Yummy but....

Randy and I just shared our first pomegranate together. I was a pomegranate virgin before now. He had had a few before tonight.
The insides look like bloody alien ovaries, (not like I've ever seen alien ovaries, I just imagine that they look pretty darn close) but it tasted really good.

The "Elvis as a Banana" Halloween Costume

If this guy shows up at your door trick or treating, be afraid.
Be VERY afraid.

Funny News Story of the Day

Police nab alleged 'Perpsicle'
Very rarely do suspects welcome their arresting officers with open arms.
But Ari Rayvon Stanberry was not only glad to see the police when he was arrested, he couldn't wait to get into the squad car. Why?
The Florida man had just spent a bone-chilling twenty minutes inside a sub-zero deep freezer.
Sgt. Marty Jacobson, a spokesperson for the Stuart Police Department, said although Stanberry was wanted on an outstanding warrant for a lewd and lascivious battery charge, the 22-year-old man's arrest on Oct. 9 was a coincidence.
An officer was investigating an unrelated shoplifting incident in a grocery store when he spotted Stanberry. The officer made eye contact with the suspect, recognized the man's face from his "wanted" poster and gave chase.
Stanberry, however, eluded the officer, who requested backup to conduct a thorough search of the store. Twenty minutes later, officers decided to search the store's trailer-size deep freezer and found the frozen suspect.
"He had accidentally locked himself inside the freezer," Jacobson said. "His dreadlocks were like little Popsicles."
Stanberry, who Jacobson has nicknamed "the Perpsicle," surrendered willingly; he also asked to be taken into a warm squad car.
He is thawing out in the Martin County Jail without bond.

My ER Experiences

Monday and Tuesday night this week, I had my rotation in the emergency department at St Johns. The most exciting thing I got to see on Monday was a cardioversion. This guy came in with a very irregular heartbeat (called afib) and so the doctor shocked him back into rhythm with the defibrillator (CLEAR!!! Zap!). It was very scary and painful for the guy- but atleast his heart finally was on the right beat and he wasn't dead. I jumped when it happened because the poor guy nearly flew off of the gurney. He was fine as soon as his heart returned to normal, and left the ER within 3 hours to go home.
I helped all different kinds of people throughout both nights. It was so good to be there for people when they are hurting (like the 9 year old who was on her bike and got hit by a car) or when they are confused (like the alcoholic who fell and torn open his head on a table). If you want to see life from all different angles, spend a night in the emergency room.
Last night (Tuesday), I did CPR on a real live human being for the first time. This patient came in that had been in full arrest (unknown reason as to why) and my friend and I had to take turns doing chest compressions on him for about 10-15 minutes. It was so chaotic in there- but much more than what you see on tv (Trauma: Life in the E.R. doesn't quite do it justice). This was the real deal. Doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, paramedics flying around the room while I was on a stool over this guy doing compressions, counting off. I found out how different it is to do CPR on a man vs. a mannequin. I will never ever be scared or hesitant to do it on someone out in public now that I know exactly what to do and how doing real CPR feels. The guy ended up dying and then we had to help clean him up so that his family could come in to see him and say goodbye. I now know how it feels to have done the best I could do in the moment but still not be able to save someone. Taking part in it all was such an experience I can't fully grasp, or describe in words.

What a humbling, wonderful profession I am entering.

Story From Dateline NBC

I read about and watched the video of this girl who is 12 but frozen in a 6 month old body. Very interesting...and the medical professionals are perplexed!
Check it out: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9778227/

WOW!

I had to post this pic that I saw today in the paper. Meet the Dugger family from Rogers, Arkansas. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Dugger, who just gave birth to their 16th child.

Wonder if she had to push or if the kid just kind of...you know...fell out.

Thoughts

Why do I always get the pre-test jitters? Actually, calling them jitters is a huge understatement. Here I am, studying my heart out, worried to death about a grade that won't even matter in a year. I can't sleep. What else is there to do other than to stay up and study (and take a break to blog a bit)?
Tomorrow (test day) will be so much worse than the anxiety I feel tonight. It will start at 7:00 am with atleast 3 trips to the bathroom, followed by not being able to eat, followed by looking over my 50 pages of notes one last time, followed by a discombobulated drive to the school. After the test, my classmates will all gather outside and try to remember each and every question in order to compare answers. I will be famished from not having anything in my stomach. Anxiety ends when I see my grade. Could be later that day, could be in a week. Who knows?
Yes, it's all in my head, but I've made A's so far in nursing school except for on 2 tests and have gained much needed knowledge, so is this stress and IBS all worth it? Hmmm...
I must've gained 5 lbs this past summer because my pants felt tighter. I didn't mind though, because I knew that once I started back up to school, I would lose that poundage plus maybe more. Yep, I was right- the pants fit great again. My strive for perfection in nursing school continues and so does my studying....
Why am I like this?!?

Oh those Japanese...always one step ahead of us!

A Japanese company just came up with a drink called "Kidsbeer". It's a soft drink that looks like beer and even has foam when you pour it.
Eventually, once it comes over here to the US and after all the boycotts it's sure to be greeted with are over, it can be a staple at our family get togethers just like Squirt.

