Wordless Wednesday

ABSOLUTELY BREATH TAKING...

That is how I will sum up today. 89 degrees on the 26th day of AprilYipee! I walked the dogs for an hour today just to enjoy some of the fresh air before work...I have decided that since it is supposed to be that warm tomorrow I am walking the dogs in the morning, not at 3 in the afternoon again. Other than sweating to a near death; it was really great to be outside. I, err um madame Gizzy, got to meet some of the neighborhood wee ones. At first she was a little scared, but she got so comfortable with them she even let them pet her. The one wee one wanted to take Gizzy to her house, and that is when Gizzy had enough of the company. I can't believe that my nephew is almost 6 months old already. Wow, how quickly they grow up.

Can you believe that April only has 4 days left?!?! Holy crap. I just looked at the calendar and realized that my wedding is starting to get closerandcloser. WOW...I can't believe it! I feel like I started planning it soooo long ago, and at that time I never thought this day would come. Here we are 3 months and 13 days away. Sheesh... that is all I have to say.

Anyway, more beautiful weather tomorrow and a much needed day off. Can't wait to get outside and enjoy some SUN!

I've been working on the railroad...

...all the live long day. Well not that kind of railroad, but I have been working...a lot.. and not just at work, I have been working out and eating healthier. See, I have always had an issue with how I looked. In college I was diagnosed with activity induced anorexia, and now that I am so far removed from college I see how I got wrapped up in body image. Every where on television there are actresses worried about weight gain/loss. These people are supposed to be role models to children today, so if they are always worried about their appearance, then no wonder we always worry about what we look like. Growing up, I lived in a typical suburban family, both my parents worked and my older 2 sisters and I were always active. We were doing something just about every day, so there was no need to stress the importance of family dinners. Dinner consisted of what ever the folks made, and if you didn't like it, you didn't eat it. While I am not blaming my raising to what happened in college, seeing my mom worry about her appearance probably affected me more than I knew.

As I am aging, or um maturing...I have realized that poor choices that I made earlier in life are coming back to haunt me. I am not in the best shape that I should be, and my weight is definately a concern for future health problems. Heart disease runs in my family, as well as diabetes, and hypertension. Again, all concerns that I too can face if I don't do something now. So, what did I do? See, tomorrow, Monday will be a month that I started ww, and I am really proud of myself for sticking with it. I used to pride myself on all the hours I logged in at the gym, but never really held myself accountable for the foods that I consumed. I would work out and then eat and eat and eat, and then workout again bc I felt guilty. With ww, I hold myself accountable for EVERYTHING. And I mean everything. I make sure that I log everything that I eat, even down to jelly beans. Yes, I do sometimes have those moments when I am tested, take Easter for example. There is always some kind of junk food around at Easter time, but I chose to eat the fruits and vegetables. I felt very proud of myself for being able to make healthy choices in a situation where ordinarily I would have caved. I am not saying I am perfect, I am far from it, but when I do stray off course, I hold myself accountable and then get back right on track.

See, I am not just trying to get healthy for the long run, I do have some instant gratifications. Knowing that my wedding is a little over 3 months away, I am determined to look my best for it. Even if I don't reach my goal weight, just knowing that I am closer to it is something that I am hoping that I can accept. I also have a niece and a nephew who when I am with them I want to be able to keep up with them, I don't want to have to say no because I am too tired.

Right now I don't see any difference in myself, but I am hoping that on August 9th, when Penguin and I are poolside on our honeymoon that I will be able to be poolside knowing that I look ok in that bikini and that all eyes are on us bc well quite frankly we will be the newlweds.

Chicken in the car and the car won't go...

... that's how you spell Chicago

(Ok, not really sure how that spells Chicago, but I remember hearing that growing up). Anyway, here is my tribute to Chicago

because my folks

are on their way there to see my sister.

and her adorable son Joey. Here is a picture of him from December when it looks like he is saying hello....

