Just Another Prom Night in the ER....

yup.

you heard that right.

my 18 year old's senior prom ended with them getting side swiped by a car that ran a red in front of a Seattle cop and then left the scene.

Nothing quite like a call at 11:30p.m. saying, "Dad's car is totalled."

"Son? How are you? Da girlfriend? The couple in the back seat?"

The good news: they had a lovely night at Prom after a dinner cruise.

Senior Prom was held at EMP, which one of the coolest places to have a prom at.

Bad news: some moron could not tell a red light from a green one.

More whiplash for my boy.

Side to side whiplash, which is more painful than front to back.

Good news: Swedish Hospital in Seattle rocks it way over our local ER.

Bad News: Not enough pain meds cuz they be stingy lately.

Bad news: very, very SORE kids tomorrow.

Good news: it was no where near as bad as it could have been.

Thank You Lord for sparing their lives and overall health.

Will Be Back Soon

Make that WAY more than a tad.........
I should be back Thursday with great stories as I'll be in clinical from 7am-9pm tomorrow. Love yas. HUGZ.

Random Ramblings

It Memorial Weekend and I have someone to thank that the US holiday doesn't exactly cover.

My Uncle Tom served in the Canadian Royal Air Force in World War II long before the Americans got involved.

Tom was one of seven children. My mother was the sixth born. Tom was one of her 3 older brothers. I'm not sure where he placed among the birth order of the 3 older boys.

My mother loved him. The woman who rarely talked about her depression/WWII era childhood did tell me about her brave brother Tom.

She had a ring that the flyer's gave out. It looked similar to a female class ring except with Canadian Royal Air Force printed where the high school name would be placed normally.

My Uncle Tom died in WW II. He fought for democracy and freedom and against Hitler's evil plans to take over Europe. I do not know what year it was. I just know it was before the US jumped into the fray.

My mom was 13 years old when the war ended.

I praise and respect all who fought for democracy and freedom because it was a huge collaborative effort. England, Poland, France, a misalliance with the Soviet Union(my personal opinion.)and the United States.

Remember all those who sacrificed their lives so America and Great Britain and Canada could remain free.

Yes this is an American Remembrance Day, perhaps you can spare a thought of all who died in the Allied Forces.

Thank you to all the soldiers who kept us from the evils of Hitler, Mussolini, and other tyrants of the time with their lives.

Thanks to My Lurkers Who Outed Themselves

I appreciate everyone of my readers. It's cool if you don't comment every day, I comprehend.

I just needed to know I'm not all alone in my last 3 months of nursing school and that I have cool bloggy pals that I care about as well.

YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

Is Anyone Out There?

Is anyone reading this blog anymore?

~Janice :-)

Brave

I misunderstood a meme's directions and you lucky ducks get to read my mistake!!!

I'll be in the ICU at clinical tomorrow. :::::scary music:::::

Many events and actions bring the word 'brave' to my brain.

A picture from 9/11 of airplanes flown into buildings and the collapsing Twin Towers minutes later. Knowing I was watching people die. They were brave in death caused by terrorism.

The hundreds of firemen, police, bystanders that hurried to help save survivors and to recover the remains of the dead. Ultimate sacrifice is one of my definitions of bravery.

The families left behind who continued to get out of bed each and every day keeping the memory of their loved ones alive in their hearts.

The women who gave birth to babies after their fathers were incinerated that fateful Tuesday in New York City. Who are raising these children alone.

other brave ones:

the folks who live in chronic pain or with a chronic illness-they get up every day and deal with pain, extreme fatigue, mental fogs, super sensitivity to noise, chemicals, smells, temperatures, neuropathy. It takes courage to keep on fighting a battle you cannot see.

first responders-saving lives, going into dangerous areas to save lives, never asking for recognition, just doing their jobs.

parents who push aside their own needs to raise their children the best way they possibly can. single parents have an extra measure of bravery IMHO.

those who view all others as equals.

ones who make an extra effort to treat others as they would like to be treated.

folks who fight for human rights.

teachers who make that extra effort to reach those thought unreachable.

people who continue to get out of bed after devastating losses from death of a child, parent, to tornado survivors with their homes smashed to tiny bits, all survivors of catastrophic disasters.

Counting Down

Time ticks by slowly as the elderly nursing student continues to suck it up and prays every night for salvation.

A bit dramatic? Eh? So what? Don't forget, it's MY blog. :P

A month, give or take a day, until spring quarter is over. woo frickin' hoo.

I completely ate it on the cardio exam because I was sick Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday but I did go to class on Monday. My wonderful teacher handed me the test as I walked in. Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. Totally unexpected. Worst grade this year.

