Welcome Back!

That welcome is directed to you... and to me! I remember a while back saying that I have been wanting to post but I just hadn't done it. Now I know why. The culprit? BIOL 2710. Otherwise known as Anatomy & Physiology. I laughed, I cried... I wanted to quit. But... I didn't. I finished this intense class this past Monday and am the proud recipient of a solid "B" in the class. I wanted an A, but you know what... I'll take it. This has seriously been the hardest class I have EVER taken and what I have learned... is incredible.

Inspiration

I suck. I have had a gazillion different ideas for postings and I am just so busy that I never get to it. I have all my summer photos on a memory stick and will definitely put them on soon. I have so much to tell you... and so little time.

I don't get it.

I have this statue in my back yard. It is a statue of a little black boy. It is about 12" tall. This statue used to sit on my great grandparents porch in Jeanette, PA. Then it went to my grandparents house, in Detroit. Now... it is in my back yard. I love it. I think it is so cute and reminds me of where it came from.

It used to sit on my porch. One day my neighbor asked, "whats with the black statue?" Did he think I was saying something by having it there? I'm lost. I moved it to my backyard because I like it and really don't want to answer questions about it. What I wanted to ask is "what is your problem with the statue?"

Yesterday I took a photo of Emily practicing for softball tryouts. I posted the photo on my facebook and said I was very proud of her. I didn't realize my statue was in the photo until someone posted "who's on third base?" At first I thought he was referring to her coach who happened to be next to her until Emily pointed out the statue would be on third if we were actually at a ball park.

Rewind to Fourth of July weekend. We went camping with a group of people that we had not camped with before. One of which happened to be the neighbor that asked about the statue. The campground was packed. There were people from all ethnicities camping there. All we heard all weekend were racial slurs from the people we were with (many of the other adults). I actually could not believe how freely these people were speaking. It was extremely disturbing for me and I didn't care for my children to be subject to that either. The way I see it... people were camping. Camping with their families. No one was murdered. No one was raped. There were no drug overdoses... etc. People were camping. What is the problem.

I found myself unsure of how I should have handled it. I felt that my family was the minority in the group we were with. We don't share in their racist feelings or remarks. How would you handle this? What is the right way to handle this situation?

Back to my little statue. The person that asked "who's on third base" was someone we camped with that weekend (a relative of the neighbor mentioned above). While I think this guy is really cool, his racist remarks are a bit more than I can bear. I had to wait 24 hours before I responded to the question because I was once again shocked... that he went there. What the heck!

The hard part is that I really like all of these people until they open their mouths and shit like that comes out. I really... don't want to hear it.

I really could use some advice on how I should handle this in the future. I understand people are entitled to their opinions, however if I wanted their opinion, I would have asked for it. I'm sick of being subjected to it. If I shared in their feelings towards people, I wouldn't be working in health care. I feel all people should be treated equally unless they prove that they are scum of the earth. Finally, I like my little statue and don't understand how this is considered a racist thing.

Dammit!

Now that I've done a tour of Jro's house I have to clean mine. DAMMIT!! TOOOOO CUTE! Totally inspired to clean up my dump!!

Twenty One years and still...

I sat in her room by the window. The sunlight was coming in - warming the cream colored bedspread as she lay there sleeping. It was so peaceful that afternoon. I sat for an hour or more, thumbing through the pages of People Magazine featuring Lucille Ball. After a while, my grandma woke up. "How long have you been here?" she asked. "Not long" I replied. "You can go back to sleep Grandma. You don't need to stay awake just because I'm here."

My Grandma was in Royal Oak Beaumont for an illness that I can't quite remember. I can't recall much more of that afternoon, however the peace that came over me is forever etched in my mind.

I had planned on going to see her again that Friday, but instead chose to take my nephew Christopher shopping for new shoes. He was all of two or three at the time. We spent that afternoon together then returned home. CJ (Christophers brother) was less than a month old. I stood in the living room holding him when Jan gave me the devistating news. My Grandma had passed - unexpectedly. I wanted to drop to the floor. I wanted to run. I wanted to punch something. Jan held me tight while I lost all control. This woman was loved and adored. This... was a tremendous loss.

I think of Grandma Gladys every time I watch the Golden Girls. She loved that show so much and everytime I watch it, I feel like I am being punched in the gut. I watch it and remember the glass door knobs in her house. The sunlight coming in her back room. Biscuits & Gravy. The smell of Prell Shampoo. Walking to the Dairy-O with my cousin to bring her back dessert. And every time another Golden Girl passes away, it reminds me of how long ago Grandma died. And every time, I miss her even more. It has been 21 Years... and I still remember her voice.

