Working Nights

Right now I'm on my rotation of nights at the hospital. I'm not actually working right now, but the joy of the night shift is that even on nights that I don't find myself in the ER, I often find myself awake late. It's actually easier to stay on a semi-night shift throughout the whole stretch so that my body doesn't get confused. I don't really mind the night shift. I've always been a bit of a night owl. In my "younger days" I was also an early morning person, which meant I didn't sleep very much. Now I'm "older" and need a bit more beauty sleep. Of course more is a relative term because now I get about 6 hours on average, compared to the 4 that I use to function on. I can still make 4 work when I have to, but I really prefer the 6. The ER is quite the interesting place at night. I often wonder what makes people get up out of their nice warm beds to make a trip out to the hospital in the middle of the night. I understand if a person thinks they're having "the big one" or is in horrible pain, but it's the minor things or the person that can clearly wait until the doctor's office is open in the morning, that really make me wonder. I confess that I have been a patient in the ER in the early morning hours twice, but both times it was because of kidney stones, and the first time I was forced.

I only have to work nights 1 1/2 weeks out of every 5, so I can't complain too much. Sometimes I would rather do the nights because my body is becoming less and less fond of having to get out of the bed at 630am for the day shift. It's not too bad when it's part of my routine and I do it every day, but when it's only now and then, it's a lot harder. At the end of my stretch of days, I work four in a row. By the last day, I'm just starting to get use to getting up early, and then I have 7 days off. Now I love having those 7 days off, even though I usually pick up a shift or two during that time, but it's still a bit irritating to finally establish a routine, just to have it broken.

I realize I'm not really saying much in this post, but I'm bored, and can't sleep therefore I blog. I can only check my e-mail so many times before even I will admit that I'm a bit OCD. Let's see what else is going one.... I made another trip back to Chattanooga. My house is still for sale (anyone want to buy it? please!). It ended up being a very emotionally draining trip for the most part. I won't take the time to go into the details because I'm still a bit perplexed by it all and need time to sort it all out in my head. At the beginning of the trip I had hoped to get some answers, and I ended up leaving with more questions than before. I've decided I'm going to volunteer some as medical staff this summer at Doe River Gorge (it's a christian outdoor adventure camp for those of your who aren't familiar with it). The idea hit me a bit late in the game, so they don't have too much of a need, but I still will be able to help out some. I think it will be fun and a neat way to use my medical talents. I'm also thinking about going on another medical mission trip in October. It would be with the same organization I went with 2 years ago (CMDA). It's also the same group leader and they're going to the same location. I'm praying about it and trying to figure out if I will be able to get the time off from work. I'd love to go again. It was a wonderful experience and I loved getting to be apart of the surgical team.

Coming attractions in my life include:
1. A trip to DC in 9 days to see three of my bestest friends- Valerie, Leah, and Jennifer. The 4 of us haven't all been together since about this time last year, and I can't wait. It's going to be a blast. Plus I like DC a lot and it's been a while since I made a visit there.
2. Both of my younger sisters will graduate in the next few weeks. Elizabeth from college, and Christine from high school. It makes me feel old. Especially when I remember that I graduated from college 5 years ago and high school 8 years ago. Where does the time go?
3. In June I'm going to Richmond to visit my college roomie Alicia, and see her son for the first time since his birth. I'm also really looking forward to it. I haven't seen her since the end of November and I am in need of some quality "therapy time" that only she can provide.

I wish I had more interesting things to blog about or at least some good ER stories, but this is my life right now, so I write what I know. My body may not be tired, but my brain is and it's emotionally taxed so I don't have the energy to be creative or funny at the moment.

