Life as I know it

2009-11-25T09:23:00.000-08:00

I have followed my dream and landed in Florida! The employment future is unknown but it was the right move for me. I am very much enjoying being in short sleeves and no coat in November although the approaching holidays feel different. The thought of taking a swim on Thanksgiving hasn't really sunk in yet. When I entered the state it is like my whole being went aaahhhhh.

Sad Facts About Nursing

2009-09-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

Did you know that more nurses are assaulted than all the prison guards in the US?
Did you know that more than half of US nurses have been bullied on the job?
Did you know that over half the bullying comes from physicians?
Did you know that nursing is rarely if ever portrayed in the media?
Did you know that in movies,television, and print that most nursing care is shown delivered by physicians?
Did you know that without expert clinical care that only nurses provide you would die if you were a hospital patient?
I am constantly amazed when I read or hear anything about a patient's survival and the only thing mentioned is that the physician saved their life. If you watch any of the garbage medical shows that are on TV like Grey's/ER/House etc that nurses are rarely shown and if they are they are mute or say ridiculous things like "yes doctor" as if we were nothing more than a servant. Nurses do not answer to physicians and do not practice under the physicians license. The general public has no clue as to who provides a good patient outcome. Part of this is nursing's fault as they don't speak up enough. I used to laugh when I would see on TV a physician giving IV meds, performing CPR, defibrillating a heart during a code, or 24/7 monitering and intervening to prevent medical errors, or life threatening infections or complications but after 31 years I am not laughing any more. Only nursing does this along with a myriad of other highly expert and technical things.I also shake my head at all the displaced workers who are choosing nursing as THE profession to go into. They along with most others will not last. Until steps are taken to remedy the stranglehold physicians have on the media I don't see progress being made. I do my part dailyby taking a zero tolerance stance on physician or pt verbal abuse but I see many who do not speak up. I guess I am asking anyone who reads this to start paying attention to the lack of mention of nursing in all they hear and read. Any natural disaster such as Katrina makes no mention of the nursing that was instrumental in saving lives. Likewise no mention is made of the critically injured and wounded from Iraq and Afganistan that are saved by the expert nursing care they received. I read an article on a soldier that survived and from that would have thought the physicians stayed with the patient during the entire course of his recovery. Over 150,000 RN's do not practice in this country due to some of these issues. The public had better start caring because all studies have shown that a lack of RN staff increases mortality and morbidity.

Grandma and Aunt Caroline

2009-08-30T04:54:00.000-07:00

Anytime Caroline and Grandma come back to Michigan we go to Hudsons ( now Macy's ) for a Maurice salad. It's tradition!!

Going to LA

2009-08-30T04:50:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready for my trip to LA going to stay at Caroline's and Brian and his girlfriend Anne are coming down. I am thrilled to be spending time with my family. The last time I was in LA was right after I graduated nursing school. David and Brian were five and three respectively so I'm looking forward to viewing the changes. Caroline and I are on our own Thur and Fri until the kids get in Fri night. I'm bringing the euchre cards!!!

Playing Risk

2009-08-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

Frank brought a risk game but it was a Lord of the Rings risk game with middle earth as the battlefield and the orks against the elves and riders of rohan etc. Growing up we spent many a Sunday afternoon playing risk. This was a really cool game and Frank and Gpa battled it out until the bitter end. Frank defeated Gpa's evil orks.

Ancient Ones Visit

2009-08-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

Gpa and G ma came up for their annual migration from Florida. Uncle Doug and Frank arrived and Aunt Caroline made it too. We all had dinner together Sat and spent the day together Sunday. Lots of euchre which Frank and I lost quite a bit of unfortunately but plenty of laughs too. Uncle Keith kept us in stitches as always. Doug and Frank are heading out soon as Frank leaves for Mich Tech in about 3 weeks.

