Saturday Six - Episode 129

This week seemed to go by quickly, despite the fact that it had a very slow start. I hope all of my friends on the east coast are drying out after Ernesto's heavy rains. I'm just glad that it wasn't worse than it ended up being!

But first, Carly of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was first to play last week! Congratulations, Carly!

Here are this week's "Saturday Six" questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal...but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as "first to play," you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions. A link to your journal in general cannot count. Enjoy!

1. You're arranging to move. If money were no object, would you hire movers to come in and pack your belongings as well as drive them, or would you prefer to do the packing yourself?  Oh man…if money were no object, then I would definitely, in a flash, hire someone to do it all.  Pack, load, drive, unload, and unpack, and please could you send an interior decorator and an organizer along with? ;)))

2. Of the new shows that have premiered so far this season, which were you most looking forward to seeing?  Well, I don’t know if I’ve been able to record (I DVR practically everything cause I have a 6year old) everything I wanted to watch.  But I was looking forward to “Justice”.

3. Did the show live up to your expectations? So far I have not been disappointed.


4. Take the quiz: What type of lunatic are you?

 OMG!  Now that’s funny! 

 

5. What habit of yours would you say is the craziest?  Uhhhh…Do you mean that is something silly that you do or something that drives people crazy?  Maybe it’s the fact that I sleep with a heater fan on all year long (yes I live in Phoenix and use a heater fan…see reason for this in dictionary, i.e. husband who keeps thermastate near freezing), ear plugs, and a washcloth over my face.  I don’t know, but that doesn’t sound as crazy to me unlike me getting up 50-100 times to check on the kids in the middle of the night.

6. What do you own more of: VHS Tapes, CDs, DVDs or Books?  DVDs..and don’t ask how many cause I’m not sure.  I think Hannah counted about 495 (or something like that).

Congratulations Rachel & Josh

Well...it had to happen someday.  My little niece, Rachel, is all grown up and a sophomore in college.  And, as she giddily informed me today, an engaged woman.  How did this happen?  Just yesterday she was at my house and going "Cake up, Nana!" when she wanted me to get up and play with her.  Where did this mature woman come from?  More importantly, where did the time go?

Wait until you hear how Josh proposed...He covertly called all her closest friends, both parents, and both grandparents and had them come to Arkadelphia, AK (where they attend college).  They were to dress all in black.  So he takes Rachel out on their 1year dating anniversary and then takes her to the Chapel on campus.  He has roses waiting for her.  He takes her on bended knee and asks her to pray with him.  Then Josh proposed to Rachel in Sign Language.  Rachel was crying so hard she couldn't do the simplest sign "Yes" so he asked her to say it out loud.  So she said "Yes!"  That is when the lights come up and everybody was up in the balcony of the Chapel witnessing the whole thing.  How romantic is that?

Rachel & Josh

Death After 2 Hour ER Wait Ruled a Homicide

This article (sent to me by my friend Tara) made nationwide headlines:

 

WAUKEGAN, Illinois (AP) -- A coroner's jury has declared the death of a heart attack victim who spent almost two hours in a hospital waiting room to be a homicide. 

 

Beatrice Vance, 49, died of a heart attack, but the jury at a coroner's inquest ruled Thursday that her death also was "a result of gross deviations from the standard of care that a reasonable person would have exercised in this situation."  A spokeswoman for Vista Medical Center in Waukegan, where Vance died July 29, declined to comment on the ruling. (Jury's findings)

 

Vance had waited almost two hours for a doctor to see her after complaining of classic heart attack symptoms -- nausea, shortness of breath and chest pains, Deputy Coroner Robert Barrett testified.  She was seen by a triage nurse about 15 minutes after she arrived, and the nurse classified her condition as "semi-emergent," Barrett said. He said Vance's daughter twice asked nurses after that when her mother would see a doctor.  When her name was finally called, a nurse found Vance slumped unconscious in a waiting room chair without a pulse. Barrett said. She was pronounced dead shortly afterward.  Barrett said he subpoenaed records after finding discrepancies in the hospital's version of events.

