Thankful Thursday | exam = priority
Hey everyone!
I know I'm a little late today; I had a big exam in my med-surg class this morning, so I was studying last night up until I went to bed, and then this morning I rolled right outta bed and hit the studying again until my exam at 9:00.
But for better or for worse, it's done now! WHEW.
for an extra test point
Apparently there was a glitch with something in the last OB/women's health test, so the head of the department decided to give everyone an extra point on the last exam.
That bumped my 49/50 up to a 50/50, so I am sitting pretty in that class.
I wish I could take some of my points from the OB/women's health class and transfer them over to med-surg for a little more buffer!
that I feel so comfy talking in class now
I don't know if I've said this before (apologies if I'm repeating myself), but when I had my first in-person class back in 2022, I remember the professor going around and having people introduce themselves and say a little about themselves.
This was a class of maybe 30 people, and I can remember feeling so nervous when it was about to be my turn.
This is funny to look back on, because I regularly talk in my class of 130+ people now. I guess I had some personal growth!
for exposure to medical people who care
The first hour of one of my clinical days this week was spent in a doctor/nurse meeting where they were sharing how they are coping with a really tragic recent case where a young guy (who was about to be discharged) suddenly deteriorated and passed away, despite their best efforts.
The doctors and nurses who cared for this guy were all crying as they told the story, and while it was sad (and of course, I cried listening to them!), I thought that it was beautiful to see how affected they all were, despite being veterans in the medical field.
And it made me feel proud to be joining this profession...where these human beings care so much for another human being who was little more than a stranger to them.
The guy running the meeting shared this quote from Kahlil Gibran, which I loved:
“Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolution.”
I know healthcare here has serious problems, and there are medical professionals who lack a caring attitude, but it was lovely to see representation of people who are doing this work because they care about taking care of people.
that I am learning so much in clinical
Now that I've got two weeks under my belt at this hospital, I feel way more comfortable with things like the documenting system, where things are stored, and how to use their vital signs machines and IV pumps.
And my assigned patient this week was just a delight!
that I got a ticket to my dream piano concerto
I have wanted to hear Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto in concert forEVER. I was so excited to see it was on the program this spring, but then I saw the tickets were sold out.
Buttttt, I checked last night, and somehow a few seats opened up!!
I did have to pay full price for this one (no student pricing available), but that is ok...it's happening right around my birthday and I am considering it my birthday gift to myself.
You may have heard this piece even if you haven't been immersed in classical music. Here's a YouTube of it, and oh man, the part that starts at about 40 seconds in is SO beautiful.
I already know I'm probably gonna cry when I hear this in concert. 😉
that I got to sit near the double basses
When I bought my student ticket for last week's symphony, I didn't really have much of an idea of where I'd be sitting, but I ended up very near the string basses (all six of them).
And that made me happy because double basses are one of my favorite parts of the orchestra.
for several beautiful days this week
We have had a couple of super lovely days this week, and as I type this, I'm sitting by my sunny, open window, enjoying the warm air.
It's gonna go back down to freezing on Monday, I think, but for now, it feels like spring!
for some time to go enjoy the weather
I don't have any more scheduled school events today, so after I finish this blog post, I'm gonna throw some walking clothes on and go take a walk on a local trail.
I do have lecture videos to watch and some prep tests to take before tomorrow's lecture, but I can do those this afternoon/evening.
Time to soak up some sunshine!!
And then I'll hit the books again.
I was checking to see if Thankful Thursday was up while I was at a medical test today. I'm thankful that you have posted it ... and that you are prioritizing your time well. 🙂
I'm thankful that said test went well and I *think* my results will be normal. Thankful for the knowledgeable and helpful staff who worked with me today.
We had devastating news last week about someone we know who is in trouble with the law. It was completely unexpected and the news rocked our world. I'm purposely being vague .... but while this was a horrible thing, I'm very thankful for the way our community is handling it and is supporting everyone involved.
@Kris, I checked while at an urgent care for my child! So glad I have a chance to peck out a brief comment before going back to work!
I'm sure you test was for the better.
Thankfuls:
--For a good trip on Tuesday to a church and pilgrimage site. We were gone almost 12 hours, drove almost 350 miles, and didn't have any car trouble, weather issues, etc.
