NursesNotes

After working out doors yesterday, I came in for a nice hot bath, supper and a glass of red wine. I worked like a dog and got everything put away, all the pots, all the hoses, all the patio furniture and we cleaned windows, too!
I took a muscle spasm pill because my back was so sore, and then fell sound asleep as soon as I went to bed. 

Apparently, work called to let me know that they needed me today. GROAN! I called them back around midnight, but it had been sorted out. Thank goodness, but they told me that my buddy, my patient with AIDS, was admitted during the evening, back in with pneumonia.
I might run over this afternoon to see him. I knew it wouldn't be long before I saw him again. After I do that, I will get back home for the Halloween  fest. I'm staying home, MrNurse is going with the kids. I get to give out the treats. YAY, I love that part! 
We stayed home from church today, there's too many assignments due and the kids have to have all homework completed prior to going out this evening.
Some communities around here had trick or treat last night. Confusing as hell when they do that!! The kids wanted to go twice. I said no. Too much candy and junk when you allow that!! Just what I need, more sugar high kids!! It'll be bad enought to go in to work tomorrow and have to deal with the Ms. B boss who has been away all week. It may take some getting used to. She was missed. NOT!!!

Everyone have a wondrous Halloween, have fun and be safe!!

Well my garden is kaput for good today, the frost is covering everything this morning.
MrNurse did the early morning hockey/skating /ballet run, leaving me to luxuriate in my robe and drink tea!! I'm just glad I did not have to scrape the minivan this morning!!
I ran the items to my daughter in college last evening.She wants to legally change her name to MrNurse's name. He wanted to adopt her when we first got married, but her birth father would not give permission. He has never had contact, never paid, never saw, she only knows the one daddy and has used his name all her life, so she was the same as everyone in the family. Now she wants her own passport with her chosen name on it, so she was signing the forms for me to send in for her. Also, took some "costume stuff" down. There was a dorm party planned for last night.

I just tell her " don't drink too much, don't stick needles in your arms and don't do the wild thing, unless the guy keeps his "dude" wrapped and don't tell me!! I don't want to know!!! yikes, my baby is the same age I was when I was being wild and practicing to get pregnant with her!! ( she has probably figured that out, too!!)
I did settle down, get an education, establish a good career and raised other kids, so I am very happy with how things turned out!!
Happy Saturday to all, and happy halloween preparation day to everyone, we are carving pumpkins today!! I'm glad it's sunny out, so all the punkin "guts" stay outside!

Bleh, I'm awake and up earlier than I need to be....don't I just hate that? I fell asleep really early last night, I was just flattened by the time I got everyone organized for the morning and lunches made, homework checked etc. I think I fell into bed around 9:30 , started to watch something and woke up at 4:45. So, I got up. MrNurse was snoring, (i.e. sucking the paint off the wall) impossible to sleep through that!
I am going to a training session over in our hospital today, so I want to get into the office and finish up a few things before the weekend. I have a schedule to work on, everyone wants to have Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year's off.
I know, let's close 'er down for the holidays, tell the patients where everything is and go out and lock the doors......Yep, scheduling , the job nobody wants but everyone thinks they can do better........
I'm hoping to get off work a bit early, our daughter in College called and asked if I could bring some stuff to her this evening. It would have been nice to know last Sunday when we drove down there, but I really don't mind. I sure miss her, so I don't mind making the trip. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour and a half to get there, depending on the state of road construction going on. I find that most construction takes place during rush hour, when the highest  possible numbers of people can be inconvenienced by being left at a stand still for 30 minutes or so.... They
also seem to have a penchant for weekends and evenings, especially when there is a lot of traffic.

Anyhow, have a Fabulous Friday, everyone!!

Wow, am I tired tonight.
A fun filled day ( not) with several meetings and the afternoon filled with having to speak to the new class of nursing students from the local college. Their prof is my least favorite teacher in the world, a very odious personality. I wonder how she ever became a nurse. Oh, I know, "those that can't do...."
sorry to all the teachers out there, I know it isn't really true...but in this case it just might be!!
I really love the students, so eager and enthusiastic. I hope that they do well and love the profession as much as I do.
After work I had to go to the supermarket, during jungle hours, and then pick son up at hockey and finally get home, in the dark. I hate it when it gets dark so early, at least MrNurse was home and had started supper. MrNurse is in a good mood because he did not shave and it worked , his team won!!
He doesn't know it yet, but he is shaving tonight!!

I am now almost a five year survivor, and as a constant reminder to myself, I have this on my bulletin board at work and on my fridge at home: I don't know who wrote it, it was sent to me when I was sick. Please share it with those you know who may  currently be going through a cancer diagnosis.

Cancer Is So Limited

Cancer is so limited.

It cannot shatter hope.

It cannot corrode faith.

It cannot destroy God’s peace.

It cannot kill friendship.

It cannot suppress memories.

It cannot silence courage.

It cannot invade the soul.

It cannot steal God’s gift of eternal life.

It cannot conquer the spirit.

And, It cannot cripple God’s love.

Well my boss was in yesterday, but I didn't need to do any face time until nearly the end of the day when she informed me that she will be away in Boston for the rest of the week to attend some meetings.  (Yay!!)
That all sounded wonderful until she dumped a ton of work for me to complete while she is off....grrrr!!
Oh well, ya do what ya have to do, right?
Since everyone is better enough to go back to school and/or work now, we are off to a busy start to our week.
It will be early to bed  for the next few nights while we all try to catch up on much needed sleep.
Except for MrNurse, who will be watching baseball.......