American Zombies

2009-07-04T11:55:00.001-07:00

So Dave sent me an email with an interesting article called why Americans are zombies which short version is the hx of advertising and how we are all led to believe certain things and manipulated by the media. I buy into that as you can see how big business, pharm co, and lobbyists run things. Insurance co are big too. I choose not to watch the news or read papers much and I agree we need to make our own choices, that's why I have made mine. I will do what I enjoy smoke eat whatever because the health nuts are dying at the same rate they always were. I will also say it again I do not wish to live to my nineties unable to drive, friends are dead and my raped retirement account ran out of money when I was 82. I will die when I die and will enjoy now. Thank God our children's generation will not be sucked into 35 years with a company and a promised retirement that was removed. Live for today!

Mulch Man

2009-07-04T11:51:00.000-07:00

Got an ambulance run surprisingly not from Walled Lake, report stated as this Got drunk slept under a tree all night woke up his neck hurts. When he arrived he was covered in mulch in his ears down, his pants, in his butt crack. One ten thousand dollar trauma workup later he was discharged with a STIFF NECK. Our health care dollars at work.

Toad

2009-06-26T12:02:00.000-07:00

Went to leave the house and this little toad was just sitting on the driveway behind my car so I took a picture. Everytime I tried to get in front of him to get a closer picture he would turn away. When Bri was in he had him sitting on his foot, I guess I just can't commune as well with nature or is it his previous experiences with toads, frogs, newts, and salamanders

I amazed myself

2009-06-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

Being as how I feel like a fifth grader in the school of computer ease I developed what felt like an insurmountable problem. My computer became even slower gradually and I started having trouble with gmail, I could pull up my page but not open or send any emails. I troubleshot, I talked with comcast, I recovered my system twice, I upgraded to google chrome, I rebooted my modem all to no avail. Then I sometimes could not surf the web. I continued to search for answers when a flash of insight occurred. I started having trouble after my dear son BRIAN was home and on the computer, hmmmmm I thought was that the problem? I restored the system to the day before he came in and viola it now works!!! Don't know what happened but all is well now

Dinner with Keith, Kim, and Celia

2009-06-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

Celia's braces are off she is so happy!

WOWS

2009-06-05T11:54:00.001-07:00

Or dishwashers on dollies as we like to call them

I hate waiting for service people

2009-06-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

I bought a washer and dryer. Three days after installation the washer began leaking. I have to give up 3 hours of an afternoon off to wait for them to come out and correct their FUp. I would think for better customer service they would actually give you a specific time and then manage to show promptly. Lowes of course. My time frame is 12-3 it is now 246

The Ancient Ones

2009-06-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

As the kids like to call their grandparents were well however Gpa seems to have picked up an interesting habit of wearing Gma's bras and hat on his head and running laps around the house at night to keep himself awake!

Good end to a shift

2009-05-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

Worked really hard Wed morning then by late afternoon it had cleared out which really makes me sleepy, I was in the core talking to one of the docs when I heard a nurse yelling. Anytime a nurse yells it means RUN something really bad is occurring, so I run. Front seat delivery of a baby girl! It really is funny we don't yell when a patient is shot or has a knife sticking out of their head but I don't know of one ER nurse that likes delivering babies. Fortunately I arrived after someone else caught the baby and just had to help the mom to a stretcher. I felt guilty about that so I detailed the fathers front seat of the car sopping up blood amniotic fluid and clots. I was very proud of that and told the staff I would be arriving late for all deliveries and would simply bat cleanup. Baby and mom are fine sleepiness GONE

The dark side of Walled Lake

2009-05-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

I have lived here for 22 yrs, the last 10 I have worked in this area. It wasn't until I started working out here that I noticed how many losers lived in this area. How could I run around town and not see this. Am I oblivious? Blind? or do they emerge in the darkness after my 9pm bedtime? On my wonderful working weekend Dan keeps a pie chart of all the disreputable types from the four W's Walled Lake, Wixom, Wolverine Lake, and White Lake. Unfortunately Walled Lake and White Lake run neck and neck for stupidity. It has gotten to a point that any ambulance call that includes stupid behavior most of the staff will ask " a neighbor of yours?" So the call comes in drunk, fell out of a tree, ran from police, and fell down and I immediately said oh no it has to be White Lake sure enough the patient was accompanied by Walled Lake PD!