 

It wasn't immediately clear if the ruling would lead to criminal charges. Dan Shanes, a chief of felony review for the state attorney's office, said his division needed to review the case.  Vista Medical Center spokeswoman Cheryl Maynen said the hospital, just north of Chicago, cooperated with the coroner's investigation and had also investigated the incident. She declined to comment on the homicide ruling.  Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

 

As many of you know, I work as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department, so I have mixed feelings about this ruling.  I don’t know all the details presented at trial, but I can tell you firsthand how overcrowded ER waiting rooms have become in just the last ten years.  See there was this little law (EMTLA/COBRA) that passed and said that everyone who presents to an emergency room has the right to receive treatment regardless of ability to pay.  So forget waiting until morning to go see your doctor, or going to free clinics, the health department, etc., just show up at your local hospital for whatever ails you.

 

Now I’m for all equal healthcare, but emergency rooms were not designed to be urgent care clinics, and unfortunately that is what has happened.  And those who have really figured out the system come by ambulance regardless of urgency (I’ve checked in drunks, sinus headaches, rashes, flea bites, bumps, back pain, heavy menstruation, etc) so they can get “right back”, which is another abuse of the system.  And those who have government assistance (such as Medicaid or AHCCCS here in AZ) are the ones who utilize and abuse the ER most as they only have to pay either $1 or nothing at all for their visit.

 

So what does all this overuse/abuse of the system do for the patient who really needs urgent or emergent care?  The perfect example is the one presented in the article.  A woman with chest pain waits two hours to be brought back to see a physician.  Now in a perfect world someone presenting with chest pain and who meets certain criteria such as described above (chest pain and associated radiating pain – arm, neck, shoulder, back; nausea/vomiting; shortness of breath) would and should be brought back immediately.  But let’s say all your beds are taken up by non-urgent patients, one side-step could be to do an EKG in the triage area, but unfortunately EKGs are not the determining factor in all heart attacks and can appear “normal”.  You could also draw blood (a clearerpicture), but again not necessarily the determining factor.  It is more the whole picture, or everything totaled.  Also, given this woman’s age (medical history unknown) should have been something that would have gotten her to the back in a timelier manner.

 

Most emergency departments use the MONA system (morphine, oxygen, nitroglycerin, aspirin; along with an EKG) within 10minutes of arrival.  So to make a 49-year-old woman wait 2hours in a busy waiting room does go against the normal standard of care or protocol, but is it necessarily gross negligence or a homicide?  Some responsibility has to be placed on the patient and/or family members.  If the patient or their family member thought she was having a heart attack they should have activated the EMS system by calling 911, thereby providing immediate, and in this case, life-saving care within minutes of the onset of her systems.  The patient would have gone directly back to the emergency room and seen by either a doctor or nurse within minutes of arrival.

 

Unfortunately, as in this case, many people tend to deny their symptoms or to brush them off, or come by private car and wait in the lobby (again a denial of symptoms), and the result can often be fatal.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve pulled a patient out of a car who was dead or near death because they didn’t want to call an ambulance or were denying the seriousness of their symptoms.

 

PEOPLE PLEASE…CALL 911, IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

 

But also remember, the people who respond to "your emergency" are exactly that...people...human...meaning all are capable of mistakes.  As nurses and doctors we are held to a higher standard (and should be in our job setting), but we are capable of misjudgments.  So please be an active participant in your own healthcare.

The 3 Day Walk

 

 

 

I'm supporting Marla Lowie (Atlanta) in the Susan G Komen 3 Day Walk.  Even though I've never lost a loved one or dear friend to breast cancer, I support the cause because the fight is for EVERY WOMAN.  Spread the word and donate if you can.  Every dollar is one step closer to a cure.

Tax-Free Cash, Please

Your Life Is Worth...

$630,500    So...How Much is Your Life Worth?

