The Magic of an Ordinary Day

a child's life

...is all about playing.  and trying to get out of taking naps.

The swing/slide is from our neighbors, whose teenage children no longer use it.  Dwayne moved it over yesterday and Hannah is loving it!!

 

the best made plans...

I'm not an early riser.  Anyone who knows me knows that. 

So when I decide I have to start getting up at 6 am to hit the treadmill before going in to check my bags at Medflight you know I'm serious.  So I get up, let the dog out and head downstairs.

As I  head to the back of the family room I hear it: a frantic sound of small claws scrambling on the carpet, dragging a wood and metal contraption behind it. I froze.  Then ran back upstairs as fast as I could. And that trip up the stairs ended up being my exercise for the morning.

I know that when you live in the country that critters exist, and Dwayne has traps set downstairs but we haven't caught anything in months.  And I know that as a woman who lives in the country I have to deal with them.  But I really hate it. 

So that mouse/pack rat/thing will just have to wait until Dwayne comes home and takes care of it. 

So I made some coffee, let the dog back in for protection, threw in a load of laundry and decided to check my email from the safety of my living room.  So I don't feel like I totally wasted getting up early.

photos from the weekend

We had motorcycles here this weekend.  Malcolm, Dwayne, Don and Bob all went up to the Red River Motorcycle Rally.

Here's Bob...

and Don...

and Malcolm...

This photo is from today, not the day of the ride.  He had this scary mask on the day of the ride. 

I forgot to get a picture of my hubby.  Can you believe it?

So here they all are, ready to go.  They are all thinking "would she just take the photo already so we can get going?"

Grandpa Awesome

That is what Hannah calls Dwayne's dad, Grandpa Awesome.  It's so cute.

Here's Grandpa and Hannah...

Another week at Casa Frijole

Hmm, let's see what we did this week.  The days and weeks fly by so fast!

I flew a patient to Lubbock TX.  He needed a neurosurgeon and either there were no neurosurgeons in Albuquerque who could accept him as a patient or there were no critical care beds in Albuquerque for him. New Mexico is horribly short of neurosurgeons, so I will suspect it was the former.  For a change, it was a non-eventful, normal flight.  Except that I was called at 1 a.m. and had to roll out of bed and be on the road in 10 minutes.  Thank goodness for the company issued baseball cap.

I certified in NRP at Medflight this week.  With our increase in transport of high-risk obstetric patients, I guess we need to know what to do if we birth a high-risk baby at 35,000 feet. 

I was sooooo stressed about this class.  Having not seen a newborn  -- fresh from the oven as it were -- since nursing school, much less a limp non-breathing baby I was just freaking out about it.  Thankfully, I had a work colleague and my brother Al to help peel me off the ceiling and I did just fine and am now certified to resuscitate a newborn. 

But if it's your newborn, I'd look around for someone else to do it.  Just a little tip from me to you. 

I am trying to get on a critical pediatric flight as a third crew member as well.  When we get a pediatric patient, it's kind of a judgment call by the coordinator as to who to send.  There is an "adult" team and a "neonatal" team and somewhere in between is pediatrics.  Some of the nurses have peds experience, and of course, the medics are all very well rounded as far as their experience.  I'd like to be doing peds but I'd also like to observe a peds flight before I have one of my own.

We found out that Jake has a a hypothyroid.  He had been panting so much and he looked a little chunky so we took him in for blood work.  So a couple of pills a day and he's good to go.  The panting has decreased and hopefully he'll lose that 5 pounds he packed on over the winter.

Hannah's done with school and we're going to just hang out and play until the "summer program" starts in June.  She would miss her friends too much if she wasn't getting to see them.  Summer program is three hours a day, twice a week.  Structured play mostly, but since it is run by one of her preschool teachers they will work on things from last year.

Now that we have the summer-like dirty feet/legs/arms every night Hannah has decided she'd like to take a mini-bath in the kitchen sink at night.  It is a wonderfully deep sink so I thought "why not?" 

Note the dirty knees.

Preschool graduation

I know I'm really old, but when did this all start?  Everything has a graduation.  What happened to "it's June 5th, kid, see you in three months"?

So we all went to the little Lutheran preschool where she goes.  We went to the Chapel so the kids could sing their songs and get their diplomas.  So all the kids are singing their Jesus songs (complete with exuberant arm movements) and my Heathen child is just standing there -- not singing or participating in any way.  Except to occasionally lift her dress up and show off her panties.  I was busy making frantic hand signals to her to pull your dress down! and looking for a rock to climb under. 

