Happy Birthday to Little Sister!!!!

NINETEEN!!!!

She is soooooo old!!!!!

Good grief that makes ME old!!!!!

Lets stop this yes???

Best Little Sister in the world!!!

Love ya babe!!!!

2006

2007

2008

 2009

2010

2011

2011

2012

2012

2013

Gosh..we look so young....and so old!!!!

Alright Peeps-SOAPBOX time!!!

A few days ago I was cranky with several boys in my life (what else is new??)

And so I decided to write a book.  About all the reasons I was cranky.

Then I realized how wrong I was.

Also that I likely could never write anything long enough or interesting enough to be a book.

(Disclaimer...this may not make much sense if you are not Mormon and don't know a lot of the cultural norms and stigmas attached....but I still think this post is worth a read so...you'll make it!)

As I explain I want you to picture sacrament meeting.  Its the first Sunday of the month.  You see a cute (insert gender here) walk in.  You notice and appreciate.  Then they get up and bear their testimony.  Afterwards you chat them up for a bit.  They make intelligent and insightful comments in Sunday School.  And after church you chat them up a bit more, getting to know them just a little bit more

And by the end of the 3 hour block..you have discovered a person who is

-talented in some way..music, sports, art....

-attractive

-socially competent

-intelligent

-spiritual

-successful in work/school etc.

and over the age of 25

And now I ask you a question.  What is the first thought that comes to your mind?

I would venture to guess that for many its 

"So why are they not married?" or "What's wrong with them?"

How many times have we caught ourselves doing this?  Myself included!!!!!

The past 3 guys I've gone on dates with (I exclude the 4th as an outlier) I have asked myself the question and even pinned down a reason!!!  (insert face palm/hand slap here)

We all know the reasons we give....

Momma's boys

Peter Pan complexes

Morality isssssues

Baggage...of all varieties...leading to walls.....

Too independent/intimidating/successful

Personal character flaws.......

BUT sometimes there is no reason right?  

How many times have you heard someone (aka a grandmother type) list off all the many excellent qualities of a single person and then say "I just don't know why they aren't married"

WE NEED TO STOP FINDING REASONS!!!!!

Not only for others but for ourselves!!!

Sometimes the reason is simple.

This person is not married because they are not married.

It is as simple and basic as that.


And sometimes the reason YOU are not married...is just because you are not!
I mean, have a few self reflective moments I guess.  BUT...once thats all done.  Give the thought that it may be situational and not personal a chance to marinate.


PS..Be Happy Be Healthy

Sorry I've Been Absent!

Its been a very busy couple of days.

So much I could say...but also so much that I won't because-well, this is a public forum and there is such a thing as decency and privacy......an I'd like to maintain some dignity (since I have so very little hehehe)


But let me just post a vaguely elusive and detail lacking post ;)


This is my current theme song.
Not only because it is a great song...and has played on repeat roughly 10 times in the past 30 minutes

But because it matches my...mood?  life as of now?

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.

Just sayin.....

;)

Be Happy Be Healthy

Be Vague!!!!!

Say......

This is kind of a ridiculous song. Lets be honest.
He needs to just say it not just say over and over that he needs to say it!

But I will always have a small place in my heart for good ol John Mayer.
It was my childhood-what can I say??


Tonight I was talking to one of my best friends about how I need to have a MAC.  But I'm scared.
I have a friend-who I really need to sit down and just talk things out with.
How I feel, why I can't stand the way this "friend" acts sometimes.
How much they really have-hurt is a strong word-upset me for the past few months.

But that takes some pretty serious guts.  Guts I'm not sure I've got.
In fact I'm pretty sure I don't.

I don't want to make things awkward-or worse then they already are.
But tonight it was pointed out to me that-well-how much worse could they get?

Its going to be hard to just say it.  I've played the conversation over and over in my mind.  Obsessing to the max about the whole deal.
if only I could perfectly orchestrate it.  The setting...his responses.  Gosh wouldnt that be nice.

My Love of Dr Suess

I'm not ashamed.  Dr Suess is an epic man.  A man of wisdom and wit.

A Final Thought on Nurses Week

Moms=unpaid nurses


They clean up poo and puke.

They get cool washcloths and give Tylenol for fevers.

They consult with doctors and other healthcare professionals regarding appropriate care.

And they listen to whining and bad excuses for poor behavior.


all the parts of my job that I do with the mantra "You are getting paid, you are getting paid" Moms do without any compensation.


So Happy Nurses Week!

And Happy Mother's Day!




Be Happy Be Healthy

Nurses Week Day 5: Confessions

Alright-so I can't really confess a whole lot.....

At least not a lot of juicy stuff.  Any juicy stuff I know about-I sure as heck wouldn't talk about here!
I want you guys to think us nurses are saints/angels.


Which we are...just with the occasional flaw.

But I will confess a few things!