I wish my folks a safe journey, and a much needed vacay. Have fun with your grandson! Enjoy Chi-town for me!

That is your humor for this Friday...

Here is a picture of what I miss this morning...

Happy Anniversary

Rach and G...I know this is late, but HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Here is to many more years of love, laughter and Joy!

Well

I finally went through my camera and uploaded the pictures onto the computer. Since my niece is now officially part of the family I am taking this opportunity to show Cupcake in some of her finest moments.

This is what happens when you give a sweet little girl a blackberry. She only wanted it because she knew her picture was the wallpaper on the phone. If you recognize the dress, it is from Kim and Phil's wedding.

One more photo to look at. Last year, Joe and I were in Arizona for Easter...this year we both had to work through it. Anyway, here is a picture of my first Easter dinner that I ever cooked. (He loves to say that I can't cook)

Ummm...

So, I am at work and I had a free moment. I checked my email and had email from the AACN. Anyway, on the email was a link to the FDA. More specifically the FDA : Center for Devices and Radiologic Health. While perusing the website, I found this one particular section entitled Luer Misconnections. The picture I am about to show you is from there.

I just have to ask how? why? what nursing school did you go to? and again HOW!!! For those of my readers that might not know what is wrong in this picture let me explain it to you... the white "receiving" end is a tracheostomy that provides an airway for the patient. The orange end is the end of tube feeding. The patient's nutrition instead of going into their stomach is actually going directly into their lungs. If that isn't bad enough...can someone explain this one to me...

I can't even begin to understand how someone made that connect. I guess it just goes to show you that if you don't stop and think, or if you are unsure of something maybe you really should ask for help? But come on really, TF into a trach? An air compression hose into an iv? I don't even have words to try to comprehend this.

Oh what a day!

Well today is gorgeous! The weather couldn't be better, although they are saying a better day tomorrow. I am back on track with ww...I just needed to get myself through that little slump I had. Looking forward to tomorrow...my cousin Greg offered to walk the dogs with me at the bike path...I will do my best to get pics of this adventure tomorrow. I am also going to walk the dogs today to get that back on track, but that will have to wait until later as I must head down to my grandparents house to see if Nana needs to go to the store.
On a different note, I am going to go on a soapbox. As a nurse, and to any nurses who read this I must question the following actions that happened to me yesterday...
I remember in nursing school when we started learning how to hang IVs that the teacher taught these simple steps
1- Spike the bag
2- Prime the tubing
3- Put the tubing in the pump
4- Check to make sure the IV works
5- Connect the tubing to the patient...
5 SIMPLE STEPS....that is it 5. Please tell me how on earth something so simple as this can not be done. At work on Wed I followed a nurse who has won the Nightingale award for Nursing (I found this out after my shift was over, but keep that in mind). This award is named after Florence Nightingale. I went in at 745 to assess my patient and the IV bag was completely empty. While as a general rule I like to program the pump to alarm before the bag is completely empty, I know that not everyone does that. Apparently this nurse is one of those people. I also make sure that if the bag that is running is a medication...A VITAL part of the patient's treatment that I also make sure to order a back up bag from pharmacy. After all that is what they are there for right? Anyway, I asked the nurse that I was following if she ordered an extra bag of Octreotide, since the bag that was hanging was empty. She asked me what I meant. OK what does it sound like...THE BAG IS EMPTY!!! I again told her that the bag was empty and she said, "no, I didn't order a new bag, I didn't even hang it." That statement right there should have been my clue that I was in for a long night. Whatever, I ordered the bag myself and had to order it stat. Anyway, I continued with my patient assessment, and my patient asked to go to the bathroom. That is easy enough, I am not use to patients asking that question anymore since working in the unit our patients are primarily vented so they have no way of walking to the bathroom. Anyway..I put my hand on the iv pump and my hand got wet. Why on earth is there water near electrical equipment?!?! I checked the tubing to make sure that nothing was leaking, and viola what did I find?!? The Octreotide was NEVER connected to the patient. The pump was running, the medication was leaving the bag, yet the patient wasn't getting any of it. I have no idea how long it has been not connected to the patient. I check the electronic medical record, which is just the way we chart, and it says the medication was started at 1246. At this point that was 7 Hours ago!! So I quickly connect the patient to the medication, and scan the next bag of Octreotide. Help the patient to the bathroom and leave the room. Now, since I found the incident, I have to call the doctor to let him know that the medication that he ordered for his patient umm like half the day ago has not been going to the patient for I don't know how long. My exact words to the doc was "the Octreotide that you ordered for the patient has made sure that the IV pump does not currently develop a GI bleed." The doc didn't understand my little attempt to joke, so I explained to him what I found and how I was going to rectify the situation. Let me remind you that the nurse I followed received the Nightingale Award. When the next shift came on I had to explain to them why the Octreotide was running longer than it was supposed to, and that is when I found out other information about this nurse. That is right then and there that I asked myself ;what do I wrong when I make sure that my work is done, I ask appropriate questions when I am not sure why we are doing something and I strive to do my patients no harm; and yet I don't get any recognition for anything, but a nurse that makes critical (could lead to patient harm) mistakes and gets the Florence Nightingale Award. I don't think Florence would approve.