Julie's restaurant

2009-05-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

Julie and her husband own a cafe on main street in Vernon a small town before Flint. It's in a beautiful old building that they renovated so we went and had lunch and saw the place. They also bought the building next door where they are going to put in a pub. Very cool.

Birdie

2009-05-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

A little birdie made a nest on top of the fireplace vent. She got really mad at us every time we were on the deck and would dive bomb us making us scream and run around.

Shopping

2009-05-07T09:59:00.001-07:00

And of course we went shopping

All of us

2009-05-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

Playing keno

2009-05-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

Di won good money, the rest of us not!

Sitting on the beach talking

2009-05-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

I obviously love being by the water listening to the waves and walking the beach

UP NORTH WITH FRIENDS

2009-05-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

Went up north for a few days the first of the week, we had an awesome time, laughed a lot and trash talked our jobs.

Some of my "A" weekend

2009-04-24T13:23:00.001-07:00

I work the A weekend designated that because it is the first full weekend of each schedule. However I call it the A weekend because of the people. Strong nurses who are fun and know how to potluck. Every other week for 2 days I don't mind going to work

Kim our tech/ Karen and Lisa

2009-04-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Karen and Lisa own and love horses so putting them together allows for long equestrian themed conversations. The rest of us just whinny as we walk by. Kim our tech saves us every day with all her work.

Dan

2009-04-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

Our tech who can reach high places without a ladder, fix all of our computer problems that the helpless desk can't, and is forced to work in a high estrogen environment on our weekend yet remains calm not murdurous

Chef Gail

2009-04-24T13:16:00.001-07:00

Keeps us going and laughing

Kathy and Ann " the short ones"

2009-04-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

five feet and change but they are workhorses!

Sparkling water

2009-04-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

I am drawn to the water I must live by water I am going to live by water yippppeeeeee!

Moon rise

2009-04-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately I have a crappy camera and could not capture the beauty of the full moon and the path it left on the water. As we sat out at night and looked at all the beautiful stars there was one that was really bigger and brighter right in front of me. As I was telling myself " oh that must be the north star" I realized I was facing east! duh

Sunrise

2009-04-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

I am so glad I am an early riser I got to see the beautiful sunrise every morning.

Lake Huron

2009-04-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

Aunt Caroline came in town for business and it worked out we got to sneak away to her place for the weekend it was great!

Code Green

2009-03-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

I am reading an interesting book titled Code Green Money driven hospitals and the dismantling of nursing. The writer did this study as her PhD after being a patient in a hospital and noting the frustration and stress of the nurses. It is very interesting to go back thru my 30 year career as a front line nurse and revisit all the things that occurred. It was also a little sad to realize that out of my 30 years I have only felt valued for 8 of them and the battles we fought for even those 8 years. So here I am in yet another down economy watching hours and hard fought staff increases disappearing. My facility going for magnet status which is truly a joke in my mind while the familiar refrain of more with less comes from on high. I don't in any way disagree with cost cutting and working to keep your business functioning in tough times but if you are "all about the patients" there are other things to cut like 2 cases of coffee a week or sending people to conferences. As a professional I expect to see to my own continuing education. So we work with less and then if things quiet down for 30 minutes I am expected to send even more people home resulting in more rushing around. An ED cannot cut to bare bones as we cannot turn away patients. This differs from inpatient units as when all the beds are filled they are done. I am glad this is ending.

Meds in my pants

2009-03-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

Had a 72 yr old woman come in with back and leg pain. She is unable to get around and her husband felt he could not take care of her any more. She had been seen in the ER a couple of times over the past few months for the same and given pain meds. She was slurring her words when she came in. Her nurse was changing her diaper and found 2 bottles of vicodin hidden there. She was extra medicating herself for pain relief because she felt she wasn't getting enough medication. She blamed her family and they blamed her, it was funny but sad too. I had to give her points for creativity as in 30 years I have never found meds secreted in a diaper.

