76 degrees and it's Christmas time?

Here in the Valley we are experiencing some great weather. Yesterday 76 degree's and sunny. We took the bike out and roared into town to do some shopping. Not much space to haul back purchases...but all I needed was some fancy shoes to wear to the fancy party Med Cath is hosting for our hospital. Our little hospital is the only one in the Med Cath system that came in under budget (read: made a profit) for the fiscal year...in spite of a recession. So, lucky us, we get a catered dinner at the country club.

I have purchased the dress...from Dillard's where I actually hardly ever shop. The skirt is floor length tulip style, and the color changes from Deep Red to Black when you move. The blouse is black velvet with three quarter length sleeves. The cuffs and wide boat neck collar (man it's hard to describe this stuff...glad I'm not a wedding reporter! hee hee) are the fabric that changes color. The good thing about the outfit is that it is slimming. The bad thing is that I probably needed the skirt in a 14, but all they had was a 12, so I'll spend the evening sucking in the gut and trying to breath. I bought some cute shoes at Payless...and they were on sale...$11.00, a bargain for shoes I'll probably only wear once or twice. The shoes fit quite nicely into the bikes trunk bag.

Then Dave too me to eat and we went to the Cattleman and Co. Steak house...they have an awesome lunch .... even the smallest meal is way more than I can eat...and less than $10 a plate, and you get all the home cooked pinto beans you want...hot, steaming, and totally without any pork in it. We always sit on "the back 40", which is an add-on screened in huge porch...and I love feeling the breeze and being able to look out at the mesquite trees, flowers and flora. It's kinda like sitting outside...only not near as hot.

After shopping and eating, we had to hurry back home before Angel got off the bus. I took at 15 minute power nap, then her and I went outside to enjoy the balmy weather and sit on the porch swing. Later, as it was getting dark, we came in and tried to play the Wii game. I couldn't find the tennis game, but we found the training game, where you shoot balloons and stuff...and we had a blast. Me, I'm a very careful...aim and shoot kinda girl. Angel...may she is like the shot-gun from hell. Her controller sounded like a machine gun. She shot everything in sight, including friendlies. Remind me to discourage her from joining the military! She was like a 10 year old commando with curls. I was laughing so hard I almost fell down. It was fun.

Getting Ready for Christmas

Guess you could say Christmas is sneaking up on me this year. Here it is the 3rd and I haven't gotten all my gifts done and wrapped yet. Usually I'm almost 100 percent finished with my shopping, and within days of the tree being up I'd have my stuff wrapped. Not this year. In fact, said tree hasn't even been purchased as yet. There are no Christmas candles scenting the living room. No Ponisetta's with their bright cheery blossoms. No model "Grandma's House" decorated with it's little running lights. Where is my holiday spirit?

We had Dave's mom's memorial Sunday. It was sweet, it was sad, now it is over. Time to start getting things ready for Christmas. Dave is depressed. I am depressed. But, I intent to try to pull him out of it by decorating and trying to get our lives back to normal. This will be the first year his son and grandkids are here for the holidays and I want them to be as stress-free and happy as possible. I'd love to get the lights on the outside of the house...not sure if that is practical though, but it might get Dave's mind off the last month. I want to declutter my mind.

Probably won't be shopping much for these holidays, but I want it to be special non-the-less. I want less glitter and more memory. It seems like as I get older the days are flying by so fast. I want some great memories for my kids and grandkids for when we are no longer here to decorate the tree. I want to get closer to God and back to when times were simple. I guess I want to be 5 again.

Long Time No-blogging

I know that I've been on hiatus for some time. My mother-in-law was in the hospital with a lengthy illness (40 days) and had several surgeries during that time. She passed away 11-19 and this is the first chance I've had to re-connect with my blogger-friends. We are still dealing with getting ready to have a Memorial Service for her since her wishes are to be cremated and that takes several days. As we wade through funeral "hell", it is nice to know we do have some choices and can have some input on how things are done. Basically I just want a classy Memorial for a classy Lady...

Rest in peace mom.....