hmmm

This week so far is going to be a bad week...honestly...I think it is. I went over my points on Tuesday....and well I haven't blogged in soo long. I need to go back to walking the dogs, but it has been raining and I don't want wet dogs. Wed Shae officially became part of the family, although we already considered her part of the family. Wedding planning is really starting to stress me out...that on top of having to pay uncle sam AGAIN really gets my goat. I really feel like I am not getting anywhere with wedding plans, and the day is getting closer and closer. I feel like my grip on the world is slowly going away and that I am falling...falling...out of control. But I will be ok, I always am. Besides, what other option do I have? The only saving grace right now is that it is supposed to be really nice this weekend and I have off, so I know the dogs will gets lots of love this weekend....that is all for now..

121 days

So, this girl is tired...to every sense of that word. I have been up now for more than 24 hours, but I did get a little nap in. Today was my first day working for home health...nothing exciting happened, we just watched movies. I was able to get a mere tiny walk in with Gizzy this morning before the heavens opened up. I did find a scale at work today and I weighed myself (saved me a trip to a ww meeting) and found out I lost some weight. I know that it is to be expected, I am just going to keep doing what I am doing and as long as I don't gain weight this week, I know I will be GTG. Anyway, sorry this is a short post, but I have got to get some sleep. Hope you have a great week!

Happy Exercising!

122 days

So, I have come to the conclusion that days off of exercising are well spent, especially when you are sleep deprived. I must have been because I slept all day...and seriously, I mean all day. I slept until 5 pm which is way later than I usually sleep, and I was out cold by 0750 again something unusual. However, that said, I will be on like my 3rd wind all day tomorrow since I leave here at 0715 and then I work tomorrow morning from 0900 until 1630. Don't worry Mom will be in the same building as me, so if I am too tired to drive home she already offered me a ride home. I am not too worried, I can sleep tomorrow night like a normal person as well as all week. I just have to get the dogs walked in the morning then again when I get home before week...that is if the weather holds up. Mom says it is supposed to pour all day tomorrow, so hopefully it will wait until after I at least get the morning walk back in..I need to get back on track with exercising. Anyway, that is all for today...Not to much going on this week. Happy Palm Sunday.

Happy exercising....