--For older children who can (mostly) handle trips like this now. Sure, they get tired of the car and act up ocassionally, but the days of absolute meltdowns in the car are over, which means we can actually go places now.
--For continued improvement in my eldest son's foot. He can start walking without the crutches and boot now. Next step is physical therapy, and then we can hope that all of this is behind us.
--That that same son went out and fixed the chicken coop door yesterday without being asked. The door had been loose at the hinges and hard to open and close for weeks, and came right off yesterday. All fixed now, though.
--For the relaxed mornings of spring break. I enjoy not setting my alarm or having to haul five other people out of bed.
--That the problem I had yesterday with a vacuum was the vacuum dying, and not the outlet blowing out. It was the old vacuum I use to clean cars anyway, so no great loss, and an outlet would have been way harder to fix.
I love that quote. Thanks for sharing it.
This week’s thankful:
-Sun! I have taken my last group of the day outside 3x because it’s been so warm and bright and I think it’s helping them learn.
-A new excitement for going back to school. A colleague recommended a field of study because she thinks I’ll enjoy it, and she’s right. This will make continuing Ed for my work fun!
-health this winter. We’ve hardly had any big illness…just COVID the one time. My kids have hardly missed school, which is unusual in my home.
-being almost to sandal weather. Free the feet!!
No chance to listen to the YouTube yet but I am hoping so much that the concert will include Prelude in C# Minor, the hardest thing I ever learned to play and the one most likely to make me cry (because my dad used to play it).
Thankfuls this week: one dominates to the degree that I cannot think of much else:
1. I spent most of yesterday sitting in a waiting room in a city 85 miles away with a dear friend and her son while her husband was in a delicate surgery. It went well, and we didn't know how stressed we were until the doctor finally called to say he was finished. We simply sat there chitchatting about everything and nothing, like ducks who were calm on the surface but paddling like crazy beneath. That unseen paddling was simply a soundtrack of PLEASE PLEASE GOD, O PLEASE!
2. Found a misplaced checkbook. Too many busy days in a row caused it to hide under the flap at the bottom of a totebag. I prayed for guidance, the idea of looking there came at the very moment my husband discovered it.
I can't possibly absorb any more goodness for which to be thankful than these right now.
WHOA. I just started listening to the YouTube, and instant tears. Not going to be able to listen to this today after all the emotion from yesterday's wait in the hospital.
I just saw the symphony and chorus do Carmina Burana last weekend. Oh what a delight! I went with my two sons and daughter-in-law. Since they didn't know the music as well as I did (one my Dad's records growing up), I wasn't sure what they would think. They just loved it. So thankful we were able to do that together.
Thank you for including us in your schedule for the day!
We just had a knock-down, drag-out thunderstorm. Rather unusual for a morning. It reminded me that no matter how much weather experts try to sanitize and make storms comfortable with colored maps and swirling charts, the real thing is awesome, with touches of frightening. Very peaceful now that it is over.
I learned that an old friend, my last personal connection to my undergraduate school, is retiring at the end of the semester. I look back at those years and would like to shake my old self for missed opportunities, and take pride in knowing that I did as much as I was capable of at the time. And I am thankful that she could teach and touch lives there for so many years.
I am thankful my husband might be getting some answers to health questions, that my arthritis is not flaring, that the crocuses are extra-tall this year and overflowing daffodils are blooming, that my son finds joy in ordinary things, that my sister and I can laugh and remember the best of our parents and our childhood.
@Heidi Louise,
"....take pride in knowing that I did as much as I was capable of at the time." That 100% resonates with me....maybe I can give myself some grace for all the missed opportunities in my past life. Thank you.
@Liz B., Thank you for writing! Youthful me made some poor choices; older me has learned to forgive myself. Grace and peace to you, Liz.
(Not saying that older me doesn't make poor choices. I just know better how to treat myself now).
Sounds like lovely weather, I too can't wait for flipflop weather to really kick in! My sweet 4 year old niece asked me the other day "Auntie are you ready for Summer?" This Auntie sure is! 🙂
Thankful this week:
1. That my daughter's hurt eye was only something in it, probably bark from the playground, and Not Pinkeye! Phew.
2. For an upcoming girl's nite with some friends, mama needs playdates too 😀
3. For having a few hours in the office to get to know my coworkers better. I LOVE working from home, but it's nice once in a while to get together.
