Goodness, gracious. Where has the time gone. I didn't realize it had been this long since my last visit here. Ok, time for a major update...
1. I am now a college graduate, sort of. I completed my last music course with flying colors. Now all that's left to do is submit my final transcripts, pay my money, and receive my degree. God has been so good to me!!
2. I just returned from a trip to Ohio. After 8 long years, I reunited with two of my best friends, one of which got married last weekend. She was beautiful, and she and her new hubby look so happy. I wish them all the best.
3. My hubby and I are vacationing in Costa Rica in three weeks!!! Yes! This will serve as the honeymoon we never had. We will be spending two weeks in a bungalow in the middle of the rainforest, 4 minutes away from the beach! How cool is that? Again, God is so good to us!
I have postponed my final chemistry course until we return from our vacation. It makes no sense to be enrolled in a course as serious as that in the midst of a two week vacation. I still have time, and my goal is to finish a few weeks early, like I did with the music course I just completed. Work is still work. I'm loving it, but it becomes more and more mundane every day. I try to remain grateful, because I know things could be worse. I could be jobless, or even worse, working at that dreadful LTC facility. I'm milking this gig for all it's worth, because there is always something to learn. Lately, some of the nurses have been kind enough to let me do some cool stuff. So now I can add foley catheter insertion and removal, dressing changing, and endotracheal suctioning to my list of skills. This is precisely why I wanted to work in the ICU. LTC could never afford me these opportunities.
It seems the patients these days are getting sicker and sicker. Sometimes we experience overflow, but lately we've had true ICU patients: Fournier's gangrene with multiple debridement, several anoxic brain injuries, and fatal MVA's. Sometimes the family dynamics that come with some of these patients are more interesting than their diagnosis and prognosis. We've had several instances where security has been called to extinguish heated arguments and violent situations. It's all a part of healthcare, unfortunately.
I am really getting excited about PA school now! I only have a short time before I pack my things and head off to tackle what I'm sure will be one of the biggest challenges of my adult life. I'm amazed at how fast this year has flown by, and as upset as I was about not starting this year, I see now that I needed this time to better prepare myself for the rigors to come. I'm sure this will become even more evident once I'm in PA school. So, 8 months down, 4 more to go.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Another Great Salsa Weekend
Man, my feet are killing me. I have danced a total of 7 hours this weekend....nonstop! Viva la Salsa!!!
My hometown is becoming quite the venue for salsa events and socials. In addition to the annual "invasion" that takes place, we have a social 6 out of 7 days of the week! Pretty impressive. Salsa is an interesting hobby in that it immediately grants you access to dozens of people who could be potential friends. I can't tell you how many friends I have made in the past four months from salsa alone.
The Professor is perhaps one dance partner I have that I could become quite close to. Unlike most of my dance partners, we have spent a considerable amount of time together off of the dance floor. It's interesting getting to know dance partners outside the context of salsa. They become real people. TP is a great dancer, and a wonderful conversationalist. He has a way of keeping my attention. He intrigues me, and he impresses me. When I dance with him and talk with him, I am myself...no pretense, no walls, no formalities. Just laughter, smiles, fun...peace and contentment. I'm not quite sure how old he is, but I'm certain he's a bit older than I am. Honestly, I couldn't care less; we have so much fun together! It's scary how well we get along...and how well we connect! He's an adorable man with a great sense of humor, and a great pair of dancing feet!!! One of the best dance partners I have, no doubt, and surely someone I hope to keep in my life for years to come!
Well, this week brings a few changes. I begin my final music course on Monday. I will be a college graduate at the end of August!!! The cop's work schedule has changed again, so now we will both have Sundays off! I'm so excited. Now we have at least one day of the week when we can spend some quality time together. I have Wednesday night off this week. Guess what I'll be doing? That's right. I'll need the next three days to rest my feet, recuperate, and learn some new styling moves!