I'm off to work, we had a great time visiting with our daughter yesterday  and going out to supper. It was a long dark drive back.. I'm glad MrNurse drove because I drank two cosmopolitans.
I went to bed around 11 but couldn't get to sleep. My cat kept jumping on me all night, MrNurse had indigestion and I tossed and turned from the Cosmo's. bleh! now I am up and have to go and face the Ms. Beachissmo, whom I have not seen since last Wed. I have a meeting with one of my Rehab patient's and his family today, so that will take most of my morning. I want to leave early today, I feel so yucky!!!

everyone have a deluxe day, anyhow!!!

Today is my oldest daughter's birthday. She is 18, today. We are leaving shortly to go to spend the day with her. She's away at college now and loving it there. Liking her program and working part time in a coffee shop as a barista.
Besides the other kids, we are taking her best girlfriend who chose to take a year off and travel. We are going to take everyone out to supper in an old Inn in the town and then just hang out and visit. Everyone is starting to feel a lot better, at least the coughing and barking has settled to a dull roar.
Hopefully the weather will cooperate, it's dull, grey skies and  rather chilly today. It's always the precursor to the Halloween weather.
Which generally is the pitts, usually cold, or rainy or even sometimes snowing!! Lot's of complaining when the costume won't fit over the snow suit!
Only 3 going this year to do trick or treats. Once upon a time I had many more costumes to get ready. This year there is going to be a hobo, a nurse ( natch!) and a hockey player, and, no, he cannot wear his skates!! we have already had that discussion!!
All fairly easy to get together and can be warmed up with under clothing that won't detract from the costume. We need to be cognizant of these things, ya know!!

What Halloween creatures are going out from your house this year?

Well, now it's official. A lot of folks will NOT have to have a flu shot this year. Because there are less to be had, due to the shortage. If you are not in the eligible group to get a flu vaccine this season, there are still steps to take to prevent illness. I can't really claim to be an expert on this, since my entire household has colds and is a hotbed of contagion at the moment!

However www.mnash.tblog.com mnash suggested that I share some hints on how to be healthier this cold and flu season!

Number one, most important is to WASH YOUR HANDS!!!!

Everyone thinks they wash frequently enough. Well, guess what? you don't!
Know how to wash? How many times do you use a public washroom , then turn on the taps, wash, then TURN OFF the taps with your clean hands?  Guess what you just put back on your clean hands? Always leave the tap on until you dry your hands with a paper towel then use the towel to turn off the tap. You can also use the towel to open the door, cause we all know that people go in , pee, then leave.
The other really important thing to have with you at all times is alcohol hand sanitizer. I buy small bottles to put in the kid's back packs. I have it in my purse and keep wet wipes in my pocket book and in the car. Everything you touch could be covered in bacteria and viruses. You can't clean everything you touch, but you can wash or sanitize your hands. The hands are the most common vehicle to transmit infection.

For instance, someone with the flu goes to the bank ATM, coughs on the buttons, then you go punch in your PIN and leave. You then rub your nose, or wipe your eye. All the flu germs that were on the machine have now been transmitted by your hands into your body. Within 48 hours you will come down with the flu! Viruses need  living cells to replicate themselves in, but since some of them are so hardy, they can live for several days on the ATM, the grocery cart handle, the taps in the bathroom, the phone at work or the key board of a common computer. By washing or alcohol sanitizing your hands you will help prevent that transmission. If more people would wash their hands, less people would get sick. Also, try not to touch your face.
 

Another important thing to do is to keep hydrated. A lot of people simply do not drink enough water. When your nose and throat are dry, the tissues are more likely to be invaded by germs.

Get enough sleep, avoid crowds and try to decrease the stress in your life. These are sound simplistic but are excellent ways to decrease the chances of getting really sick this winter.

Hope everyone is feeling top notch today!! Go wash your hands!!

Well NurseNancy just came in the door, ran to check on all her sick babies, kissed poor old MrNurse ( on the cheek, he's quite contaminated!!!)
Most of the Nurse household seem to be feeling a little better, MrNurse says he was up in the night with our two youngest ones, for drinks of water, cough medicine and vapor rub, but all in all, they did ok without me around. My mother in law brought over chicken soup for them, and they all had it for supper last night and lunch today. They haven't had supper,yet, so I whipped up a Quiche and have it in the oven while I blog a little. I'll make a little salad, and serve some pudding that I have in the fridge. Or popsicles. Ice cream is mucus forming.

I brought back loads of goodies for my colleagues from all the exhibitors there, (but nothing for the Beech.)
I brought my kids candy from the airport, what a bad mommy, I am!! 

I went to the conference with two of my staff members. We shared a room at the Marriot. Well, we never laughed so much, talking about the Ms. Beach all night long!!
We were able to attend several very pertinent and informative lectures, we heard from clients, from care givers and from providers. It was truly awesome.

Some of the best "samples" I brought back are flavored condoms that one of the exhibitors had on his display booth! I took a whole handful. I'll tell MrNurse I'm home to make his weekend!!

Not!!

He's hacking,coughing and sniffiling, to beat the band!!
Actually, I'll take them to work and tell the gals that didn't get to go that I thought about them and brought them presents!! LOL!

Well, it's great to go to conferences that are interesting and informative and salient to what you are doing at work. It's also great to come home to your kiddos and give lot's of hugs.
I heard from a father this morning who is losing his daughter to AIDS. Contracted via intravenous drug use and indiscriminate, unprotected sex. He is heartbroken and devastated. I shed real tears during his presentation, but have renewed and inspired resolve to help those who need it most.

What was the best conference you ever attended?

NurseNancy is off to the USCA 2004, in Philly, today!! I'm excited to be going. Hoping to bring back lots of good information about HIV/AIDs to assist with the care that we provide. I'm taking 2 of my top nurses on that unit with me. It's a four day conf. but we're coming back tomorrow evening.
MrNurse is going to have today off, to hold the fort and look after the sniffling, barking crew, of which he is one now. NurseNancy is still disgustingly healthy. It must be all the stuff I get exposed to at work that has helped my immune system be strong. It's hard to believe that a few years ago, around this time, I was being diagnosed with cancer.
I now can feel blessed because I don't have a cold! I am pleased to be healthy now, but sure don't take it for granted!