4. For writing inspiration
5. For some time with my Hubby this weekend.
Kristen, the happiness just glows through your whole post. Such lovely news! Count me among those who love Rachmaninoff and Gibran as well.
I am thankful for beautiful weather, for planting two little starter containers of vegetable seeds yesterday, for how our younger girl kitty is becoming so affectionate, and for DH asking me to attend two medical appointments with him this morning. His health issues are getting quite complicated and he thought this would be helpful.
@Ruby, at our ages, a second pair of ears/eyes at any medical appointment is *always* a good idea.
@Ruby, amen. Sister or I have been going with Dad to his appointments. We both take notes, update "the circle" (which includes a relative a Masters in nursing). I am more vocal re: "why is Dad on this medication" than sister, mostly because I go to those appointments. Sister and I swapped so I'll be going to a "specialist" appointment this time. And while I'll listen, am apt to ask the "why is Dad getting this test/office visit at his age when he has NO symptoms". Some PCPs are too old school IMHO. By asking his docs I've already got him off three meds that no longer give him any bang for his buck.
Thankful for you & the community that you share/provide with us. Sometimes it helps more than you could know. 🙂
Thankful for the warm weather & sunshine----until today's rain (which we actually could use).
Thankful for my mom knowledge & sticking to my gut feeling, which resulted in me being correct about the (health) situation & getting confirmation (THANK YOU DENTIST).
Thankful for very friendly & helpful insurance representatives that gave me so much information (that I have been fighting to get for 2 years now). Because of these wonderful people I can now get health issue (hopefully) taken care of SOON!
Thankful for extra pay period this month which will help with upcoming expenses.
Thankful for internet & ability to research information, connect to resources & faster response time compared to previous times.
Thankful for possibility of new job(s) that am looking into. Something that will fit me (& my family) & be able to provide a good living for a good life that we are willing to work for.
My thankfuls:
1. I figured out why I slept half the day yesterday and corrected it today.
2. Sunny and cool weather
3. Completed two tasks for work that I've been putting off. Neither is difficult, but one has such a clunky interface.
4. My computer is still plugging along.
5. For all the people I've "met" here who inspire me individually and collectively to become more frugal.
6. For Thankful Thursdays. Kristen, I'm always amazed by how many things you're thankful for and it reminds me of things I might be taking for granted.
Aww, I love that these posts have that effect on you! Yay!
Thank you for the comments about the medical profession. I find compassion and kindness more often than not and am grateful for skilled and dedicated professionals.
Better late than never, always!
This week, I'm of course thankful for DH's and my handy friend who bails me out of my occasional household jams. Blessings on him.
And I'm very thankful that the foundation of my undergraduate college (with which I am not otherwise on good terms these days) reached out to the former students of my favorite professor, to let us know that he still has hard-copy materials he'd like to return to a lot of us. I'd drifted out of touch with him over a decade ago, and sent a message to his current personal email address to let him know how happy I was to hear from/of him. (He's now in his 90s, and I wasn't sure I'd have a chance to communicate with him again this side of Valhalla.)
Tests always come first, you have your priorities straight. We are all willing to help you by waiting patiently till you post. I don't think we can help you with Chiquita's interruptions, though.
I'm thankful:
1. That the major water leak in the line leading to and under my daughter's house happened the day BEFORE she and my grandkid flew to meet an old friend for a few days of fun on spring break, and that she was able to get plumbers there to replace it that very day. The broken line was flooding the yard and under her house. I don't even want to think about if it had broken after they had left town.
2. That, if nothing happens in-between now and the end of May, I'll be able to attend my (gulp) 50th high school reunion. I've only been able to attend two reunions in all these years. I'll be honest, as much as seeing old classmates, I'm excited to see my old hometown again. The last time I was back there was in 2010 or 2011 for a funeral, so not a long visit or one in which I could enjoy being there.
3. That my granddaughter's high school graduation is not the same weekend as my reunion, whew.
4. That my neighbor and I had a good chat yesterday over the back fence and she told me my dogs no longer bark at her or her husband. That was such an embarrassment to me when they barked at my neighbors, who always speak kindly to them.
