It's 9:30 pm as I type this
I probably should be asleep right now, because my alarm is set for 5:30 am so I can get up in time to get to my mental health clinical tomorrow.
I was a little worried about doing a mental health clinical rotation, largely because I was worried I would be incompetent and that the patients would be annoyed by my presence as a student nurse.
But as it turned out, so many of the patients at my location were more than happy to chat with me and my classmates. So, I feel much less nervous about going back tomorrow!
As part of this semester's work, I was also assigned to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I'd never been to one before (I actually dislike the taste of alcohol, so this is definitely not going to be my vice of choice), but it was a rather moving experience.
(Did I find myself tearing up? MAAAAYBE.)
I left desperately hoping that all the people there would be able to stay the course and find success in their sobriety journeys.
I also am assigned to attend an Al-Anon meeting, and then I have to write a paper about both meetings.
I am always happy when a writing assignment pops up in nursing school because I'm like, "Oh! Now THIS is something I have lots of practice with!"
It is sort of an odd feeling to be starting a new career like this in middle age; I am constantly feeling like an incompetent newbie. Which is fine, but the paper-writing is a nice little reminder of what it feels like to be competent at something. 😉
Not the correct uniform
Last week rather late in the evening, my clinical group and I realized we had to submit a video recording of a faux shift hand-off, not an audio.
Whoops.
My scrubs were all dirty, so, I put my clinical jacket on over my shorts, added my badge, and filmed just my torso. 🙂
No one would ever have needed to know. Except now all of you are privvy to my little secret. 🙂
Some questions
Jana (Central California Artist) had a few questions in yesterday's post:
Did you continue your regular walks in addition to all the workouts?
What are those colored balls for?
Did you buy new (to you) gym equipment?
1. Yes! I kept walking just like usual. And actually last month I walked more than usual: 130 miles! This month I've logged 44 miles in 10 days, so I'm off to a solid start.
2. Ben mostly had me use the balls at the gym for various abdominal exercises...variations on crunches and sit-ups.
3. And nope, I didn't buy a thing. He asked me for an inventory of what I had at home and what my gym had, and he designed my workouts around that stuff.
Glucose Goddess
A bit ago, I stumbled across an Instagram account by the name of Glucose Goddess, run by a French biochemist. She mostly posts graphs comparing the blood sugar effects of various foods, and I find them fascinating.
It is so interesting to see how the blood sugar effects change when you have a carb on its own vs. combining a carbohydrate food with fiber, fat, and/or protein.
Speaking of Instagram, you can follow Ben Palocko there and take advantage of the tips and tricks he posts there for free. 🙂
Chiquita, in all the wrong places
Please enjoy these pictures of Chiquita being where she is not supposed to be.
I forgive her, though, because she is very good at giving snuggles.
Ok! It's 10 pm so I really need to get myself into bed. I hope you have a lovely Wednesday, dear readers!
My cat is also very good at snuggling and purring very loudly when I am upset, so I forgave him for the vomit I stepped in this morning. Ick. I hope you have a good day at your clinical.
I enjoyed looking at the Glucose Goddess Instagram account and will check out her books (via the library of course).
@K D, I'm grateful for the Insta recs too! Though in one recent post, The GG compared just eating pain au chocolat vs. eating it and then doing TEN MINUTES of calf raises. That's an intense amount of calf raises hahaha. But I get her point 🙂
Chiquita has the cutest nose! She's just making sure everything is in its proper place. She's helping!
I'm impressed with all the different assignments you have to do for the nursing program. Videos, attending meetings, online, offline.... I don't think I could handle being a student today. It's a good thing I'm just a teacher!
@mbmom11, I'm with you on all Kristen's different assignments. And I think that Chiquita could get herself out of much worse cat crimes than she's actually committed through strategic use of cuteness and snuggles.
@mbmom11,
She does have a cute little pink nose! My calico kitty has a pink nose too.
It is a wild variety of things, all due at different times. Just keeping up with the schedule and what's due when and where things need to be submitted is a lot!
It’s humbling to learn new, difficult things as we get older. Yet it’s exciting
and builds self confidence in ways we might not have had it before.
Go Kristen!!
Great job on the nursing programme! I think I would burn out very quickly (I also get grossed out by medical stuff so it's a non-starter 😉 )
Love the Chiquita pics!