123 days (Saturdays post just late)

Posting late apparently is my new thing. LOL. So Saturday was Shae's bday party which meant that people were coming over and that I would have to do without all of the sleep that I am used to. To top that off I got out of work way late and couldn't walk the dogs in the morning. I did wake up and spend some time with the party goers (sorry I was such a party pooper I was just exhausted). I laid down and overslept my alarm by 30 minutes so I was not able to walk the dogs in the afternoon either. I have stopped beating myself up about it, I am going to have days like that, I just have to try harder to make sure that I get at least one walk in a day. Really that is all that happened. My weigh in day is on Monday...I found a meeting at 7pm EST. Hopefully I will still be awake. I say hopefully bc I work Sunday night, and then Mon morning I start my first day at my other job. It shouldn't be too bad...I have off all week then until Friday night. Well, not really off, but I will be on a day shift schedule until Friday when I work Friday day and then again Friday night. I will be ok... only pushing my self hard until the wedding...Hoping to get a house by the end of the year. Well...That is all for now. Have a great Sunday!

Happy Exercising!

124 days (Fridays post just late)

So again, I missed my morning walk with my kids. But, I so enjoyed sleep so much better. At least I walked the afternoon with them even though Joe just wanted me to stay in bed and snuggle. I also continue to do 8 minute arms and ww of course. My weigh in day is quickly approaching and man am I nervous. I have to remember that this might be higher than expected bc my start weight was what I weighed a month ago so might not be a weight at where I was actually a week ago. That being said...that will be my starting point and I will go from there. I also know that I will only get 1 walk in tomorrow er today, but I will try to get 2. Sat is Shae's bday party and I am going to walk the dogs as soon as I get home like I always do on work days, then try to pass out until people show up...and if I need to escape, I will walk them again and hopefully will have time for a little nap before I work again. That is all for now. Really, my life is boring outside of walking the dogs and work and all. I will keep you posted if something fun happens.

Until then...
Happy exercising

125 and counting

SO, I have come to the realization that I really shouldn't dwell on the fact that I might not always get 2 walks in with the dogs, as long as I get one in and make it a good walk then I should just be as happy with that. I remember when I used to have a gym membership, if I missed one day, I missed weeks at a time. I am proud of myself that I took yesterday off and then jumped in the saddle again today. I only did one walk , but the one walk was longer than normal with even some sprinting in it, and as soon as I was finished I went right into the 8 minute arms. One more week and I think I am going to add weights to the workout. I have been doing ww now for 4 days, and I just can't believe how hard it is for me to eat all of the points. Today was a better day, I think I only have 2.5 points left...yesterday I had 12 points left. I know I need to eat consistantly in order to lose the weight, so I am going to make consciencious decisions about making sure I use all of my points. Really, that is all for today. Nothing exciting happened except that it was 66 degrees. Have a good week!

Happy Exercising!

126 days...

Today, I totally felt like a bum. It's not my fault I swear! My dogs are on my night shift schedule, so when I don't have to work, it really mess them up. I was soo worried about them waking up my dad, so I stayed up with them. It even got to the point that as soon as I was ready for bed, it was play time for them. So, needless to say, at 300 this morning I finally got to go to sleep; unfortunately, 4 hours of sleep is not enough for me, so I slept through my alarm. I didn't even wake up until 1100. Apparently I was exhausted. Anyway, I had all intentions of walking them this afternoon, but the weather has other plans. It is raining rather hard right now and there is no way my dogs are going to walk in this. Trust me, I just took them out to pee and they were flipping out. Anyway, I did do the 8 minute arms so at least I feel like I did something, and I am sticking with my ww plan, so at least I am doing something productive. Ohh speaking of ww...if you want to try something new the Kashi Good Friends Cereal in Cinna Raisin is yummy and is only 3 points. I also enjoy the GoLean Crunchy Chocolate Peanut butter granola bar which is also only 3 points. That granola bar is really filling. Anyway, that is all for now. The weather is supposed to be nicer tomorrow so we will be back on track tomorrow. That is all for now.

Peace, Love and Applesauce!

Happy Birthday!

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY SHAE!!! PARTY LIKE THE ROCKSTAR YOU ARE! LOVE YOU!