Betty "Jean" Wilson
Nov. 25, 1935 - Nov. 19, 2009

Siezure disorder vs Asshole Disorder

Ok. So the title isn't politically correct. Sure big 300 lb dude was having siezures. Dude been sick with alot of issues for awhile. But after the seizures are over and you've been adequately medicated WTF is up with trying to kick the shit out of the nurse everytime she comes to the bedside. And grabbing her arms and twisting the shit out of them, and nearly dislocating her thumb, all because she is trying to get you up in the bed so you can breath. Why beat your surgical stump bloody because you have to stay in bed, because you haven't walked in two weeks and you have been having seizures every couple of hours, and you're attached to 9,000 monitoring devices in the freaking ICU? And WTF do you think you can go at 2 a.m. in the morning anyway???? All the bars are closed or I'd leave your happy butt in the floor (which is where you'd be if I didn't keep putting your body parts back onto the bed) and I'd go have me a nice cold margarita ....

She took What??? Part II

Gotta love our internet here. Down more than up. Read part one to catch up.

Well Er nurse had picked her up at 7p. She told me: "Well she grunted when I asked her questions, so I thought she was alert...they gave her Narcan at...oh...around 3 pm...and she was AOX3 then.." Me: "What was the Narcan for?" Her: "Oh, they thought maybe too much of her home pain med's." Me: "What she on?" Her: "Ambiene, Oxycodone, Liquid Morphine..." Me: "Liquid Morphine...I didn't even know they prescribed that to the general public...how much does she get." Her: "I don't remember, but her hubby has the meds out in the Hall".

Ok, first the patient...girlfriend...is not looking to good. O2 Sats are down, BP in the commode, respirations slow 9-12, somulent and not waking up. Put her on a non-rebreather mask and put her head down, and head to the hallway. Hubby hands me the meds, I pull out this bottle of CONCENTRATED MORPHINE LIQUID. Hubby states it's a new med for her and she's only had one dose. I look at the bottle, and there seems to be a good bit missing. She only took one syringe by mouth he says, I gave it to her. "Well sir, how big was that syringe you were using??" "I don't know...". "I'll be right back I tell him, I just need the pharmacy to look at this bottle..."

Pharmacist does some calculations based on how much is left in the bottle....wait for it...wait for it....the patient got 100 times the dose she was suppose to get...100 TIMES the dose....can we say....big time too much medicine.

I call the doc, give her 2 more amps of Narcan, take her to ICU, she gets 2 more amps of Narcan on arrival and meds for the blood pressure. She's starting to perk up, opening her eyes.

The next night I get her back. She had been awake all of 4 hours. She asked for AMBIENE so she could sleep. Chickie almost had the never-ending sleep and by my recollection slept almost 48 hours straight, and still wants a sleep aide! Sorry. the Doc hasn't continued that medication. Well then, how about a pain pill for my pain.....Sorry that hasn't been restarted either. I get the eye roll, the blowed out breath...Well then how are you gonna fix my pain.

One ice pack, some extra pillows, and the light's out...patient was asleep in minutes without any pharmacological intervention at all.

Accidental Overdose contributing factors:

1. Unclear instructions on the Bottle.
2. Patient and Hubby don't speak or read good English.
3. Who the F-bomb gives liquid morphine for a 3 year old surgical scar anyway????

She took What???

Got a patient the other day from the ER. Admitting Diagnosis was Rabdomylitis and Acute Renal failure. I was lead to believe this was a walkie-talkie. Incidentally reported, pt had been unresponsive at home, unable to arouse and that she got Narcan on arrival to ER, with good response and that she was talking and responsive.

Well, 5 hours had passed from the time the patient recieved Narcan and came to the floor. When she got to me, I'm like, "Uh, she doesn't look like she's breathing too well to me." ER Nurse "Well I picked her up at 7 pm,

Cute and funny...

So, a few days ago Ashley (the mamma)and Daniel (the daddy) go out on the back porch to smoke (no smoking in the house...Rule #1). Out the doggie door goes: Abby (weiner #1), Izzy (weiner #2), Killer (weiner #3) and Ali (grandchild # 2 just turned one)!!!!! Ali wanted outside with mamma and daddy and just observed the dogs and followed them. Now every-time our backs are turned she heads for the doggie door...because she loves being outside. Ashley is paranoid. I am paranoid. Grandpa and Daddy are paranoid. She knows how to get out the doggie door, but the only way off the porch is the side or the steps...and she doesn't do steps yet. I'm sure that's just a minor glitch in Ali's escape plan. If she watchs the dogs a few times I'm sure she will catch on! Kids are just too damned smart!