I had a look at the Glucose Goddess's website and have a few qualms. She seems to be pushing some kind of glucose supplement. From what I've read about supplements in general they can be misused and misunderstood. This isn't to say that she doesn't have any good advice or information, but I worry that people will see the supplement and think it will fix their sugar/general health issues!
Oh yes, 100% agreed about the supplement. I am super duper skeptical about it.
@Kristen, I bought the Glucose Goddess's ebook, The Glucose Goddess Method: The 4-Week Guide to Cutting Cravings, Getting Your Energy Back, and Feeling Amazing, and found it very informative about how blood sugar works in our bodies. She did not start out selling a supplement, but it seems that all who write a book about health ending up selling a product. I don't want her supplement but really liked her book.
And I LOVE all the photos of Chiquita!
Chiquita has the cat philosophy of "I fits where I sits" down pat.
@Ruby,
Chiquita is just adorable!!!!!
I'm somewhat of a cat lady,my 2 littles are quite spoiled but I cherish,cuddles and purrs.
Good luck on your clinicals today!
One afterthought to yesterday's topic of excercise, for those readers who are in for weight loss primarily: because of jojo-ing I got the strict instruction to never "diet" or overdo excercising again. If you stop doing either, the body will bounce back with a vengeance. I was told to work out a lifestyle with good nutrition and enough excercise that I could keep up for the rest of my life (I'd put the last 10 words in Italics if I could find a font button). In other words: no short term resolutions, no bouts of intensive excercise or strict diets. Slow but steady only.
Two years on, I am still tempted to envy all those who proudly announce impressive results. However: I am in for the long run. Did I lose weight in those two years? Minimal, but yes. Have I lowered my BMI? Nope. Have I lost cms around the waist? Quite some! More comfortable clothes now :-). Have I jojo-ed again in those two years? No. Has my overall health improved? A big yes, and blood results to show it.
So just a short note that just as small frugal habits end up in big savings, so healthy habits will have a lot of effect in the long run.
Apologies for the lecture, it just seems to me that when it comes to weight loss we tend to be blinded by the prospect of quick fixes -
@JNL, to add to this, a lot of people mistakenly also think good health = losing weight.
It can be very dangerous to lose weight on a crash diet. It is more dangerous to be severely underweight than slightly overweight, yet that is not the narrative pushed in our society for a whole myriad of reasons. Sugar can also react differently in different bodies. This is very vague, but my point is that if someone is, say, recovering from an eating disorder, they may struggle to eat any kind of food and with the sugar = bad message, when they need calories in general. I should emphasise here that I am not a healthcare student or professional but have read and listened to articles on this (I especially enjoy the Maintenance Phase podcast).
There's also the issue that the BMI was created in the nineteenth century with a very narrow focus on body type. The BMI does not acknowledge muscle weight or how weight can be carried differently in people of colour. There's a good article on it here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/healthy-bmi-obesity-race-/2021/05/04/655390f0-ad0d-11eb-acd3-24b44a57093a_story.html
So to reiterate what JNL said, it's great to eat a balanced diet and aim to be healthy in general, but not to try and just lose weight for the sake of losing weight!
@Sophie in Denmark, While I understand all your points, and agree with some of them, I do think for most people, just losing weight is actually the best thing they can do for their health. So many people are so overweight --in the U.S. at least--that even losing twenty pounds is not going to get them even close to underweight, but will improve their lives so much just because of less strain on feet and joints, improved mobility, etc. That was my experience, anyway, losing around 30 pounds mostly by cutting calories to about 1200 a day. So many people told me it would be bad for me; that it wouldn't work because my body would go into "starvation mode" and would fight losing any more; that it wasn't sustainable; that it would all just come back . . . none of that was true for me. Losing the weight was my goal, and it led to a whole host of benefits that included naturally getting back into some exercise just because I didn't hurt all the time anymore.
@JNL, There is book that has been on the market for some time entitled Atomic Habits. In short, the thesis is that small incremental habits developed over time have a great impact on life and performance. I think this applies to health as well as frugality.
There is another that I enjoyed called The Power of Habit. This is a little less practical but discusses the neurological impact of developing habits and finding keystone habits.
I was always fit until COVID hit and gyms were closed. Although I continued to walk everyday, I did not develop any kind of at home routine. I gained 25 pounds which I’m in the process of losing, but I’m having a tough time developing an exercise habit again.
@kristin@going country,
I think there is a difference between (slightly) overweight and being down right obese.