1. When I do this to a patient it means I am really annoyed and frustrated with them but I still have to be kind and professional.  This hand gesture is usually combined with "Now Sir/Ma'am you can't _______"

(PS do you love the makeup/fixed hair...with the nasty old BYU PE t-shirt??)

2. Sometimes I'm not totally sure how I would classify someone's breath sounds...coarse, crackles, coarse crackles???  And what the heck are rhonchi anyway...it just sounds like coarse with exp wheezes!
So sometimes I try to cheat off the Respiratory Therapists.  But sometimes they seem wrong too...sooooo I just pick the best.  Its like a bad multiple choice test.


3. No frustrating patient I did not go through the you-know-what that was nursing school to clean up your trash, get you a specific amount of ice, fluff your pillows or hand you the remote that you could reach if you just sat up a little.  And ps....the switch that controls the light above your head is right on the bed...right where I showed you the last 4 times!


4.  I never WANT to be at work.  EVER.  I would always rather be at home!  Of course-who wouldn't?
But until I am a millionaire who never has to work another day-I will work.  At least its something I don't mind!

5.  I never try to convince someone to not leave AMA (against medical advice) or to refuse a medication or procedure.  As far as I'm concerned its one less thing on my to do list.  Plus I don't want to take care of someone who doesn't want to be taken care of.  Here's your form-now get out of my hospital and make room for a compliant patient!

6. Sometimes I have a deep urge to text-page a ;) to the doctors when my patient is asking for something we both know they shouldn't/won't get...but I have to page to be able to say I did all I could.  Dang professionalism!

7. Nursing is ALWAYS about passing the buck.  "Its policy"  "Dr's orders"---frequently used phrases.  I told one of my patient care techs one time "if they get mad blame me...and then when I go in there I'll blame the hospital!"

8. Nurses have names and we like to be called by them.  Shouting "Nurse, Nurse" is just annoying and leads to a cranky nurse coming into your room.  Kindly push that HUGE red button and use our name-instead of shouting.  Please and thank you!


See nothing exciting right??
Sorry to disappoint!


but anyway-----be happy be healthy!!!

Nurses Week Day 4: Happy Teacher Appreciation Week

Did you know it is also teacher appreciation week???

Why we have to share I don't know!


Shouldn't the molders of the next generation get their own week??????



Anyway...super busy/tired today so this will be a short one.



Thank you to all the many teachers I have had....and all the teachers who I will have.

Thank you to my future children's teachers (also bless you with serenity and patience, as I am sure they will be terrors!)

And HAPPY TEACHERS week to all my teacher friends!!!




Be Happy Be Healthy!!!

Nurses Week Day Four: Pockets!

Ever seen the posts that have been floating around for a while of "what's in my purse"
Well, luckily nurses don't carry purses.  Can you imagine?  Oh how annoying!!!!


But we DO have pockets.  Lots and Lots of pockets!!!!!


So whats in my pockets?????

Allow me to show you

so lets go left to right!

1. Penlight-supposed to be used to look at pupils.  Usually I use it to plug dying monitors and IV poles in without turning on the light and waking up my patient!

2. Permanent marker-multipurpose of course.  But frankly I mostly use it for labeling wounding dressings.

3. Dry erase marker-every patient room has a board with important info on it.  But do these boards ever have markers.  RARELY.  So I carry one of my own :)

4. CLICKY PEN (part 1) red, blue, green and black.  

5. The Backup Pen- black and boring, but just in case.  This is also the pen I loan to the people..aka drs who always say "Do you have a pen"

6. CLICKY PEN (part 2) pink, light blue, light green, and purple.  SOOO fun!  I bought the first pen and then decided I wanted funner colors 

7. Chap stick-the hospital air is crazy dry-so we slather this on all night long.

8. Extra alcohol wipes-I use at least 50 of these a night and there are almost always a few hanging out in my pockets

9. Caps- I have hundreds of these little plastic tops that you pop off medication vials.  Someday I'll make things with them but for now..they will collect in my pockets and get put in the ziplock bag of caps at the end of the night.

10. SMARTIES SMARTIES SMARTIES!!!!!!  I love these things.  And I always have them in my pockets.  You can always tell which nurses station I sat at through the night-because there will be a pile of smarties wrappers in the trash can.  Why do I love them so much-we will never know.  Some people drink coffee.  I eat smarties :)

11. Phone- I truly hate this thing.  Doctors, Lab, the ED, patients, patient families, the charge nurse.  EVERY ONE calls me on this thing.  Not to mention the alarms that sound from it throughout the night.  Oh well....thems is the breaks of bein a nurse

12.  PAPERS.  The little ones are report sheets.  This is what we use to give the next nurse report.  It goes through all the systems and all the important details.  The big sheet is my cheat sheet.  My to do list. Color coded of course.  Meds to give.  Procedures to complete.  Tasks that need to get done. Its ALL here!!!

And that is my pockets!!!!!

fellow nurses-what's in yours??