5. That although there are a lot of downsides to cell phones, there are a whole lot of upsides. I remember the black phones on the wall that we had to answer because we didn't know who was calling but it might be important, and there was no way for the caller to leave a message if we missed the call. Now I can glance at my phone and see if it's someone I know or not. If I can't answer, they can just leave a message. I get a ton of calls now that I'm on Medicare, all wanting to send me or DH something "for free," so I enjoy ignoring those calls.
@JD, Our lab, known here as Houndini, has this high-pitched bark that comes out in a frenzy when he sees another dog on walks or in a car in the next lane at a stop light. It can make your ears ring; I kid you not. Otherwise, he seldom barks, unless someone like the groomer tries to kennel him. It is embarrassing.
@Lindsey,
That's so funny, and I believe you. My daughter has had labs who could make the windows rattle with their barks. They sure can be loud.
My older dog, whose picture is in my Meet the Reader post, is not even knee-high at her shoulders, but she barks like a giant German Shepherd, very deep and very loud. Yet by nature she is the sweetest thing, usually so calm and quiet. I always cringe when I see people startled by her sudden bark. Yes, it is embarrassing!
1. I am thankful for daylight saving time. I understand all of the reasons why switching the time is terrible but I love having the hour of sunlight shifted to the evening. We can go on walks and hikes after work and that brings me such joy.
2) I am thankful that our family has been relatively healthy in the last week. That is a welcome change for the constant parade of viruses that hit our household in February.
3) I am thankful for my morning coffee.
That's all I can think of at the moment. I'll probably remember more this afternoon.
Good luck on the exam!
I am thankful for work going well and getting a payrise!
Thankful that I can go home for a visit soon.
Thankful for so many books from the library to enjoy and TV shows to stream.
@Sophie in Denmark, Congratulations on the payrise! Work must be going VERY well. ;-}
@JDinNM, thank you! Everyone is getting a payrise after work from the union 🙂
Beautiful Kristen, thank you for sharing.
Beautiful joy shared here! I love how live music is recharging your spirit as of lately!
Thankful things:
1) We got a good offer on our home & no longer have to live ready for showings.
2) We had 70 degrees here yesterday, so we went to the beach. It was 20 degrees colder, so we were totally under dressed & had to leave quickly. But it was a refreshing view & we found a local lake/trail to visit instead that was more like 68 degrees in the area:)
3) For fresh groceries & cooking at home. We were depending on restaurants through prepping the house, and felt blah by all that food/time there.
4) For my buy nothing group saving me trips to the thrift store & being excited to use my old/unused stuff.
5) For chocolate. Always a help in stressful seasons:)
@Rachel R., Your #1 is SUCH a big deal. Congratulations!
I am so thankful for the nicer weather we've had. Dreary, gray, cold days do a number on me. I celebrated by cleaning my daughter's car (this won't be surprising if you saw my Meet a Reader post ;)). My other daughter and I have been working on her Jeep, restoring the plastic fenders and bumpers back to black after they'd faded to a light gray. It's looking amazing. I'm thankful I can do these things with and for my girls -- that my body and the weather allow for now.
I, too, am thankful for caring medical staff. We've encountered our fair share of them and it makes all the difference. I'm so happy for the people who will get to be Kristen's patients for this reason.
A tough week for me to find gratitude…. So it’s probably good I do.
1. For the ability to pray
2. For a warm bed and house
3. For my kids.
4. For the logic to now that how I feel isn’t always reality.
5. It will be ok
6. That walking outside makes me feel so. Much. Better. Usually.
@Caitlie, It does sound like a tough week. It's awesome that you're able to still see bright spots and your #6 - so true!
Ditto on the walking, friend.
I often wonder how medical professionals handle the mental load of their work. It must be so hard sometimes.
Today I am thankful that:
-I am on my way to a conference. It is the only conference I will attend this academic year. I have been undergoing treatment for breast cancer since August. Luckily, this conference fell in a break between various treatments, I could get to it by train (so I don't have to drive or fly, which would be more difficult right now), and it happens to be my favorite.
-I made it to the train this morning. A 6am train is painful for my not-a-morning-person brain. But I made it. And I survived getting up at 4:55am. And I really love being on the train once I get past the early morning part.