For obese people loosing some weight definitely would add to their overall well being and make it easier and possible to start to incorporate some exercise in their daily routine - just the way you describe.
@Lea, I wasn't obese, but losing 30 pounds improved my life immeasurably. I think we get used to dealing with a low level of declined function and don't realize that until it's better.
@JNL, I lost 20 lbs in 2023 using the “slow & steady” philosophy. And I have kept it off this year, despite major life changes & stressors! I’m trying to regroup now exercise-wise (new town, new YMCA membership) & trying to work on losing another 8-10 lbs before year end.
@kristin@going country, the weight measurement industry is different in every country & is very old (1940/50s ? or older) when people where much smaller in size (height/weight) compared to now. A neighbor kid just turned 6 & is the size of a 9/10 year old (in height). Younger siblings (2 & 4 years younger) are currently normal size for age. Teen has friends that have younger siblings that are big (height/weight) for age also.
According to industry I have been obese for decades, even though I have started to feel over weight last few years (due to many factors). I was not round in size, I was also not a stick figure but according to my weight & height I was considered obese which I did not look/feel like.
As far as weight loss & weight loss products, it has been shown that they work, but you have to take forever because if you stop your body starts to regress back to before because the medication is not active in your body causing the chemical change(?). I firmly believe in food in moderation (& adjust if needed) & moderate exercise (minimum).
Part of this change is how food is grown & processed, even non processed foods at least in USA. That's why some other countries will not purchase food grown in USA as it does not meet health/nutrition standards of other countries. Can we do better? Absolutely, but not the same as 30/40/50 years ago as (evolution?) our bodies have changed.
@kristin@going country, I'm glad you found something that works for you. One of the issues I have is that so much of our body type is affected by genetics, and yet the message pushed on us (that is, mostly us women) is that we will look thin in a very specific way (often with images of white women), which excludes many body types. It is better to aim for healthy rather than thin.
On a side note, this is my favourite video on exercise and well-being, from the great Angela Lansbury!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE7icznIxLc
@kristin@going country,
Moving is definitely easier and more pleasant when you are less heavy. I've read about you taking daily runs and imagine you running aling the fences that your son helped set up!
I specifically mentioned the jojo-ing since that was my experience of plus 30 years and my doctor's advice was based on that history. I have managed to keep in good health mainly thanks to squeezing in movement wherever I could in my daily life.
You mentioned goals and it got me thinking that goals only ever stressed me out. I am very much a habit keeper and that is helping me me now that I understand my pitfalls better.
Grethen Rubin comes to mind, although I cannot recall all types she identified.
@kristin@going country, I also lost 30 lbs over the course of a year (was not obese to start with) through calorie tracking and reducing consumption of ultra processed foods and yes the difference was amazing! I thought I was pretty energetic before but now I’m even more so, and I just feel really good almost all the time. I did make slow sustainable changes to get here though, so that’s why I think maintaining hasn’t been difficult.
@kristin@going country, I agree. After four kids, I found myself in the overweight--nearly obese--category for my height. I was about 40 pounds over from when I got married. My hip hurt, my foot hurt, my back hurt...all low-level pain, but it was THERE. But it had crept up slowly, over the years, and being so busy with young children I hadn't noticed beyond having to buy bigger clothing. Boo. It was when everything started hurting that I realized I had to do something.
DH's insurance company had a program that I qualified for, to earn incentives for exercising and logging my food. It was quite the eyeopener when I learned how many calories were in a cup of pasta! And who really just eats a cup? 😉 Between logging and beginning a running habit, I lost 50 pounds. I couldn't quite maintain that after needing surgery for an unrelated issue, but I'm still about 30 pounds down from my highest weight, which is good! And I have more muscle than I did then, so I'm sure that factors in.
For *me* 180 pounds was not healthy. For another woman with different genetics, even the same height as me, it might not be unhealthy.
I agree! My goal in working with Ben was to feed my body better and to get stronger; any changes in my weight were going to be incidental, rather than the goal.
@JNL, et al,
I agree with what most of you have said, and kristin@going country, it's great that you've found what works for you. Most folks, myself included, would struggle to stick to 1200 calories/day, but it works for you. The US has such a bizarre attitude around food, diet, and body image; our "diet culture" reinforces that the thinner you are, the more beautiful/attractive/healthy you are. You definitely CAN be too thin; I find patients in the hospital all the time who show signs of malnutrition from lack of appetite, poor eating habits, and lots of other reasons. You can actually be overweight or obese, AND be malnourished. Yes, it does happen.