A Weekend of Thinking

Yesterday, I attended the wedding of one of my childhood friends. It seems weird to use that term, but that's what we are. We were best friends growing up, but time and life have taken their toll and we have drifted apart a bit. It was a beautiful wedding in spite of the weather, and it was nice to have a laid back atmosphere where everyone just seemed to go with the flow. I am truly happy for her and wish her the best as she begins her new life as a wife.
Lately, every time I go to a friend's wedding it gets a little bit harder for me. I watch as the number of my single friends dwindles and the number of married couples grows. I try not to be bitter as I want nothing but the best for my friends, but I can't help but wonder when it's going to be my turn. I know I'm young and a lot of people my age aren't married, but I feel like I'm so ready for it.
At church recently we've talking about living out our strengths and finding jobs that use our strengths. I feel like I use my strengths in my current profession. I feel very alive at work and enjoy the satisfaction that I have from knowing I do my job well. I like to work. I like to stay busy. I get bored when I have too many days off in a row. I don't have to try very hard to do a good job in the ER, it comes pretty naturally to me. I think most of the time I do a pretty good job of recognizing my strengths and pursuing them. That's probably because I don't do things I'm not good at. It's not that I give up easily or don't try, but when I realize that I'm clearly not cut out for something, I don't do it. That's not to say that I'm not open to new things and adventures, because I am, I'm just not going to waste my time doing things I'm bad at or don't enjoy.
I think my strengths are my loyalty to others, being a helper and a "doer", and my ability to multi-task. I consider myself to be a good friend. I would do anything for my friends and have best friends that I have had since childhood. I rely on my friends to keep me accountable and be my support. I try hard to make sure that we stay in touch and visit when we can. My true friends know me in a way that few people do. I hope that they would agree that I am a loyal friend. I also get a lot of enjoyment out of helping people and being a "doer". Health care was a very natural job field for me because as generic as it sounds, I really do feel that I am good at helping people. Beyond taking care of sick people and helping them feel better, I think I am able to help people on a more personal level. I am a problem solver and have always enjoyed puzzles and such. My gut sense of people is normally dead on. I'm a pretty good judge of character for the most part. I am often the one my friends and family come to if they need advice or want to bounce an idea of someone. As far as being a "doer", that's how I show people I care. I like to do things for others, especially things I know they will like or may not have time to do for themselves. I may not always use words to express my feelings but in my actions I feel that I truly communicate my appreciation and love for others. My ability to multitask is not so much a strength for me, but a way of life. I very rarely do just one thing at a time. I have to be really tired to just be focusing on one task. I remember a time in college when my roommate came in to find me sitting at the computer with music playing, the TV on, while I was writing a research paper. That's the way I am though, I like to keep my mind busy. Maybe that comes from growing up in a house with 6 other people where there was always a million things going on at one time. I think it was ingrained in me at birth though, because I remember being that way even when I was a child. I was the kid who liked to do workbooks in the summer, because I needed to stay busy. (yes I believe we've established before that I'm a nerd) In the ER, one has to be able to multitask in order to survive. You'll drown in all the chaos if you can't do more than one thing at a time!
If you've managed to read this far and are still hanging in there, you may be wondering where I'm going with all this. While this post may appear to be pretty random, it really is all connected. As much as I feel like I am living my strengths by being a PA in the ER, I feel there is something more that I have to offer. As much as I love my job and working, I would give it all up to be a wife and mother because I feel like in that role is where I can truly live out my strengths. I had a friend in high school who wrote in my senior year book that I would make an awesome wife and mom someday, and while that was a really weird thing for him to write, I think that he was very right. The words he wrote seem to come to me a random times and I often wonder why. I try and be patient and trust that God has a plan for my life that includes what I desire, but sometimes it's hard. Especially when it seems like everyone around me has what I want and I'm left out of this wonderful experience. Several of my friends have started to have children, and that makes it even harder. I love children and seem to have a natural ability to relate to them. I worked in the nursery for several years at church, and loved to just hold them and watch them play. As happy as I am for my friends that are married and starting families, I have to fight the jealousy and "why not me" questions that often fill my thoughts. I hope and pray that someday soon I will get the chance to enter the role where I truly feel I can live in my strengths. For now though, I will keep plugging away in the ER and using my abilities to help the people that I see there.

Hospital Wars

Up until now, I have resisted the urge to "publicly" comment on the great Wellmont-MSHA battle, but after the events of last evening I decided I wanted to share my opinion. I do work at JCMC, but I'm not employed by MSHA, so I don't truely have any offical ties to them. I'm not sure why so many people are anti-MSHA. Do they do things perfectly? No, but what major business or corportation does? I wonder if all those people who are convinced that having a Wellmont ER closer to Johnson City would be the best thing ever, have ever received care from a Wellmont facility. Do they even know the kind of care they are inviting into the area? I regularly treat a good number of people from Kingsport, Bristol, and Greenville at JCMC. For the most part, those people have been to a Wellmont ER before, and would rather drive 30 minutes to an hour rather than go back to the hospital down the road. It's something to think about. I think competition is a good thing. It's what drives business and the economy. And like it or not, health care has become a business. I just don't think having a Wellmont ER in Boones Creek is going to change the current situation in the ERs in Johnson City. People complain about the long wait times, but the truth is most of people who come to the ER, don't need to be there in the first place. Too many people use the ER as a walk-in clinic or a primary care doctor. That has to change before things will get better. Do I think the area could use another hospital system to provide some competition for MSHA? Probably. Do I think Wellmont is the answer? Probably not.