It's difficult to study when you're coughing your lungs out. I know I am whining. Learn to love it.

I have a major care plan and discharge paper due Wednesday and no case to do it on. I guess I'll be up all night Tuesday after I find a case at clinical that day.

Presentation of a patient case on Tuesday after Memorial day.

Test this next Friday and the Friday after Memorial Day.

Finals Mid June.

8 weeks in summer quarter. Eight. Then seven, six, five, four, three, two..........

Revenge is Sweet?

My spouse, who is one of the country's worst nurturers, has caught the crud.

The crud I've been battling for two weeks.

(I get an evil thrill out of karma payment)

He has the cough.

Sore throat.

Laryngitis.

Enlarged tonsils(size of grapefruit)

Congested sinuses you never know existed.

Exhaustion


I know this is just down out mean but I'm kinda happy he'll know how awful I have been feeling.

Lord, forgive me.

Too

busy to be interesting.

Study x 10.

Care plans.

Papers.

Ignoring spouse.

Reading about GI system.

Nothing exciting..........

Another Joyful Week

glitter-graphics.com (Pain Included!)

I am hoping this week gets better. Today sucked. In too many ways to explain.

Clinical tomorrow. My back is still sore from coughing but I am hopeful it will be better by tomorrow. I'll be in the progressive care unit tomorrow so I'm going to look for a patient who needs an NG tube or a catheter or some intervention I need to practice(Injections!;)). PCU is usually good for learning new things.

My boys remembered Mother's Day with flowers from the 18yo and more flowers from his girlfriend! My 20 yo brought me a giftcard with Barnes and Noble cuz he knows how much I detest reading....HA! Spouse did nada because I am NOT his mother. A huge :P to him. In fact a double :PP~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!

Wishing all a terrific Tuesday! :)

Ribs Aren't Just for Picnics

My ribs hurt from coughing so much.Yeowwwwww.

My empathy grows and grows for my patients.

I'm having fun breathing rapidly, congested in my head and lots of coughing.

No temp, my throat is feeling slightly better, just a silly little virus.

I wish a wonderful Sunday for all mothers, grandmothers and those who treats people as their children!

MOMS ROCK!

MOMS ROCK!

MOMS ROCK!

MOMS ROCK!!!!

Stuffy Head~Brain Compression

glitter-graphics.com

The virus that is causing my sore throat, headache, stuffy head, clogged ears, coughing and lack of any discernible brain waves is not my idea of a good time!!!

Stupid little viral terrorists have taken over my head. And they're winning the war at this time.(Brain has been weakened by nursing school)

I plan on sleeping the little suckers to death. Sleep and ice cream for the very sore throat.

If you see any viruses running away please step on them!!!

Please have a fabulous weekend. One of us should have a good time! Wink.

Head Cold

I've got the swine head cold. Congested, tonsils swollen to giant marble size, inability to breath through nose, clogged ears, slime in back of my pharynx. That floaty I have a cold feeling right in the center of my head.

Lucky for me that clinical was canceled yesterday and today I just had to take blood pressures at the college health and wellness fair for 2 hours.

I've stared at the screen for 3 minutes now. Long enough.

I'm brain dead.

Have a really nice day!

Woohoo!

By circumstance tomorrow's clinical got canceled and I get a day off.


YEEHAW.


I just lurve surprise days off.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Nothing Like A Little Panic

Some people die way down in Mexico. Cause unknown. I'm sure the docs thought it was the flu that comes 'round every year.

I can imagine the look on the microbiologist's face when he got his first glimpse of the H1N1 virus. Say whut? (Viruses are megacool looking after staining and through a microscope)

It took 2 weeks before the folks in Mexico started freaking out. Perhaps it was the media who freaked out. If one remembers the SARS virus, freaking out in not completely out of order.

Within 3 days schools were being closed in NYC. The nightly news was spearheaded by 10 minutes of swine flu coverage. I got familiar with the public face of the CDC. The president even held a press conference midday.

I have spent this time watching cynically. Thankfully the H1N1 virus is less virulent than it was feared.

No epidemic of 1918 repeated. Not this week.

If you learned how important washing your hands often this week, an extremely important public health message was received.

THE most effective way to keep germs out and off of you is to wash your hands with soap and water. Warm water preferably and rub that soap on your hands for about 1 full minute.

Those alcohol hand sanitizers are ok but they don't kill off MRSA. Soap and water pretty much knocks every germ down.

This has been the rambling of a tired and jaded nursing student. ;)