People who are overweight or obese have a myriad of reasons why they are that way: it's not just "eat less and move more". One size does not fit all when it comes to how we eat!. "Quick fix diets" don't work. Period. And Yo-yo dieting is terrible for your health. Finding a lifestyle that includes healthful foods, and moving your body, in a way that allows you to *maintain* a healthful weight, strength, flexibility, quality of life, is the key.
And so true about BMI....it was never intended to be used the way it is used these days. For example, someone who is naturally more muscular (or works out with weights, for example) can have a high BMI, but is clearly not overweight or obese.
I'm sure I could say more - as a dietitian, food and diet is my thing - but I'll stop here.:-)
Oh my goodness, yes, I would be starving on 1200 calories a day. Ben had me a little over 2300.
@Regina,
Not sure what you mean about your body regressing because the medication is not active in your body, causing the change? Do you mean if you stop taking weight loss medications (like Mounjaro, Ozempic, etc)?
@Liz B., I have been told by few people (men & women) who have taken prescription weight loss medications (Ozempic, etc) who stopped taking the medication (assuming because reached goal or could not afford, but did not ask) that they gained the weight lost back within a year. I'm not informed about these medications & not in medical field, just sharing what I've been told by some others who have used & then stopped using these medications.
@Liz B., yet the medical "profession" thinks BMI is a prime number for the first page of the mostly useless, waste of paper, that is printed out after an office visit. While I am nowhere close to being overweight, I've decided that I am no longer going to step on the scale. I don't care if it is "a point check on the to-do list" that in no way makes me think I'm getting quality care.
@Liz B., @Kristen,
it really does depend though what you eat. There are foods that are low-calorie foods but really fill you up. 1200 calories is little,but 1800 for example can work very well (if you eat enough potatoes in those 1800 calories, haha)
I hope you don't do that thing where if you go to bed just a little past your optimum window to get to sleep, you're up for another two hours staring into the dark. I do that. I also do the thing where if my alarm is set earlier than usual to get up for something, I wake up multiple times a night and check the time, and then wake up way before my alarm anyway.
I hope you actually got some sleep, is what I'm saying. Because this is clearly something I have an issue with. I would be an absolutely terrible nurse for a lot of reasons, but the whacked out schedules would really be a problem:-)
I remember being really intimidated by mental health clinicals also. I just had no idea what to expect but like you said, people were glad to have someone to talk to and it was generally a good experience. That was also the clinical where a man (a patient there) said something to our student group about investing in a Roth IRA in our 20's and how compound interest would grow it exponentially! I don't remember his exact words, and I may have done it anyway, but I opened a Roth IRA shortly after I graduated college and I'm so glad I did!
Yes, in my experience so far, the patients are delighted to have someone who wants to get to know them and listen to their life stories!
@Kristen, a new face is always appreciated.
In my book, Chiquita can do whatever she pleases.
I am glad you went to an AA meeting and that you are going to an Al-Anon meeting. I have been to open AA meetings a couple of times with my Dad when he was alive. AA was one of the best things to have happened to him, and he remained faithful until his death, a total of nine years. We regained a lot of lost ground during that time. Al-Anon is very helpful in providing coping mechanisms when living with someone who has an addiction.
@Chrissy, yes, yes, yes.
I am curious to know why you have to attend AA meeting & Al Anon meeting for mental health? Is it to try to have knowledge of this disease & effects on person/people?
I (personally) have never been to either meeting(s) but know some who have some experience in these areas & would reccomend that you write your paper for each meeting before attending next to try to not cross back & forth between two as it is so easy to do when talking about each side of this subject.
My cousins daughter (my 2nd cousin?) is in nursing school also (in Florida) & in her 2/3 year, while working in (second) hospital (currently night ER). She's younger (mid 20s & said never having kids after womens health section) but I don't recall anything like your current assignment. After finishing this (current) semester (I think) there will be opportunity to take nursing test to be able to have nursing degree valid in other states also. I did not know (another of my cousins/my cousins aunt is already nurse & lived in Alaska where was nurse & then recently moved to Colorado or Georgia where nurse degree not accepted) that nurse degree not accepted every where, like doctors degree is (even from other countries). Currently my cousin daughter has no intentions of moving to another state, but you never know where life may take you & she wants to make sure hard work to get nurse degree is accepted anywhere may go.
