PSA: Healthy peepers

I didn't think I was at risk for glaucoma, until I ended up at the eye doctor, and he was looking at me funny. Needless to say, I'll never forget that Veterans' Day, when my doc gave me the news.

Why am I talking about this? Well, it's National Glaucoma Awareness month in January.  Almost three million Americans have it, and many, like me, don't even know it. You are at higher risk if you are African-American, male, diabetic or have a family history (even if it's distant like mine).

Glaucoma is known for robbing people of their sight. I had LPI to allow my eyes to drain properly, which also helped the pressure. Some people may also need medication or other surgical procedures.

Some folks put off or delay eye exams because they fear they're too expensive. I have had vision insurance for years, and I did not know that it (along with your medical insurance) can make regular check-ups reasonable. If you don't have vision insurance, check with your PCP for more options in your area.

Your vision is priceless. I know I couldn't be a good parent, wife and nurse without it.

What are you waiting for? Go visit your favorite ophthalmologist today.

More to come...

Just another Monday

Still Nurses' Week..YES! The psychology staff are celebrating on Florence Nightingale's birthday at the Hotel, but they have to send an e-mail every day so people don't forget.

I celebrated today by having lots of technical difficulties in my clinic. Now I have to find a creative way to get a gift basket of coffee, Mountain Dew, chocolate and other terribly fattening things to my favorite support technicians. Yes, it's been that kind of week and this is only Monday. We have a "special notes" section of our intranet, so I recognized two of the folks today. I had to...those two saved my derriere so much already.

Bubba got out of school early today and is counting the days when school ends here in RehabLand. Since his school had no snow days (we had a school boss from Minnesota who wasn't scared one icy day) this year, they'll actually finish on the day they said. Bubba, however, may notice those last days are different. For the first time ever, he has final exams. Should get him ready for high school!

Now Bubba is at his friend Jorge's house, helping him get some of the music homework done before the big party this week at the last band class. If Jorge gets the magic number, he'll be in. Bubba, his partner in crime, wants to provide moral support so it happens.

Stay tuned...one more day of Nurses' Week left. Enjoy every moment. You deserve it!

Joining in on the fun...

On my next eye doc visit, I get to take Bubba.

I just didn't want to be alone. At least he is off school and I am off work.

A fun mother-son outing (once we escape.) I'm not sure if he'll like the eye drops.

Stay tuned.

I survived!

My stint as an adjunct instructor at MegaCorp College is over. Hooray!

What did I learn?

1. Some people are just not motivated.

2. Some people don't really listen. I only told my students (orally and in writing) that all the written homework was due the day before the final.

I still had one goof say, "What? We can't turn in any homework tonight?"

Yes, Doofus, that's right. Working on your schedule at Taco Bell instead of finishing your uncompleted work was really not a good thing. Miraculously, he passed the course...with a whopping D.

3. Flunking students is not fun, but sometimes you have to do it. I had to flunk the one student in my course who would like to go on to the nursing program.

As Dahey says, if she can't hack it now, maybe she should be doing something else.

Once upon a time, not so long ago...

Oh, we're halfway there...
Oh, livin' on prayer...
We'll make it, I swear.

Here we go, folks. We have sunk years into this and we are GOING to make it. Bring on those comprehensive exams!

No Sandy but...

When your advisor has to reform a panel so you can take your comps exams this week, since some of the folks are marooned on the East Coast, it makes you think.

1. Thank goodness I decided to go to PublicU, which, is not on the East Coast.

2. Thank goodness I thought ahead to buy plenty of beer right now, since I'm having one to calm my already frayed nerves.

What could fray one's nerves? Oh, showing up at work surely could especially when...

1. You still have mayhem with some others in your group who keep insisting on reliving it no matter what.

2. You get a phone call that a VIP delegation will be coming to Madison and you really have to show them what you do in the SU...and have a patient ready at 0900 for the VIP to talk to about your work.

So much for a relaxing, just get things done before I leave to go to comps Hell at PublicU.

Nothing a nice Kolsch can't solve at the moment...stay tuned.

The sun will come out tomorrow...

Yes, my life is still crazy. My exams really are in one week.

Methinks I'll have to hold off on posting until they're over because I feel so overwhelmed between work and this looming test. Or not. Decisions...

I've only worked YEARS on my own time for this moment.

At least, I had a good day. Still have the a-holes giving me trouble. I went to spineless boss and said, "You're his/her boss. You need to handle it." (Can't believe I did that, but I was really irate at the petty cr&p)

On a bright, shiny note, our area chief nurse at Madison nominated me for an award. It really is a big hairy deal if I make it all the way through the 13 levels my chief's essay has to pass--hospital, region, witch doctors, then the big kahuna. (okay, no witch doctors...)

We'll see...as they say, it is an honor to be nominated. Frankly, I thought I was getting in trouble!

Stay tuned...

The clock's ticking...

And in less than a month, I'll be on a jet plane, flying in to take my comprehensive exam at PublicU.

This is how I'm feeling right now, since this voyage is nearly over. And if I had my way, I'd enjoy every minute.

Just a little anxious now...

On the cusp

Drugs are not always necessary.  Belief in recovery always is.  ~Norman Cousins
 
New beginnings: the Hotel got some much needed rehabbing and the occupants (staff and patients) are overjoyed. Nothing like new stuff to make people happy. The SU got some upgrades and will get more as the remodeling goes on down the way.

The end of the odyssey: my sick relative is finally going home after a trip through one hospital (twice) and one nursing home. Problems can indeed by solved eventually if you have a nervy nurse who just keeps asking questions. (The nervy nurse would be me.)

The beginning of the end of the great grad school journey: I have my date at PublicU for my exams, now all I have to do is work on my paper and my slide show and I'll be done. Hard to believe I will be done in less than two months.

Back to work....more to come.

Maybe I am getting to be a night person...

Or I'm just liking getting these exams over with whenever the house is still.

Mere days left...on to the final paper.

Stay tuned.