My hometown is becoming quite the venue for salsa events and socials. In addition to the annual "invasion" that takes place, we have a social 6 out of 7 days of the week! Pretty impressive. Salsa is an interesting hobby in that it immediately grants you access to dozens of people who could be potential friends. I can't tell you how many friends I have made in the past four months from salsa alone.
The Professor is perhaps one dance partner I have that I could become quite close to. Unlike most of my dance partners, we have spent a considerable amount of time together off of the dance floor. It's interesting getting to know dance partners outside the context of salsa. They become real people. TP is a great dancer, and a wonderful conversationalist. He has a way of keeping my attention. He intrigues me, and he impresses me. When I dance with him and talk with him, I am myself...no pretense, no walls, no formalities. Just laughter, smiles, fun...peace and contentment. I'm not quite sure how old he is, but I'm certain he's a bit older than I am. Honestly, I couldn't care less; we have so much fun together! It's scary how well we get along...and how well we connect! He's an adorable man with a great sense of humor, and a great pair of dancing feet!!! One of the best dance partners I have, no doubt, and surely someone I hope to keep in my life for years to come!
Well, this week brings a few changes. I begin my final music course on Monday. I will be a college graduate at the end of August!!! The cop's work schedule has changed again, so now we will both have Sundays off! I'm so excited. Now we have at least one day of the week when we can spend some quality time together. I have Wednesday night off this week. Guess what I'll be doing? That's right. I'll need the next three days to rest my feet, recuperate, and learn some new styling moves!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Coming soon to M&M
So, I'm an official Salsera, yes?? Ok!
I've been getting a few requests for salsa videos from partners that want to videotape themselves dancing with me! Me, of all dancers in my circle...and there are hundreds of us!
It's just what we do. We also take lots and lots of pictures, and lots of videos. So, since salsa has become a permanent part of my life, I figure I need to create a chronicle of this experience by taking pictures as well. I will post a few of them here. I will be traveling quite a bit very soon, and I'll be going to some of the hottest salsa spots in the country. So, be on the lookout for pictures of me and dance partners from all over the place. This should be fun!!!!
I've been getting a few requests for salsa videos from partners that want to videotape themselves dancing with me! Me, of all dancers in my circle...and there are hundreds of us!
It's just what we do. We also take lots and lots of pictures, and lots of videos. So, since salsa has become a permanent part of my life, I figure I need to create a chronicle of this experience by taking pictures as well. I will post a few of them here. I will be traveling quite a bit very soon, and I'll be going to some of the hottest salsa spots in the country. So, be on the lookout for pictures of me and dance partners from all over the place. This should be fun!!!!
Oh, and for the record...
Music History class is OVER!!!!!!! *Happy Dance*
Yes, I made it, with the grace and favor of God and all the energy and power of the universe. Sounds dramatic, but for real....seriously...
Aced the class, and now I am already in week two of Chemistry. I start my last music course in two weeks, and begin Organic Chemistry at the end of July.
Then, I can take a much needed break from all things school related until the end of January.
Ahhhhhh, life is good!
Yes, I made it, with the grace and favor of God and all the energy and power of the universe. Sounds dramatic, but for real....seriously...
Aced the class, and now I am already in week two of Chemistry. I start my last music course in two weeks, and begin Organic Chemistry at the end of July.
Then, I can take a much needed break from all things school related until the end of January.
Ahhhhhh, life is good!
Rollercoaster
Yep, I've been riding one since last week.
It all started when I got sick. I came down with a nasty, nasty cold early last week that knocked me off my feet. I only missed one day of work, but I slept so much it felt like I had missed a whole week. Ironically enough, I hate taking medications, so I took only what I needed to get through the week, and it helped tremendously. I still managed to go dancing Saturday night.
