Where's the Justice?

In all my years as an OB nurse, I have seen so many wonderful births, making my job one of the best out there. Yet there are times I think to myself, this job sucks, and it has nothing to do with the workload.

It's about the patient who waits years (15 in this case) to have a baby, and when it happens, the baby is sick and needs so much in the first few hours of birth. It doesn't seem fair. It doesn't seem right. I also question the judgment of the decisions made before this baby was born. No one is perfect, but did you make the right decision? I don't think so, and now this mom is hurting and is afraid, and her beautiful baby gets a crappy start.

Delta Gamma Dump

As a parent, who is helping her kids through college, be it through tuition help, sending care packages, and wherever else I can help them financially, I am pleased to know that Caitlin is thriving at school, and is learning so much! Learning does not always have to be done in the classroom either. She is lucky, as she is not only learning about animal related things, but a new culture, as well. There is no way you can place a dollar value on living abroad in another culture!

In addition, the learning does not stop there. She thought she knew all there was to know about living with someone you hardly know, because she did that when she went to Rutgers. Her first roommate had much to offer Caitlin. There was the how many ways can I hide a boy in the bed so you can’t see him...how many boys I can do in one week and can you really do the math to keep track...the list is endless.

Then she moved into a house with 6 girls and thought it might be better. She learned that girls can in fact be nasty and dirty...that bongs come in many designs...that it is possible to go through every dish in the house and still survive...that despite charts and graphs on walls deciding who does what and when (house chores) really is useless...

She recently shared with me how much she has learned about living with a single roommate (which she thought was going to be easier than living with 6 other girls). Bless her heart... In her own words...

1. Spaghetti sauce naturally blends in with a cream yellow rug. No one will notice, right? Shabby Chic on the Style channel has taught me nothing!! Must not watch Style anymore.

2. Hand towels are used for wiping up everything and are definitely not supposed to be used to wipe your hands after you've just washed them. Duh, how could I be so retarded? Like why would I want to use a clean one vs. one with crap all over it? Smack me.

3. You should ALWAYS, always spill, splatter, drip, dribble the contents of whatever food you are making all over the counter, sink, clean dishes....and hell why not make it go to the far side of the kitchen. Score more points that way, right? Ya know, if you can make something go further than were it actually started. PS spaghetti sauce works the best - definitely goes further and that equals more points! BONUS! Now I know why I don't have fun in the kitchen.

4. Oh, food must be made, eaten, but make sure enough is left out in the open for critters and others to see. Vet students love critters and they all need to eat, right?

5. Dog/beach towels need to be randomly thrown or piled up in the middle of the floor. Ugh and to think I was doing well by folding them and tucking them out of sight. Smack me again.

6. Hair brushes do not belong in the bathroom or bedroom anymore. Why has no one told me this? Gosh, I thought I was hair and makeup savvy??? Apparently, the new spot is in the sink! Alert Cosmo everyone, pronto! We are all wrong!

7. I'm not much of a drinker, but dude, did you know that you HAVE to buy a whole brand new bottle of ANYTHING and have drunk before the next day or leave a swig in there for the morning??? Wow, that is an accomplishment! What have I been missing all these years?? I could have drank the rock stars I worked with under the table and been totally cool! Fantabulous!

8. It's ok to be a guy, not pay rent or bills here, not clean up your mess, and get wasted on the foam cushion couch, but still leave the toilet seat up and have it be acceptable. Wow, the guys who didn't do this, who slept with the girls at the Rutgers house, were such slobs because even they left the toilet seat DOWN. I think I just said something nice about Rutgers!

9. BBQ grills make a great ashtray for cigarettes! I didn't know that tobacco was a good smoke flavor in your steak or chicken.

10. This place is just too cool for more facts!

I believe the child has gotten her money's worth in education.

Spring has Sprung!

I was out doing some light raking, mostly meandering in the yard with the rake in my hands, looking like I was raking, and I noticed that my flowers are bursting forth! Yeah! The forsythia is also budding, and with the chirping of the birds, I felt hopeful that winter was on its way out. I am glad.

It really has not been a long winter, but I really want warmer weather, and soon. I long for the days of just sitting out on my deck, taking in the sun. I love my deck. I love being out on the patio, in the yard, and even on my hammock. The place is not as important as being out. I have not felt this much cabin fever in a long time.

I cannot wait to start planting my potted plants, which decorate the deck and the patio areas. My deck will need a new coat of stain, but I even look forward to getting that done. I also look forward to getting my herb garden going, and my veggies planted. I guess I just want to play in the dirt, and soon.

Well, spring sprang. We've had our state of grace and our little gift of sanctioned madness, courtesy of Mother Nature. Thanks, Gaia. Much obliged. I guess it's time to get back to that daily routine of living we like to call normal.
~David Assael, Northern Exposure, Spring Break, 1991

Me? A Pediatric Nurse?

I have been cross training to the area of pediatrics over the last month or so. It's being done because the administrator wants us to cross train to the other areas on the fifth floor, and because we are heavily staffed in L&D, and the census has been low. I could have picked postpartum or the nursery, but I have experience in those areas and thought something new might be fun. Fun? Different.

I did do some "Pedi Time" at my last job in a hospital in PA where I worked, but needed to have a refresher, so I raised my hand to go to this area. I am all about making myself more marketable anyway, especially these days when everything in health care is so damn unstable. It's not such a bad little place. The staff have been friendly and I have learned a few new things. Of course, I have also learned that everywhere one goes (other units), most (other nurses) are miserable these days with the uncertainty hanging over our heads.

So now I have another area I can tack on my resume, NOT that I will be seeking Pedi nurse jobs in the near future. Trust me. But I can say that the gig is not so bad. If I had to, I could be a pedi nurse. Maybe. Ok, maybe just a little.

Bonnie and Clyde

I would have loved the opportunity to spend time with these two characters, for at least a day. Can you believe this May 23rd marks the 75th Anniversayof the day the two were ambushed! Where has time gone?

Wouldn't you love the chance to hang with them? What went on their heads? Why did they go on the killing sprees they did? Bonnie was so young! How does a 23 year old become so infected with that much rage? Of course, they did supply the nation with a lot of entertainment at a time when things were bad, real bad. Kind of like today. "They were front-page news, newsreel stars, heroes to those who hated banks and the government, institutions the young outlaws mocked." Kind of like today.

Is there a Bonnie and Clyde out there. Waiting. Watching.

Bewarned. I am not kidding.

I am no longer paying for health insurance. I will be using your Emergency Department like a doctors office. The wait will not bother me. I love to read. I will bring books and snacks. In fact, I may even pack a cooler. I can sit there all day if I have to and YOU cannot turn me away.

I will no longer be paying for everyone's treatment. I will be right there along side of them sucking YOUR hard earned dollars away from you so I can get my head cold taken care of, or that hammer toe fixed. I may even think about having another baby. Why not, YOU will be paying for it. Makes sense to me.

Who needs health care insurance?