Sunday Seven - Episode 55

I've been making more arrangements for the big move, but I remembered to actually write the question before midnight in my own time zone! So get ready to take a tour of one room of your home to get the answers for this week's quiz.

But first, Carly, of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was first to play last week! Congratulations, Carly!

On to this week's question!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Take a walk through your kitchen. Come up with at least seven appliances or electric gadgets that you'd hate to be without when you have kitchen duty for any reasonable length of time.

Either answer the question in a comment or answer it in your journal and include the link in a comment. (To be considered "first to play," a link must be to the specific entry in which you answered the question.

 

1.   Microwave

2.   Fridge

3.   Dishwasher

4.   Stove/Oven

5.   Cordless Hand Mixer

6. Coffeemaker

7. Electric Can Opener

Saturday Six - Episode 127

This week seemed to go by quickly, despite the fact that it had a very slow start. I hope all of my friends on the east coast are drying out after Ernesto's heavy rains. I'm just glad that it wasn't worse than it ended up being!

But first, De of "De's Thoughts" was first to play last week! Congratulations, De! (Hey looky...I'm famous!  LOL.)

Here are this week's "Saturday Six" questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal...but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as "first to play," you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions. A link to your journal in general cannot count. Enjoy!

1. You find out that you've just gotten a new job in a different state. Besides your spouse, who is the first person you tell?  My Mom.

2. With the money in your pocket, wallet or purse right now, could you make change for a $20 bill? Could you make change for a $1 bill?  No for the $20…Yes for the $1.

3. Is this ability (or lack of ability) to make change a typical reflection of how much cash and coins you regularly carry?  Yeah…with Debit Cards who needs cash these days?

4. Take the quiz: What mythological character are you?

You Are a Chimera

You are very outgoing and well connected to many people. Incredibly devoted to your family and friends, you find purpose in nurturing others. You are rarely alone, and you do best in the company of others. You are incredibly expressive, and people are sometimes overwhelmed by your strong emotions.

I’d say this is pretty darn close.

 

5. Are you typically the "heart breaker" or the "broken-hearted" in your relationship history? Broken-hearted.

6. Considering your answer to #5, would you rather be the opposite? No.  I don’t like the idea of deliberately hurting someone you supposedly care about.  That is just plain cruel.

If you have a Reader's Choice question you'd like to see asked (and answered), click the e-mail link in the Blogger profile and send it to me.

Attitude Is Everything

Received this in an email and thought it was worth posting and passing on...

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.
"Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today."? So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.
"H-M-M, " she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today."? So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.
"Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.
"YEAH!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything.  Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Congratulations Tara!

I want to tell you about my friend Tara from Moore, OK.  I met Tara about 5years ago while working in the ER at Midwest Regional Medical Center.  Ever since I've known Tara she has been on the path to becoming a nurse.  She worked and studied very hard and stayed with the program even through pregancy and the birth of her son.  Today Tara found out she passed her nursing boards.  So I just have to say:

I'M SO PROUD OF YOU TARA!!!  CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING A NURSE!!!

Here is Tara's accounting:

So I went in to take the test (state nursing board test) and it was painful.  It could have anywhere from 85 questions to 205 I think...it stopped me at #125.  I left that place feeling like I had failed.  I had prayed, studied and asked other people to pray for me.  So I suffered all weekend not knowing if all of my work and dedication had paid off.  So at 9am I tried to access my grade to see if I had passed...I called the state board of nursing and they said after 10am I would know.  I logged in again at about 10:15 am and still no conformation.  I finally had enough so I called again and she looked....and she said the most wonderful words a nursing student can hear...You are an official LPN as of 9-11-06.  Some of you may know that on 9-11-01 there were horrible things going on in the world with the twin towers and the terriosm, but that was also the day that I found out that I was kicked out of the paramedic program (after one year of basic and intermediate training) because I had failed ONE test!!!  So it was nice to learn that 5 years later I now am a nurse.  I had promised my grandma Bebe before she died that I would become a nurse...I am here...now I am looking forward to the day Preston starts school because I can go back to school to become an RN.  Look out world...here comes Tara Lewis...LPN!!!