-I bought my train ticket back in November. I paid $72 for a round trip ticket 10 hours north and back. That wouldn't even pay for my gas to drive it. We are sitting in New York now boarding, and the conductor announced that it is a full train. If I had waited until a week or so ago the ticket would likely have been $250, or I might not have gotten a ticket at all.
-I am feeling markedly better one month post double mastectomy. I usually lay down in bed with my four year old for a few minutes after we finish reading. I hadn't been able to do so since the surgery, but two nights ago I was finally able to get back to it. I treasure these few minutes of cuddling with my last of four babies. He will be five next month, so I know this won't last forever. I am soaking up every minute.
-This spring weather put me in a good mood this week too. Chemo threw me hard into hot flashes, so I have joined the ranks of women for whom 70 degrees is hot. I fear the 95 degree days of summer, but for now the sun on my face and the warm breezes feel real nice.
Part of the meeting's focus was on how they debriefed after this loss and offered support to each other. The one nurse has a husband who also works in healthcare, so he was able to offer her support and long hugs while she cried, and I thought that was beautiful.
I am so happy that you are feeling better after your surgery!!
Wishing you a happy birthday already!
I love that you treat yourself to concerts
I wasn’t particularly inspired to participate in the thankfulness sweepstakes this morning but Kristen’s post prompted me to express my thanks for ALL my healthcare providers: cardiologists, audiologists, ophthalmologists/optometrists, pharmacists, all the technicians who perform the various tests and the mammograms and bone density screenings and do the blood draws for testing, and most especially my certified nurse practitioner who is my primary care provider and who (relentlessly) runs herd on all of the above – kind of like a lion tamer in the middle of the ring of a medical circus. Our medical “system” is lacking in numerous ways for way too many people, but there are times when I marvel at just how good (sometimes miraculous) it is, and how caring and empathetic the people are. So … Thank you, one and all!
@JDinNM, And thanks for the Rachmaninoff! One of my favorite piano concertos.
Yes. Just because a lot is wrong with the system, it doesn't negate the fact that a lot is also right and wonderful about the care we receive.
@Kristen, We've had a lot of exchanges on this blog about the miracle of cataract surgery and how life-changing that is, and that's just one example.
@Kristen, well depending on who we (briefly) saw and how inaccurate one's medical record is due to that. Sorry - while you've had the benefit of competent and caring physicians, those of us who are getting the shaft from putting in time/ready to go home medical "professionals" might be screwed the rest of our lives due to said inaccurate records.
I love reading about how nursing is creating so much personal growth for you.I experienced gthat also.. it is a wonderful career! your story of the doctor/nurse meeting is poignant. You are thinking of specializing in OB/GYN which was my specialty,too..and while some people think it is the “fun and easy” nursing.. it has dark moments,too. We OB nurses are a tribe, the doctors,too..and we often cry with our patients… and I know they appreciate our humanity. It takes a special kind of person to give their heart and soiul to health care.. you’re gonna love your work!!!! P.S. If I could change ONE THING about my nursing school days it would be that I would have NOT stressed so much about getting all A’s and highest grades on tests.. I always studied hard, but a B would have been fine too!!!
@Madeline, When my husband had cancer, many years ago, and it looked like he was not going to make it, I saw his physician walk out of the room, slump against the wall and start crying. He had been through five surgeries with my husband and chemo, they were the same age, and they had become friends of a sort. It scared me but also gave me comfort that if the doctor cared that much he would keep fighting to save him.
Aww, I am touched at how much your husband's doctor cared. I think that is beautiful.
Yes; one of the reasons I want to go into OB nursing is because I was there for the stillbirth of my niece. That's one of the hardest things OB nursing has to offer, but being there as support and help felt like such important work to me.
@Madeline, I remember the tears of joy that the nurses and midwife shed when my second-born was born, and I didn't even have a relationship with any of these women. I hadn't even been laboring long; I think I was only at the hospital for maybe an hour before he was born. Yet they cried happy tears with me : )
Not me over here trying to read your notes on Beta Blockers, since I take daily LOL
I'm thankful that y'all think well enough of my advice and cooking that you wanted a recipe, and that FG thinks well enough of me that she posted it. It felt very nice indeed.
FG, everyone, I can see how ~seeing~ how affected the medical personnel were showed you that they care; I also hope you don't mistake not showing it for not feeling it. Sincerely, someone who keeps it in.