Driving Habits

I have road rage. I know this. Most people who know me know this. I went to Chattanooga for a few days at the beginning of this week to check on my townhouse, which is still for sale, and visit with some friends. And of course during my interstate driving time, the road rage came out in full force. I don't know why I get so upset when I drive, but I do. I don't cuss very much, but when I'm behind the wheel the words just fly out of my mouth. I promise it's like someone or something takes over my body. I love to drive fast. I'm not sure why, but it's such a thrill for me. I'm convinced my car was made to go 80-85mph, really that's where it's most comfortable. I like rules, limits, and absolutes. Normally I'm a stickler for following rules, except for when it comes to speeding. I know that in all honesty, I'm breaking the law, but when I speed I don't feel like I'm doing anything wrong. Maybe it's because I think that in most cases the speed limit is too low and that speed is not necessarily a function of your driving abilities. There are plenty of people out there who drive the speed limit (and under it!) that are horrible drivers. A lot of them are more of a traffic hazard than those of us who choose to push the upper limits of speed. :) I still can't figure out where my "need for speed" came from though. I'm a very competitive person, but it's not like I feel the need to be the fastest driver on the road. If someone comes up behind me gong faster than I am, I will gladly get out of their way (a courtesy I wish other drivers would follow!) I think that you can be a fast driver, and still be a very good driver. I obey all other traffic rules. I use my turn signal, move to the left lane when others are trying to merge, I don't cut people off, and I don't tailgate unnecessarily. I know that at some point I will probably get a ticket, and I'd like to tell you that it will stop me from speeding, but it won't.

What Happened to Spring Break?

Ahh, it's that time of year again, Spring Break. A whole week off to relax, catch up on sleep, hang out with friends, travel, or do whatever you want. I miss that week. As an "adult" with a "real job" that wonderful week is just a distant memory. Why is that? The concept of Spring Break is great, but why limit it to students and teachers? I think it should be extended to all adults. You might be thinking that if everyone was on vacation, everything would shut down and stop, but it could be a staggered thing like the school systems do. I think most adults that work a full time job could use a break that doesn't cut into their regular vacation time. I know I could!
I have some great memories from Spring Breaks past. There was the year of the blizzard (1993) where we got a ton of snow and the power was out for days that probably ranks as the most memorable Spring Break for me as a child. In high school, I got to travel to Europe and Charleston, both of which were great trips. In college, I went to Peru to do medical missions and back to Europe again for an "educational" trip. I think my favorite trip though, was the one that I took in PA school with my roomies from college. Went to Paris for a week, just the 3 of us. There was no schedule, no tour guide, and no one telling us where to be and what time to be there. It was wonderful. We got a chance to see what we wanted and we didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn to do it. It was fun, relaxing, and I came home with the best souvenir. (For those of you who may not be aware, this is the trip when I got my first tattoo). I will always remember and cherish that trip. Mostly, because that was my last Spring Break. So for all of you that get the week off, enjoy and treasure these times, because all too soon for the majority of you, Spring Break will be just a distant memory.

Appalachian ER

Okay Robin, this story is for you. After your comment on my previous post, I was inspired to share yet another fun adventure from my experiences in the ER. The other night at about 4am I picked up a chart where the chief complaint read as two stab wounds to the head. I never know what I'm going to walk into when a patient sign in with lacerations or stabbing as a complaint because it can be anything from what can only be described as a paper cut, to the guy I saw yesterday that had bone fragments sticking out of his thumb. I was relieved to walk into the exam room and find an alert patient with only a moderate amount of blood on his shirt. I introduced myself and asked him to BRIEFLY describe what happened to him (I make it a point to emphasise the word briefly because if not some people will start with birth and give me their entire medical history. honestly it's the ER I only care why you are here today!). He explained to me that he got stabbed in the head twice by his girlfriend because he told her he was going to leave her. And what you may ask was her weapon of choice? An Indian arrowhead. Seriously, I don't make this stuff up. Who would have an arrowhead handy? I realize she probably grabbed the first sharp object she saw, but was it just laying on the coffee table or something? Fortunately my patient had a pretty good sense of humor and I got a good laugh out of it and was able to give him a hard time about it. Yes, this is my life.

Out There

Sometimes I wonder if anyone ever reads my blog and if so what do they think about it? I know a few of my friends keep with with my blog, but wondering more about the "strangers" or the "semi strangers" that may stumble across what I write. Sometimes I feel a bit like a stalker when I read the blogs of people I only kind of know or know through a friend. It's weird to feel as if you're a part of some one's life and they don't even know it. I've gotten in to the habit of regularly reading other people's blogs lately and I often find what I read either makes me laugh or provides me with some food for thought. I'd like to think that my ramblings do that for others at least on some small scale. I realize I don't write a lot of posts that would qualify as deep intellectual thought, but every now and then I feel like I somehow manage to squeeze out a few lines that might shed a new perspective on things. And while I don't necessarily consider myself a "funny" person, I definitely am sarcastic and I hope that my wit and sense of humor comes across as I write. I'm someone who keeps a pretty tight lid on my emotions and blogging lets me release them a little bit, without really having to talk to anyone. I try not to filter what I put out there (except for some of the medical stories) because I want to be real and able to express the things that bug me or touch me or inspire me or just plain piss me off. I realize that in a lot of my posts it seems like I'm complaining about my life, but for me it's more venting. I just need to let it all out every now and then and I feel like this is my space to do it in.
So whether you read my blog regularly or just stumble upon it randomly, I hope that I add something to your day as you read. And I'd love to know what you think, so use that comment function!