Ghost Town

2009-03-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Our closest competitor opened up and our ER is becoming a ghost town. Losing anywhere from 20-30 pts a day which for a small ER is significant. We are sending people home early and starting to slash hours in an effort to keep them from cutting actual people. I don't know if it will be enough. Some of this hysteria is annoying as the hospital is still making money just not as much and we just hired 2 more contingent staff. I think we should just freeze hiring and see how it goes. I've had to revise the next schedule twice now to keep cutting. Oh well may be heading to Florida earlier than I expected.

ER tip of the day

2009-03-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

If you come to the ER because your legs got sunburned on your trip to Mexico and there are no blisters only red skin we WILL make fun of you

Feels like spring

2009-03-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

It's noon 60 degrees and the sun is shining, I turned the heat off and opened the windows, it feels wonderful. I know there is more winter ahead but I will enjoy this day!

Stimulous package

2009-02-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

I will admit I have a lot of negative feelings about this. I just feel the first one did nothing and this is for far more money and I just don't see how it will work. I believe the best way to help the taxpayer would have been by giving them the 800 billion dollars. I know this was floating around the internet for a while but if every legal taxpayer 18 and over was given 200,000 dollars the housing market could recorrect, forclosures would stop, people could save and spend and halt further job losses. They could have let some of those banks and companies go under and let the chips fall where they will. I'm no economist but I have a lot of doubt!

Post op update

2009-02-19T09:41:00.000-08:00

I'm enjoying the time off of work especially since I feel good. No pain but cannot lift anything over 10 lbs and no pushing or pulling so I will have to be careful at work when I go back next Thursday. I felt well enough to go to Birch Run for an overnight on Tuesday and walked all day shopping I only splurged on candles at the Yankee Candle outlet ( my favorite store) where evrything is 50-75% off, I just had them pack the bags lighter!! Otherwise didn't buy. The walking felt good and the day was sunny and almost 40 so it felt great to be outside.

Surgery Day

2009-02-10T11:55:00.000-08:00

Hernia repair done yesterday:
went out for soup after
went home sat around and talked
decided to make a quick stop at the mall
went back home sat around and talked
went out for dinner
went back home sat around and talked
went and saw Gran Torino

Paying for it big time today!!

I'll have to pick someone other than Deb next time to be my caretaker as we just kept thinking of more things we could do!!!

Robotics

2009-02-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

We have a robot in the ED that is used when we get a stroke patient in. It's pretty interesting. If a patient with stroke symptoms gets to the ED in under 3 hours of the start of symptoms we activate the stroke team, We place the robot in front of the patients bed and a video screen and speaker turn on and a neurologist from downtown interviews and examines the patient with the nurse assisting with the physical exam. Based on that and if the patient meets criteria the clot busting drugs are given with a pretty good success rate, It is miraculous to see someone who comes in unable to move one side and or speak regain function. Anyway I went into the empty trauma room about 2 hours later and the robot was saying " please plug me in please plug me in" so I plugged her in. Then she says " thank you" so I replied your welcome. One hour later I get a call from a guy named John in Chicago who says the robot called him in Chicago via London to tell him she had been unplugged and needed to be rebooted. I was hysterical. The robot called internationally to squeal on us that we had left her unplugged. I kept trying to get John to tell me what other things she was capable of but we were both laughing so hard we didn't get very far. Technology is amazing

A Christmas Story

2009-02-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

Does anyone remember the Movie A Christmas Story about the little boy and family? The paramedics brought in a 6 year old who watched the movie and after seeing the part where the kid sticks his tongue on metal in the cold and gets it stuck just had to go out in zero degree weather and do the same. It was of course a boy child. After unsticking his tongue with warm water they brought him to us. It was too cute.