Oh, for sure; there's a difference between keeping it in and being callous. 🙂
Today I am having to search hard for things to be thankful for because I feel ill because a new medication is not agreeing with me, the days are getting longer (which I hate. Loved it when we lived in a place where the sun went down and didn't come up for four months), and a friend is very ill and it looks to be chronic. So it is a good day to be forced to find things to be thankful for today.
1. The dogs continue to amuse and comfort us.
2. The daffodils that the husband brought home from the grocery store. They are so cheerful.
3. Sumos are still available. There are not that many fruits I like and I love these so having them still available for a few more weeks thrills me. (Even if they do cost $4.89 a pound.)
4. We have sufficient money for all our needs and some of our desires.
5. The husband, always the husband.
@Lindsey, (a) I hope that you feel better soon, and that you and the new medication will reach an agreement you can live with; and (b) I send my regards as always to the husband, Houndini, and Clobber Paws.
I probably won't ever understand your feelings about daylight, but, hey, to each her own. (And may I address you henceforth as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark?)
@Lindsey,
I do like a lot of different fruits, but Sumos are in my top 2. I'm also grateful I can still get them here in Ohio (they usually cost around $2.50 each, but Ibotta has had a deal for 50 cents off one, so that helps).
@A. Marie, I never thought of myself as Elvira, but I did like her. Your comment did remind me of someone I have not thought about in years: I once lived with a guy who, on Valentine's Day, thought he would do something really romantic. I was sitting in the living room reading and into the room he bounds, naked except for a long black cape and those black Zorro eye coverings, holding a large, red, heart shaped box of chocolates to cover his parts. He used a Transylvanian accent to announce that he was my "Prince of Darkness." Unfortunately, I found it hysterically funny instead of very romantic. A for effort, D for execution. And I am laughing again thinking about it. Now he would be my geriatric prince.
I would also find that to be hysterically funny and I would probably hurt his feelings by giggling.
I was thrilled when our daughter picked the string bass as her instrument in school. So much easier to listen to wrong notes on the bass than on the violin. Plus, less competition when she was picked to play with the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony. Fortunately, her school owned two basses and she was the only student who picked it so she got to have one at school and one at home for practice. It did fit in our car but not having to transport it every week was wonderful!
@Linda Sand, I chuckled all the way through your post! My older sister and I are both pianists, but she also struggled to play the violin. Our family Christmas concerts were a bit ... screechy, is the word that comes to mind. :-{
@JDinNM and @Linda Sand, your comments about "screechy" young violinists brought to mind a certain sibling of mine (don't worry, she won't ever read this), whose violin playing brought to mind Dad Gilbreth's comments in the original Cheaper by the Dozen book about his offspring's playing: "If I heard that coming from the back fence at night, I'd either call the police or heave shoes at it."
@A. Marie,
ROTFL! Thanks for sharing. I needed a good laugh!
Thankfuls
1. I am very thankful to be closing on a new house next Tuesday. I have not looked so forward to moving into a new house since 2003. It's already painted pretty colors that make my heart sing, so I don't think we'll have to modify anything on the inside. YAY!
2. Coffee. Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment and couldn't drink my morning coffee on the couch before I went. I missed it terribly.
3. That I have handy relatives who can help us fix up the "old" house to get it ready to sell.
4. A good job with a boss that thinks I'm outstanding, even when I don't think I am.
5. A warm day yesterday to do some minor cleaning up of our outside spaces. I swept up the gazebo area, put out the chairs on the deck, and was able to pull down some boxes from our attic.
Good idea about the walks get your vitamin D up !
I love that quote, thank you for sharing it with us.
Thankfuls:
- The weather was lovely yesterday and DH and I went for a walk.
- Our DD turned 30 this week so we were able to celebrate with her in person
- DH was willing to take an early morning shift helping DD and SIL with their newborn. After helping out at 5 AM for 5 out of 6 mornings, I needed a break
- Having a flexible schedule at work that allows me to go help out with our grandson and get to work later than usual
- For all the beautiful spring flowers and blooming trees that are everywhere now.