New Year, New Job

I've been working at the Med Center for a little over a week now and am starting to feel like I'm getting the hang of things. I worked 6 out of 7 days last week and it was pretty crazy every shift. Most everyone that I've meet so far has been very nice and helpful. I like the other midlevels that I work with, and am starting to get in good with some of the nurses. It's is a bit strange to be the only full time female midlevel provider, but then again, I've always been one to hang with the boys! I went to elementary, middle, and high school with one the guys I work with and it's been nice to reconnect with a familar face and talk about the "old days." So far, I've encountered a good number people of that I know. Some of them past class mates, a few people from the community, and some that remember me from when I did my rotation here almost 3 years ago.
One of the things I like most about my new job, is the amount of respect I receive as a PA here. Doctors and residents are appreciative when I see their patients and do all the work up for them. They talk to me like I know what I am doing and converse with me as they would a colleague. It's a nice change to have residents available for consult and physicians that will actually set foot in the ER. Sometime there are so many specialist in the ER at one time that you are tripping over them, where as before it was as if they didn't want to be caught dead in the ER. In Chattanooga, the on call doctors (with the exception of the OB/GYNs) treated me like I were stupid simply because I wasn't a physician and basically refused to talk to you (even when I was the one that knew the most about the patient). At the Med Center, I get to decide if a patient needs to be admitted, call the appropriate doctor, and actually discuss my patient with them. It's really nice to appreciated and encouraged to be independent.
Another wonderful change has been the significant decrease in the amount of OB/GYN care that I have had to do. Some days in Chattanooga, that was all I did. Mind you, I got to the point where I could do it in my sleep, but it's nice not to have to do some many freaking pelvic exams. The first 3 shifts I worked, I got to do my first spinal tap on a real person (I've practiced on models and dead chickens) and did ZERO pelvic exams. It was wonderful.
While there are lots of good things to be said about my new job, I do miss my old one. I miss the people I worked with and the comfort level I had there. In some ways I have to proove myself to the nurses and ER Docs here all over again. Before, everyone knew that I was easy to get along with, worked hard, and that I knew what I was doing. Now I have to work to establish that again. I know in time that it will come, but for now I miss being able to joke with the staff and be the super sarcastic person that I naturally am. I look forward to seeing what else my new job holds and the many things I'm sure that I will learn here. But don't worry, I won't forget my roots. After all, I was just a "baby PA" when I started in Chattanooga, and I am the PA I am today because of what I learned there.

Last Days

January 1st is my last offical day working at Parkridge East Hospital in Chattanooga. I have 24 hours left to work and then I will no longer be employed there. It's a weird feeling to have. I've never really "quit" a job before. At least not in the sense of giving a notice and being all offical about it. In the past it was because I went off to college or moved away, not really anything where I made the decision to leave. This was my first "grown up/real" job. It marked the beginning of my career as a PA. I moved to Chattanooga specifically for this job and started over on my own. I truely felt like I had entered the adult world. I bought my first car and my first house. I was completely independent of my parents in a place where no one knew me as "one of the Keyt girls". It was a strange feeling at first, but one I am very glad to have had. I have grown up a lot in the past 2 years and I feel as though I have finally figured out who I am and the kind of person I want to be. It's been a time of personal growth and struggle. I've met lots of great people and have made some great memories. I'm going to miss this place.
The Chattanooga chapter of my life is about to end though. Over the next couple of weeks I will pack up my stuff and make the transition back to Johnson City to start my new job there. I'm excited about it. I'm ready for a change. For the next phase of my life. But it may also be a bit weird to be back in the town where I grew up. Where so much has changed but at the same time so much has stayed the same. I'm not the same person I was in high school. It's been almost 6 1/2 years since I really lived there. In some ways it's like coming home, but I'm not the kid who grew up there, or the teenager who made trips home from college. I'm an adult now. I have the chance to make my own idenity and life separate from the one I left when I was 19. I hope it will be a good experience. I really feel like this where God wants me to be right now and I have a feeling of peace that I haven't had in several months.
I don't know what this next chapter of my life will hold, but I'm ready for it, whatever it may be. Look out Johnson City, I'm coming back!

Say Cheese!

I realized my past few posts have been kind of bland, so I decided it was time for a few pictures to spice things up a bit. Enjoy! My Tree
Me and Alicia
Ferocious Toby

Toby's new favorite toy (i payed 17cents for it!)
Alicia's Tree (we have the same one from Target)
Me and Alicia
The expensive "tough" toy that lasted 20minutes
Pregnant Alicia
Bo and Toby
Say Cheese Toby