Well, I'm getting dressed to go to work yesterday, and the cop wakes up out of his sleep moaning and groaning. I walk in to check on him, and he begins to complain of dizziness. I initially thought he may be overheated; our apartment gets very hot in the summertime. When the dizziness returns, and is accompanied with profuse sweating and nystagmus (which I had never seen up close before), I know something more serious is wrong. Thank God we live literally two minutes away from the hospital.
So, the cop has vertigo. Scared the living daylights out of me. We had an excellent doctor working with us. I took mental notes as he performed the cop's physical examination. The medical interview was beautiful! Great open-ended answers, and great rapport with the patient. Within 5 minutes he had his diagnosis, and within 20 minutes we were headed to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions.
Needless to say, I didn't go to work last night. I'll be returning tonight. Word has it that census is low. I'm hoping this pick up. I need all the diseases, drugs, lab values and patient interaction that I can get. That sounds really selfish, doesn't it...
Work is still exciting, however, it becomes more and more mundane every day. I feel like I have all of this new knowledge and no license to use it. Very, very frustrating. My saving grace is knowing that at the end of this year, in 7 months, I will be in PA school studying all the diseases I see everyday, and learing how to treat them! How cool is that? I've been in contact with my school, and everything is set to go. I paid my deposit last Monday (YAY!!!!), so my seat has officially been set aside for me. What a relief!
In the meantime, it's work, eat, sleep (very little), and SALSA!!!! And not necessarily in that order!!
It all started when I got sick. I came down with a nasty, nasty cold early last week that knocked me off my feet. I only missed one day of work, but I slept so much it felt like I had missed a whole week. Ironically enough, I hate taking medications, so I took only what I needed to get through the week, and it helped tremendously. I still managed to go dancing Saturday night.
Well, I'm getting dressed to go to work yesterday, and the cop wakes up out of his sleep moaning and groaning. I walk in to check on him, and he begins to complain of dizziness. I initially thought he may be overheated; our apartment gets very hot in the summertime. When the dizziness returns, and is accompanied with profuse sweating and nystagmus (which I had never seen up close before), I know something more serious is wrong. Thank God we live literally two minutes away from the hospital.
So, the cop has vertigo. Scared the living daylights out of me. We had an excellent doctor working with us. I took mental notes as he performed the cop's physical examination. The medical interview was beautiful! Great open-ended answers, and great rapport with the patient. Within 5 minutes he had his diagnosis, and within 20 minutes we were headed to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions.
Needless to say, I didn't go to work last night. I'll be returning tonight. Word has it that census is low. I'm hoping this pick up. I need all the diseases, drugs, lab values and patient interaction that I can get. That sounds really selfish, doesn't it...
Work is still exciting, however, it becomes more and more mundane every day. I feel like I have all of this new knowledge and no license to use it. Very, very frustrating. My saving grace is knowing that at the end of this year, in 7 months, I will be in PA school studying all the diseases I see everyday, and learing how to treat them! How cool is that? I've been in contact with my school, and everything is set to go. I paid my deposit last Monday (YAY!!!!), so my seat has officially been set aside for me. What a relief!
In the meantime, it's work, eat, sleep (very little), and SALSA!!!! And not necessarily in that order!!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Hello? Anybody Home?
Is anyone reading this blog? I don't think so, but I sure have enjoyed writing. I don't write as much as I used to; school, work, and salsa are taking their toll on me, but I can't seem to sacrifice any one of them. I had a fabulous time this past weekend! I basically spent the majority of it in the ballroom dancing my butt off. It was great. Can't wait to do it all over again this weekend!
It's back to work tonight. They say Mondays are the hardest days. We return to work and have to get back into the groove. I enjoy Monday nights. I look forward to what awaits me there. Patient turnover in the ICU is a bit high. Some patients stay longer than others, of course, but for the most part we get 'em in and out ASAP. I always look forward to seeing what Mondays have in store for me. Things have been pretty mellow at work. No codes, no deaths, and no violent situations in about a week or two. For a while, that was all we were getting.
