better.  It was the thoughtfulness, love and kindess of my husband that did that.  Sometimes just being there is all it takes.  Of course the extra housework he did this week helped also:) 

I like awesome and awkward Thursday, it reminds me to recognize the humor in the awkward in my life, and watch for and focus on those awesome moments. 

What about you? Have you started your awkward and awesome thursday blogs?

waiting...waiting...waiting...for bad news

Today was a day of waiting.  Waiting for labs, doctors, tests, radiologists and then the doctor again.  Although it turns out I really didn't want to hear what they had to say. 

Being on the other side of the "waiting game"  has sure taught me a lot about nursing and what my patients and their families want and need from me and the place I work.  Like a more comfortable chair to sit in and good food available at the time when I can go get it! 

I am in kind of a weird place, it's like I am in this bad dream that I am waiting and working to get through, but I know what the end is, and I don't want to reach it, so I keep waiting. 

Having the chance to spend with my dad is priceless and I am very glad that I am living where I can be close and I have a job that is allowing me to be there as much as I need to. I am blessed with the experience of being a nurse that helps me explain all the tests and labs and medications decisions etc that seem to be coming at my dad so quickly.  My dad worries he's a burden, and in a sense he is, but, that's one burden I don't really want to let go of, so he just needs to deal with the fact that yes it may be inconvenient at times, or painful and difficult, but at this moment in time I wouldn't want to be or do anything different.  I love my dad and I want as much time as I can get, making up for a little lost time  here, but i don't want him to suffer any more than he has to. 

Sometimes I just have to cry and get it out of my system, that's just the way I am, then I can move forward and do what needs to be done.  I have a lot of great people supporting me, as do my dad and connie.  I am very thankful for that.

I heard a new Martina Mcbride song today where she says "I'm gonna love you through it"  and that is exactly what I plan on doing.  Gotta find that CD. 

PS  I have no magic ball that says how much longer my dad will live, I am a nurse, and I can see he is not doing so well, but I am not God, and only God knows when he plans on bringing him home, so please quit asking me, it's stressing me out. 

Awkward and Awesome Thursday

Lets' start with the awkward (I hate to end on a down note, so always the awkward first and awesome last)

Today I met with my nieces teacher, counselor and principle to help set up a plan for her to succede.  She is having trouble in the teachers class and while I am open to give and take to work on a solution the teacher had only one thing in mind.  I am right, you are wrong, if you child isn't successful in this class it's on you she must not be doing her homework.  I know for a fact alyssa works hard on her homework, so  I wanted to ring her neck, but we set up a plan and I went home to help work it.  After an hour to do 6 math questions (no ADHD meds today)  we turned to the makeup work the teacher referred to that was supposed to be just so simply, she can't understand why noone would not do it.  Here is why....first you have to figure out why you missed the question, which is kind of hard because you don't know the right answers.....so we figured something out, but not sure if it is all right and we were to write all of that down.   Second you need to do the worksheet, teacher made it sound simple, I was going to help alyssa catch up tonight.  I was dumbfounded when I looked at the paper.  There are over 100 questions!  do the math people , who has time to do that?  I also noted that the thing alyssa had trouble with on the test were not really addressed in the homework it was stupid details like not rounding to the correct number of decimal points, now I am stuck.  Anything I say to the teacher is going to be awkward again, but I need to say something, gonna sleep on that one.

Food poisoning and a lap band, ,not a good combination, definately awkward and uncomfortable.

Awesome:

Getting to see my sister and my niece and picking a huge basket of granny smith apples from her tree to make for applesauce in a few days.  Probably not the best way to pick apples, but we resorted to shaking the tree, we figured any that fell were ripe.  May have some bruises, but we didn't have to climb up ladders to get to the top, and it was quite fun.

I was able to run 3 times this week, yeah!  getting back on track

I got everything done today that I planned to, I am up a little late, but the satisfaction of knowing I did what I set out to do this morning is awesome!

Awkward and Awesome Thursday

It's time for another installment of awkward and awesome Thursday!

Gonna start with awkward and work my way to awesome.