Everyone have a stupendous day!!

Lots of coughing in the Nurse household last night. I got to be up to give cough medicine, antibiotics,  get drinks etc.
I don't have it. I arm myself with Echinacea and Elderberry at the first HINT of feeling like a cold is coming on....
However, that means that I need to go to work and not stay home in my jammies with vapor rub and a good book.

Hope no one else is sniffin' or snortin' !!

Don't run a large family and expect to have it easy if and when everyone gets sick at once and needs antibiotics. MrNurse just got back from the drug store. $350.00 !! for 5 prescriptions !! I am so thankful for the drug plan at work! Man, how do ppl with no coverage manage? It makes me sick ,just thinking about it. I had to go to the grocery store on the way home, all of a sudden the household came down with  chest colds, sore throats and fevers and I had to buy popsicles and juice, etc...after the doctor appointments.

 Think I'll go and rub a few chests with vapo rub.....

Who can figure out the capricious nature of the Tblog gods? It's like trying to figure out my boss, Ms. Beech. Who, by the way, was in a Monday mood. Quelle Suprise!!
I had a fairly good day. My buddy who was admitted last week, is better and will go home tomorrow. I say he's better, he's not going to get better, but he is managing the current infection and his breathing is OK enough to go home. I got to spend a little time with him today and hold his hand and talk. I know one of these admissions he isn't going to go home. We talked about hospice today and he wants admission to the hospice program if he gets really bad. I started the paper work for that. He is the same age as me, 38, and has been HIV + for about 15 years. He was really well until about a year ago or so,, and started having problems with some infections, especially with pneumonias, so has had to be admitted more often. We laughed about him being a frequent flier.

After a day like today, I am glad to do what I do.

Today was a gorgeous fall day, just warm enough. We went to a neighboring town this afternoon to the apple harvest festival and had a nice time. We just walked around and scuffed thru the leaves, ate hotdogs and had apple cider. Nice fall like things to do on a Sunday. I got back to sleep after I was up in the night. Hope I can sleep tonight. I alwys get a little antsy on Sunday evening, because I know the Beach will be in fine form tomorrow!! I have a huge day tomorrow, lot's to do, I'm going out of town on Thurday to an AIDs conference. It should be awesome, but it means I have to cram 5 days of work into three!

^_Too much rich dessert and coffee too late in the evening, and here I am awake, at nearly 3 AM --again. I hate this.
our evening was v.nice. Three couples were over, all from MrNurse's work, including his boss. I served a fruit salad, and my aforementioned apricot angel food cake. I also added my super easy chocolate wafer fake cake. I had extra whipped creme left over so I got a package of those plain chocolate wafers. you layer the whipped creme in between each cookie and paste them together in a log. Frost the whole log with the whipped creme and chill for a few hours. Slice on the diagonal. It's really good, and one of my kids favorite desserts. It looks like a layer cake when you slice it on the diagonal/ and is v.good.
So now I am awake, so I got up, emptied the dishwasher, checked out a few blogs, relalized most of  the sane people are likely asleep, so I must finish my camomile tea and go snuggle back with MrNurse, who was a brilliant host this evening. And who may even get nicely rewarded if I can't get back to sleep!!

Arrgh! I hate it when I wake up early in the morning, especially at 0300 hrs!! When I don't have to!!  I have to stay now up 'cause my son has hockey at 0600 and if I go back to bed,now, I will fall into a deep and dreamless sleep. After hockey, I take the youngest daughter to skating, then to ballet. Three kids are going to three different BD parties today and we are having some of MrNurse's colleagues  and his boss and Mrs. Boss in this evening. Hmmmmm, I hope there is a nap in this day somewhere for me. It might be considered detrimental to hubby's career if I fall asleep after one glass of wine, mouth open, snoring and drooling in front of boss and bosses wife!!  At least it's not dinner, it's going to be drinks and coffee/dessert. I think I will serve some fruit salad and an apricot angel food cake. You buy an angel food cake ( the biggest you can find) cut into three layers,then "frost" with whipped creme that has one jar of baby strained apricots mixed into it. I also add a can of drained apricots that I quickly chop in the food processor. Put the whipped creme mixture on all the layers, put all back together, frost and sprinkle with finely chopped dried apricots. Easy, beasy and everyone thinks you SLAVED!!! Oh, I am so definately not Martha!!!

I think my favorite evening of the week has to be Friday.

Probably because I had a v.good day today at work. Had a meeting with a family and our spiritual staff due to the family having conflicts with their religious beliefs vs the care they think their family member should have. We deal with a multi cultural /multi religion patient base here, and there is always something that we need to have the negotiating skills of a diplomat and the knowledge of God to overcome.
  Anyhow, problem solved, to the best of our ability. Then I had another meeting with a family and the physio team. We look after a lot of rehab patients and some of them are never going to progress much further than the rehab unit. This patient is one of those.
I mean when you drive drunk, flip and total your car and the paramedics take you to hospital but leave half your brain on the road, there is not going to be much left to work with and you ain't going to be doin' too much ever again, baby. However, families can be  very strange entities and families of the brain injured are probably the most strange. They seem to have the power to determine that the  family member will walk again, go to work again, go to school, grow up, get married, reproduce ( heaven forbid!) or eat and live life to the fullest.
    Sorry folks, but no, it will not be like that. The brain is amazing in it's capacity to compensate for injury, but there's only so much that can be done. Anyhow, not sure how much was absorbed. I'm thinking the gene pool was pretty heavily chlorinated, and that the ability to understand is fairly limited.
    & nbsp; My other bud, did well over night and was resting comfortably when I left today. I didn't have much chance to sit with him today, so hope he improves over the weekend.
    & nbsp;   So that was my day, I am now home having a nice cup of hot tea, and waiting for the kids to come in for supper. Home made chicken soup, with lots of veggies and noodles in it. With home made bread. I put the stuff in the bread maker in the morning before I leave, the soup in the crock pot and it's all ready when I come back home. This is true Fly Lady stuff!! I love her!