 

Tara Lewis

 

P.S. Thank you to all the people who have supported me and prayed for me and also my wonderful family who without their support I would have failed indefinately!! 

Double Feature

Down on the farm, the farmer thinks he's in charge, keeping all the animals safe and sound. But when the farmer is out of sight, the lookout sheep shouts "Clear!" and all of the barnyard animals spring up on two legs, walk, talk, watch TV, and orchestrate practical jokes. For Otis the cow that last one is the most important. He and his best friends--Pip the mouse, Freddy the ferret, Peck the rooster, and Pig the pig--are world-class pranksters and always in the mood for a laugh. Otis is in the state of arrested development and quite happy that way. Otis's dad, Ben, is the cow who makes sure the farm is running on all cylinders. Each morning, Ben leads a meeting to take care of farm business and to issue warnings about their common enemy, the coyotes. (It's a position that Ben takes seriously: "As long as I'm still kickin'," he says, "no animal will be harmed inside that fence!") Ben wants Otis to grow up and take responsibility. Much to Ben's chagrin, Otis's main project comes to life every evening. As soon as the Farmer hits lights out, the barn is transformed into Party Central. On this night, there's even a pretty new cow, Daisy--Otis hams it up for her, and she can't help but be attracted to his fun-loving personality. That world is not for Ben. He's outside, guarding the fence and protecting the farm from the coyotes. When Otis explains to Ben that being on watch isn't "his thing." Ben responds: "Otis, a strong man stands up for himself, a stronger man stands up for others." When Ben is no longer able to lead, Otis tries to keep order but the role of leader does not come as naturally for him. Without Ben to keep everyone in line, absolute mayhem breaks loose and it isn't long before the farmer begins to get to the bottom of the animals' secret--and the scheming coyotes begin to think that the farm could be theirs for the taking.

MPAA Rating:

PG for some mild peril and rude humor.

Barnyard Party by erarein (movies profile) Cute animated film about, whatelse, barnyard animals. Cows, sheep, chickens, etc. Even has a farmer who actually loves animals so much he is a Vegan. Great for the kiddos with some adult aimed humor for the grownups. Typical kid themed movie with a lesson to be learned in the end. See it with your kids so you can watch them laugh.

Chev Chelios is about to begin his morning with an unexpected wake-up call. Groggy, practically unable to move and with a heart that's barely beating, he hears the voice of thug Ricky Verona, who reveals Chev has been poisoned in his sleep and only has an hour to live. As it turns out, Chev is a hit man who freelances for a major West Coast syndicate. A run of the mill job the night before instead went awry: he let his target slip away in an effort to quit professional killing and start a new life with his girlfriend Eve. Now, Chev must keep moving to stay alive: the only way to prolong the poison from stopping his heart is to keep his adrenaline flowing. As the clock ticks, Chelios cuts a swath through the streets of Los Angeles, wreaking havoc on those who dare stand in his way. He must rescue Eve from danger, stay two steps ahead of his nemeses and search for an antidote to save his own life.

MPAA Rating:

R for strong violence, pervasive language, sexuality, nudity and drug use

Crank It Up by erarein (movies profile) Okay, granted, this movie won't win any Ocars, but it is highly entertaining and full of adrenaline (sorry). You might remember Jason Statham from The Transporter (again not Ocar worthy). Excellent actor and excellent acting in this movie as well. This movie's plot is basically the same as D.O.A. (remember Dennis Quaid & Meg Ryan?), but with fast flying action, adventure, sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Hang on to your pants, because you are about to kick it up into high gear.

Unconscious Mutterings

From Cat 

Week 188

1. True love :: ...at first sight
2. Age :: ...is a relative thing
3. Stern :: ...Strict
4. Elastic :: ...Rubber
5. Rustic :: ...Antique
6. Enhance :: ...Improve
7. Jackson :: ...Michael
8. Inherit :: ...Millions (don't I wish)
9. Devious :: ...Snake
10. Scapegoat :: ...Blame it on Rio

Job Hunt

From Cat...