Getting There...

Not too long ago, I went on a tirade about my weight and being out of shape. As luck would have it, the gazillion steps I take in a day at work have gotten the ball rolling. While I have no idea if I've lost even a single pound, I can tell you that my pants are so much more comfortable now that I am not comparing them to sausage wrap. My training from hell has ended and my hours have tapered off. Just enough so that I can actually breathe.

I have taken the initiative and found 5K walk/runs in my area. My next step was to actually calculate how far 5K is (3.11 miles). The walk I'm eyeing is actually in Howell. It is in August and is affectionately named the Howell Melon Run... or something along those lines. I also have a partner doing it with me. The resident 11 year old has agreed to do this with me... that is until she saw how far 3.11 miles is. For some odd reason she had it in her head that she would not be able to carry a water bottle on her "walk". She even made mention that she was going to "can" her water so she could wear one of those beer can helmets (the one that holds 2 cans simultaneously). Once I informed her she absolutely CAN carry water with her, she was back on the mission.

Next, I found this awesome website Map My Run. It allowed me to start at my house, then go through my neighborhood street by street, calculating a route that would be approximately 3.5 miles. I even found an additional route in case we get sick of the neighborhood one.

My next step... taking the plunge. Actually printing off the registration form and sending it in. THEN... I am committed. I am eager to get to this step, and to get moving. :)

I am excited, nervous and a bit apprehensive about this HUGE step. I have never done anything like it, but am ready. Once I calculate my time for my walks, I will start posting them for everyone to follow my progress.

Namaste.

Another Gregism

G: Mom, where is my radius?
M - points to long bone that runs on thumb side of G's arm.
G: Mom, you know what my favorite part of my body is?
M - thinks G will say his radius.
G: My arms - cause their tan and when they are tan, I'm a hottie!

Litter

If I were to throw a straw wrapper out of my car window (which I would NEVER do), it is littering. Yet people throw cigarette butts all over the place, including the ground when walking into a store. Is that not littering too? That REALLY pisses me off.

ADD

UPDATE: As it turned out, Greg did not have ADD. Imagine my surprise when I took them for their first ever eye doctor appointments only to find out he could not see the board! He had a lazy eye and was in desperate need of glasses. Once his vision was corrected, voila! Problem solved! We never knew he could not see because he never complained about it. Get your kids vision checked. Don't wait as long as we did. My bad!

Greg's been having issues in school lately. It's very odd. The kid is incredibly smart (knowing all of his presidents and which order they are among other things). But this we have been racking our brains wondering why he isn't doing well in some subjects. Actually almost all of them.

This week, his teacher said he is showing signs of having ADD. I will be the first to admit that I always thought ADD/ADHD were just another excuse not to "parent" your kids. Well, if you know Greg, you know he is actually really well behaved. He is very sweet, compassionate, loving, etc. He just gets "distracted". Once I started looking into ADD and symptoms, I could answer "yes" to almost every question.

We have an appointment on Tuesday with our family physician to see what needs to be done. We are absolutely ADAMANT that we do not want him put on any meds of any type. I just don't need my kid to be chemically altered. We are willing to change his diet, or do whatever is necessary to avoid this from happening.

Does anyone have any information on ADD and natural treatments or remedies? I'm not really looking for supplements either. More just "changes" or have you heard anything about those titanium necklaces?

Your thoughts please...

Another Lesson Learned...

My ER career started in 1996. In all my years in the ER, I never learned the lesson that I have this week.

NEVER... get sick at the same time as your spouse or "life partner".

So many times in the past couple weeks, we have gotten people who come in for a "quickie" and want to be released asap because they have an ailing spouse at home that needs them.

Folks. NOTHING is quick in the ER. When you see well over 200 people per day and they all need labs, xrays, ct scans, MRI's, IV therapy, yadda, yadda, yadda... nothing is quick. And it's not like the staff just stuck you in a bed and forgot you existed. Just because we drove a needle into your arm and pumped you full of juice, doesn't mean your lab work is done el pronto. Just because you are back from CT, doesn't mean VOILA! Go HOME! What's the point of having a CT done if you're not going to wait the time to have it read?

Stress tests? Just because you didn't pass out on the treadmill doesn't mean the test is over. All those wires they hook up to you sends readings to a computer that track the electrical impulses of your beating heart. Digesting all that info and disecting your ticker takes a few hours. So plant yourself. Put a smile on your face and plan on spending a few hours with us. We're glad you are here.

