Home Again, Home Again...

Back from my last (this semester) out of town clinical.  It went splendidly...  a nurse in ICU said shed give me a reference if I applied for a job there.  The people at Cibola were just terrific.  And I am now an EKG and croup tent queen!!  :-)

It was great visiting with Mom & Dad while there too.  They were so sweet to bring their trailer out to Grants so I'd have a free place to crash at night.  And they got to do a little sight-seeing too.

Now I am trying my best to get motivated to do the massive amount of homework I have (2.5 papers and a presentation) that is due tomorrow.  UGH!  Bryan is fixing me 'brunch'.  I love him so much.

Hope all my blogger friends have a wonderful week.  I am looking forward to Thursday as I have a 5 day weekend!!  YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NM Unemployment & Grants, NM

After almost 8 weeks of calling 20+ times a day Bryan finally got through to the NM unemployment office (I think that's why NM has 'low' unemployment - no one can get through to claim anything).  Anywhhooo - they first said that the company reported that he had only worked from Oct to Dec instead of August so it would it have to go into "investigation" and that would take a out 8 weeks.  Then three days later we get a letter saying he didn't pay in enough... and then today we get a letter stating that he DID and would start receiving benefits.  Not much but better than nothing at all!  So WHOOP-WHOOP!!!

Last weekend I pulled 4 12-hour days at Cibola Hospital in Grants, NM.  Because Grants is so small and the hospital is smaller, I thought I'd have plenty of down time and be bored silly.... WRONG!  I did more on that Friday than I had at the three large hospitals in Albuquerque.  They worked my butt off at this tiny little hospital.  And really, I can't say enough good things about it - at least as far as the people are concerned.  I think I met every doctor there, had lunch with one of the surgeons - fraternized with the nurses.  Everyone was so friendly & welcoming - especially to a "lowly" student.  Everyone I met was very excited to have a student there and explained procedures thoroughly and allowed me to try pretty much anything I asked to try.  Very helpful.  The RT's I worked with were stellar as well - very compassionate to the patients and WOW - how they kept up with the work load is beyond me, all four days were CRAZY!!!  I wish I could talk about the patients - I had some interesting cases...  We had three air transports - very interesting to watch them get set up while I was there.

I go back tomorrow evening for a tow day stint. I have to say, 12 hour days are rough, mainly because I am used to sitting my fairly large butt for 5 hours in class and then going home to work on homework...  I'm really not used to 'working'.  :-)  

I do a few days off the first weekend of March and I am going to VEG-OUT and RELAX!!  I am pooped!

Clinicals Thus Far

I have almost finished up my major hospital clinical rotations - I head to Grants, NM for the next two weekends to spend time at Cibola General Hospital.  After that I'm at various locations across Albuquerque - rehab centers, PFT labs & a hyperbaric chamber.   It has been as scary & exciting as we all thought.


Our class was broken into groups of four and we went with those groups to the three major hospitals.  Our other assignments are in pairs or we go it alone.  


Most of the time the clinical instructor will assign us 1-2 maybe 3 patients and we will administer to those patients throughout our shift.  If the opportunity arises we also get to participate in codes, intubations, extubations, etc.  Last Friday our group was able to assist in an intubation - while a sad situation for the patient and their family, it is really exciting to actually participate in a procedure.  It really brings everything we have learned and are learning to life.  The doctor performing the procedure thought we did really well in the assist - which made us all fill good.  I mean, really, we assisted a doctor!!!  


I have been able to work with adults and pediatrics and so far, I am still leaning toward adults.  For a lot of reasons, but one being they don't scream like you are ripping their legs off when you give them a treatment.  It really bothers me to feel like I am hurting them even when I know I am helping.  Maybe it gets easier...  maybe.  Poor wee ones. 

Winter Blues

Ugh, what a year 2010 has turned out to be so far.  It really can only get better from here.  I had a friend post on there blog "Jan-sick-uary" and I have to agree along with Feb-sick-uary.  First me with whatever funky thing I had and no poor Bryan - he's worst - sore throat, fever, and no sinus.  Least his lungs sound clear.  :-)


I feel like I've been sick forever - not 'sick' just not well I guess.  I'm beginning to think its allergies or maybe the dry air here.  I NEVER go to the doctor more than once a year and sometimes not that often and this year (well 2009/2010) I've been 4 times to get antibiotics.  Luckily this is Bryan's first real bout with anything - he doesn't do sick well - at all.


Stress could be a big factor too - it's been a stress filled 18 months for sure - moving, family illnesses, family deaths, no jobs, school, finding jobs just to get laid off, no jobs again, another family death...  UGH.  Done with the bad stuff already.  Done I say.


Good things have happened too of course.  Not all has been gloom & doom but that always seems to be what we dwell on for some reason.  Due to me not finding work I started a great program in respiratory therapy - something I've been thinking of doing for a few years and I have to say - I LOVE it.  I wish I'd done it years ago!  I've started clinicals and this is what I should have been doing with my life.  Really.  We've had several new additions to the family - We adopted two rowdy, obnoxious pups that we complain about constantly but do love (most of the time) and Bryan's sister had her second daughter, I had two new great-nephews born, a new great-great nephew and a new great-great-niece (yes a great-great!!).  We've been able to visit with family more than we've had in a while - nice with all the sickness going on with them.  I guess it all balances out - but still sick of being sick!!!


Bryan is searching high & low for work.  Inside and out of New Mexico - Texas, Arizona, Colorado, and as far east as Georgia.  Houston is looking like a better bet (UGH) with the most jobs but neither of us really want to move to TX.  Ideally, he'll find something right where we are since we moved here to be closer to family but we'll go where the job is located.  Keep us in your prayers that something comes up soon.  


Life is good really, I just need to keep reminding myself that it could be worse and we are really very lucky.  I believe everything happens for a reason and God's looking out for us.  We'll be fine.  I just want to stop coughing & sniffling!!!  :-)


And I would like a little cheese with my whine, if you please.  :-P

Grandpa's Hands

My cousin, Robin, sent this to me the other day.  I'm not sure the original author but it really grabs the essence of our Grandpa.

Grandpa's Hands

Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands.  When I sat down beside him, he didn't acknowledge my presence and, the longer I sat, the more I wondered if he was OK. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him, but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was OK. 

He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice. 

"I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to him. 

"Have you ever looked at your hands," he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?" 

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up, then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making. Grandpa smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, although wrinkled, shriveled, and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life. They braced and caught my fall when, as a toddler, I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.

When I was a child, my Mother taught me to fold them in prayer.

They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.

They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war.

They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.

They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.

Decorated with my wedding band, they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. 

They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my Parents and Spouse and walked my Daughter down the aisle.

Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friend's foot. 

They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. 

They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.

To this day, when not much of anything else of me work real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and continue to fold in prayer. 

These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life. 

But, more importantly, it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when He leads me home. 

Then, with my hands, He will lift me to His side and, there, I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ." 

I will never look at my hands the same again.  But, I remember God reached out and took my Grandpa's hands and led him home. 

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife, I think of Grandpa. I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.