Holidaze

What a holiday season. My husband's father took a turn for the worse and went home on hospice a week before Christmas. My husband had to go, .they have had differences but my huband went anyway. His Dad said something about Christmas when my husband got there but he thought nothing of it. Not knowing or realizing the power of the mind. His Dad hung on till Christmas day, the last 24 hours were agonizing I'm sure, everyone sitting around counting his breaths because he had lost consciousness. I can't imagine. This was my husband's first encounter with death. I can't imagine how awful it was for him because I have only seen it from a nurse's view. As a nurse,I hope for a peaceful ending, the quicker the better. Especially if the patient is unconscious,the family are the ones suffering. I was asleep in my bed when my father passed away 20 years ago from lung cancer. Is it fate that my husband had to deal with cancer in hus father as I did? Is it fate that we both had a parent die on Christmas? I was on my first travel assignment in Denver and worked on Christmas Day when I got the phone call that my Mother had passed. It's ironic. Most of my family are here in Oklahoma for the holidays, except for my husband. It should be a joyous time. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, you may not know the reason right away, but it will become clear in the days to come. Sorry if this post bummed any of you out...that was not my intention. Just to give some incite into the life of a nurse. I worked 8 hours today and am going back for 12 hours tomorrow...God willing. Remember, first do no harm.

Returning to Napa

Hi Everyone, Happy holidays! It's cold here in Oklahoma, they lied to me. My sisters said the weather was nice only a week or two of cold . It seems like its been cold for a month and it has snowed! Plus it's going to be snowing again this week. What did I get myself into? Just kidding. I wouldn't trade this time with my family for the world.I even got a new great nephew out of the deal. Great nephew...makes me sound really old doesn't it? My only defense is that I am the youngest of 6.

As my heading says, I am headed back to Napa in January. I'll be staying with another traveler friend of mine and her husband and their 3 dogs. It should be a blast! I haven't had a pet in 5 years because it's just easier to travel without one. My husband will be staying in chilly Oklahoma to run our store. It's called the Estate Sale Store and we are in Moore Oklahoma. We sell new and used furniture and household goods. Like the name says anything you might find at an estate sale. It's doing ok but nursing pay out here is nothing compared to California. We had discussed it when we decided to open the store and said we'd do whatever it takes. I think I'm getting the better end of the deal...all I have to do is work. He has to go to the estate sales and auctions and run the store and pay the bills and take care of himself in cold windy Oklahoma. It will be an adjustment. I'll keep you all updated. I leave January 9th.
Hope everyone has a great holiday season. Stay warm!!!!

SNOW

Well, who would have thought I'd have seen snow twice already this year. Last year...not at all. My husband and I went to Colorado to the Army vs. Air Force football game early last month and it snowed...it was beautiful but unexpected. Then yesterday here in Oklahoma it has snowed ...unbelievable. It's a far cry from the perfect weather of California.
I did an orientation in the ambulatory surgery area of the little hospital (Moore Medical Center) where I am working prn. It was nice...they don't have a full surgery case load yet so it's pretty quiet. It's bascially pre-op out patient stuff. They come in the day of surgery or the day before and get their blood drawn (by the nurse) and fill out the questionaire then radiology comes over and does their chest x-ray and respiratory therapy comes and does their ekg. Then, if it's the day of surgery, we start their IV and have them sign their consent forms and wait. This hospital currently is discharging their surgery patients from the recovery room, most other hospitals send them back over to Ambulatory surgery until they are ready to go home. It was nice so I think I may pick up a few days there as well.
I will be taking an assignment back in Napa, just 8 weeks to start. With the store my huband and I opened he will have to stay behind in Oklahoma and run the store. I decided on only 8 weeks to see how we do apart from each other. We have been together everyday for the last 5 years since I started traveling...so it will be a transition.
Happy holidays,happy blogging...Remember first do no harm.