Happy New Year's Eve!

Celebrate what you want to see more of.~ Tom Peters

I agree! Will be enjoying some fun with my family tonight. May you have a wonderful evening wherever you are.

May 2015 bring you health and happiness, two things of which that you never can have enough.

See you next year!

I was tempted

To do what this person did. Bubba was driving me nuts.

Pre-teens can be a handful in more ways than you think. Going to the mall and not being able to sell back your old game system really IS upsetting, but it just reflects the concepts of economics: supply and demand.

No demand for your game console (actually oversupply) means they won't buy yours back.

Whine, cry all you want, you need to think of something else.

That is all.

The things you find

Since I've been on vacation this week, I've been trying to get my end of the year stuff done. Dahey has some financial stuff to take care of that he finally got around to today. 

It was a lovely day in RehabLand, so we took Bubba outside and taught him about how you can quickly clean up piles of leaves from the old oak, which, of course, never sheds them all until you have a lot of wind (or snow) in winter. We put leaves in cans, we put leaves in bags, so we will be ready the next time they come by to pick them all up. Bubba was tired by the time we were done.

I filed some paperwork. I thought I was only filing this year's stuff. Well, 2013 must have been really crazy, because most of the paperwork was still unfiled for that year. Luckily, this was easily fixed (by sorting it out and filing it). 

Besides filing, and giving away old stuff, I found some new stuff. I put a DVD player a relative didn't want in the closet.

I figured I might as well get it out and start using it to get my exercise program back on track. Each year, I write down my top 10 goals for the year. I only accomplished 3 of the ten this past year.

The appointments that needed to be made were made with all the folks who were still in their offices this week. The rest will wait until next year. A couple of resolutions written down, and hopefully the start of many more successful ones.

More to come...

An oldie but goodie the night before Christmas - nurse style

I am fortunate to be home with my family for the holidays. I love this take because it was very much like my very first Christmas as a nurse. I got all nestled, then I floated.

Merry Christmas to all and to all (celebrating or not), good night!

A Nurse Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas.., and all thru the floor
Lasix was given, filling the foleys galore.
Stockings were worn to prevent emboli,
they came in two sizes, knee and thigh high.
The patients were nestled half-assed in their beds,
while visions of stool softeners danced in their heads.
We in our scrubs, and they in their gowns,
Fashions created to hide extra pounds.
When down in the ER it became such a zoo,
they called with admissions for me and for you.
They're coming, they're going, and they're all looking the same.
My patience for patients is starting to wane.
Now call lights are ringing, the patient 400 pounds, says-"
Didn't get my pericare, now send my nurse down."
And now delegation seems the best plan,
We try to send others, to the needs of this man.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But Santa himself and 8 tiny reindeer.
He says he comes from Central Supply.
To bring us LR,NS, & D5.
The doctors then scribbled what no one could read,
Orders on patients, to measure their pee.
We try to decipher illegible words,
orders for patients, to guaiac their turds.
The new shift arriving, our day is now through,
How did stool & emesis get in my shoe?
We give them report and pass on the facts,
and tell them of duoderm lining the cracks.
And the nurses exclaim as they limp out of sight,
"Ativan to them all, and to all good night.!!!"

Great blog post on nursing

I don't regularly follow NPR, but I came upon this blog post because of a therapist I work with at the Hotel. It speaks volumes.

Don't miss it! BTW see the movie if you get the chance. Kids or no kids, it's a good one.

Happy weekend wherever you are. You deserve it.

Just in time for the holidays...

Ah, it is always an interesting time reading the RehabLand Board of Nursing newsletter. So here's today's edition of what not to do as a nurse.

Don't say those licensing people forget the holidays...be careful out there!

Things not to do as a nurse: the holiday edition.

1. Don't sleep on the job. 
Yes, that nicely made bed looks comfy, but if you forget to wake up, you have a problem. NOTE: some facilities do let you take power naps, but remember, you are PAID to come to WORK (notice the items in caps).

There are some expectations that come with that.

2. Forget to pay your income taxes.
Here in RehabLand, the Department of Take it all Revenue can report you if you don't and you can lose your license. According to the numbers, almost 25% of nurses lost their license last year due to tax issues.