We got a middle aged man some weeks ago who put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Motive? He had been diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer, and didn't wish to contine with therapy. His wife heard the gunshot and ran into the room to find him on the floor in a pool of blood...alive. By the time he got to us he was a mess, obviously. I have never seen anything like this before: the entrance and exit wounds were clearly visible, and his eyes and face were severely swollen and blue. Needless to say, he didn't make it through the night. The very next night we had another patient who had come to us for respiratory failure secondary to a brain tumor. She suffered from mental retardation due to child abuse. To look at the young girl was to look at an angel. She was in her late twenties, but looked half that. She had become a ward of the state and was living in a nursing home when she fell ill. With no family and no friends at her bedside, she quietly passed away, clutching to a stuffed teddy bear. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
I'll tell anyone...working where I work -even as a low on the totem pole, know-nothing tech -is not easy. But so far, it has been one of the best things I've ever done. Yes, I have to commute almost an hour five days a week and lose sleep, but I believe once PA school starts, I will realize just how fundamental this position has been for me.
This week is all that stands between me and a final exam for my music history class. Then I start chemistry next week. The fun never ends! 7 months to go before PA school. I can't wait!
It's back to work tonight. They say Mondays are the hardest days. We return to work and have to get back into the groove. I enjoy Monday nights. I look forward to what awaits me there. Patient turnover in the ICU is a bit high. Some patients stay longer than others, of course, but for the most part we get 'em in and out ASAP. I always look forward to seeing what Mondays have in store for me. Things have been pretty mellow at work. No codes, no deaths, and no violent situations in about a week or two. For a while, that was all we were getting.
We got a middle aged man some weeks ago who put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Motive? He had been diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer, and didn't wish to contine with therapy. His wife heard the gunshot and ran into the room to find him on the floor in a pool of blood...alive. By the time he got to us he was a mess, obviously. I have never seen anything like this before: the entrance and exit wounds were clearly visible, and his eyes and face were severely swollen and blue. Needless to say, he didn't make it through the night. The very next night we had another patient who had come to us for respiratory failure secondary to a brain tumor. She suffered from mental retardation due to child abuse. To look at the young girl was to look at an angel. She was in her late twenties, but looked half that. She had become a ward of the state and was living in a nursing home when she fell ill. With no family and no friends at her bedside, she quietly passed away, clutching to a stuffed teddy bear. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
I'll tell anyone...working where I work -even as a low on the totem pole, know-nothing tech -is not easy. But so far, it has been one of the best things I've ever done. Yes, I have to commute almost an hour five days a week and lose sleep, but I believe once PA school starts, I will realize just how fundamental this position has been for me.
This week is all that stands between me and a final exam for my music history class. Then I start chemistry next week. The fun never ends! 7 months to go before PA school. I can't wait!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Update 2
Wow, time is surely flying by. I haven't done a great job with keeping up with this blog. My life has been so busy lately.
For starters, work continues to be a challenge. I'm still enjoying the job and the night schedule, but all I do is sleep all day long when I get home. It doesn't leave much time for cooking, cleaning, and spending time with my husband. Good thing the cop works at night, too. At least we can go to sleep together! I continue to learn more and more everyday at work. The nurses have come to know my work ethic, and they are learning to trust me. I remove lines, catheters, draw flushes, and participate in codes on a regular basis now. I've come a long way in 5 months. I was voted employee of the month this month...can you believe that? 5 months in, and I'm employee of the month. It is quite an honor! I hope I can live up to it. Most people at work now know that I will begin PA school in the spring. They are genuinely happy for me, I think. The hardest part for me is being 'just a tech.' As smart as the nurses think I am, I am nothing more than the tech that assists them. Sure, I can carry conversations with them, and they come to me and ask me questions, but I'm still just the tech. It's hard playing this role, especially when I am in such a great learning environment.