Weakness

What are your weaknesses? I'm sure you've all been asked this question during job interviews. I never know how to answer it. However in my short stint with the hospital one has reared it's ugly head. Prisoners. I have NOTHING for them. Zero. No compassion, no caring. Nothing. I go through the motions taking vital signs, drawing blood and that's it. The prisoners come in from correctional facilities for medical treatment. They come in for health problems and for other things, including the ingestion of items that shouldn't be eaten.

In my profession, we are supposed to treat all people equally and with dignity. It is virtually impossible for me to do this when every shred of my being is telling me this person is a dirtball, thug, and is incarcerated for something pretty major, including murder. Today while doing vital signs on one of these "patients", one of the guards stood up and came to the side of the bed. Seeing this huge, brick shit house of a guy stand guard totally rattled my cage. I watched carefully while taking el creepo's temperature just in case he may have the sudden urge to lunge forward and bite my hand off. These people are creepy beyond all get out.

Is my behavior irrational? It is blatantly obvious that I would have NEVER done well in law enforcement.

Cats! Or should I say Pigs!

The cat bowls are separated so that I can control how much each cat is eating. Charlie's bowl is on the stairs to the basement and Pumpkins is in front of the washer (which is upstairs, right by the stairs). At night both kitties are put into the basement (no worries, it's finished - no dungeon feel here). They have food, water and the litter box at their disposal.

I used to have the food on the upper stair, and the water one step down. That is until I kept having to empty it due to food floaties. Now the water is above the food.

Can someone please tell me HOW in tarnations the food got INTO the water bowl last night?

The Cross

Tomorrow Greg will make his First Communion. Sometimes you send your child to religious ed, and wonder if he understands what they are telling him. The fact that he constructed a wooden cross out of 2x4's, is an indication that he's getting it. Attempting to nail Emily's Cabbage Patch doll to it? Message received. Need I say more?

The Cube

I LOVE this product!! I found it at Macy's recently. It is in the Martha Stewart collection and it is a lunch cube. The thing I like best about this cube is that you no longer need those expensive, earth littering plastic bags for lunch! Plus it protects its precious cargo from getting smashed under heavier objects.

I tried to put photos here for you to see but their website isn't set up so you can hijack a photo. So click the link to see this cool cube!

To open it, you flip open the blue "sistema" lock. It helps if your sandwich is on top when you do this. When it opens in half, the sandwich will be on one side with a lid protecting it, and there are two other compartments on the other side. Again, make sure the sandwich is on top when you open it or the other items will fall out. This hasn't been that big of an issue.

I have been packing a lot more lunches for my kids now thanks to Jamie Oliver and his lovely demonstration on what chicken nuggets are made of.

The lunch cube was the best $5 I have spent this year. It is easy to clean, easy to use, and earth friendly. What could be better!

1 week, 4 days

That is how long I have been training for my new "positions". I believe the training to work in the White House is less intense than this. I literally feel like I've been in a cattle chute for the 9 days straight. 90% of the time I have no idea where I am going for my training (ie class, floor, basement), but I still manage to get there. I am not complaining. Well actually I am a little. I am getting paid an awesome wage to sit in a classroom day after day after day, however tonight I am training from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm, then have to return tomorrow at 8:30 for another class. I.... am tired already. lol

I have a new found respect for those that have to wear business attire day after day and sit all day long. I am looking forward to wearing my scrubs, which feel like pajamas and running my tush off taking care of patients.

Remind me I said that about 6 months from now when I'm complaining about that too, ;)

Tech in Training

Last December I sat in the office of the Assistant Clinical Nurse Manager at Henry Ford Hospital. I was being interviewed. When he told me there were well over 350 applicants for 1 position, I suddenly felt very lucky to be sitting there whether I got the job or not.

Fast-forward a couple months. I still hadn't heard anything from the ER when I was called to interview for a position in the Observation Unit. It was the most bizarre interview I had ever been on. I sat in this tiny little office, sweating bullets as 3 supervisors asked me questions that appeared to be printed off the internet. "In the last six months at your last job how many times did you call in sick?" he said in a monotone voice. When I say bizarre, I mean bizarre. At least with my other interview it was more of a conversation. This one was cut and dry and barely any talking. Thank god for deoderant. I walked out thinking, There is no way in hell I got this one.

As always I sent thank you letters immediately after both interviews and called two weeks later. When I called the nursing recuriter (HR), I was told that both departments wanted to hire me, but they were waiting on additional paperwork. I thought I would rupture something, I was so excited.