3. Don't force someone to do something they refuse to consent to do, like take a bath.
Do the words assault and battery mean anything to you? I knew they did.  Patient says no, you document to CYA.

4. Drive while intoxicated.
They shouldn't have to tell you "when to say when" if you are a health care provider. But if you tend to be indulgent, get someone else to drive.

5. Fail to monitor a patient and act accordingly.
The example used in RehabLand's newsletter was disgusting. An RN (old one at that--we can tell by their license numbers) flat out did NOTHING for a patient who became sick in the morning. Let him/her throw up, wait until nights when said patient drops the phone, while satting at 82%  (normally 100% person on room air) and passes out.

The night nurse had to call EMS to take this person to the ER.

And finally the topper of this edition:

6. Don't let residents who are supposed to be on the unit (per orders) out.
Another old RN decided to go on a smoke break and six (not one two or three...) residents who were confined indoors got out of the facility. One, Z., was gone for so long that he/she did not get scheduled insulin, had glucose issues, passed out and fell out of his/her wheelchair.

Old RN left Z on the ground, got the other 5 back into the building, hoisted Z back into a chair and told a CNA to take Z to his/her room. No assessment, no documentation, no nothing.

Z sustained a head injury, which was later diagnosed when Z started having other issues.

Viruses, virii and a mouse in my kitchen

Oh, it's been one heck of a week. I just finished my Z-pack and Dahey feels crappy. A mouse got into my cabinet and trashed a bag of barley and one box of Inca Red quinoa. 

The Christmas pageant starts soon. Bubba gets to do a solo instrumental song. We'll cross our fingers that he doesn't get stage fright. Looks like I'll have some fun tonight.

At the Hotel, the patients are getting loaded up with all sorts of goodies: blankets, books, snacks, cookies, you name it. The Manglement are getting ready for our next inspection in January (what a Christmas present!).

I'm praying it snows like mad.

Hope you're enjoying your night wherever you are. Stay tuned.

Happiest of Fridays to you

I didn't run away. I've been busy cramming everything in, so I could have a day off. One project plan, three appointments, a consult, a specialty service visit, four phone calls, one patient portal enrollment, one transferred patient and a grand rounds presentation.

So today, I escaped.The sun came out after what seemed like weeks of clouds and rain. I found my sunglasses and wore them.What a day it was!

I visited friends I had not seen in a long time. I shopped and went out for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which meant no dishes for me to wash ALL DAY. It was like being on vacation at a hotel without leaving.

I also celebrated another birthday this week. It was fun. Health IS wealth, and I feel like a millionaire now that I am almost done with my antibiotics (from whatever URI I got around Thanksgiving.)

Hope you enjoy your weekend wherever you are!

More to come...

In an instant

A police officer puts a person resisting arrest in a choke hold. He ignores the pleas that the person can't breathe. The person dies.

A guy driving through a protest march hits a pedestrian. He's arrested for assault.

Another guy goes to work. Someone asks him to come out to the parking lot. It's his son. He proceeds to club his father to death with a baseball bat in the middle of the day in the parking lot.

It doesn't take long for a life to disappear. Robbing someone of one breath, one moment, one defensive move can have consequences that last forever.

Life happens in an instant. Be aware. Some things you can't get back after that instant is gone.

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.

Giving Tuesday

Yes, after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday sounds like another crazy day.

 However, it is what you make of it.

 I challenge you, readers, to go out and give your time, talent or treasure to your favorite local,   regional, national or international group. Start today and make it a habit. Dahey and I are in our 15th year supporting many groups from religious organizations to housing corporations to food security and holiday giving groups. One of our favorites is this one for war veterans (amputees, spinal cord injury, or TBI) which we found when a local guy was raising money for his house. See, rehab related!

Not sure who to pick? Check sites such as Charity Navigator or Charity Watch. Ask questions, too, like how much of my donation actually goes to research, your target audience, etc. Who cares about pretty stationery if they spend too much on what they mail you!

Pick charities that work with your own beliefs, philosophies, and who give a large portion of their donations directly to folks in need. Check with your tax adviser re:deductions.


All in all, give whatever you can today whether it is your time, talent or treasure, and don't forget to share your #unselfie.

It is greatly appreciated.

Stay tuned...