@Regina,
If you look up Nurse Licensure Compact, you will find the requirements to be able to practice in multiple states. Currently there are twenty-seven compact states that involve jumping through the hoop one time in applying for compact licensure. Otherwise, to transfer licensing requires retesting in the state of transfer after you've been licensed already in the state you are moving from.
So, as I understand it, it's to gain a greater understanding of substance abuse and to be more familiar with local options to help patients with it.
Also, just like with mental health clinicals, going in and gaining exposure to the real humans affected by these problems helps us develop empathy and helps to destigmatize mental health and substance abuse difficulties.
@Kristen,
I have been a sober member of AA for 37 years come Oct. 1. I believe one of the greatest barriers to treatment is the stigma that goes along with the disease of alcohol - especially for women and especially for women in different cultures. Although our society often romanticizes or embraces "guys being guys" ( many famous male performers and comics pretend to be drunk on stage - as in the movie Arthur); there is NOTHING funny about a female alcoholic. She is treated as a target, a victim and then as a object of disgust.
As a nurse, you will come across many people whose life and the lives of their families can be changed. Please carry the message that THERE IS A SOLUTION. Also please become familiar with the types of meetings available. Many women from other cultures would not be comfortable or even allowed to attend a co ed meeting. AA in every area has women only meetings. Also, not all meetings are the same. Some meetings are pretty rough, with homeless and people just out of institutions. I will attend these meetings because I have time and experience. A newcomer might be more comfortable in a meeting with people who are professionals or small towns or in their own church. Encourage anyone you encounter to "keep coming back" until they find a meeting with people with whom they can relate.
Also, I assume you have my email. If you ever encounter someone who needs an outreach email, you may pass mine on to the individual. If it is a woman I will work with her. If it is a man, I will pass the request for info on to a sober male of the community. You may not, however, publish my name or email on your website. It is an important tradition for us to remain anonymous at the level of press, radio, films and social media. This is the link to a meeting you may pass on any place in the country: https://www.aa.org/find-aa
Yes! At the place where I went, there are meetings for teens, for families, one just for women, and so on. I love that they offer such a variety for people.
Thank you for your many years in AA helping others, and thank you for the offer to help people I come across.
@mary ann, Those are really valuable insights - thank you for sharing.
@mary ann @Kristen
I was not aware of meetings just for women, that is good to know & I will definately share if asked. I was aware of meetings just for teens (because of age). Thank you for sharing those valuable insights.
I had no idea either before! I am learning so much about the AA and adjacent programs this semester.
@Kristen, I watched an incredible (and devastating) TV series earlier this year called Dopesick about people becoming addicted to opioids (oxycontin) and said effect on their lives. It was all the more sad because the drugs and risks were deliberately created by the Sackler family who sold the drugs to the pharmaceutical market. Anyway, I can recommend it, but it was incredibly hard to watch!
@mary ann, congratulations on continuing to work your program. A long time Alanon member here. Thank you for making the program clear for those who don't know. Well written.
“Starting a new career”? Lady, it seems to me you’re starting a new something-or-other just about every single day. That’s a path to a full, and fulfilling, life.
Re: your writing assignments, you sound like I felt when I took placement tests upon returning to college. The topic for the essay portion of the test was to explain societal changes through changes in grocery stores and their offerings. Now there was something I knew - grocery stores - and I've always been able to write essays. I scored perfectly on that portion of the exam. I was smiling with satisfaction the entire time I wrote.
I had never heard of the glucose goddess, but I sure learned a lot about the effect of glucose on the system of a diabetic. We learned about the effect of mixing in protein with carbs, the differing effects of different foods on different diabetics, timing and measuring glucose intake against exercise/physical work and how fast glucose can get to a person's system. Sometimes, we wanted it to be really, really fast! I think I'll check out her site.
@JD,
One of my doctors was convinced that my blood sugar was spiking too often during the day. I am not diabetic, but I am Hypoglycemic. She wrote a prescription for a glucose monitor that was attached to my phone and for two weeks I tracked my blood sugar in relationship to what I ate. It was fascinating.
@Bee,
My husband used a Dexcom which I could track on my phone. We could watch his blood glucose rise and fall with food, activity, hormones upon rising and going to bed, etc. I agree, it was fascinating. I'm sorry you have hypoglycemia, though. I worked with someone who had chronic hypoglycemia, among other health issues. He got called him the hummingbird, because he ate at 30-60 minute intervals throughout the day or else he passed out. I wish you success in dealing with yours!