Finally the call came for the Observation Unit. They wanted an answer on the spot. Before I answered I asked, "What about the ER?". "Do you want the ER instead" Tom asked? "Well... is there any reason I can't take both since they are both contingent?" I replied. "Sure you can" he answered. So... I took both since they both require a minimum of 2 days per month.

Fast forward again...

I started training yesterday and had to go down to One Ford Place, which is a short jaunt from Wayne State University. It was the first day of new employee orientation. I sat in the room with approximately 50 other newbies. Time after time, I noticed my jawl wide open after hearing comments that I thought were fairly surprising. "Unfortunately I will be at Henry Ford Main" one girl said. Unfortunately? I thought. FORTUNATELY YOU ARE NOT STANDING IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE, DING BELL! She thought it was unfortunate that she had to drive from New Baltimore. Funny... I don't recall anyone twisting my arm when I applied.

The jawl dropping comments started while we were doing our introductions. One asshole stands up and says he is a retired firefighter. "I worked 3 days per week, which if you calculate it out folks, averages 70-something days per year! Not bad for $85,000 huh?" Really ass munch? Cause last time I checked three 24 hour shifts equals 72 hours per week. It's short of working 2 full time jobs, not to mention the trauma and carnage that is forever burned into your brain. Is THAT worth $85,000 per year?

During the break I met one woman out at the coffee station. She will be working as a Unit Secretary on midnights in the same ER as I. "They said they are 12 hour shifts, but there is no way I can go 12 hours without a cigarette, so I told them I need 8's" she tells me. "Where did you work before?" I asked. "Automotive. I got laid-off" she answered. Seriously? Desperado finally found a job and now she needs time to smoke?

Needless to say, I am thanking my lucky stars to be where I am now. That's all I got to say about that!

The News

One thing I love about traveling is watching the News in other cities. Seeing different faces tell of different stories actually confirms, "Yes... you are not at home" There is just something about it that makes me a bit giddy.

In our house we watch either WXYZ (ch 7), WDIV (ch 4), or Fox (2). Watching Fox is like watching paint dry. You know it is a slow news day when they pick up the newspaper and proceed to read it to you. Or when they cook. GAWD I HATE it when they cook. Cooking should NOT be on the news. There is a whole network devoted to that. Regardless, the airheads on Fox get on my last nerve so I would rather watch anything else... but that.

Lately I've been watching WMYD TV 20. I'm not sure why. I can tell you that watching an unfamiliar channel and catching the news is like being on vacation. Different faces telling somewhat different stories. That's just my .02 cents.

What I Want

A Lemon candle that smells like lemon. NOT lemon cream.

Real Maple Syrup from a local that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to buy.

A Morning in the Life of...

6:49 am - Mollie wimpers from her crate at the end of my bed. "Lay down!" tell her.

6:50 am - alarm goes off. You've GOT to be kidding.

6:50:25 am - Mollie blows the doors off of the cats in the hallway, running for the back door.

6:51 am - Mollie damn near breaks the bell off the door trying to get outside before she poops her pants.

6:53 am - Let Mollie back in. Chase her out of cats bowl. Feed all of the above.

6:55 am - Make coffee, turn on channel 7. Say Good Morning to Eric Smith.

7:00 am - wake up the kids. Smooch all over Greg's neck while he giggles pretending to sleep.

7:15 am - wake kids up again. More Smooches

7:30 am - wake kids up again, singing "Going down the Cat Walk... You'll be having a ball... cat walk" (If they are not in the car by 8:02, the have to walk down the catwalk to the school).

7:45 am - ask 15 times what they want for breakfast.

7:55 am - argue with Greg to STOP TALKING and eat.

8:00 am - tell them to stop screwing around in the bathroom, and brush their teeth.

8:05 am - whew... don't have to deal with parking lot (insert catwalk here)

8:10 am - ask them if they plan on going to school today.

8:11 am - leave. Drop off at you know where.

8:13 am - come back home.

8:14 - 9:00 am - catch up on GMA and ENJOY the silence. 7 hours until chaos begins again.

Time

For those of you who wish you had the time to get things done, I implore you to take a class. Take a class that consumes so much of your time, that you can't do anything else. When it is over... you will find that you had plenty of time to get things done. You just didn't see it. :)

My english class is over. I am just waiting on my final grade. On May 24th, I start Anatomy & Physiology. The final class needed before taking the HESI test and applying for the nursing program. I plan to use the time between now and then, to get things done... now that I see that I have time, lol.