I like the Flylady.net site and find that I'm more organized following her advice. I like her because she isn't a Martha Stewart type.( Martha pre BigHouse, that is!!)

Anyhow, going to serve supper now, kids are home, have a great Friday. Curl up with the one you love and be happy!!

Well it wasn't so bad, today after all. I got in early enough to avoid the staff entrance meet n' greet with Ms. B. so I was actually on rounds with the doctors and the students when she came in. Then there was an administrative meeting where she went for the rest of the day. I was out on the floor with the med students and the staff today and had an awesome day. My most favorite AIDS patient was readmitted today, and it's starting to be hard to see him so often. He just went home awhile ago, had a nice time with family and friends but had a relapse with a  respiratory infection. This poor guy has battled pneumonia so many times, hepatitis, cellulitis and other infections. We will try to keep him on the unit in one of new AIDS beds, but it looks like he may have to go to intensive care to be ventilated. Once they get intubated and on the ventilator, it's hard to get them off. I don't know what he wants to do, I know his partner wants him to battle on  since they have no advanced directives regarding supportive vs intensive care yet. I have had the discussion a few times with them, but it's not where they want to go right now. I somehow think that the decision is going to made for them, though.

 My most favorite Elisabeth Kubler-Ross quote: ( 1926, Swiss born American Psychiatrist)

"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth - and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up, we will then begin to live each day to the fullest, as if was the only one we had"

Live your lives fully folks, 'cause ya never know!!

Well my elation of yesterday is over, I do need to go to work today. The Ms. B will be there, horribly chastized from yesterday and just loaded for bear!!. and I think I just might be the bear today, and that's not a good thing.....if she has a hard time with her husband and his lack of prescription medications and her son with his problem of too many prescribed medications, then why should I think I will be treated in a fair and reasonable manner by this woman, after she just had her face ripped off by the CEO? I am leaving the house very shortly, in order to be in my office before she arrives, and then I have doctor's rounds to attend to. Every second Thursday, we have 1 st year med students come in to do some practicum work. It's so basic, they just do some physical assessments and ask some questions. Sometimes I look at these babies and think "Lord, help us all if these are our future doctors!!"
Have an awesome Thurday, folks!!

Oh what an excellent day I had!! Ms. B. is in a VB mood these days, and the CEO had her in the office for half the morning, she did not do her BUDGET on time, lala lala la!! Oh, how I live for this stuff! How unprofessional and immature can one be, right? Right! and don't I love it!! I came home just singing and the kids and MrNurse were the recipients of PIZZA for supper because mommy was so happy!!! That, plus I had a great meeting with my rehab physical therapists. Love those well muscled little hinies, umumummmmm!!!!

have a great evening, folks!! I'm sure I will never have as great a day as this one for a long time!!! The great MS. Beech, chastized!! Good on her!!

Here it is, another rainy day. Yesterday was horrid, lashing rain and wind. Our house is fairly old and there is one spot on the North side of the house that will leak if the wind is blowing exactly from that direction. I don't think the wind shifted direction much all day, I had the bucket and the towels out all day and night. Hate it when that happens, grrr. So much wind, that most of the leaves were blown down.

Had to take the oldest child back to college yesterday. Drove an hour and a half on the freeway through a rotten storm and wind, then home again. It was very tiring. I told her to try and get organized to leave before it would be too late, so I would not have to be driving home in the dark. In true teenage  girl fashion we were on the road at 5 pm and then I had a nice white knuckle drive home, with the spray and the rain blinding me ,and idiots passing me like it was a dry day in June!! The northeast is SUV land, everyone has one, it seems ( except us- minivan family). Some of those vehicles are brutes and the ppl driving them are very aggressive....I wonder if the vehicle portrays the personality? hmmmm.
Some ppl have asked about our kids. We are a blended family, some his some mine, some ours. some are homemade, some are not. We are a racially mixed family and some of our kids are white, some are mixed , some are brown. We don't see color in our family, we don't see who came from who, or who is adopted, they are all ours. Of course I started off when I was young and foolish and ended up when I was just plain foolish! We had a great weekend with all the kids around, the highschool had homecoming and there was a football game which some of them  went to on Saturday, then all the kids hung out here. I love the energy that teens and kids bring to a home. I can't imagine what it will be like when they all grow up and leave home. MrNurse said he thinks it will be great! 

Work today was not too bad. Ms. B was in her office with the door shut, all day. If Monday mornings are bad, you can just imagine what Tuesday after a long weekend is like. My best friend at work was back so we had lunch together and gossiped about the B boss. I guess I will need to see her tomorrow, we have a weekly management "team" meeting. She runs it and I know there is supposed to be no "I" in TEAM, but there sure is a "B"
Have a great evening, curl up with your hunnie!

In response to a query from Krazedone

from a website, somewhere.....about rectal foreign bodies. I personally can attest that I  have seen patients with a variety of objets de jour in their nether regions, and needing help with the extraction of these items -  but never a gerbil!!

 

Is it true what they say about gerbils?

--

---

Dear Cecil:

While discussing a gay acquaintance recently, my friend Mary, a nurse, lauded him by adding, "and he's no damn gerbil stuffer, either."