Back to Work

Now that December is here, it means that I'm back to having to work like a normal person. I had a large chunk of vacation time accumulated at work that I needed to use up before I leave at the end of the year. So, I decided to use most of that time in November and I got rather spoiled by having so much free time. I only worked 8 shifts in November (96 hours) and the only week I worked a semi-normal schedule was the week of Thanksgiving. Tomorrow is the end of my "vacation month" and I start back to my usually schedule by working all weekend. I can't really complain though since I only work 15-17 days a month as it is.
Before I head back to work this weekend, I am taking one last chance to have a bit of fun and enjoy the start of the holiday season. Tomorrow night my friend Nathan is singing in a Christmas concert at Lee University and I'm looking forward to attending. I love Christmas time and especially Christmas music. (I however do believe that one shouldn't start playing Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving!) I haven't found my Christmas spirit yet this year and am hoping this concert might help me find it. I also plan to put up my tree on Monday, which is something I always look forward to. As much as I love real trees, I'm resorting to the artificial tree again this year since I don't know exactly when I might end up moving. Guess I'll have to settle for my pine scent coming from a candle this year. Next week's agenda also includes sending out Christmas cards, starting and finishing my shopping, and baking. Why I didn't do some of this during all my time off, I'm not really sure, but for some reason this year I have chosen to be a procrastinator. With only 20 days left till Christmas (well almost 19), I'd better get on it though!!!!!!!

Christmas is Coming

It's a been a little while since I last posted, and while nothing major has happened in my life, I decided I'd post about the little bit that has occurred. After returning from Boston, I worked the weekend, and then spent a week in Johnson City with the family. I did a lot of house looking and have found a couple of prospects. My house here is still for sale and I'm trying not to stress about it. I would love for it to sell before I have to move so that I can just move once. It looks like I may end up renting something for a few months or so, which unfortunately means moving twice. I don't mind moving to new places, or back to old places as the case may be, but I hate the process. I hate having to carefully wrap everything up. While most things pack easily, it seems like there is always that one box that has a bunch of random stuff in it that doesn't really fit in any other place. Then there's the unpacking, which is fun for the first little bit, but get tedious really quickly. And no matter how carefully you label things, things always seem to end up in boxes you know you didn't put them in.
My last day at my job here in Chattanooga is January 6th, and I'll be starting at the med center around the 14th. For those you who may have missed this info from my earlier posts, I have accepted at job as a PA in the ER at JCMC and will be moving back to Johnson City. I'm ready for change and am excited about it.
After my week with the fam, I came back to Chattanooga and worked two horrible shifts. I then drove back to JC for two days to spend Thanksgiving with the family. I also got to catch up with Leah and Jennifer for a short while, which was nice. Thanksgiving morning I watched the Macy's Day parade, as I always do, and managed to turn it on just in time to see the Ooltewah High School Band perform. They were the band dressed like clowns for anyone who happened to catch it, and that's where I actually live. I just say I live in Chattanooga cause it's easier. I then enjoyed some traditional football watching as the Green Bay Packers continued their winning streak!!!!!!Thanksgiving dinner was especially wonderful this year, because last year I got the stomach virus on Thanksgiving day and spend the evening puking my guts up. This year I decided to try a recipe that I saw in a Rachael Ray magazine as my contribution to dessert (we ended up with six different desserts this year and decided we are going to have plan a little better next year). We've never really been a pumpkin pie kind of family, although Sarah has made this pumpkin cheesecake the past few years that's a big hit, so we normally end up with a random assortment of things. Anyway, I made an apple caramel cake from scratch. It was my first attempt in all my years of baking, at making a cake from scratch. I've always used mixes in the past. It turned out quite well and I plan to add it to my ever growing list of favorite recipes.
After my short visit home, I headed back to Chattanooga to work all weekend. The day after Thanksgiving wasn't too bad because all the nuts where out shopping and not in the ER. The next two days weren't so wonderful though and I was very glad to put last week behind me. Last week was actually the only week this month that I worked my normal full schedule. I'm only working 8 shifts in November because I'm using up all my vacation time before I leave! It's been wonderful. I am currently on another stretch of vacation time and don't work again until December 7th. I've spent the past couple of days on a desperate search for Hanukkah decorations. My sister Rebekah is student teaching kindergarten this year and they are doing a unit on "Winter Celebrations Around the World." I didn't that it would be too hard to find a Star of David and a few dreidels, but it was. Out of all the places that I went to in Chattanooga, only one had any decorations. I realize there may not be a huge Jewish population here, but surely there are some people who celebrate Hanukkah. I finally found some at Party City (just in case anyone else has been searching) and only went there as a last ditch attempt.
This evening I'm heading to Knoxville to spend the night with Elizabeth (my sister), doing a little outlet shopping Thursday morning, and then heading to Johnson City again. Friday morning I'm flying to Richmond to visit my pregnant college roomie and I'm very excited about seeing her. Currently, I'm hanging around waiting for the heat man to come and see why my heat is not working. If you turn on the heat, it blows freezing air and makes the temp in the house drop. It was 54 when I got up this morning! It did this last year too and it was a quick fix, so I'm hoping for the same thing this time.