@JD, @Bee - may the information tracked not end up in the hands of anyone but yourself. Sad to say nothing is ever truly deleted.
I love your pictures of both of your cats!
Our cats are constantly naughty and where they shouldn't be. I think they know just how cute they are and how fast snuggles melt your heart.
Hope you feel rested today. Thank you for writing a post for us to enjoy!
Chiquita in the cabinet -- how darling!
I love Chiquita's antics! She is just adorable.
Kristen, thank you for answering my endless questions. Thoughts in response to today's post:
1. I'm with you on writing: it is excellent to have confidence in something when much of life is a Figure-it-Out situation.
2. The black on your clinical coat is you scribbling out your name tag because we are the World Wide Web, yes?
3. How weird that to be a nurse, one must also be a writer and videographer.
4. Nice that Ben just worked with what you had available.
5. I've gotten a great deal of help from the Glucose Goddess, but 2nd hand because I am not on Instagram. (My phone-dependent buddy passes information along to me.) Her book, The Glucose Revolution, has been my guide through this Beat-Pre-Diabetes excursion.
6. How thoughtful of Chiquita to provide so many photographic moments for us all!
Haha, yep about the scribbling; usually it's not recommended to show your school or hospital badges online.
I think it's possible you failed to read the fine print when you brought Chiquita home---cats are allowed *everywhere*. At least they think so. 😉
Clark is grumpy right now because we weighed him and to our shock he was up to 13 pounds (they said he was around 10 pounds when we adopted him). He felt a bit underweight when he came home, but has plumped up. He's 2 years old and not a big-framed cat. Shame on us for giving him too many treats. (He's very food-motivated and will sit up and beg sweetly.) Now he is on strict rations, only tuna liquid for human food treats, and 5 crunchy treats MAX per day. Plus I shooed him off the counter when he smelled tofu. He doesn't even make up for his chicanery by snuggling or sitting on laps. Rude.
DH ordered him a cat harness and leash, in order to hopefully get him some more exercise. He adores sniffing at the windows and would love to go outside.
Same for Chiquita; she was getting too plush, so now she is on restrictions. 😉
@Kristen, I felt like an ogre today when his dish was empty all afternoon---I grew up thinking you just left kibble out for cats all day--but the bag says 1/2-2/3 cup a day, so we're going with 1/2 cup a day, split into a breakfast and a dinner feed. Plus more exercise.
I like the word "plush"--especially with Clark, who already looks like a stuffed animal! Ha.
Just chiming in here to say that I only know Glucose Goddess for pedaling misinformation online. See @unbiasedscipod, @drjessicaknurick, and @babiesafter35 on IG.
Ohhh, is it mainly around the supplement she sells? I am skeptical of that, but thought that the info about combining carbs with fat, protein, and fiber was a well-established way to prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes (and the associated tiredness that we all hate).
@Amanda in VA, I love @predeiabetes.nutrition on IG for her pairing suggestions and will check out your suggestions. Thanks!
LOVE the glucose goddess!!! She has been so insightful for me! A must follow if you feel you have blood sugar issues or wanna know more.
Extreme cat lady here! I washed up all of the fuzzy blankets yesterday knowing that the cats would prefer staying indoors due to thunderstorms. They bring us so much joy and their antics are known to cause full belly laughing fits.
Add a fun loving border collie pup into the mix and it's an all out house full of crazy. Pup has such a great sense of humor.
I was wiping out the shop fridge and lifted out the 4 gallons of milk (approx 32 lbs) and instantly felt my bad knee twinge and I noted how my joints felt with each addition of gallons. I use 1 gallon jugs of water as weights for strength training on the stairs as part of my knee pt. Now I know that 4 gallons is my limit.
Today I am trying out a new cookie recipe and a healthy banana cake/bar for a funeral this weekend. My aunt requested my meatballs in enchilada sauce, my Mexican street corn casserole and my cornbread. I'm adding a layered taco salad, cookie plate and the banana bars.
I had to do a 3 month clinical rotation in psych, full-time, to get my degree as an occupational therapist. I was assigned to a unique unit in a state mental hospital--a unit for deaf individuals with psychiatric illnesses severe enough that they were confined to the state hospital. This was in the 1970's.
