God never gives us more than we can handle, right?
Well how do I let him know that he's given me enough already?!?
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Monday, November 28, 2005
Ready! Set! Ho Ho Ho!
It is official: we are ready for Christmas. Except for the shopping part, we are ready. The tree is up, the lights are up, and our yearly ornament has been made and hung. Randy and I have a whole 2 ornaments this year. Life is good. I wonder how many more ornaments God will let us make in this lifetime together. I wonder what kind of things will be put into the ornament next year...maybe stuff my first nursing paycheck stub into the clear glass bulb. Hmmm....
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Yay! It's here! The most wonderful time of the year is here!
Well, for me anyways...
Sunday, November 20, 2005
What can I say?
God is trying to teach me how to be a really good nurse. He's giving me more experiences to practice my skills all the time, even though I'm really not asking for them in the capacity that they seem to come at me.
I never quite grasped how fragile really is until lately. I mean REALLY grasped it. I have held the fragility in my hands. Literally.
Thank God for Randy who knows how to pray and that I know how to shut off emotions for a long enough time to use the knowledge I've learned to help people.
Without a doubt God puts us in the right place at the right time he wants us to be there.
I never quite grasped how fragile really is until lately. I mean REALLY grasped it. I have held the fragility in my hands. Literally.
Thank God for Randy who knows how to pray and that I know how to shut off emotions for a long enough time to use the knowledge I've learned to help people.
Without a doubt God puts us in the right place at the right time he wants us to be there.
Friday, November 18, 2005
We didn't start the fire...
it was always burnin since the world's been turnin.....
So this morning, I woke to my husband's voice telling me on the phone that maybe I should wake up and check out a fire that is burning in the hills above our apartment. Funny thing is, he had awaken me from a dream I was having about a fire. When I woke up and smelled the smoke in our home, I found out why the dream seemed so real. Just to be on the safe side, I packed all of our momentos/photos into 2 huge bags along with some clothes just in case we need to evacuate. I even packed my nursing books like a good little student. Too bad, can't spare the fish, but they'd probably die soon anyway of fin rot. Randy pleaded for me to pack his video games, and I did. Atleast if we needed money we could sell them.
I can currently see the flames and dark billowing smoke from where we live. The helicopters are flying right over our apartment carrying the water and making drops not too far away from where we are. Ashes are everywhere. Looks like it's spitting snow (Indiana term for snow flurries). Poli is closed off at the top of our street. I ran an errand earlier and when I got back to my street, it was blocked off from Main St. I had to flash my i.d. and tell the cops there that I lived in the lovely apartments on Aliso and they let me through.
It's weird now, sitting in our apartment, looking at the stuff all around me (on the walls, in bookcases, on the floor, in closets) that have been designated flame-worthy. None of those other things really mean that much to me I guess. It's a weird feeling, that the stuff I'm surrounded by daily is not in the bags and the stuff that is in the bags usually are put away in dark closets. What means the most to Randy and me is lying in a heap in the middle of our kitchen floor, ready to be saved. All the other stuff I will look at in a different way now. Not that I want to lose my home in any way, but what I have picked to be saved really shows what kind of stuff I could really live without.
So this morning, I woke to my husband's voice telling me on the phone that maybe I should wake up and check out a fire that is burning in the hills above our apartment. Funny thing is, he had awaken me from a dream I was having about a fire. When I woke up and smelled the smoke in our home, I found out why the dream seemed so real. Just to be on the safe side, I packed all of our momentos/photos into 2 huge bags along with some clothes just in case we need to evacuate. I even packed my nursing books like a good little student. Too bad, can't spare the fish, but they'd probably die soon anyway of fin rot. Randy pleaded for me to pack his video games, and I did. Atleast if we needed money we could sell them.
I can currently see the flames and dark billowing smoke from where we live. The helicopters are flying right over our apartment carrying the water and making drops not too far away from where we are. Ashes are everywhere. Looks like it's spitting snow (Indiana term for snow flurries). Poli is closed off at the top of our street. I ran an errand earlier and when I got back to my street, it was blocked off from Main St. I had to flash my i.d. and tell the cops there that I lived in the lovely apartments on Aliso and they let me through.
It's weird now, sitting in our apartment, looking at the stuff all around me (on the walls, in bookcases, on the floor, in closets) that have been designated flame-worthy. None of those other things really mean that much to me I guess. It's a weird feeling, that the stuff I'm surrounded by daily is not in the bags and the stuff that is in the bags usually are put away in dark closets. What means the most to Randy and me is lying in a heap in the middle of our kitchen floor, ready to be saved. All the other stuff I will look at in a different way now. Not that I want to lose my home in any way, but what I have picked to be saved really shows what kind of stuff I could really live without.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Election Rantings
What is this world coming to? I don't really understand why people voted "no" on Prop 73 (minor needing parental notification if she wants an abortion). It pisses me off quite frankly. We can't even give a kid a Tylenol in the hospital without parental notification, yet it is not illegal to perform a surgery? That is so completely wrong, no matter which way they try and justify it.
AND, I am sick of the California Nurses Association. There are around 300,000 nurses in this state and the CNA says that they represent all of them. That's such crap! Of all those nurses, only something like 67,000 are actually members of the organization. They DO NOT represent all nurses, or even a majority, and all the things they do in the public's eye are quite embarrassing . I hate unions. I guess that most of California voters like their money being taken away by an organization who does not even support the same views as they themselves do.
There are many more things I could say about the election (California is full of a bunch of morons) but I have a final exam to take.
AND, I am sick of the California Nurses Association. There are around 300,000 nurses in this state and the CNA says that they represent all of them. That's such crap! Of all those nurses, only something like 67,000 are actually members of the organization. They DO NOT represent all nurses, or even a majority, and all the things they do in the public's eye are quite embarrassing . I hate unions. I guess that most of California voters like their money being taken away by an organization who does not even support the same views as they themselves do.
There are many more things I could say about the election (California is full of a bunch of morons) but I have a final exam to take.
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Top Ten on Good 'Ol Trumpy
"Top Ten Ways To Describe Donald Trump's Hair" by David Letterman
10. Odd
9. Peculiar
8. Windswept
7. Trumpy
6. Strangely hypnotic
5. Unbe-weave-able
4. Wiggy
3. Stylish (dumb guys only)
2. Proof money can't buy everything
1. Taj Ma-helmet
Sunday, October 30, 2005
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.
Saturday, October 29, 2005
The "Elvis as a Banana" Halloween Costume
If this guy shows up at your door trick or treating, be afraid.
Be VERY afraid.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
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.
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.
Monday, October 24, 2005
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/
Check it out: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9778227/
Sunday, October 16, 2005
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.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
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?!?
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?!?
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
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.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
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.)
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.)
Sunday, October 02, 2005
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.
Friday, September 30, 2005
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
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
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!!!!
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!!!!
Sunday, September 25, 2005
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.
Jun. This fear all started with his death.
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