Sigh.  It's always the quiet ones that get you, huh?  One of the Moms was talking to us about vacation bible school for her this summer, and I'm starting to think she needs it.

They let her graduate anyway (although I'm sure she won't be able to pull that stunt when she's 16) and I have to say she looked cute as a button. 

I was having a little fun at Despair, Inc. The photo is mine.  Enjoy.

mother's day

Since the hubby was working all weekend, Mother's Day was kind of a drag.  I got to spend all day with Hannah, but we were both missing Dwayne spending the day with us.

I got a Roomba dirt dog (or as I like to pronounce it --"dawg").  I know, I have been known to go into quite a snit over appliances for presents, but I really wanted a Roomba. 

Here's the deal: I hate housework.  And for some reason, sweeping tops the list --granted, it's quite long -- of things I hate to do.  And here we are, wanting to install more wood floors when I leave the kitchen unswept on most days.  In an eat-in kitchen with a four year old.  It's shameful, I know.

I'll clean my house.  But I resent every. single. second.

Then I got this bad boy and I am loving it!

And because Dwayne is not an idiot (and is well aware of aforementioned snit regarding appliances as gifts) he also got me these:

He's a keeper, all right. 

PRIDE

Dwayne and I took some time out this week to celebrate his nomination for the Critical Care Pride Nurse.  Pride is an acronym for Presbyterian Recognition of Individuals Dedicated to Excellence.   You get nominated by a peer, and it is quite an honor to be nominated.

Thursday was the dinner, and it was great to hang out with the other  Pride nominees and socialize.  Here are some photos from our night...

Here are James and Marsha.  Honestly, is there a more beautiful couple?  They are the other husband-wife team at the CCU, and James and I do flight nursing with the same company.

And the newlyweds Brian and Cassy.  I didn't get a great photo of them but wanted to put one up of them anyway.  Sorry, guys.

And here's Linda with her adorable boyfriend -- who I am embarrassed to say that I forgot his name!  But he's very nice, a firefighter and apparently a good boyfriend.

I really had a good time, high heels notwithstanding.  It makes me think I should be a little bit less of a hermit sometimes.

Houston, again

Another run to Houston with a really sick patient.  This one had a balloon pump.   Same kind of team--two nurses and a medic, and I was brought in to be the balloon pump nurse. 

In my three trips to Houston so far, I've come to the conclusion that it's never going to be good when we go to Houston.

Without going into details (mostly because I'm just too exhausted!) there were all kinds of monkey wrenches thrown into this particular run...malfunctioning equipment, unstable patient, transportation problems in Houston (to the point where we had to call 911 to get to the hospital) and then needing to shock the patient in the rescue truck en route to the hospital in Houston.  Whew!

The good news is she was stable when we turned her over in Houston, and that is what it's all about.

What this ride was also about was teamwork.  I had never really met this nurse before, but had worked with the medic so we weren't an established "team" that was used to working together and knew each other's strengths.  So on the ride down to Waco we talked everything out and as a team decided on responsibilities and tasks.  As our perfect little plan broke down piece by piece we continually reassessed things and formed a new plan.  We all did what we did best, and although it wasn't by any means the smoothest transport ever we all came out of it with a true sense of respect for each other.

We all had a "debriefing" at the office the next afternoon with the Chief Flight Nurse, Medical Director and Assistant Chief Flight Nurse, in which we discussed the flight, the problems and things that were done well.  It was a very positive meeting, and at no time did any of us feel the need to defend ourselves from the day after armchair quarterback.  The bosses made it known that they were very proud of our responses to the obstacles we had.  I feel good knowing that our organization is that supportive of the staff.  That is SO huge, in my opinion: supporting your staff when they are making life and death decisions in the most unusual of circumstances. 

I love my new job.

going native

I'll have lived in New Mexico for 10 years come July.   This is an entirely different culture than Wisconsin, and in many aspects I think I have gone native.  Here are some examples:

Wrangler butts.  I've always been a Levi's girl, honestly.  The Wranglers were too tight, and then there was that big W on the back.  But as I was admiring a Wrangler butt the other day, I realized I had defected to the other team. 

(And yes, I know I didn't really have to put that photo up there.  But it's a little gift, a little eye-candy for my female readers.  Even the Levi's girls have got to appreciate it.)

The same thing with cowboy hats.  At first I noticed them and thought "how odd."  Like we were at Disneyland or something.  That it was cute or quaint. 