Oh, Kristen, this post hits kinda hard. I am so glad you were/are able to hear Rachmaninoff. I live in a college town that offers Lyceum series, (actually, it is my Alma Mater) and nearly every time I go to a symphony or ballet, tears well up because the opportunity and the beauty is not lost on me. One day, years ago, I had lunch with my brother at a hog auction barn (those cafe cooks are very good) and went to a symphony that night. The juxtaposition of events made me laugh.
And I AM SO GLAD the Health Care Professionals took time for debriefing in this case. It is not unusual for me to have lost "a friend" in my work of geriatrics. While I was out sick, my "favorite" passed. I'm still having a difficult time. And this past week, we admitted one of my past co-worker's and friend who'd had a stroke. She is recovering very well, but this tugs at the heart strings. It's good to be able to share the grief with co-workers and friends.
I am thankful that although I continue to have a cough from the bottom of the Grand Canyon, I feel better. We did have rain (thankful) and lightening during the night but bright sun (thankful) this morning. I actually have a spark of energy for getting some things done.
I am thankful that I was able to go to the podiatrist this morning. The result was not fun, but I will live, and my big toe doesn't hurt so much I can't do some chores. Been two+ weeks at not having energy/being sick.
I am thankful to find pansies and violas at Walmart at a reasonable price this morning. I'm behind in welcoming spring on my front porch with color pots. I also found some big pretty, flat flower pots to put them in. I do not usually get expensive pots, but settle for thrifting or making do.
In the same vein, I am thankful the hellebores (Lenten roses) are blooming full blast. I have muscari (grape hyacinths), tete' tete daffodils, purple anemone, and will soon have a yard full of Virginia bluebells. It's a herald to spring!
Thankful for this blog, for Kristen and the Commentariat.
@Chrissy, I hope you feel better soon. And thank you for your remarks about losing "a friend" in your work in geriatrics. Between my experiences with DH and my friendship with the mental health counselor at DH's nursing home, I often wonder how you folks can keep summoning the strength to carry on.
@A. Marie, it does take a special person to work geriatrics/hospice. On one hand I think I could do it (likely would not be friends or relatives) but on the other hand, a bit of a constant downer.
I always understood that doctors were taught detachment from patients. If you spend all your time crying about patients, you're going to burn out.
What I'm thankful for today:
- a beautiful day. My son and I went to the beach and took pix and video of Rescue Pup for the rescue.
- My org lady's daughter is in love with Rescue Pup. She asked yesterday if he could be their "dog friend." I wish they could adopt him but they simply don't have the space.
- how much org lady improves my life. I'll be taking pictures for the finished cottage next week!
- That tiresome headhunter has probably gotten me a job offer, though not sure if I want to take it. Another job that pays a lot better has opened up, but IDK, I would have to see if they'd let me work from home sometimes.
I don't know what doctors specifically are taught, but during my time in nursing school, I have been taught that it is ok to cry with a patient as you sit with them in their distress.
Part of the point of this meeting (with both doctors and nurses) was to discuss the value of debriefing with colleagues, and to normalize having an emotional response to these kinds of tragic situations. Basically, that it's important to express and discuss these feelings with people who will listen and understand. Healthy processing makes it possible to get back in the saddle and keep helping people even after a tragic loss.
Of course, for me, this is largely theoretical at this point. But I know that since I am sensitive and empathetic, I will definitely have emotional feelings to process when my future patients go through hard things.
Kristen, Such good news from your hospital work and your exams. You always have your priorities straight, which is why you succeed at the hard stuff. And, why we enjoy reading about the life lessons you have to share.
I can picture how kind you are as a nurse and am not surprised that you find your patient delightful. People usually reflect back the way they are treated.
- daffodils! Forsythia! Crocuses!
- sunshine and warmer days (my kids got into bathing suits this afternoon and dragged out the baby pool!)
- the sound of giggling on the see-saw yesterday
- friendships
- so many other big and little things that I tend to take for granted...
I'm going to put that Gibran quote on my mirror! Thanks for sharing!
1. I am thankful for having good credit so that I was easily approved at every bank and credit union I went to regarding refinancing my car. Although they approved me, some couldn't decrease the rate I was paying for the loan, and one even had a slightly higher rate. (Uh, thanks but no thanks.) Ended up getting a pretty good APR that is 1.1 percent lower than what the car manufacturer was charging. Wish it was even lower, but I got what I could get. Fun fact: the new loan is at the same credit union where I borrowed money for my very first car in 1978.
