I haven't been blogging for awhile, this is due to a host of reasons I won't bore you with. Today I was listening to some music on Youtube as well as joined a message board with a hot topic: Religion. I do not want to get into a rational vs. irrational argument, we do irrational things every day like use gas guzzling cars and credit cards our reasons in our own minds justify it at the time even if it is proven a foolish thing to do.
I don't know if it is the time to reveal my personal beliefs, a lot of my friends/family know them however, it is a misunderstood belief that since I am publicly on the Internet need to have all my bases covered for. I will say it is not a traditional religious belief and leave it there. How I found myself at this spot in life though is interesting.
I was raised in a Christian denomination that taught brim-fire and horror. Everything was the work of the "devil", an entity god created but now could not control until it was "time". We were taught to view ourselves as lowly, terrible people who hardly deserved the air we breathe. We were also taught that there is this list of things you need to achieve before you can enter the pearly gates. Perfection was required, at least in the viewpoint of others'. The "perception of evil" (people judging you for your deeds) was your fault if you didn't hide it well enough basically. Even if you were not guilty, if it looked like it, it was bad, evil. This quest for perfection was tempered with a seemingly contradictory message that all are forgiven and saved from a blood sacrifice given by the very same god that required all of this in the first place. My question was always "Why was it necessary then?" If I'm to be judged for my deeds, should I then judge the deity I am worshiping of their deeds? I found a lot of things that are crimes in all 50 states, it didn't fit with my idea of "god" or the "Divine."
So I began a quest, to find not only truth as I saw it, but myself. I don't profess to have all the answers right now either but I will be forever seeking, forever learning. The human brain is an amazing thing, an individual nerve cell can transmit 1,000 impulses per second of which you have 100 billion neurons in the brain. Now I could do the math for you guys but I may miss some zeros, you get the point. (What do you call 100,000 billion? ) One tool in this journey has been meditation or as some call it mindfulness, refusing to get caught up in the everyday garbage of life for a moment, to "steal a moment" for myself and remove my emotions, thoughts, concerns and not allow myself to let life bother me for at least 10 minutes a day. My thoughts brought questions which brought the ensuing research (at times at the mercy of my schoolwork).
As irrational as philosophy is at this moment, things that harm no one else are benign if even irrational is a good term to use. Some argue that not ensuring rational thought is necessary so that you do not become the prey of some psychological manipulator. I think rationalism is human nature, a rational explanation is the one we look to first to answer questions we have no answers to. Sometimes rational explanations just don't quite cut it. For instance, why do people base jump? Their brains are saying "No crazy what is wrong with you!" while their will is saying "Go for it!" Rational people do not jump off buildings because of risk of dying or maiming yourself. Does it make base jumpers bad people? No. Why then do people jump off cliffs and buildings? I'm going to go out on a limb here (no pun intended) and say because they enjoy it.
For me that is why I pursue spirituality and religion, I enjoy it not because I have to.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
A Self-Serving Post With a Twist
So being that I'm in Wisconsin, most can assume I am a Packer fan. In this case your assumptions wouldn't make you look bad, they would be correct. I really wanted to post about my excitement and somehow tie it in with nursing so here I go...
Last year during my kids honors program an eighth grader spoke about the meaning of teamwork. He even used a snazzy example of Brett Favre not being able to win the Super Bowl without Sterling Sharpe. (This is Wisconsin we use football references all the time) He spoke of wanting to better the world and asked if us adults were up to joining his generation (while standing and applauding that made me cry big time, this eighth grader, a 14 year old having so much insight was amazing).
This can be applied to nursing as well. We have a team of doctors, nurses, technicians, housekeepers, food service workers, administrators, unit coordinators, radiologists, phlebotomists, etc. etc. who all work together to ensure the patient has a positive outcome. None of us could run the ship without the other just as a quarter back needs a wide receiver. So as we look forward to the Packers in the Super Bowl (yes I said it), let's focus on team work and how we can be a better team player. We have after all, lives in our very hands.
Last year during my kids honors program an eighth grader spoke about the meaning of teamwork. He even used a snazzy example of Brett Favre not being able to win the Super Bowl without Sterling Sharpe. (This is Wisconsin we use football references all the time) He spoke of wanting to better the world and asked if us adults were up to joining his generation (while standing and applauding that made me cry big time, this eighth grader, a 14 year old having so much insight was amazing).