Now I don't even notice them on men who are working.  And I can appreciate that when I invite my (native New Mexican) friends over for a dinner, holiday or party that they will be wearing their "dress" cowboy hat.  And usually a nice belt buckle, too.

And then there's the chile.  Everyone is addicted to the chile.  The only question is "red or green?"   The use of chile has become a part of my life.  Posole on Christmas Eve.  A fresh ristra in the fall.  There are few things that don't benefit from liberal application of chile: eggs, soup, macaroni and cheese, muffins, cornbread, dressing (both salad and the kind some people stuff into poultry).  I actually crave it when I go to visit my family in Wisconsin.

The wind.  When I first came here, I would always hear the natives complain about the wind.  But in 1998, I loved the wind.  I find wind chimes to be one of the most soothing sounds in the world and was happy to have them almost constantly making a gentle tinkling sound.

But now in 2008, my love affair with the wind is over.  The hot, dry winds that are present in spring are now a thing to be avoided.  It kicks up dust and pollen, spreads forest fires and makes take offs and landings harder (okay, that one is kind of specific to my job).  I close my house and car windows to the wind.  It's no longer new and exciting, and the magic is gone. 

I'd like to say that, as a neo-native of New Mexico that my Midwestern accent is gone and that I'm fluent in Spanish.  Sadly, no.  People still ask me "where are you from?"  and I am just getting by with the tiny bit of Spanish that I know.   

I do love this place, though.  The mix of cultures, the beautiful climate, the land that makes me feel grounded and whole.  As a very restless person, this is the only  place I've been where I'm not thinking about where I want to go next.

I'm home.

one year

Dick died one year ago today.  I really miss him. 

September 1st

We will know on that day whether or not we will have another child in this family.  If we do not have a referral from Vietnam by then, they will close our file and return it to the United States.

The whole process, the irregularities in it and the United States Embassy statement are described well here.  I don't have the mental energy to summarize it now.  I'm just bereft of feelings... wanting to hope for the best, but having a feeling that this just isn't going to happen for us.  I'm just in this numb state of limbo. 

The fact that children are languishing in orphanages when they could have a loving family because of politics and greed sickens me.  The amount of money involved with this business is disgusting, and we're with an agency that doesn't bribe people and buy babies. 

If this doesn't work out, I'm done.  I don't have the emotional energy to do this again. 

oh, my aching head

My migraines have gotten out of control again.  I went on Neurontin a year and a half ago as a prophylactic, and it worked initially, reducing the frequency and severity of my headaches just like it's supposed to do.  The big thing I noticed with Neurontin is that my Relpax (the med I take when I get a headache) seemed to work better.

But the honeymoon has been over for about three months, with the headaches again increasing in frequency.  I went back and counted and I had been taking two scripts of the Relpax a month for the last three months.  That's 12 migraines a month.  Way too many.

So Brad decided that, since I had a good response to the Neurontin initially, and that I was kind of on a baby dose -- we'll double it and see what that does.  Trial that for 4-6 weeks, and if that doesn't work we'll try something else.  It's also time for my yearly labs (no CT this time, thankfully) so maybe something's up there that needs tweaking.

I'm all for staying on the Neurontin, but it was a bitch for me getting on it -- spaced out, dizzy, forgetful.  Honestly, I didn't drive for 5 days, I was too dizzy.  Brad said to expect the same neuro effects as before and to increase my doses over 5-7 days.  I don't fly again until Wednesday so this seems like a good time to do it.   

I hope this works.  I try not to throw myself a pity party...you know "why me?  why have I had these stupid headaches since I was 15 years old?"  I didn't really think of how much they affected my life until my Mom came to live with us over the winter and noticed my diet.  So many things I can't eat because they are a trigger.  The fact that any time I went to a class, took someone to the doctor or for whatever reason spent time under fluorescent lights I came home with a pounding migraine that Relpax never fixed.  I have just lived like this for so long I don't think of it.  Or I try not to think of it.

So rather than the tense, crabby person I've been for the last three months my family will be treated to the dizzy space cadet for a few days.  I'm sure it will be a welcomed change. 

If anyone out there gets migraines (and there are a lot of us out there) here are some great resources:

The National Headache Foundation
The Daily Headache
MAGNUM

Photos

I realized that my last few posts have not had any photos so I'll share some now.

Here are some photos from our friend Cassy's wedding.  She got married in Tucson at the end of April, and Dwayne was able to go.  He took some with our point-and-shoot so they aren't fabulous, but I think it shows how absolutely adorable Cassy is.

I mean, honestly, how cute is she?

And my personal favorite...