I deserve an academy award

2009-01-27T05:34:00.000-08:00

As I worked the last 3 days it dawned on me how much of my time is spent not showing how I really feel. I'm not sure how emotionally healthy that is over time but it is certainly part of the job. It doesn't always require effort. A lot is just subconscious with caring about the other person's feelings and taking care of them as you would want to be cared for, non judgementally. That being said there are many moments where I have to make a monumental effort not to show what I really feel. On Sunday the dept was full everyone running to keep up when I went in to see a 16 yr old who was dizzy and nauseated. As I am getting the story from the pt and mom I asked how long have you been dizzy, the reply was " 2 years" my next question was how long has she been nauseated. The reply was " since second grade" I not only had to keep my jaw from hitting the floor but had to keep the WHAT the F?!K look off my face. I'm pretty sure I pulled it off but it was touch and go. The Oscar goes to ME!!

The Joys of ER Nursing

2009-01-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

Had a very busy day yesterday as all Mondays are when a young woman comes in crying moaning clutching her abdomen and describing terrible pain, I start to feel compassion which after 30 years is usually reserved for the truly bad things I have to deal with. About forty minutes into what is going to be a very expensive abd workup she pulls me aside and admits she started her period and is just having her normal " bad cramps" sometimes the patients are lucky we will never be able to carry personal tazers

Hell

2009-01-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

To some

hell is a lake of fire

to me it is walled lake in winter

The holiday is over

2009-01-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

Well the boys are gone Bri left Sat Dave left today ( at 0415!), feel a little let down it's always hard to say goodby to my guys. I had a wonderful time, enjoyed meeting Heather DM's girl and by the way HeatherI used up all the bath salts they were wonderful!. Dave's friend Sara came over last night and we all went out to dinner with John Robinson and his daughter Jen. I haven't seen John in a long time, we were roomies back when I was preg with Dave and living with Huck. It was great to see him and meet his lovely daughter. Sure did make me pause though, hmmm last time I saw him had very tiny children and now all our kids our grown. It was a really nice evening

life's frustrations

2008-12-29T12:34:00.000-08:00

I can handle big calamities easily, catastrphic events, no problem I'm your girl. But dealing with companies customer service depts make me want to tear my hair out. After registering online at AT&T so I can autopay my bill I have to switch to another site to actually view the bill and set up auto pay, the new site won't take my password or ID nor would it allow me to re register so I decide to call the company. I am on hold for 25. Once I speak to a representative and she takes all my info she informs me I have to speak to another representative since I have a combined bill and she is with the wireless side. The next rep takes all my info and then informs me that her superior won't take the info from her I have to give it to her personally, I am placed on hold again. The second rep comes back and says her boss is on another call and is handing me off to someone else the Great Oz I presume. The last rep takes my info and informs me that she can not complete the transaction as she is with dsl not home or wireless. When I asked if they use computers and was my account not in front of her the sarcasm and irony seeked lost on her. I'm not sure I wasn't speaking with the pentagon or some other bloated beaurocratic government agency with 10 people trying to do one job and failing miserably. Wasted 1.5 hours of my life.

Taking mom to dinner

2008-12-22T14:04:00.001-08:00

Sunday night bitterly cold weather and my guys took me out

My computer skills deficiency

2008-12-22T14:01:00.000-08:00

I had a list of 3 things I was waiting for my sons to help me with. Just when I think I am mastering the computer I am reminded how little I know. Like trying to install a printer with the wrong installation CD

The guys are here

2008-12-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

snow snow xmas dinner euchre time with my guys aaahhhhh 3 things I love!

Thank God our Leaders Are So Smart

2008-12-12T05:36:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad the very people that gave AIG 150 billion dollars to bail out the greedy bastards that helped put us in this situation were smart enough to deny the Big Three a bridge loan. I can rest easy at night knowing my future is in the hands of our intelligent leaders. I'm also grateful that they knew enough to not grill said bastards over their business plans or their executive bonuses I would hate to see things change with government. I will rest easy knowing that the top 5 percent of this country will continue making the financial gains they have enjoyed for so long while the rest of us have stagnated in wages and benefits since 2001. I also hope everyone remembers the names of the ones who voted against this when a year from now the ripple effects of this have been felt and that includes the West Coast. I feel secure in the knowledge that the 170 billion that my children will be paying off for the rest of their lives was well spent. What a relief

ED Olympics

2008-12-11T14:03:00.000-08:00

From an article I read.
The Medical Skills Challenge:
This event would highlight medical skills and would include Speed Foley placement, Speed Intubation, Timed Leather Restraint Application, Timed Medical Screening Exam, and of course Power Ordering in which the provider and a unit secretary has to order as many tests as possible after evaluating the patient in a 2 minute time span all with insurance justification.