Ho ho ho

Since my last post was so sad, I thought I'd lightened up the mood here at Pretty is as Pretty Does.
Did you know that I have 44 days left of school this semester? That right there brings utter joy and delight to my soul. Yay!
What's even better? It's only 82 days left until Christmas! Woo hoo! I say, start the Christmas music now! (you don't necessarily have to put up Christmas lights/decorations yet though. We don't want to be all W.T.!!!!).
Merry Christmas! (oh wait- it may be too early for that too.)

Loss

Please keep my sister Keri and her boyfriend Dan in your prayers. Dan's best friend since early elementary school got killed this morning in a car accident. Dan and Jeremy were inseparable- like brothers who even worked together as deputys/captains of the sheriff's dept. Keri and Dan are both in shock and trying to deal with their loss. Even though Randy and I know all too well what they are going through, it is so difficult to find the comforting words to say without seeming so cliche. All we can do is pray for healing. God knows their pain and grief and will surround him with his love during this difficult time.

Conrad Jacob Alderson

Here is a picture that I copied off of Nate & Kristen's website of the new kid in town. If you'd like to see more, here's their blog address: http://natealderson.org

Life

Randy and I are the proud uncle and aunt of Conrad Jacob (C.J.) Alderson, born this morning at 2:08 am. He is welcomed into this world by mommy Kristen, daddy Nate, and big brother Levi. Kristen and baby are doing well.
I just got back from seeing C.J. tonight. Talk about a cute little chunk!!! He's 7lb 11oz and 18.5 inches long. He doesn't look a thing like Levi did when he was born.
C.J. makes the grand total of mine and Randy's niece and nephews to (drum roll please....) 7! Two boys from his side, and 4 boys, one girl from mine. WOW! I think we'll have to start our own professional sports team when they all get older!
CONGRATS, KRISTEN AND NATE!!!!

Death

I came to the realization tonight that I am afraid of death. Not my death, but of those nearest and dearest to me. As Randy was starting his car, ready to drive back down to training in LA, I told him "Please don't die". I truthfully, wholeheartedly meant it and began to cry as I said it. Now before you all think I'm some kind of loon, hear me out. I'm not afraid of my death (except I do have 2 requests: I don't want to feel it and I don't want to be freaked out before it happens *plane crash*) because I know what awaits me. I've "helped" some of my patients die peacefully. Usually, though, when I'm saying good bye to someone who is leaving me or driving off, I am so scared that it will be the last time I see him or her again. I've tried to get past this. I can't live in fear of losing my loved ones. I pray that God takes this fear away from me. Like I said, I'm not afraid to die, and I have it in my heart to care for those who are dying. It's just this sudden death thing I'm not so good at.

Jun. This fear all started with his death.

That Whole Plane Incident...

I can honestly say that it's not everyday that a disabled aircraft flies over me while sitting in the LA traffic. But it happened to me yesterday, and it was quite thrilling (now that I know it landed ok). That pilot deserves a raise and a vacation.

Weird advertising, but it did get my attention...

Tonight, as I was walking out of Subway after getting my food, I heard this blaring voice coming from (I guess what was) a speaker in the bushes. It was so loud echoing through the parking lot that I thought it would make car alarms go off. The message blaring? "YOU CAN GET A GREAT DEAL ON TAMPONS AND PANTYLINERS RIGHT NOW AT SAV-ON!!!!"
Thanks for the info.

I miss Randy.

He'll be back on Friday, but I've already been crying. :-( How and when did I get to be such a big baby? I get it from my mother. Not that that's a bad thing! I just don't like being left. It's too quiet. Randy's a lot of fun to be around. And I love him.
Please come back soon Randy. WWWAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Friday Humor

We all need a little laughter right about now, don't ya think? Enjoy!

An extraordinarily handsome man decided he had the responsibility to marry the perfect woman so they could produce beautiful children beyond comparison.
With that as his mission he began searching for the perfect woman. Shortly thereafter he met a farmer who had three stunning, gorgeous daughters that positively took his breath away. So he explained his mission to the farmer, asking for permission to marry one of them.
The farmer simply replied, "They're lookin' to get married, so you came to the right place. Look 'em over and pick the one you want."
The man dated the first daughter. The next day the farmer asked for the man's opinion. "Well," said the man, "she's just a weeeeee bit, not that you can hardly notice...pigeon-toed."
The farmer nodded and suggested the man date one of the other girls; so the man went out with the second daughter. The next day, the farmer again asked how things went.
"Well," the man replied, "she's just a weeeee bit, not that you can hardly tell...cross-eyed."
The farmer nodded and suggested he date the third girl to see if things might be better. So he did. The next morning the man rushed in exclaiming, "She's perfect, just perfect. She's the one I want to marry." So they were wed right away.
Months later the baby was born. When the man visited the nursery he was horrified: the baby was the most ugly, most pathetic human you can imagine. He rushed to his father-in-law asking how such a thing could happen considering the beauty of the parents.
"Well," explained the farmer, "She was just a weeeee bit, not that you could hardly tell...pregnant when you met her."

Ma died.

No, not Caroline Ingalls, and not my mom. Our fish Ma. That's 2 fish in less than one month. Gone. Swimmin the streams of gold in fishie heaven.
That's all I can say right now. It's all too tragic.

$35.00

That's exactly how much it cost me to fill up my little VW Beetle today. A four cylinder, 12 gallon 2 door hatchback. I hit my record. I couldn't even imagine how much it costs for an SUV or big 'ol station wagon. Come on, people. Let's here it: how much does it cost you to fill up one tank?

Daddy and his girls circa 1980

I'll give you one guess which one is me.