When I protested that she should not perpetuate cruel stereotypes of our homosexual brethren, she informed me that she personally had witnessed a fellow admitted by her hospital to remove a deceased gerbil lodged in his rectum. That gentleman is now doomed to be tied to a colostomy bag through eternity.

What I'd like to know is, what are the mechanics and philosophy of gerbil stuffing? How are the gerbils inserted and retrieved? Don't they bite and scratch? Why not hamsters or snakes? Is this a common practice? My curious friends and I await your reply with bated breath. --Shannon O., Chicago

Dear Shannon:

Brace yourself, toots. What follows is not for the weak of stomach. For starters, an awful lot of stuff has been found where that gerbil was found. The medical journals list, among other things, the following astonishing array:

A bottle of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, an ax handle, a nine-inch zucchini, countless dildoes and vibrators including one 14-inch model complete with two D-cell batteries, a plastic spatula, a 9-1/2-inch water bottle, a deodorant bottle, a Coke bottle, a large bottle cap, numerous other bottles, a 3-1/2-inch Japanese glass float ball, an 11-inch carrot, an antenna rod, a 150-watt light bulb, a 100-watt frosted bulb, a cucumber, a screwdriver, four rubber balls, 72-1/2 jeweler's saws (all from one patient, but not all at the same time, although 29 were discovered on one occasion), a paperweight, an apple, an onion, a plastic toothbrush package, two bananas, a frozen pig's tail (it got stuck when it thawed), a ten-inch length of broomstick, an 18-inch umbrella handle and central rod, a plantain encased in a condom, two Vaseline jars, a whiskey bottle with a cord attached, a teacup, an oil can, a six-by-five-inch tool box weighing 22 ounces, a six-inch stone weighing two pounds (in the latter two cases the patients died due to intestinal obstruction), a baby powder can, a test tube, a ball-point pen, a peanut butter jar, candles, baseballs, a sand-filled bicycle inner tube, sewing needles, a flashlight, a half-filled tobacco pouch, a turnip, a pair of eyeglasses, a hard-boiled egg, a carborundum grindstone (with handle), a suitcase key, a syringe, a file, tumblers and glasses, a polyethylene waste trap from the U-bend of a sink, and much, much more.

In 1955 one man who was "feeling depressed" reportedly inserted a six-inch paper tube into his rectum, dropped in a lighted firecracker, and blew a hole in his anterior rectal wall. This changed his mood real quick.

"Insertion of foreign bodies into the rectum," as it is formally known, is by no means confined to gays. Many cases are ascribed to autoeroticism on the part of straights. Leaving aside victims of assault or accident, however, practitioners do have one thing in common: they're incredibly stupid.

You don't need to be an Einstein to realize that insertion of objects presents enormous health risks. The rectum can become lacerated, torn, or infected. Long-term effects can include a flaccid sphincter and fecal incontinence.

Which brings us to gerbils. While the examples above are well-documented in the medical literature, live or recently deceased fauna are something else.

Rumors of gerbil (and mouse or hamster) stuffing have been circulating since about 1982. In 1984, a Denver weekly said it had a confirmed report of gerbilectomy in a local emergency room.

The Manhattan publication New York Talk reported several years ago that New York doctors first caught on to stuffing when they started encountering patients with infections previously found only in rodents.

But no such case has ever found its way into the formal literature of medicine. Having investigated the matter in some depth, I am inclined to write the whole thing off as an urban legend.

Your nurse friend stoutly maintains that a patient was treated for a case of ingrown gerbil at her hospital in Chicago. But she concedes she did not read the patient's chart or see any documentary evidence.

A doctor and a nurse at the hospital to whom she appealed for corroboration of her story say they know nothing of any such case, although they had both heard about gerbil stuffing, the nurse from cops in the emergency room, the doctor at a medical meeting.

That's pretty much the story all over. I have checked with numerous sources in both the gay and medical communities, and though everybody has heard about gerbil stuffing, every attempt to track down an actual case has come to naught.

The whole business sounds completely nuts, and implausible to boot. Whatever the case, take my advice and stick to mammals your own size.

--CECIL ADAMS

I was going to go to work today abut then decided to pick up one of my holidays, so took the day off, MrNurse is off today, too, so we will do a few family things, then take the eldest girl back to college. I am just lazing around, still in my jammies, what decadence. More tired than I realized and so I'm glad to be home today. It's cool and overcast today and I just want to stay home and get some work done around the house. The leaves are falling out back, so there's raking to be done. The beauty about having children is that you can tell them to do a chore like rake the leaves, then a leaf fight breaks out,or there has to be the all time champion leaf pile jumping contest. It's a refreshing change to laugh and do kid stuff again.
 Have a wonderful Columbus Day!

The church friends came for dindin, they are a really nice couple who didn't want any wine, so I polished off the bottle as I did the dishes!! It was great having all the kids around today, so often we don't have everyone home at once, so today was special. I have a very simple philosophy as a parent. If there is a crucial thing going on, should I blow my stack or ask the critical questions? ( and these are not originally mine)
a) Is it illegal?
b) Is it harmful to self or others?
c) Will it grow back?

There! Parenthood in a nutshell! Simple easy and guaranteed to create a harmonious home. I rarely ask for details as the children grow up. I find that this way they will tell you things that you may not otherwise hear. I've heard the darndest things by not asking!!
A few well placed "huh-huh" 's will get more out of them too!

Once kids reach about the age of 14 or so, they very much want to be their own person and having a nosey mother isn't what they want at all. They want you to be there for them, but not to poke your nose in all their business. MrNurse and I have raised a bunch of kids on this philosophy and it seems to work!
anyhow folks, Have a great Monday tomorrow and a sublime Sunday night!!