Language Identification and Flexibility" A patient lying on his back on a backboard speaking an unknown language and moaning. The providers goal is to identify the language family, specific language and find the appropriate translater. However here's the hook, the pt is intoxicated! When you are drunk enough Arabic and Spanish sound alot like Cantonese. Points off if competitors use a resource that results in the pt accidentally being called any thing offensive such as monkey butt or prostitute.

The Emergithon:
This is worth the most points.Competitors have to race across the Emergency Department holding a cup of ice while wrestling with slippery, obese, dramatic drunks with cell phones to their ears who are exposing themselves, speaking Norwegian, and asking for narcotic prescriptions and work excuses. The patients are vomiting and will each require a transfer form and accepting physician in another facility. First they have to have restraints placed and rate their customer service all within 30 minutes.
GOOD LUCK!

Happy Honeymoon

2008-12-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

Today at the ER a couple came in. They just got married last night and the groom was the patient moaning, crying, and generally a drama queen. He had pulled a butt muscle dancing at the wedding and the way he was crying you would have thought he had been shot. The bride was crying too but probably because it was sinking in she had married a pansy.

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-29T12:53:00.000-08:00

Spent at Aunt Caroline's had fun just lounging and being with some of the sibs

Nanook of the North

2008-11-29T12:52:00.001-08:00

Aunt Caroline's LA alter ego

Movie Night

2008-11-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

I know the no TV rule Dave and Bri follow but movie night was not to be missed.

Walking on the beach

2008-11-29T12:48:00.000-08:00

This future Florida girl decided it was too damn cold!!

Keith's Holiday decorating

2008-11-29T12:46:00.000-08:00

This may have had something to do with watching Team America the uncut version

Caroline's retaliation

2008-11-29T12:45:00.000-08:00

our traditions are considered different then most, not sure why

Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner

2008-11-29T12:43:00.000-08:00

A new tradition steak!

Ore Boat on Lake Huron

2008-11-29T12:39:00.000-08:00

started humming The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald

"when the gales of november come early"

Obama Dream

2008-11-07T15:17:00.000-08:00

I had a vivd dream/nightmare last nite, Obama had just been sworn in as president and a huge crocodile ran up the podium and swallowed him whole. Suddenly I am there trying to get him out and yelling "you have to save us you can't die now" and trying to pull him out of the crocodile. I think it's time to stop watching so much Monster Quest

Ancient ones at Anna Maria City Pier

2008-10-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

My favorite place it used to be Fast Eddies restaurant and when Dave was 4 he very seriously asked the waitress why it wasn't called Slow Eddies since dinner was taking so lomg and he was so hungry. I guess my playing hangman wasn't enough of a diversion

2008-10-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

My friend Cathy

2008-10-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

Cathy and I met when we were 15 years old in Mr Barry's biology class we have known each other 38 years. When we get together it is like we pick up where we left off 6 months ago. Gma is friends with Cathy's mom Marge. Cathy and I used to call them MARGARAN and laugh hysterically over the things they would produce in arts and crafts. I remember coming home from school to shellaced loaves of bread and bagels with ribbons tied around them. Fortunately neither Cathy or I have any craft skills.

GPa flexing his muscles

2008-10-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

We had a Sunday brunch at the club with the cousins and GPa was showing off. Also Brian he is practicing flexing his chest muscles for the next family reunion!

Alligator basking and swimming

2008-10-24T07:32:00.001-07:00

Dragonflys on Coqiona beach

2008-10-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

In all the years I have been going to Florida I have never seen so many dragon flies in flight. It was really interesting to watch them. I kept trying to get good pictures of them but was limited because of the camera.