I was in a meeting with a bunch of people from work today for a "Look at Leadership".  During one of the sessions I was trying to make a joke, but in doing so I inadvertently revealed that I didn't know what I was talking about.    I had misunderstood some initials.  I would have just laughed it off, but the presenter said something like "you helped us learn, even without meaning to" and elaborated on my mistake so everyone could learn from it.  I don't know about you, but having my mistake not just pointed out,  but elaborated on to be sure everyone in the group understood the mistake I had made was a bit awkward.

I think that moment was plenty of awkwardness for my week. 

Awesome!

The new Scentsy thing that my sister got me, my house smells awesome!

Dinner with family at my dad's house, and the fact that both he and my sister were feeling well enough to be there-Awesome!

The aforementioned Look at Leadership meeting.  I learned some skills to use for crucial conversations and I was able to network with a lot of other great nurses. Today was the second half of the 2 day program.  The first day kind of had me doubting whether or not I even wanted to be a leader.  After today I felt encouraged, it provided tremendous boost in my confidence in myself and my abilty to lead.  I will also be able to take additional classes in leadership and be matched up with a mentor.  I am really excited!  Also Awesome!

Most awesome of all....knowing that I don't have to get up for anything tomorrow so I can sleep in as long as I want!   Oh, and I almost forgot, tomorrow is payday, that makes it even more awesome!

Back from Vacation!

Back from vacation and so much happened I am not sure where to start. 

Conference:  So awesome to be with so many people that believe the same way I do, I love hearing the prophet and the other leaders speak, it is uplifing and encouraging.   Its a little confusing to me how I can spend 2 days listening to people talk about Jesus Christ, and how to be more like him and the blessings that come through his atonement and through believing in him and then hearing on the radio later that others don't consider Mormon's christians.   Makes me wonder what their definition of a christian is?

I got to visit with 4 of my kids and with my grandsons, always a good thing, no matter what!

I was able to read stories to my grandkids before bedtime, including stories from the Doctrine and Covenants Childrens edition.  Kudos to Greg and Tyla for doing that for their kids, wish I had done more of that with our kids when they were young.  We were also able to play card games and have some good talks with them.  In case you haven't heard, our family LOVES to play games together.  We also had  the chance to go up the canyon and take some pictures with the beautiful folliage, I am going to attach some of the pictures.  You will note that there are a lot of rocks in the area.  In my typical graceful manner I managed to fall a couple times and  bring home some bruises as a reminder of my vacation, but the pictures were worth it.

Bob and I were also able to take a Razor ride with Kellie and Mark over the mountain to Hoover's restaurant (that's Hoover's with an R, not a T).  It was so beautiful on the way over, and so exciting on the way back.  Bob has decided we definately need to get a razor, although it is not currently a financial priority:)  We were also able to play more games at Kellie and Marks, which is always fun, love their new  house, wish we had gotten some pictures inside!  Kellie and Mark are doing a great job getting it set up and decorated.

Since it was a road trip Bob and I had a lot of good quality hours together to talk and relax, I read a couple books, I also got a sore on my left elbow from leaning on the arm rest for so many hours!  I need to get myself elbow protection before I do that again!

Weather was crazy, 80 degrees in Provo on the way down, had to stop and get some capri's and t-shirts  because I thought it would be colder there so I took all long pants and long sleeve shirts.  Turns out I was prepared though, because it was snowing on our return trip less than a week later.

I wasn't able to run during my vacation, but I did do some walking, I checked with my doc yesterday because I have still been having lung pain on the right when I run, turns out it isn't lung pain, it is chostochondritis, an inflammation of where my sternum meets my ribs, hopefully a little rest and meds will get that solved and I can get back to running in the nice and raining Washington weather in just a few days. 

Speaking of running, my friend Amy had some struggles with the marathon, but she finished it, Yeah Amy!   I have included a link to her blog, it is awesome, she has a picture on the front of it today that I found very accurate for myself.  or you can go directly to http://amyrnelson.blogspot.com/2011/10/maybe-little-ocd.html

Last but not least my dad did just fine without me, looks like I need to be here more than he needs me here:)   Dr Kang did call me and update me, he is an awesome doctor and Connie does a great job caring for him. 

All and all a pretty great vacation, I am going to go and try and figure out how to use the cricket I got for my birthday to make my first sign.  I already know what it will be....

Families are forever...no matter what!