After church today we will be having guests for supper. I am going to roast a chicken with rosemary dressing, and am making an herb bread with sage and rosemary from my garden. It smells wonderbar! I made some apple pie last night and the house is redolent with the fall smells of apple and cinnamon.
It's quite hot outdoors though, so we still have the a/c on!! I like the crisp cool days of  fall, not this false summer! I have a nice Chardonnay in the fridge too. I'm not sure if that's the Episcopalian thing to do, but who cares!

We are going to walk to church. En Famille, since oldest daughter is home from college for the weekend. There was a teenage party here last night, but since our home is "party central" for all the neighborhood kids, I at least know where they are, if not what they are doing! Didn't Bill Clinton once say " don't ask, don't tell?" yeah, I know he was referring to gays in the military, but in parenthood it works for everything too!!

have a devine Sunday!

Well, I am no longer a hottie. I guess I was just a flash in the pan. There I was, number 71 this morning and this afternoon, gone, discarded like a used kleenex!!

I love to pick apples! we took the scout troop to an orchard to pick, then they are going to stand around at the mall and sell apples for donations!! yay, I volunteered for the picking part and not for the mall aspect.... Now to go and clean  the garage....
ttfn, get out and enjoy the rest of a deluxe day!!

funny tbloggy thing, it said I blogged at 1003. Oh, don't I wish! It's currently 0508 EDT for anyone who is up at this hour!!

ttfn, drive safe to work!

Friday! here at last! I have hopes that the weather will be nice this weekend. We have a gazillion things to do this weekend. The garage needs to be finished being cleaned up and swept out, there are things to organize for a tag sale, and we are going apple picking with the boy scout troop. So, after work today, I have several things to do, but hoping for a great day to pass quickly so I can get home and start my "other" life. Also, Ms. Bee is OFF today, YAY!!! I can relax a little and get some work done instead of listening to her rag me for everything!! She actually called me at home yesterday afternoon, to ask if I had completed a report. I had done it and  had given it to her secretary on Tuesday!!
BTW, the concert was great, well at least the drum solo was !! Haha obnoxious mommy here, I video taped it and nudged the lady next to me " that's my boy!!" oh, don't I despise mothers like me!!
Keep healthy , folks, wash your hands, stay away from people with obvious respiratory illness. There will be a lot of folks not getting the flu shots, now. My facility bought vaccine from Adventis, not Chiron. YAY, they did it right!!! FluMist is the other alternative, but here are early studies that indicate it may not be as effective as the injectable form of vaccine. I think the jury is still out on that one!!
ttfn, have a sublime Friday!!

I took a "personal day" today! I had some appointments to attend to. I had cancer a few years ago, and as such, have regular follow up appointments with my oncologist. I had an appointment with him today ( everything is great, yay!) and then  I  wanted to get some issues cleared up at the bank and also have a chance to go to my son's school concert this evening without being fatigued beyond the edge! It's been nice. My appointment was early, so that gave me the chance to go to the bank after and then come home and do a bit around the house. A "bit" is putting it lightly. I have done four loads of wash, vacuumed, dusted  and washed the kitchen floor. Phew!! now I think I'll have a nap! The kids won't be home for a while, and I'll have a chance to get supper organized, because even thought he concert isn't til 7:30 PM, I have to have the kids to the school for 6:30. Then I get to doze through screeching band instruments and try to look interested and proud when my son does his kettle drum solo!! I haven't heard it, but have heard all about it!! I 'll have to remember to take some aspirin before I go! Mr. Nurse has a meeting this evening so he won't be able to go. I can tell he's very disappointed!! ( not, although he would like to see our son do his thing)

ttfn, and have a drumming good evening!

LOL I'm on hot blogs, right down near the bottom, but nursenancy is there!
When I told mr. nurse, I was a hot blog, he said, " oh, I knew that" LOL, he didn't know what the heck I was talking about!!
Today was great. It went really fast. I had interdisciplinary meetings with my team and had meetings with four families. One meeting was done via conference call. Sometimes, depending on technologies available to clients we meet by tele- computer- conference. It works for some people. I prefer the face to face aspect of family meetings. It is hard for some people to accept the fraility or physical incapacities of their family member and need hand holding and ego stroking to help them over the hump. Actually, some people look after family members at home and I honestly don't know how they do it. In an institution there are (paid) staff members coming to work every eight or twelve hours. There is always someone fresh to pick up the slack. At home the family is on duty 24/7 and no one can sustain that for ever. People can crash and burn badly trying to care for grandma at home.

BTW, I have spent some of my hard earned Tbucks to "feature my blog", so please get on over there and vote for me ppl!

ttfn, and have a deluxe night! We are still involved in the soccer world for a while longer and are off to freeze at the fields!!

LOVE STORY

I SHALL SEEK AND FIND YOU...

I SHALL TAKE YOU TO BED AND HAVE MY WAY WITH YOU...

I WILL MAKE YOU ACHE, SHAKE AND SWEAT UNTIL YOU MOAN AND GROAN.

I WILL MAKE YOU BEG FOR MERCY... BEG FOR ME TO STOP.

I WILL EXHAUST YOU TO THE POINT THAT YOU WILL BE RELIEVED WHEN I'M FINISHED WITH YOU. AND YOU WILL BE WEAK FOR DAYS.

 

ALL MY LOVE,

THE FLU
Now get your minds out of the gutter and go get that Flu shot!!!