Florida o8

2008-10-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

My weather was awesome sunny and hot just the way I like it

Off to Florida!

2008-10-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

After my crazy busy week I finally get to go soak up the sun and sand down South. I am really looking forward to it as I know gray cold snowy days are ahead. Uncle Doug came in last night for business and stayed here, he has a lot of freaked out clients in his line of work so he has to spend time calming them down. Whatever the reason it was good to catch up with him. We had our annual mandatory education day at work and the chaplain spoke to us about " compassion fatigue" the new word for burnout and darned if I didn't have every symptom on the list. When we talked about it after and he asked us what strategies we had to deal with it it was great to say sold house, Florida nsg license, I am out of here!! I guess as strategies go it's a pretty good one.

Don't eat too many sunflower seeds

2008-10-02T02:30:00.000-07:00

I took care of a 35 yr old father this week who was sitting around watching a football game drinking a few beers and eating sunflower seeds, just enjoying himself. Comes to ER the next day with his abdomen all distended and hard and in a lot of pain. He ate almost 2 bags with the shells on. The seeds had solidified into a hard mass in his lower intestine. After trying to dig it out etc he had to go to the OR and ended up with a colostomy since the surgeon had to remove part of his lower colon since the mass o seeds had turned into the consistency of cement. Very sad.

Gas price craziness

2008-09-14T05:42:00.000-07:00

As Ike was coming into Texas on friday night most of Michigan seemed to realize that gas prices were going to go up. All the gas stations had lines half a mile long so people could save thirty cents a gallon. Road rage was very much in evidence as mini vans and suvs jockeyed for position. One woman interviewed said she HAD to do this because if she didn't she couldn't afford to go up north. I guess the six dollars she saved made the difference. Irony anyone?

Burning Man

2008-09-14T05:33:00.000-07:00

I opened time magazine and on the first page was an article about Burning Man and why an 83 year old ex nuclear physicist attends. It was interesting to read. I laughed at the billion bunny march description, especially the playing of little bunny foo foo since I went to a performance of Brian in kindegarden singing exactly that!

Sept 11

2008-09-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

Many of our nurses are married to firefighters, ems, etc so we all wore T shirts in support and rememberance

Birch Run

2008-09-08T05:20:00.000-07:00

I'm heading out to the annual girls week at Birch Run ( well ok 4 days) I cannot wait to bask in the shopping, dining, spaing, and laughing that will go on. This is an event I will truly miss when I move to Florida. I know that a couple of years after I go I will try to get back for it on occasion. I have such a good time with the friends that go and this year I finally talked Deb into it. Pictures when I get back

Dammit

2008-09-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

This is why you should always call for help. After spending hours and hours wrestling with the computer I finally caved and called comcast only to find out it is a problem with THEM!!!!!!! Next time I am putting a time limit on it

computer virus

2008-09-03T04:59:00.000-07:00

Well my computer crashed due to an email that I thought was from my friend Deb but was not. I've gotten it cleaned and have reinstalled almost everything but am stuck on email, I can receive it but not send it. It is frustrating to spend hours and know I am missing something probably very simple but I just don't see it. I may cave and call the tech guys to come fix it but I will spend alittle more time on it. Thank God for the external hardrive all my pics, ripped books, music etc is secure, good job Dave on that one. Burning man looked incredible I bet you both had a great time.

We've been Kwaamied

2008-08-11T04:49:00.000-07:00

Detroit's illustrious mayor had to go to jail for the night after leaving town for Windsor without notifying the court despite being warned after a previous episode. The really hilarious thing is he told the judge he had urgent business with the Windsor mayor who denied ever being the one to call him. Oh and the pictures of him at a Windsor water park with his son did not help. I'm sure he looked fetching in prison orange

work Work Work

2008-08-11T04:45:00.000-07:00

I love the difference between days and night here in suburbia. I worked Mon/Tue which were hellish went in Tue night at 0300 and took care of 1 pt in 4 hours at time and a half. The same thing happened Thur night. I guess even emergencies need their sleep. In Detroit it was busy 24/7 no off time just more shootings and stabbings at night then during the day. Sometimes I miss it but not enough to go back to it.

