Long hours, thankless days, bulging disks, and sore feet. That's what being a nurse most often means to me on my long walk to the car after a 12-hour shift, or on the 20-mile drive home from work. I don't receive commissions (unless the occasional generous family who brings us bagels counts). The closest thing to a luxury, all-expense paid business trip I have ever received is my employer's tuition reimbursement after a two-day Advanced Cardiac Life Support class (and NOT luxurious or relaxing at all). Oh, and there is no company car. And then, there are days like one in particular last week when, I stepped in to help another nurse and met her patient for the very first time. Before I ever opened my mouth and said hello, he told me that he could tell I was a ... View Post
With Love, From the Nurse
What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains, and is immortal. Just a few days ago while hosting a demonstration at my home, I introduced each of my guests to each other. Some of them were fellow nurses from work, and one of my other guests is a friend who knows the hospital where I work quite well. Unfortunately, her husband had a stroke a couple of years ago, and she is more familiar with the halls of the hospital than she'd like to be. He was a patient on several floors there, as well as at other local hospitals and nursing homes. But "hands down," she said that the hospital where I work, is the best. Of course, that made me feel really proud of where I work! But then she said, "And there was this one nurse on the ... View Post
If A Patient Could Speak
Some time back, and out of the blue, my sedated and intubated patient began tapping his hands on the side of his bed to get my attention. I realized he was trying to communicate something to me, but since he was ventilated and on life support, he was unable to speak. I quickly found a black marker and some paper, unrestrained him, and allowed him to write me three pages of what was on his mind. It was very personal, and it was me that he wanted to see it. I was then able to comfort him in a way that I would not otherwise have known he needed to be comforted, had he not had that opportunity. I asked him if I could keep the note, and he adamantly shook his head yes. I now have those precious pieces of paper tucked away in a safe place. It was no coincidence what he wrote, no ... View Post
My “No Regrets” List
Staring out my kitchen window this morning at the snow, still falling from last night, I thought about, and could almost see my sons playing outside. Waiting for the snow plow to blow his horn indicating it was time for my neighbors and I to move our cars, I remembered how willing (and excited) my sons were to move the car, when their driver's licenses were so new. Just then my phone rang - it was a text from a neighbor. "Would you like me to move your car for you?" He has known my kids since preschool, knows I am now alone, and knows how little I enjoy snow! How kind. But instead, I cleaned it off, jumped in and drove the half-mile to my mom's home, where I found my son cleaning the heavy snow off of her roof. (A proud Mama moment). "Do you need anything, Mum?" Rory asked ... View Post
Zenia Cookies
Named after my friend Zenia, here are some fabulous NO-BAKE cookies! 1-1/2 cups of quick-cooking oats 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup butter or margarine 3 T unsweetened cocoa And, Vwala!!!! Mix together, scoop into individual cookies on a wax sheet of paper on a cooking sheet, refrigerate, & enjoy with a cup of coffee! ... View Post
The Kettlecorn Trail
A trail of kettle corn between the kitchen and living room was hard to miss when I came home after my son had been here yesterday. There was a time when I would have given my kids grief about not cleaning up after themselves, but this time was different. This time, I just smiled to myself and thought, "this will always be home." In the current season of life, with my sons grown and out of the house, there are often days when I reflect back to my parenting years. I wonder if I'm the only one who does this. I think of the things I would do differently if I could go back in time. I go over and over the mistakes I've made (not healthy), always evaluating and reevaluating - knowing there are no "re-do's" in this life. This morning when I packed my lunch for work and there were ... View Post
Tumeric Paste (for PAIN!)
1/2 cup tumeric powder 1 to 2 cups water 1/3 cup UNrefiined coconut oil 1.5 teaspoons fresh black pepper Get a small pot, put ONE cup of water and ALL of the tumeric in. Start heating it up. DO NOT let it boil, but continue to stir and stir. It will dry up, and you will have to add UP TO one more cup. (My friend says sometimes she needs only 1/2 cup, other times a full cup). Then, after 10 minutes, take off stove, add the 1/3 cup UNrefined coconut oil, and 1.5 teaspoons fresh black pepper, stir it up - it will be kind of pasty. Put in GLASS JAR and store in fridge. Make a shake, or a smoothie and put 1/2 tsp in (heaping). Or, you can do 1/4 in the morning and 1/4 at night or however you want to space it. ... View Post
Reaching For My Weapon
I was awakened abruptly by the seemingly purposeful, very quiet twisting of the doorknob on my front door. It sounded differently than when my son comes home. This was NOT him - and whoever it was, they did not want me to know they were entering. They were being painstakingly quiet, and moving very slowly. I glanced at the time. It was 2 a.m. Frozen, I wasn't sure if I should dial 911 or get out of bed and grab my gun. All sorts of thoughts ran through my mind. I knew my gun was in the corner in a drawer. I'd have to get out of bed, make my way across the room, and get it out of its case. The ammunition was in my dresser drawer on the other side of my room. I'd have to open the box, and then load my gun. How would I ever do all of this in the dark? It might just be ... View Post