Clean or Blog (Guess who won!!!)

Today is such a yucky day!! It is freezing with ice everywhere. So this morning I thought this would be a great day to catch up on my cleaning. Obviously, that isn't happening, since it is 2:30 and instead of doing it, I'm blogging about!! Sure, the laundry is going, the living room is picked up and the kitchen is clean. But... my vacuum is still in the closet and the dusting stuff under the cabinet. Oh well maybe I will get my butt in gear this evening!!! Lauren is down for a nap, she hasn't been feeling very well and I think I will go nap with her. AAHHH that sounds like a great idea!!

Why we love new graduate nurses!!

Differences Between Graduate Nurse and Experienced Nurses.

Congratulations to the December Grads and Welcome!!

A Graduate Nurse throws up when the patient does.
An experienced nurse calls housekeeping when a patient throws up.

A Graduate Nurse charts too much.
An experienced nurse doesn´t chart enough due to laws that if it is charted then it is available for litigation!

A Graduate Nurse loves to run to codes.
An experienced nurse makes graduate nurses run to codes.

Graduate Nurse wants everyone to know they are a nurse.
An experienced nurse doesn´t want anyone to know they are a nurse.>

A Graduate Nurse keeps detailed notes on a pad.
An experienced nurse writes on the back of their hand, pants leg, paper scraps, napkins, etc.

A Graduate Nurse will spend all day trying to reorient a patient.
An experienced nurse will chart the patient is disoriented and restrain them.

A Graduate Nurse loves to hear abnormal heart and breath sounds.
An experienced nurse doesn´t want to know about them unless the patient is symptomatic.

A Graduate Nurse spends 2 hours giving a patient a bath.
An experienced nurse can bath a patient, change the linens and watch a program on the patients T.V. all at the same time and be out of the room before a commercial break.

A Graduate Nurse thinks people respect Nurses.
An experienced nurse knows everybody blames everything on the nurse.

A Graduate Nurse looks for a chance 'to work with the family.'
An experienced nurse avoids the family

A Graduate Nurse expects meds and supplies to be delivered on time.
An experienced nurse expects to give the meds some time in their shift.

A Graduate Nurse will spend days bladder training an incontinent patient.
An experienced nurse will insert a Foley catheter.

A Graduate Nurse always answers their phone.
An experienced nurse checks their caller ID before answering the phone.

A Graduate Nurse thinks psych patients are interesting.
An experienced nurse thinks psych patients are crazy.

A Graduate Nurse carries reference books in their bag.
An experienced nurse carries magazines, lunch, nail file, and some candy in their bag.

A Graduate Nurse doesn´t find this funny.
An experienced nurse knows how true this is!!!.

Beautiful Day

The other day it was so pretty outside and the sun was shining. You would have thought it was 70 outside inside of 20!! I opened the door to let some sun in and the kids were automatically drawn to it. Now, thinking back I should have just buddle them up and let them go outside for a little bit!

While they were looking out, they were being so sweet to eachother. At least Lauren was being really sweet to Cole because he had a cold and didn't feel very good (oh yeah, thats why I didn't let them go outside!!!) In the last 3 years I think this was the first time Cole has been sick and he was just pitiful!!

Anyway, I grabbed my camera and was able to get some pictures.

Play Day

Update: Holy !$#%# Do I have some sore muscles this morning!! I'm sure that is a good thing, but it really makes me feel a lot older than my age!! :) Today Lauren and I went to my sister's house, so Lauren could play with her cousin Lexi. But it ended up being a play date for me, my sister and my brother!!!

After a while I thought I would try out their Wii. It was my first time and it was so much fun!! First I tried the bowling, tennis and boxing. Then, we did Dancing with the Stars!! My sister and I laughed and had a great time. And you really do get a work-out!!

Then..... my brother showed up!!! GAME ON!!!

He beat me at bowling.

He beat me at tennis.

He beat me at boxing.

So I thought, Hmmmm... lets try Dancing!!!

He beat both my sister and I at that!!!! He even got a 10 from Bruno!!! It was so much fun. At one point David said, " I shouldn't be enjoying this as much as I am!"

I was a fun couple of hours spent with my sister and brother. Lauren and Lexi did such a great job playing together today. I don't think they had even one spat (not that we noticed anyway :) )

x-ray rose!!

Hey Rose, I didn't have any other way to get back to you so I thought I would just do this!!! Thanks for leaving me a comment. It was good to hear from you. I miss "most" of you guys also :) I think of you every time I pick up a crossword puzzle. I'm still not very good at them but I enjoy trying!! Take care and keep in touch!!

Where's Mike??

More than once now I have been asked.....Where is Mike?

Yes, he has been missing from the Blog World and he couldn't be happier about it.