Be Happy Be Healthy

Nursing Funnies: Nurses Week Day 3!!!!

And Finally...the Funniest of ALL!!!!!!!!

Nurses Week Day Two: The Burnout Book

Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday!!!

I write this post as a little advice moment for future nurses.

When I was a very young student nursing I had a clinical instructor who told me to start a burnout book.

That day...right now...right then.

What's a burnout book you say???  

Nurses frequently suffer from "burnout".  When you care for others so much, you can easily lose sight of why you are exhausting and frankly neglecting yourself.

Now thinking about that definition, I frankly gave this clinical instructor the blow off.

I was basically 2 minutes into nursing school..and was so not going to get burned out till-at least a few years down the road.

Then-I got my first job.  And roughly 3 months into it-I was DONE.

Wanted to quit...hated everything done

And so-I repented.  And started my burnout book.

So fellow nurses/nursing students.....

Might I suggest getting a pile of notecards and keeping them in your locker next to a cheap little photo album (you know the kind that hold 25ish and are all plastic-y).  Whenever you have a patient who compliments you...or you make a good catch....or you have a patient that touches your heart-write it down.  Write down every word and every detail.

And when you have a long shift..or a terrible one-you can look back.  And remind yourself why you do this. 

When you feel like all you have done is be a waiter/janitor/verbal punching bag all night instead of a nurse-pull it out and remember the times you were a rockstar.

When you feel out of control..when you are short staffed..or when you have to call a code-the burnout book will get you through.

Be Happy Be Healthy everyone!!!!

Nurses Week: Day One

Happy Nurses Week everyone!!!

I wasn't sure what I wanted to talk about today...until Anna posted her pay it forward, pay it backward plan!

And it seemed perfect!!!!!!



First to pay it forward-to all my current co-workers who are in their first years of nursing.

We've all gone through a lot the past few months.  And I can honestly say there is not a group of nurses that I would want to work with more!  And someday we seriously are gonna be that group of crazy smart nurses who can do everything.  And the more I work with you ladies-the more I think that someday-is not very far away at all!  Thanks for making me laugh, making sure I actually waste that morphine (hahaha....jk), getting me through long shifts, always asking me if I need anything,....and saving my patients with me when they start bleeding out ;)

Second to pay it backward-to my first nursing mentor

I really knew absolutely nothing at that point.  But she patiently guided me and helped me figure it out.
On my last day of that practicum I remember telling her I was terrified that someone was about to trust me to be a "real nurse".  And then she gave me one of the best compliments ever "You already are a real nurse".
And someday (hopefully sooner rather than later) I hope to be a nurse just like her!


Be Happy Be Healthy everyone!!!!

H54F!!!!!! Get Excited Peeps!

1.
Baby Sister's last orchestra concert for the year
Even a crazy bitter calloused girl like me got a little teary when one of the best educators in the world said
"I hope some of these students get to be teachers...and if they are really lucky, get to be music teachers"















2.
Ted Drewes (BEST FROZEN CUSTARD IN THE WORLD) has a new Lemon Custard
and it is AMAHZING!!!!  Like CRAZY AMAHZING


Def trying the Smore one next!!!!


3.
Cards Baseball with my favorite people!!!

4.
Extra Shift at work = more stress....but also =MORE MOOLAH
(also it was pay-day this week...first one in a while without extra shifts....very depressing!)

5.
We are almost in the double digits.....just saying
108ish............

Theme Song Thursday: A Dash of Katherine

So last night at work, I had a few moments so I pulled out an ongoing letter to Baby Brother
(I pretty much have a constant letter with me everywhere that gets worked on whenever I have a boring moment or two)

And as I told him all the CRAZY crap that has happened then past week or so (its been quite eventful, let me tell you!) I had a serious reaction.


I call it my "whatever, screw you" reaction.

Its sassy and not very lovely....but eh-we can't be Audrey Hepburn all the time.

Sometimes a dash of Katherine is necessary.
Still classy...but slightly more...brash ;)



Never been a fan of P!NK.....but then again.....Glee can do some pretty good things to less then good songs...

dear boys...cause i'm obsessed with writing these things!

dear tractor boy
why are you being nice to me again????
you are making this very hard!!!!
love
city gal

dear bell boy
well that hurt.  i know you didn't mean for it to
but it did.
and ill forgive you.  but getting over the hurt might take some time
love
wounded girl

dear dumbo
oh no no no
everything you just said is INVALID
just learn to fly and fly away!
love
timothy q mouse

dear felon
yeah its official
you are a *not nice phrase that i won't say
and so i'm done
love
a band perry fan

dear tall and lanky
that thing on your lip...its gotta go
yucky
love
me

dear drunk guy who hit on me on the street
oh honey-you are so drunk...just go home sweetie
love
sally  (apparently i look like my name should be sally????)

dear unicorn
YUM!
that is all
also-you should fall in love with me
jk lol
love
swooning girl

be happy be healthy