 

By the Way Sunday 

~Job Hunt~

What was your very first paying job? Babysitting.  How girlie, girlie & cliché’.

Did you have a job that you just dreaded going to every day?  OMG…yes!  It was my first job out of college after graduating from the University of North Texas.  It was (and yes I’m naming names cause it was that bad!) J.  D. Carreker & Associates in Dallas.  I was treated so bad and just plain bullied.  I swore that I would never, ever subject myself to that kind of disrespect again, and I never have!

What was your favorite job and why did you like it? My favorite profession is the one I’m currently in, nursing.  It is truly a challenging and rewarding career.  My favorite job was at Midwest Regional Medical Center in Midwest City, OK Emergency Department.  The ER I currently work in is pretty great, too.

 

 

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? I love what I do, honestly.  But if there were one thing I could change it would be that David & I could work together!

The Saturday Six - Episode 126

This week seemed to go by quickly, despite the fact that it had a very slow start. I hope all of my friends on the east coast are drying out after Ernesto's heavy rains. I'm just glad that it wasn't worse than it ended up being!

But first, Carly of "Ellipsis...Suddenly Carly" was first to play last week! Congratulations, Carly!

Here are this week's "Saturday Six" questions. Either answer the questions in a comment here, or put the answers in an entry on your journal...but either way, leave a link to your journal so that everyone else can visit! To be counted as "first to play," you must be the first player to either answer the questions in a comment or to provide a complete link to the specific entry in your journal in which you answer the questions. A link to your journal in general cannot count. Enjoy!

1. How do you feel about a National ID card to replace individual state driver's licenses?  Absolutely for it 100%!  Are we not one nation after all?  The individual state licenses are all about money anyway, so just divide it up.  Let’s unify this nation and quit dividing it.  And while we are at it, why not national licenses for doctors and nurses?  We take a national test, why not a national license.  Okay…off my soapbox. ;)

2. Where's the most embarrassing place you've ever fallen asleep?  At work..long night, little sleep.

3. How long does it take you, when looking at someone for the first time, to determine whether or not you are really attracted to the person?  Right away.

4. Take the quiz: What kind of drunk are you?

You're A Crazy Drunk

When you drink, you get wrecked - and it ain't pretty. OH GEEZ…

5. When is the last time you were really drunk?  Can we say college?

6. What caused the condition: Alcohol or something else?  Alcohol…nothing else.

Eleven

David & I went to Caleb’s school this evening for “Curriculum Night”.  Usually the teacher explains what and how they will be teaching your child that year in the hope (I believe) that you will understand and won’t have to have so many questions throughout the year.  Last year I was a bad parent (or I think I was supposed to feel that way) and had to miss Curriculum Night due to my work schedule.  This year I knew about it enough in advance I could work around it.  I was pleasantly surprised when this turned into a creative writing event for the parents as a demonstration on how Caleb was going to be taught this year.

 

It started out with Caleb’s teacher, Ms. Struby, reading a short story called “Eleven”.  It was about how the day unfolded for this girl on her 11th birthday (duh, huh?) and how a single mortifying event can shape the rest of the day.  I loved it!  After Ms. Struby was finished reading the story we had to write a “creative” story about a memory this tale evoked.  Here are mine and David’s respectively.  I don’t think you’ll have a hard time determining whose is whose, though.  So…what do these stories remind you of, hmmmm?