Today was a good day. I had my meeting with my cute PT people and that was fun. Staff meetings where you laugh are always good for the soul! Ms. B is always more tolerable on Tuesday, as well. One of my best friends at work was off today, so I had lunch with Ms. B's secretary and caught up on all the good gossip. After lunch I processed part of my Christmas schedule, put some more facts and figures in my monthly report and did up the minutes for a committee I serve on as secretary.
We are gearing up for the annual influenza immunization campaign. Because we have so many longterm patients on my units, they all get the 'flu shot. This is a really important immunization to get, folks. I insist that my entire family have it yearly. There's a pandemic coming, and it will be from the Avian influenza. As soon as the flu virus figures out a way to mingle with a human flu virus and it starts to spread from person to person, we will be in a MESS!! Since no one will have any natural immunity to this new virus, it means that many, many people will get very,very sick. Some are going to die. It's quite scary. I went to an information session  about pandemic planning, and found it quite disturbing. We have all these pandemic plans in place, along with the plans we have for smallpox,or anthrax or  other biological terrorist tactic. We have plans for dealing with people who come into ER with suspicious respiratory symptoms ( think SARS) as well as our normal means of dealing with TB. Lots of street people come in and are positive for TB. We also have our regular population of immune compromised patients with TB. There is a resistant strain of it, too.
Ah, yes, nursing! Being exposed to new and exotic diseases each and every day!!

Remember to mark your Day-Timers folks, and go get that flu shot!!
 Have a deluxe evening, ttfn!

The wind was from the north today, and what a gale was blowing! Wow, don’t know what she was up to ( or not) this weekend, but, boy, was it frosty this morning! There was one tersely worded email from her that she forwarded from the legal department, and that was it. Essentially, she told me and another manager to heed the legal department advice.

Finally, at noon, I couldn’t stand it anymore, besides, I needed her to authorize some budget items for me, so I called her.

Me: "Good Morning!!! How are you? Did you have a good weekend?" ( the entire time, my voice chipper and chirpy, which I am hoping will irritate her.)

Ms. B "Oh, yes, good morning, ( lo-o-o-ong silence) I guess it was good"

I then asked my question, and that was that.

She had a sandwich for lunch, which I think she made. No desert, nothing but the sandwich.

I, on the other hand, had left over poached salmon (with dill from my garden). A little saffron rice and mixed Asian style vegetables. It was delicious, and everyone said it looked good.

After lunch I had to meet with some family members for one of our patients who is moving from rehab to continuing care, so that took about two hours. I interviewed two applicants for a ward aid position, but don’t want to hire either one. Why is it that some people will come to a job interview reeking of cigarette smoke, will chew gum and just generally look disheveled, dirty and disgusting? One applicant had a ring on every finger. Which I can’t stand. The other one had tattoos and piercings everywhere ( what I could see, I counted eleven piercings, and that was just the uncovered areas) I have nothing against tattoos, piercings or rings, before I get some flames thrown at me from people who can’t live without those things. It’s just that in a health care environment, looking clean and polished and not too weird makes the patients feel better cared for. True! Studies have been done! Pierced chick also brought in a big Starbucks coffee which she sat on my desk and left a coffee ring on a paper on my desk. Grrr, slob! I mean, if you act like that in an interview you either a) don’t want the job very badly, or b) you are too stupid to deserve it. I inherited a large contingent of moronic, incompetent staff members when I took over these units. Over the last couple of years I have managed to hire some really good staff, people who are smart and clean and professional. People who want to work. Not just slobs who would rather be at home eating bonbons and watching soap operas, but gathering a pay check anyway. Oh, I forgot! I do have some of those people on my staff, only we call it workmen’s compensation. You know, go to work, "hurt" your back, wrist, leg, or some other part of your anatomy and make a workers comp. claim, then you can sit at home and eat bonbons! Gosh why haven’t I thought of that!!

Well, I’m glad Monday is over with. Tomorrow should be better. Tuesday’s generally are. I have a meeting tomorrow with all the physical therapists on our rehab unit. I like meeting with them. They are such a professional and upbeat bunch. Besides there’s a couple of guys with hinies to drool over!! Ha Ha!! Nurse Nancy is married and has kids, but she ain’t dead folks!!

ttfn, have a deluxe day tomorrow!

After the beautiful weather yesterday, here we are having a cool and rainy day. Probably more garage cleaning will happen this afternoon. Or, maybe not. I woke up feeling stiff and sore all over, with a killer headache. Just my Sunday before returning to work on Monday anxiety.
It's funny,I know my boss will be rotten in the morning, yet I do everything in my power to avoid her, yet I still have this  child - like desire to please. Good grief! I need help!! I will try to go in, keep a low profile, ask her secretary which way the wind is blowing,( north winds are always bad), scoot along to my office and start rounds with the team.

I put our  differences down to the fact that my boss is not a nurse. ( along with her dysfunctional family life)
Her expertise is in Health Administration, and the bottom line is always  the first consideration,as it is  with all upper admin. types.
For those of us in middle management, it is a constant balance of managing fiscal responsibility, annual resources  and being a caring human at the same time. Not always easy to do.
By careful management of alloted resources, I was able to convert some of my beds to dedicated AIDS beds. I have some favorite patients who have been admitted more frequently lately. Most of them are failing their current treatment regimes and are being treated for infections. I have become fairly close to some of them and I am committed to doing the best we can for them.
now that October is in swing, we can expect some of our social programmers to be putting up the Halloween decor. After that, it's a quick look at Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Yikes!! I have to put out the Christmas schedule. It's always such a cat fight for having Xmas off. Wish me luck!

Have a great Sunday afternoon, folks,

ttfn

From the internet and someone elses blog ( sorry for not saying who, I can't remember!)

Foreign Signs
In a Tokyo Hotel:
Is forbitten to steal hotel towels please. If you are not person to do such thing is please not to read notis.

In another Japanese hotel room:
Please to bathe inside the tub.

In a Bucharest hotel lobby:
The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.

In a Leipzig elevator:
Do not enter the lift backwards, and only when lit up.

In a Belgrade hotel elevator:
To move the cabin, push button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order.