2. I have taken this for granted for all the time I've lived in my present house, but shopping online for flooring, I realized it is a big blessing indeed: the contractor who was redoing the bathroom said he had some leftover ceramic tile for the floor and he'd use that instead of having me buy new flooring. Of course, I thanked him at the time. I am looking at some products to replace the hall carpeting, and just now realized that floor tiles cost a small fortune....and I got mine for free!
3. That I have almost every school day in March and April booked for substitute teaching gigs. Most are full-day and/or multi-day assignments. Praying to also book every school day in May and June.
4. For getting a really quick refill of the prescription meds I ran out of; I could tell the difference not taking the pills!
5. For fields of Texas bluebonnets in full bloom now!
Much to be thankful for this week:
1) 9:30 workout classes. This is feels so leisurely to me right now, when I'm not working. I love mornings & don't have to get up at 5 to work out!
2) A spring break plan with the teens. It's our last spring break with both at home, and we're going to do a national park road trip. Very unlikely we would have taken the time off if I was working.
3) Similarly, I have three free hotel nights expiring soon (can't use them on the road trip), so I've invited my mom to go to Sedona with me on a hiking trip. I'll use travel credits & points to cover the rest.
4) I'm very travel focused today. I also used points for two nights at a very splurge hotel for my husband's birthday in June. The teens will be with my parents.
5) I say this a lot, but I heart leftovers. I don't enjoy cooking on busy days, and having easy options at the ready in the fridge is always a treat. I am doing more cooking now, but it's still nice to have options.
Thank you for your comments about medical professionals. I think doctors are taught to have a certain level of detachment, because you can't fall to pieces every time something doesn't go as planned; I also think that's different from not feeling or not caring. I know I've shed plenty of tears as a hospital dietitian over the past 36 years, including the first patient I had who died of COVID. Most of these tears have been in private.
This also reminded my of participating in an Honor Walk at the hospital where I work. This was a few years ago; a young, otherwise healthy patient had succumbed to traumatic injuries, and when all hope of recovery had been exhausted, the patient's family decided to donate his organs. Well over a hundred staff members lined the hallway as they moved the patient out of the ICU to the operating room....there were a few dry eyes, but not many, as the family walked beside their loved one for the last time. I will never forget it.
I’m deeply grateful for a beautiful walk with my husband this afternoon and for all the great conversations we have with one another.
I’m thankful for an open Saturday this coming weekend when my husband and I can put a dent in some housekeeping and yard work.
It would seem that I am late, too! Today I am thankful--
*that son #3 passed the written test and received his learner's permit.
*that we had a fun day as a family today. We went for a field trip to the local (free) art museum and enjoyed an exhibit about children's book illustrators.
*that my husband decided to splurge, so we all got to enjoy a yummy meal at a favorite restaurant tonight.
*for the warmer weather. My face doesn't appreciate cold weather at all anymore after the paralysis. I'm told that it will likely always go a little crazy in the cold, so warmer weather means I can be outside again!
*for cinnamon rolls for breakfast today.
*for funny kids.
- watching the daffodils prepare to bloom along our rock wall
- hugging my neighbor, who is in college and home for spring break
- a walk to campus with my teenage son... with him leading the conversation
- meeting with marching band parents as preparations begin for the Memorial Day parade
- the newish outdoor beer garden in our town, full of people and dogs and kids, and great live music
Ahhhh…Full Moon and Empty Arms*! Hope you enjoy the concert! I prefer the Paganini Variations if we’re talking about Rachmaninov piano with orchestra but it’s all beautiful.
*a classic popular song based on a theme from Rach 2nd piano concerto.
Lots of things, but specifically the friendships God has resurrected in my life since the fall, all old friends from different seasons of my life, all moms, all believers. It’s been so helpful to me and my mental health to chat regularly with these 7 women.
I'm thankful that ...
1) My family and I pretty much gotten over our sickness. It's great having my energy back.
2) I'm getting back to the routine of things. Slow and steady wins the race. Started devotions, reading, and exercising again. Also cleaning, cooking and doing laundry, my most hated task.
3) Grateful for the advise I get from self help books and excited to be applying some of what I learned. Current one I'm reading is 'Digital Minimalism.' It's such a great read!