 

        When your 11 you want to “fit in” with the crowd.  Dress alike, talk alike, eat alike, watch TV alike…well, you get the idea.  So when I found out where a bunch of “in” girls were getting their clothes I begged my Mom to take me shopping there.  “Please Mom!” I begged.  “All the girls are getting their clothes there!”  I must have sounded really desperate because my Mom said, “Okay, but just two things.”  I could hardly wait.  The next Saturday we headed out and I proceeded to shop and pick out what I thought would be the best clothes, the ones that would surely qualify me as “in”.  When Monday came I dressed with anticipation and excitement.  I could hardly wait for someone important to ask me about my outfit.  The moment finely arrived, I proudly exclaimed “Holly’s Hanger”.  I waited for the appropriate “oooh” and “ahhhh” and the sudden dawning of how cool I really was.  But then came the remark I had not counted on…”Holly’s Hanger!  That is so yesterday!”  I hate school.  I hate not being “in”.  But mostly, I hate Holly’s Hanger.  Do you think Mom would notice if I burned my clothes?

 

        Wow.  It’s amazing that someone obviously so far from 11, since they’ve developed this writing ability, still has such a clear view of being 11.  11.  11.  There was nothing that noteworthy about being 11.  Completely overshadowed by 10, 9, 8, etc.  11.  That was 5th grade.  I never could wait for 5th grade to be over.  When the bell rang I would burst out of the school, run the mile home in 5 ½ minutes and watch the other 24 ½ minutes of Dark Shadows…until I figured out that nothing ever happened on Dark Shadows either.  There never was enough to learn at 11.  I already knew all the bones, muscles, and vessels, but there wasn’t much use for that information at 11.  That was the year they accidentally let me run the ball.  I was supposed to be playing “midget nose guard”, but when they couldn’t find the right guy to go in at running back, the coach literally threw me out there so we wouldn’t get a delay of game penalty.  I didn’t even know the plays.  When I took the fake hand-off from the quarterback I was even more scared, but that was just a startle compared to the terror I felt when the whole defense was two feet in front of me.  Not knowing the plays was an advantage when I turned this drive off right tackle (actually it was a fake handoff) and made it into a reverse just to keep all those big guys from smashing the smallest player on the field.  All that running home to see Dark Shadows was also paying off as I ran away from the dark abyss that waited directly in front of our offensive linemen.  Not one defensive player touched me as I made a 180-degree turn.  Had the coach been smart enough he would have called an end around anyway I figured.  For all I know now, he may have.  I remember the quarterback was still yelling at me for stealing the ball from him as I crossed the goal line at the end of that terrifying 40-yard run.  The next week was our last game and I faked an ankle sprain so I wouldn’t have to play running back.  It would have been better if the coach hadn’t seen me run by his house every day that week on my way to watch Dark Shadows.

 

Trial Evidence Displayed at Oklahoma Bombing Memorial

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 1)  FBI evidence that helped convict Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols went on display Friday at the Oklahoma City bombing memorial, even as a congressman and others continue to raise questions about the 1995 explosion that killed 168 people.

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was destroyed when a rented cargo truck packed with 4,800 pounds of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil was detonated. Besides the 168 killed, more than 800 were injured. The dead included eight law enforcement officers and 29 visitors to courthouse, as well as employees of several federal agencies.

McVeigh was executed in 2001 after he was convicted of federal murder charges. Nichols, who met McVeigh in the Army, was convicted on federal and state bombing charges and is serving multiple life prison sentences.

Michael Fortier, another Army buddy, pleaded guilty to not telling authorities in advance about the bomb plot and was released in January after serving more than 10 years in prison. Fortier testified against McVeigh and Nichols.

Prosecutors said the bombing was in retribution to the deaths of about 80 people in the government siege at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, exactly two years earlier on April 19.

**Why is it we need a reminder of the 168people who lost their lives in this terror event, but are constantly bombarded by the press, hollywood, etc regarding 9/11?  Yes, the loss of life was considerably less, but can it really be considered any less tragic?  For those of us who experienced the OKC bombing firsthand, the memory is still fresh in our minds, memories, and nightmares.  May we never forget.

New Song

Click HERE to see Bo Bice's new video: Valley of Angels.

Kathryn...this one is for you my favorite sister, and see what you are missing by not living in Phoenix anymore ;), love (your favorite sis) Nana.