One School Teacher’s Story of a Global Pandemic's Silver Lining, by "teachlovemom" (Kristi McAllister) Have you ever believed in something or someone so passionately that when you talk about it you are so full of emotion and excitement, that you feel like your head could literally explode? Have you ever believed something so deeply that you craved more knowledge and became almost obsessed with the topic or subject matter? I’m not talking about an addiction to Pinterest searching for fall DIY projects or stalking your ex on social media. I’m talking about a gut feeling where you know you are so right about something that it eats at you and keeps you up at night because so few people are picking up what you’re laying down. No? Well let me tell you, it doesn’t make friends. I’ve ... View Post
Don’t Forget Where Ya Came From
It wasn't the first time I'd told Lyla & Owen that their Dad was my little boy. But one day, it finally "clicked" for Lyla. We were on the phone FaceTiming, and I was reading her a story I'd made a picture book out of about her Mom & Dad. It included photos from when they were in high school together, then their engagement, their wedding, and finally when Lyla was born. Then I showed her pictures of her Dad when he was little and I was young. All of a sudden, her eyes opened really big, she gasped, dropped the phone, and all I could hear was her running to the kitchen yelling, "Dad!!!! Gummy is your MOM!!!!!" Well, we all nearly died laughing, but really there's probably a lesson in it all. Never forget where you came from. Never forget how nervous you were ... View Post
Mirror Mirror
Several years ago I walked into a local hair salon suggested on social media, inquired if they took walk-ins, and asked for someone to cut off all of the hair I'd been talked into growing out. I couldn't take it anymore. Having overheard me, a lovely hair dresser full of spice and feist stepped up and began rubbing her hands together, laughing and saying, "Let me at it!" About an hour later, I left with the cutest short haircut I'd ever had. Once every five to six weeks, I still leave with a cute haircut, feeling pretty and pampered, and always looking forward to my next appointment! Lisa knows the names of my children and my grandchildren, their silly antics, and several fun stories. Each month she humors me while I show her pictures and we laugh as I replay videos of ... View Post
Hospice Goodbyes
Although I would probably describe myself as someone who doesn't necessarily enjoy change, last year I decided to take a leap of faith, follow my heart's longing, and become a home hospice nurse. I knew it would be a challenging year of an incredible amount of learning, and I thought that the most difficult aspect would be learning a new charting system. HA! Having worked most of my nursing career in the ICU, I have obviously said hundreds of goodbyes, so I did not anticipate having to learn how to do that. Tree trimming & tree removal helps remove dead or broken limbs and helps keep your tree healthy. But I was wrong. The charting came easy; it's the goodbyes that are still difficult. My supervisor said it best when she described being a hospice nurse as a "world of ... View Post
Dear Dementia Patient, Thank You…
You are more than your dementia diagnosis. Every week I look forward to seeing you. Every week I look around your room, and I look for things that might make you get tangled and trip, or fall, or get injured. I make sure your bed is down low, your fall mat is right next to the bed, and your mattress is on the bed in such a way that if you do happen to fall, your head won't hit the metal frame on the way down. Your bed alarm is on. Your door is open. Your favorite television program is on, or the familiar Greek music is playing. Everything you need, including your Kleenex box and trash can are nearby and within reach. Your lunch is cut up in small bites and there is a towel on your lap. Your adorable great grandson's picture with his bright red hair is turned just the right way on ... View Post
Ponderings of A Hospice Nurse
Six months. That's how long I've been a hospice & palliative care nurse. And six months in, it's taken me this long to really get the swing of things, to know how to navigate my way through days with hiccups and still manage to get home by 5 p.m., and SHUT DOWN... and yet, I'm sure I really don't quite have the "swing of things" very well just yet. But I sure have learned a lot and now I appreciate even more all the senior living options such as Orchard Park of Permain Basin - independent living and Palm Vista Senior Living community out there. My advice is that, if you're looking for living options for seniors, look into popular and reputable ones that can be found at summerfieldroseville.com/community-life/ or www.riverviewseniorliving.com/vip-respite-care/. And, since all ... View Post
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
I heard someone say something yesterday about "20/20 vision" being the clearest, and I couldn't help but chuckle. I sort of think we ought to get rid of that "20/20" phrase having anything at all to do with clarity, because 2020 was anything but clear. A year ago about this time, we were hearing about a virus - a virus somewhere else, someone else's virus. It belonged in other countries, and certainly it would never come HERE, and would NEVER affect us. Then the virus came, and just like that, life changed overnight. I don't remember the transition from winter to spring, or spring to summer, or summer to fall this past year. Yet, I know that each one of those seasons happened. Somehow, they came and went without much notice because the season of COVID seemed to take over, and ... View Post
Dear New Home Owner
Dear new owner of my longest home ever, For the past couple of weeks, I've gone room by room, closet by closet, boxing up both the belongings I lay eyes on daily, and those with memories attached that I'd forgotten about, or hadn't seen in more than a decade. One can't help but reminisce while packing up a home where 22 years of memories have been made. I do hope you love this home as much as I still do. And I hope you make memories in it that keep you smiling for a lifetime, like mine certainly will. I was newly divorced, and unsure how I'd survive as a single mom. I worked, and worked, and worked doing medical transcription from our little mobile home, waitressing midnights every Sunday, and saved, and saved, and saved until I finally had enough money to put down on this home. ... View Post