Upcoming body maintenance

2008-07-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

It dawned on me that I might not have the good health care coverage in Florida so I'm going to take care of my routine body work before I leave. I have a hernia repair I'm going to schedule for next Feb, I'll see the podiatrist to fix my r foot, the dermatologist to check for barnacles and cancer, and I will have my uterus torn out if things don't change. This is my bucket list, the kick the Mich bucket that is!!

2008-07-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

EUCHRE!!!!!

2008-07-22T12:25:00.001-07:00

Douglas Frank Weyher Sr/Jr/III

2008-07-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

The dairy farm at Doug and Keith's houses by the pool the site of euchre tournaments and much laughter

Reunion

2008-07-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

Well a wonderful time was had by all as usual but we missed you Bri next year ok?

Punitive wait formula

2008-06-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

Due to our horrendously busy weekend at work we came up with a wait formula, here it is:

Due to the recent high influx of CRAP into our beloved ER a new anti loser punitive wait formula will be initiated ASAP. The following is the formula to compute the wait time.
Number of missing teeth multiplied by their acuity level. You will then multiply by a factor of 10 and the result will be the time in minutes of punitive wait. ** you must add 20 minutes for all White Lake residents.**
Also if you come into the ED because you scratch your balls so much they bleed I personally will add an hour

Brian's visit

2008-06-09T02:43:00.000-07:00

I got to see Brian post vent camp visit. We went to see Keith and Kim and the kids. Dave , Cameron still uses your keyboard and has an electric guitar and is taking lessons. I thought you would get a kick out it.

Settling In

2008-05-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to get adjusted here at Judy's ( or Trick Towers ) as I like to call it. It still does feel funny to drive up the street and see other people living in "my house" So far I haven't embarrassed myself by pulling into their driveway and pushing the garage opener repeatedly but you never know. I do enjoy being able to tune out the media reports of the depressed economy and increasing forclosures. I feel really good about the fact that in 18 months I'll be on my way to Florida unless the state has burned to a crisp from wildfires or been flattened by a hurricane or run out of water but that's another blog.

Incredible Nurse

2008-05-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

I opened one of my nursing journals today and there was an article on a 90 year old nurse working full time nights at a local nursing home. I took care of her 4 years ago in the ED after she had a morning car accident. At first I thought she had a head injury because she kept telling me she had just gotten off work but I did a neuro exam which was negative and as we talked I realized she was fine and truly was still working. Obviously she didn't have a full load but she loved what she did and wanted to keep at it. I thought it was amazing at that time and here she is still working. Part of me thinks if I'm still working at 90 someone shoot me but mostly I just applaud what she's doing.

One big happy family

2008-05-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

Jessi Carly Dave and Bri

Bri at Hidden Cottage B &B day 1

2008-05-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

San Fran Giants fan

2008-05-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

She was so cute with her doll and backpack and Giants paraphanalia Proabaly a lifelong fan.

My men on Waimanalo beach

2008-05-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

This was my favorite beach secluded quiet and beautiful water

Dave embracing his manhood

2008-05-15T13:02:00.001-07:00

Bri and I on Kailea Beach

2008-05-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

The day Dave almost spaced out on an important work meeting

Diving

2008-05-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

While the men went diving Carly and I bonded over shopping and why it is important for women to have their stuff and showers that were more than a trickle

Poolside at Turtle Bay on the Northshore

2008-05-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hawaiian Adventure

2008-05-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

Well it's over but the memories will remain forever. I had an incredible time with my men showing me around and getting aquainted with life on Ohahu. I couldn't have wished for a better trip! Summer cottage rental last leg of the journey in San Fran Bri took me to an awesome restaurant the last night.

2008-04-15T08:51:00.001-07:00

45 hour of work

2008-04-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

now picture the back bedroom, bathroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen looking the same way with only the 2 beds and sofa clear

Judy's Basement

2008-04-15T08:47:00.000-07:00