Boston

I spent this past weekend in Boston visiting my best friend Valerie and we had lots of fun. Boston is a really cool place and I had never been there before. It was nice to get away for a few days and catch up with Val. For those of you who aren't aware, Val and I have been friends since we were somewhere around 4 and she is definitely one of my best friends. She moved to Boston at the end of July, and this is first time I've seen her since she left.

I love big cities that have good public transportation systems and where people walk a lot. It reminds me of being in Europe, and well, I love it in Europe. Plus it's nice that things are within walking distance and that people actually use the sidewalks.

I got to Boston on Thursday evening and after navigating the bus and the T by myself, I met Val at the station as she was getting back from work, and we made the treck up to her apartment. We cooked dinner and hung out with her bf, Adam. Friday I bummed around Harvard area while Val was at work, which was kind of neat to see. We had the best burgers that night at this little place (and by little I mean 30 people max can be in there at one time, if you have to wait you do it outside!), that was just down the street from the apartment. I am slowly becoming addicted to The Simpsons, thanks to Val and Adam! I've never really watched any episodes before and we watched more than a few this weekend. I must say most of them were pretty funny, even if they are a bit ridiculous! Saturday it was cold and really windy, thanks to the hurricane that moved up the coast. So after bumming around for most of the morning, we braved the elements and ventured out to shop at this big indoor mall place, which had pretty much any store you could imagine in it. Thankfully, the weather in Boston changes almost as quickly as it does here in the South, and Sunday was a perfect day. We went down to the waterfront and walked around a lot so I could get a taste of Boston. It was fun. We spent the late afternoon eating wonderful seafood and sadly watching the Colts get beat at this nice resturaunt near MIT. It was a really good weekend and I didn't want to leave on Monday.

Here are some random interesting things I learned about Boston during my trip:

1. There's no such thing as Happy Hour due to some weird law

2. You can only buy alcohol in a liqueor store, not the grocery store or the gas station, another one of those crazy northern laws. Talk about having to plan in advance.

3. You can't smoke in bars, which is really nice.

4. All those items in the LL Bean catalog that you thought people couldn't possible ever need to wear, are for people who live in Boston. You have to dress for warmth and comfort and not fashion, or you will freeze to death!

5. 95% of Boston owns a pair of UGH boots, or it least it seems like they do!

6. Valerie lives at the top of one of the only hills in Boston and I'm willing to bet that someone has probably had a heart attack walking up it at some point!

Being Girly

I'm not known for being a particularly "girly girl". It's not that I'm really a tomboy or anything, but I am know for enjoying sports, being competitive, not so emotional, and being able to hang with the guys. The term my friends and I have always used is a "gril".Occasionally though, I do enjoy giving in and doing all the girly things that are expected of me. This weekend I spent all Saturday shopping with my dear friend Leah in Nashville. It was some much needed "retail therapy" and I gave in to the shopping experience and bought a few non-practical items just because I loved them. I even paid full price for something, which for those of you who know me well realize how big of a deal this is! We ended our outing with manicures and pedicures. It was my first pedicure, and I think I'm hooked. It was nice to be pampered and just relax. I must say my toes look quite cute. I even went for pink nail polish! That night, I met my friend Erin for drinks and dinner at this awesome little place called Virago (a must try if you are ever in Nashville). The food and drinks were awesome and the atmosphere was great. I felt like I was on Sex and the City or something. It was lots of fun. Then we hit The Stage and as always fun times were had by all! :)
The super "girlyness" didn't last for too long though. By Sunday evening I was back to watching football and trying to figure out why my oil light is on when I still have 2000 more miles to go before it's supposed to be changed!

What's Wrong with People?

This week I have witnessed an unusual amount of weird, random, and inappropriate things around town. Call me crazy, but there are just some things that I feel aren't appropriate, especially when one reaches a certain age. I took care of a patient the other day whose mother has an eyebrow piercing. This woman has to be at least fourty and I think it looks ridiculous. It would be one thing if she was a funky, hip woman with tattoos and other piercings, but she's far from it (think short, fat, bleach blonde hair, in front of a trailer). Maybe I'm being judgemental, but sometimes as an adult you have to realize some fashion trends have age limits, especially when you're a mom! The craziest thing is that I was talking to one of the doctors I work with about this woman and the minute I said "she has an eyebrow piercing", the doc knew exactly who I was talking about, probably because she's in the ER all the time. This of course brings up another inappropriate thing that happens way too often these days- the use of the ER as your doctor. It's called an EMERGENCY room for a reason. I shouldn't see anyone often enough that I know your name, medical history, allergies, kids names, pets, and where you went on vacation this summer! And unfortunately there are plenty of patients that I can say this about! Trying to educate people about how this is not what the ER is meant for is a waste of time and effort, they just don't get it. Trust me, I've tried. Even when we screen people out (ie tell them we aren't going to treat them unless they pay because their problem isn't an emergency), they still keep coming back for the same type problems. Now there are a few patients that I see on a fairly regular basis because they are accident prone or just have bad luck. Those people I don't mind because they actually have a reason to be in the ER. I did have a pretty interesting patient that bears mentioning because it''s not something I see every day- I guess he fits in the weird category. He was using a sledge hammer to nail in a large metal nail (I think of it like a railroad steak thing), when it shattered. Part of the nail head went through his pants, into his leg making a cut, travelled though his leg, came out, made another cut, and lodged in his leg. It was kind or cool. Since it was metal it showed up really well on x-ray, making it really easy to locate. I was able remove it pretty easily and it ended up being over 1cm long and about 1/2 cm wide. I let him keep it because he said his friends would never believe him. It was the highlight of my day. I know, I'm weird.
The next thing I witnessed was less inappropriate, and more just plain dangerous! I was on the interstate behind this car, when I noticed this man has his arm hanging out the window. I don't mean resting it out the window, it was hanging down beside the car. What if a car had swerved into his lane going 70 mph?!?! His arm would have been smashed or even ripped off! Some people are just stupid and I think he deserves a sign!
Okay, I'm done ranting for now. I work 5 days this week though, so I'm sure I'll witness a few more stupid and inappropriate things!