For those of you that don't know Mike here's a little info.....
*He was born 8 years and 1 day before me, which makes us both Gemini's.
*He went to High School at Colgan, a Catholic school in pittsburg.
*College was Pitt State, which he assures me he played football.
*We are both the middle kids, having an older sister and younger brother.
*We were set-up on a blind date by a girl we worked with and he will tell you he didn't know what I looked like until I opened the door!!
*He listens to crazy music and very much dislikes my country!!

I haven't posted pictures of Mike, because he doesn't like pictures.

In real-life he has the greatest smile with wonderful dimples. But when the camera comes out.....away he goes!! I could not even tell you how many pictures I have of his hand up in front of my camera lens or in front of his face AAAAHHHHH. We also have the famous "mad look" instead of smiling, I get "the look".

So, I went hunting for pictures and this task was a little harder than I expected. So with his ok... I get to share...

I have made it one of my missions for 2009 to get more pics of Mike, so babe...watch out!!!

Colton's babyshower 2005

This would be "the look"

and me 60 pounds heavier!!

He stopped by on his way to work!

Our first family photo!

I couldn't remember if this was before or after Colton was born???!!!!

At ChuckECheese

I know you can't seem him in this one.

The other Saturday morning Colton came and climbed on top of him on the couch and just snuggled under the covers and watched a movie.

It was so sweet!!

Random Picture - Miss Lily

The 21st picture on my May picture disk is................... Miss Lily

She loved the kids baby swing and made it hers right off the bat.

THIS IS THE DOG FROM HELL!!

I could not get her housebroken to save my life.

I tried everything that the internet, the vet and all my friends had to offer for advice.

She would destroy the potty pads.

She would take her poop back to her little soft bed with her.

That is just a couple of the gross things she did.

That was all I did, clean the floor 4-5 times a day. Because she pooped all day long, it wasn't just after she ate. I would feed her every evening at 5 pm and she would rarely go outside.

It didn't matter she would poop all day.

Something wasn't right about this dog!!

Plus, she was spastic the kids couldn't even play with her!!

It was awful, awful, awful!!

After induring 9 months of hell, I couldn't even sell this dog for half of what I paid for her so I ended up giving her away.

Easy Bake

Tonight was the first time Lauren was able to use her Easy Bake and she was so proud of herself! She made a little yellow cake. My friend Gloria recommend just getting regular cake frosting from the store and Lauren didn't mind at all. She enjoyed getting to pick out what she wanted.

I couldn't get the cake out of the pan without it falling apart (yes, I sprayed it first!) So we just fixed it up and ate it out of there. I shouldn't say we ate it because mommy didn't get ANY!!
When I took the cake out, there was a brief moment of disappointment....

Is that it mommy, it's soo small!

Yes, babe that's it

(silence)

Well, I'm going to eat this one and I will make one for you another time!!

YUMMY!!

Bringing in the New Year

As I start this blog I am so excited!! Colton just came to my door and said, " Mom, I pooped!!" We have been working with him so much on just TELLING us when he goes poop!! This Mommy is so happy!!

I brought in the New Year at work last night and after my shift I decided I was going to start the New Year over on 1/2/09.

Last night was a good night as far as we only had 1 trauma and it was a transfer from another ER. Only 1 suicidal person, which was really more a cry for attention (she took 7 Excedrin and didn't want to wake up, well that really didn't put her to sleep).

Why am I starting over you ask ????

I had to spend my entire shift with a little 88 year old that had advanced dementia, couldn't hear, couldn't see, couldn't reason with this lady, oh my gosh.... so so so confused. She was yelling and picking at everything and trying to get out of bed. A big thank you to my co-workers that helped me out and allowed me to keep my sanity. This ladies daughter brought her in but couldn't stay with her and we had no sitters last night in the entire hospital so this poor lady had to spend the entire night (12 hours) in the ER. This lady did not sleep for more than 20-30 minutes at a time and I gave her all kinds a good meds to help her relax and sleep, not a one of them last for more than 15-20 minutes. I WAS EXHAUSTED. Here is the kicker..... This 88 year old lady lives at home with her 90 year old husband with only a caregiver that checks on them. They have no family around this area, the two daughters live out of state. I can not imagine!!

So, I'm just going to forget 1/1/09!!

After reading all your blogs I have to say it is so nice to hear GOOD news. Happy people with happy health kids!! During this time I'm so thankful that in 2008 I was able to keep my job (that on most nights ) I do love!! To have a wonderful healthy family and wonderful friends and was introduced to the Blog World!!

I hope in 2009........ It goes a little slower. I have more patience on those days I don't get much sleep. I can finish remodeling my house ( just my bedroom and the kitchen left.. then to the outside) I did learn in 2008 that I really don't enjoy painting!! Last but not least back to exercising!!

So here is to a great 2009