In a Paris hotel elevator:
Please leave your values at the front desk.

In a hotel in Athens:
Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.

In a Yugoslavian hotel:
The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid.

In a Japanese hotel:
You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery:
You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

In an Austrian hotel catering to skiers:
Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose in the boots of ascension.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.

On the menu of a Polish hotel:
Salad a firm's own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose; beef rashers beaten up in the country people's fashion.

In a Hong Kong supermarket:
For your convenience, we recommend courteous, efficient self-service.

Outside a Hong Kong tailor shop:
Ladies may have a fit upstairs.

In a Rhodes tailor shop:
Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation.

Similarly, from the Soviet Weekly:
There will be a Moscow Exhibition of Aets by 15,000 Soviet Republic painters and sculptors. These were executed over the past two years.

In an East African newspaper:
A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers.

In a Vienna hotel:
In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter.

A sign posted in Germany's Black Forest:
It is strictly forbidden on our black forest camping site that people of different sex, for instance, men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for that purpose.

In a Zurich hotel:
Because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby be used for this purpose.

In an advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist:
Teeth extracted by the latest Methodists.

A translated sentence from a Russian chess book:
A lot of water has been passed under the bridge since this variation has been played.

In a Rome laundry:
Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.

In a Czechoslovakian tourist agency:
Take one of our horse-driven city tours -- we guarantee no miscarriages.

Advertisement for donkey rides in Thailand:
Would you like to ride on your own ass?

On the faucet in a Finnish washroom:
To stop the drip, turn cock to right.

In the window of a Swedish furrier:
Fur coats made for ladies from their own skin.

On the box of a clockwork toy made in Hong Kong:
Guaranteed to work throughout its useful life.

Detour sign in Kyushi, Japan: Stop:
Drive Sideways.

In a Swiss mountain inn:
Special today -- no ice cream.

In a Bangkok temple:
It is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner if dressed as a man.

In a Tokyo bar:
Special cocktails for the ladies with nuts.

In a Copenhagen airline ticket office:
We take your bags and send them in all directions.

On the door of a Moscow hotel room:
If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it.

In a Norwegian cocktail lounge:
Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.

At a Budapest zoo:
Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty.

In the office of a Roman doctor:
Specialist in women and other diseases.

In an Acapulco hotel:
The manager has personally passed all the water served here.

In a Tokyo shop:
Our nylons cost more than common, but you'll find they are best in the long run.

From a Japanese information booklet about using a hotel air conditioner:
Cooles and Heates: If you want just condition of warm in your room, please control yourself.

From a brochure of a car rental firm in Tokyo:
When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage then tootle him with vigor.

Two signs from a Majorcan shop entrance:
- English well talking.
- Here speeching American.

Another Saturday, started off a little foggy and cool, but warmed up to a nice sunny fall day. We had hockey and skating at the rink this morning and then there was a soccer game after lunch. I then did a little gardening, starting to put all the "beds to bed" We pulled the rest of the tomatoes off the plants in the big garden and tilled it under.

I still have my garden pots on the back deck. This is where I grow herbs and flowers, and a bumper crop of  Cherry tomatoes.
Various and sundry kids are all out this evening. One is at a birthday party sleepover. I owe that mom coffee in the morning! The others are out and about with their friends.
Mr. Nurse and I are going out for supper. There's a chicken bbq place not too far away, not fancy, but heavenly food. In fact it's kind of a dump, but everyone's friendly! Oh well, I will have some wine and a plate of bbq chicken and will be very happy with that!
We spent some time cleaning out the garage today too. What a mess. How do we collect so much STUFF? I told the family that I will be getting rid of it all and we will live a minimalist life. They don't believe it, though!
Beside the garage, I found a wasps nest. Ewww.
Off to the hardware store to get wasp killer.

have a deluxe Saturday evening, folks. ttfn

Another week over with! I had a fairly good day today. My boss was away today and I managed to get  caught up on a lot of my work. She said she was at a meeting, but I know she has a son with a fairly  significant substance abuse problem, and I think he has been acting up again. 
Sometimes I try to do the Christian thing, and give her the benefit of the doubt, but then she steals credit for my work, treats me like garbage and  Nahhh, she's just a selfish B with an itch!

 I even started my September monthly report. Considering that I have only just handed in my August report, that's saying something! I got all this work done and even started in on some of my work for Monday. Yay! I even managed to get out on the floor for a bit. I love helping the nurses with their care of our patients. I love the hands - on aspect of being a nurse. I am passionate about palliative care and AIDS nursing. When I was studying to get my palliative care and oncology certifications, my daughter asked me what palliative care was. I tried to explain it to her as best I could. A week or so later, I found out that she had told her class " Oh, my mom helps people die" during a class discussion on what some parents do for their  careers. No wonder I get strange looks at the grocery store!
Dr. Kevorkian's nurse!! yikes!!

As a cancer survivor it is vitally important to me that a patient admitted to any of our  palliative or AIDS beds receives the best care possible. Being on the other side of the bed rails really opened my eyes to what was good nursing and what definitely was not. I try to instill the love of CARE in all my staff. We are going to have a palliative care doctor come to an education session next week to speak about pain management. I feel that we have one of the best palliative units in our area and I am constantly looking for ways to improve.

The fall feeling is in the air today. Warm and sunny, but that fresh "tang" was in the air, the leaves are starting to turn color and I absolutely know we are in the best time of year,Fall,  my favorite season. Time to make pickles and pick apples.

 I felt better today after a fairly decent nights sleep last night. I think the weekend is pretty busy with kid stuff on the go most of the weekend. So I'm toddling off to bed with a good book - "The Navigator of New York"

ttfn, and remember, the frost  might be on the pumpkin tonight, folks!