I'm blessed to be in a job that allows me to read the history, physical, labs and progress notes on every patient in the unit. Everyday I see something new, learn a new drug or disease. I am constantly writing in my notebook. The nurses let me ask them questions, and I peer over their shoulders as they start IV's and change dressings. As a tech, I don't think it gets any better than this. This is precisely what I need before going off to school.
Working in the ICU forces one to become intimately acquainted with death, also. From time to time I flip through the discharge notebook, and it amazes me how many patients we lose each week. I try to put myself in the mix of every code; I think it is important that I deal with death now rather than later. When I become the decision maker, I can't crack under the pressure just because I see someone dying before my eyes. On the other hand, I can't allow myself to become too cold, too rigid, that I lose my sense of empathy and compassion. It is a thin line to walk.
I've been working lots of hours lately for two reasons: to save money for school, and to surprise my husband with a weekend getaway for his 30th birthday. We depart today for 4 days in the mountains. The cop works way too hard. I really want to wow him and show him just how much he is appreciated and loved. If a cabin in the mountains, a personal chef and a day at the spa doesn't convince him, I don't know what will. We both need the rest, really. I can't wait to climb into that hot tub, sip Greek wine, read a book, watch the sunset, and stuff myself with as much birthday cake as I can. Might as well enjoy it...it will be over before we know it.
I have so many stories to share relating to work and the patients and medical staff I work with on a daily basis. Perhaps after this trip, my mind will be clear enough to begin blogging these stories. As of now, the mountains await us!
For starters, work continues to be a challenge. I'm still enjoying the job and the night schedule, but all I do is sleep all day long when I get home. It doesn't leave much time for cooking, cleaning, and spending time with my husband. Good thing the cop works at night, too. At least we can go to sleep together! I continue to learn more and more everyday at work. The nurses have come to know my work ethic, and they are learning to trust me. I remove lines, catheters, draw flushes, and participate in codes on a regular basis now. I've come a long way in 5 months. I was voted employee of the month this month...can you believe that? 5 months in, and I'm employee of the month. It is quite an honor! I hope I can live up to it. Most people at work now know that I will begin PA school in the spring. They are genuinely happy for me, I think. The hardest part for me is being 'just a tech.' As smart as the nurses think I am, I am nothing more than the tech that assists them. Sure, I can carry conversations with them, and they come to me and ask me questions, but I'm still just the tech. It's hard playing this role, especially when I am in such a great learning environment.
I'm blessed to be in a job that allows me to read the history, physical, labs and progress notes on every patient in the unit. Everyday I see something new, learn a new drug or disease. I am constantly writing in my notebook. The nurses let me ask them questions, and I peer over their shoulders as they start IV's and change dressings. As a tech, I don't think it gets any better than this. This is precisely what I need before going off to school.
Working in the ICU forces one to become intimately acquainted with death, also. From time to time I flip through the discharge notebook, and it amazes me how many patients we lose each week. I try to put myself in the mix of every code; I think it is important that I deal with death now rather than later. When I become the decision maker, I can't crack under the pressure just because I see someone dying before my eyes. On the other hand, I can't allow myself to become too cold, too rigid, that I lose my sense of empathy and compassion. It is a thin line to walk.
I've been working lots of hours lately for two reasons: to save money for school, and to surprise my husband with a weekend getaway for his 30th birthday. We depart today for 4 days in the mountains. The cop works way too hard. I really want to wow him and show him just how much he is appreciated and loved. If a cabin in the mountains, a personal chef and a day at the spa doesn't convince him, I don't know what will. We both need the rest, really. I can't wait to climb into that hot tub, sip Greek wine, read a book, watch the sunset, and stuff myself with as much birthday cake as I can. Might as well enjoy it...it will be over before we know it.
I have so many stories to share relating to work and the patients and medical staff I work with on a daily basis. Perhaps after this trip, my mind will be clear enough to begin blogging these stories. As of now, the mountains await us!
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