BIG News

Last week I made a decision that is both the most important and difficult decision that I have had to make in my life so far. I decided to quit my current job and accept an offer to work in the ER at the Johnson City Medical Center. I offically turned in my letter of resignation on Monday. That's right folks, I'm coming "home". I will start the new job either the beginning of December or January, depending on when they can fill my current position. It was a really hard choice for me. I really like the people I work and am liked and trusted at my current job. But I'm also starting to get bored and the potential for growth and networking is limited. I realized that the easy and comfortable thing is not always the right thing. Sometimes you have to take a chance and choose the hard thing. I guess the reason this decision was so difficult for me is due to the personal side of it all. I worry how this will affect my relationship with my boyfriend. I know that I have to trust that if we're supposed to be together things will work out regardless of where we are. But saying it and believing it are two different things.
I am at peace about my decision though. I'm starting to get excited about the new job and all that comes with it. I must admit though that I'm a bit stressed out about selling my house, finding a new one, moving and all that entails. For now though, I'm just going to take it one day at a time. Otherwise, I might have nervous breakdown!!!!!

Stuck with the Funk

Yesterday I stuck myself with a dirty needle at work. I was doing an I&D of an abscess that I know was full of MRSA (ie bad bacteria). I had injected the area with Lidocaine, cut into it, and was expressing a lot of pus. (for non-medical people, basically I was cutting open a pus pocket to drain the infection, I do this a lot in the ER and enjoy it probably more that I should) I went back to grab the needle to flush the area and numb it some more, and that's when I stuck myself. And it wasn't just a little poke in the glove, I stuck it bad enough that I pulled my hand back in pain and it instantly started bleeding. There was also a clear puncture hole in the glove. I probable shouldn't have, but I finished the procedure before I did anything about it. Needle sticks are pretty much going to happen to you at some point when you work in healthcare. It actually wasn't the first time I've stuck myself. It happens sometimes when I'm suturing kids up and they thrash about, but I never really worry about catching anything. Even with this stick, I wasn't worried about HIV or Hepatitis or anything like that. I'm concerned about catching MRSA from the stick.
Since this all happened at work, I had to go through the whole process of signing in as a patient and doing the worker's comp thing. Then I had to have blood drawn. It was freezing cold in the ER and I'm a hard stick anyway, whic meant my veins were pretty much nonexistant. So in order to get blood, I got stuck an additional 3 times. The 3rd time being in my wrist, which is really painful, but it was the only visible vein and they needed blood. When they finally did get a vein, it took like 5 minutes to fill the 3 tubes because the vein was so small and I was bleeding so slowly. On top of all of that, I had to get a tetanus shot since I haven't had one in 10 years. That means that my arm is horribly sore today and I can barely move it. So, yeah it was an "exciting" day at work. At least now if I catch "the funk" (as a patient of mine called it yesterday), I have an offical record of it and my employer will be responsible for paying for any complications. Hopefully it will be okay. I pretty much know it will be and that the chances of catching anything are very low, but still MRSA is the one thing I worry about catching at work. I don't worry about getting all the other diseases that we see, but I do worry that I will pick this up. We see some really bad infections of the stuff and once people get it, sometimes they have a hard time getting rid of it. It affects people from all walks of life too. One of our nurses even got it and had to be hospitalized for it. So keep your fingers crossed that I don't get the funk!