I was TERRIFIED my first day. I drove around and around before I could talk myself into going inside. It turned out well, although not without some drama. Most of the patients were there because in the "olden days" families really didn't know how to cope with disabilities like profound deafness. Some of the older patients grew up in families who never learned sign language to communicate with them, and hearing aids weren't very effective when they were young. Some of these people were never sent to school and may have been kept hidden when there were visitors. Some were taught orally--to read lips and try to communicate verbally, but it's not successful for everyone, especially the profoundly deaf.
How do you react when trying to communicate something important and someone is not understanding you? These people were often abused by family members and others who were frustrated by not being able to communicate with them. And when they could not communicate with others, their behaviors sometimes escalated to physical violence--and that's why many of them were committed to the state hospital--they didn't have actual psychiatric illnesses.
Another group of patients were young and today we would recognize them as autistic as well as deaf. They were committed due to violent behaviors as well. We are talking teenagers, some had been there many years already when I was there.
There were some who had real psychiatric diagnoses like paranoid schizophrenia. It was fascinating seeing a deaf man communicate in sign language to his "voices".
The good thing was that everyone learned to communicate with sign language, and that reduced a lot of the physical behaviors that got them there in the first place. I learned to feel safe, learned a lot of sign language, and I learned so much from patients and staff alike. It was a good experience.
Instead of feeling like an "incompetent newbie" when I do something new, I like to adopt the Zen concept of the "beginner's mind". The definition is ""having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner in that subject would." The beginner's mind is encouraged because it is wide open to new ideas and possibilities, while so-called "experts" may be very limited and biased in their thinking about the subject. I think what you are learning about blood glucose control is outside the accepted norms of diabetic care (where the "expert opinion" is to load people with low fat carbs and then treat the high blood glucose levels with insulin and other diabetic meds), but you are open to other ways of thinking about it. An interesting read for you may be "Dr. Richard K. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution" to integrate what you are learning about blood glucose and diet.
We were all beginners once, and it's important to remember that we don't come into any experience as fully formed experts. If you hold on to the beginner's mind, you will succeed. Never be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. Observe what's going on around you, too.
Personally, I love stories about new beginnings and how people grow in many aspects of life, not just jobs but anything new in life (currently I am enjoying learning about how visually impaired people learn to trust and bond with their first guide dog, and how it improves their independence). I am really enjoying your blog as you navigate your new, unmarried life, your new career, and adapting now having adult children (I'm on that journey, too).
One more thing. When I was a little girl, my father was interviewed by the local TV news for some project he was involved with, and he took me along to the news studio. It was an Armed Forces Radio and Television System (AFRTS, and yes--we rearranged the letters) because we were stationed on the island of Okinawa, and my dad was a civilian working for the US Army. The anchors had to wear full dress uniform which included an undershirt with short sleeves, a crisply starched shirt and tie, and a wool dress uniform jacket. It was HOT on Okinawa to begin with (tropical island) and even hotter under studio lights. So my takeaway from that experience was they wore the uniform from the waist up, and went around in shorts and zoris (flip flops) below the waist. :o)
Haha, I would 100% do what your dad did! I hate being hot.
Chiquita is so photogenic, she's such a pretty kitty!! Thanks for sharing.
Cats are like small children - they survive because they are cute.
Are those Calphalon pots? I think I have the same set, use them all the time. Stainless steel and cast iron, so very satisfying to cook on.
I am so glad to hear you are attending 12-step-meetings as part of your training. I think it's so helpful when health care staff knows a bit about these fellowships that are so beneficial to so many.
I so appreciate your comments about attending the AA meeting. I have attended meetings for 43+ years and have been able to stay sober continuously that way. I have also been in numerous meetings over the years when nursing students were attending for part of their education and I have always been grateful for that. As we say "one day at a time."
I'll be checking out the glucose goddess. My husband is a type 1 diabetic so glucose, carbs, sugar....they're on my mind all the time as I prepare meals.
Al-Anon helped me so much. It taught me to look at my part and to make changes for myself. I went to AA meetings too and it was very enlightening and hopeful.
It was interesting to see how both the AA and the Al-Anon meetings have that in common: the focus on staying in your lane and keeping your eyes on what is YOUR responsibility.
It's always learning experience to be somewhere your not sure about. Your young you have a lot learn. Yes I made the same mistake of not having my clothes prepared and ready. And now I plan ahead and get a picture of what to wear. And I love Chiquita pretty cat! I am looking for a pretty cat to cuddle with. Love cats. Thank you.