(my finger is where I stuck myself, and the other 3 photos are my blood draw sites. it's not real clear, but I have a pretty good size bruise on my wrist)

25

So I've been 25 for almost 2 weeks now, and I've decided that it's not too bad. In fact, it even has a few perks. My car insurance went down $33, which is fantastic! It's crazy that with the passing of one day, the insurance company suddenly decides that I have become a more competent driver. I'm not complaining about it, I just think it's interesting. It seems that to a lot of people 25 sounds much older than 24, because now when patients at work ask how old I am and I say 25, that for some reason sits better with them. Another thing that came with turning 25 was having to renew my driver's license, which I almost forgot to do. I realized it several weeks before my birthday and had planned to go to the office the week prior to my b-day, because I wanted to take a new picture. However, I kind of forgot about it and realized on Friday at 7pm, that I never made it to the DMV and it expired the next day! So, instead of panicing, I simple logged on to tn.gov and renewed it online. It's a bit crazy that you can do that over the internet, but I was very glad that I could. I am stuck with the same picture for the next 5 years though, unless I want to pay for another one.
My tattoo is healing nicely, and I like it alot. Which is a good thing, seeing as how it's there for life! I decided turning 25 was a good occasion to get another tattoo. Since I got the first one in Paris with my college roomie, I couldn't just pick a random day to get the next one. I've wanted a second one for a while (it's true what they say, they are addicting), but was waiting for the perfect time to get it. In case anyone was wondering, it hurt a lot! Actually it wasn't so much pain, as it was a very intense stinging. Fortunately, it didn't last too long, and there were frequent pauses.
Turning 25 also got me thinking about some of my past birthdays. I must say I remember some really random things. Like I remember my 4th birthday party very well. It was a Rainbow Bright Party that I had with my friend Erika, who has the exact same birthday as I do and lived down the street from me growing up. She blew out the candles before her mom counted to 3, so her mom relit them and I got to blow them out all by myself. I know, very random, but also very vivid for some reason. Turning 10 stands out too, maybe because I finally hit "double digits" and as a kid that's a big deal. I had a "carnival" themed party with 3 of my friends. I don't remember a lot of what we did, but it ranks up there on the birthday list for some reason. Maybe because we didn't have parties every year, so when we did, it seemed really special. There are also a couple of birthdays that I remember, and wish I didn't. My 22nd is one of those. I didn't celebrate my 21st in the "traditional" way because I had just started PA school in Nashville and didn't really know anyone well enough to celebrate it with. So instead, I celebrated my 22nd birthday with the help of a couple of my PA friends. I had a little too much fun, and I hope to never feel like that again. Puking in the parking garage was definitely the low point of the evening. The next day wasn't too much fun either! Unfortunately, my 25th birthday makes the list of ones I'd rather forget as well. My whole birthday experience ended up being good, but the actual day of wasn't too great. (check out my facebook note for more on that) Fortunately I have wonderful friends and family who helped me get through it and tried to make my birthday experience a positive one.

Thinkin'

Tomorrow I turn 25 and it's putting me in a bit of a reflective mood. I guess because it's one of those ages that I consider a bit of a milestone. There's certain things that in my head I always thought would have happened by this point in time. A lot them are a reality. I have my master's degree, a job that I like, and I bought my first house a year ago. I have wonderful friends and a boyfriend who I love. But then there are a few things that have happened yet. I know 25 is by no means old, but in a way to me it is. I guess I figured I'd be married by now and maybe even thinking about starting a family. I try and focus on the things that I do have and be content with that. But sometimes I'm not. Maybe it's because a close friend just got engaged and my college roomie is pregnant. Maybe because I'm in the process of making some hard decisions about my job and the future. Sometimes growing up and dealing with life can be so complicated.
On a lighter subject, I've decided to get another tattoo to mark my 25 years. I'm getting it tonight with my friend Ashley, who is also getting one. I'll post pictures once it's done!

Picture Time

The past few couple of weeks have been busy ones for me, so rather than just ramble on about what I've been up to, I decided to just post some pictures. Hope you enjoy them!

These first photos are from Philadelphia. I spent 6 days there for the National Physician Assistant Conference. It was interesting for the most part. I learned a few things and got to hangout with Alicia (see previous post) and her husband. I also got to see one of my friends from college who is in his last semester of PA school. I took most of these as I walked the 9 blocks to and from the conference center every day.The Skyline
City Hall

Sites along my morning walk

*Warning* If you have a weak stomach, scroll past this next photo quickly!Alicia and I took a procedure class and one of the stations involved doing lumbar punctures (spinal taps), which we practiced on chickens. Supposedly it's just like doing one on an infant. The first two chickens that came out of the cooler had "feet" but no head, but the third one as you can see from the photo, certainly did! The doctor that pulled it out was like "wow this is too much, we can't use this one, we have to put it back in the cooler". It was after all 9am and this isn't exactly what you want to see at that time of the day! Of course, later the chicken again emerged from the cooler for her photo op. It's kind of one of those things you know you probably shouldn't take a picture of, but you just can't miss out on a prime opportunity.

When I left Philly, I flew back to Nashville to meet up with Valerie, Leah, and Jennifer for our second annual trip to the lake. We spent the weekend catching up, relaxing, riding around in the boat, and catching some rays. It was great to hang out with the girls and just enjoy being together. These are just a few of the many photos that we took.

Cooling off in the lake

Hanging out in the dockValerie, Leah, Me, and JenniferVal, Me, and Leah