This can be applied to nursing as well. We have a team of doctors, nurses, technicians, housekeepers, food service workers, administrators, unit coordinators, radiologists, phlebotomists, etc. etc. who all work together to ensure the patient has a positive outcome. None of us could run the ship without the other just as a quarter back needs a wide receiver. So as we look forward to the Packers in the Super Bowl (yes I said it), let's focus on team work and how we can be a better team player. We have after all, lives in our very hands.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Happy Happy Joy Joy
I have to admit, I was a huge Ren & Stimpy fan as a child and every time I hear this song it brings back fond memories and a smile to my face. I was just sitting here thinking about how sad I am that I have not received a phone call yet for an interview anywhere. That has me a little down but then by the grace of the Universe the television in the other room begins to play "Happy Happy Joy Joy" by Ren & Stimpy. It's hard to stay sad and anxious when you hear that song.
I know I will look back at the job search and say "Oh it was not really that long that I had to wait" but I'm not particularly a good waiter. I like action and I like it now. I've worked since I was 15 and this not having a job or being in school thing is killing me! So until I get a response from someone who would like to interview me, I guess I will listen to the words of Ren & Stimpy.
I know I will look back at the job search and say "Oh it was not really that long that I had to wait" but I'm not particularly a good waiter. I like action and I like it now. I've worked since I was 15 and this not having a job or being in school thing is killing me! So until I get a response from someone who would like to interview me, I guess I will listen to the words of Ren & Stimpy.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
From the Patient's Point of View
Now granted I'm a graduate nurse, I've been a patient far longer and thought it important to talk about something that has me quite bothered.
As some of you know I had to visit the oral surgeon yesterday and all went well, or so I thought. My first clue that something may not be so right (trust your gut people) was that they had me sign an informed consent in the waiting room without ever having had a conversation with the surgeon. I brushed it off, yeah I know what's up and can ask a question in the room, no biggie. That was mistake #1 on my part.
The reason this was a mistake for any non-nurses out there is there has to be a few things that happen before an informed consent is valid. #1 The surgeon must tell you about the procedure, the risks and benefits, and potential complications. #2 You must understand what the surgeon told you and accept it and #3 You must be fully competent and able to make that decision (I had no nitrous anyway so all was okay). It is then witnessed by another staff member such as a nurse who then signs that this took place. The nurse also has to be sure you did in fact meet all of those criterion.
The tooth that was extracted had a deep root that extended into my sinus cavity which has "grown down", according to my regular dentist. I have chronic rhinosinusitis which is controlled by flonase and singulair. Needless to say I have some nasal polyps and get sinus infections around every March or so. Anyway, before the surgeon began I said "My dentist told me that I should ask you if I need to be concerned about this root that has grown into my sinus cavity". He says "No, don't worry." Then proceeds to swab the wrong side of my mouth for tooth #3 when it was #13 that needed to come out. (Someone wrote down the wrong side).
With my blood pressure rising about 20 points at this juncture (I looked at the machine) I kind of just grinned and bore it. It went quick and yesterday wasn't that bad, there was drainage, that I expected. But today there is new drainage. Drainage that isn't saliva or blood or even serosanguinous fluid. I'm also starting to get a pain near my cheek bone. I called the office and was brushed off, "the pain medicine should be helping and you will get better in 2-3 days, most people don't even need all of it." Hmmm, thanks for the not really much of a reply there my dear.
I make it a habit not to announce to everyone my status in the medical field, I don't want special treatment, I want to be able to gauge it from the perspective of the regular Joe and Jane. I just feel like a diagnosis at the moment and I really dislike this aspect of health care. Patient-centered care cannot get here fast enough!
If not better by Friday, I'm calling my primary doc, after my due diligent research I may need to see an ENT if this drainage doesn't stop.
As some of you know I had to visit the oral surgeon yesterday and all went well, or so I thought. My first clue that something may not be so right (trust your gut people) was that they had me sign an informed consent in the waiting room without ever having had a conversation with the surgeon. I brushed it off, yeah I know what's up and can ask a question in the room, no biggie. That was mistake #1 on my part.
The reason this was a mistake for any non-nurses out there is there has to be a few things that happen before an informed consent is valid. #1 The surgeon must tell you about the procedure, the risks and benefits, and potential complications. #2 You must understand what the surgeon told you and accept it and #3 You must be fully competent and able to make that decision (I had no nitrous anyway so all was okay). It is then witnessed by another staff member such as a nurse who then signs that this took place. The nurse also has to be sure you did in fact meet all of those criterion.
The tooth that was extracted had a deep root that extended into my sinus cavity which has "grown down", according to my regular dentist. I have chronic rhinosinusitis which is controlled by flonase and singulair. Needless to say I have some nasal polyps and get sinus infections around every March or so. Anyway, before the surgeon began I said "My dentist told me that I should ask you if I need to be concerned about this root that has grown into my sinus cavity". He says "No, don't worry." Then proceeds to swab the wrong side of my mouth for tooth #3 when it was #13 that needed to come out. (Someone wrote down the wrong side).
With my blood pressure rising about 20 points at this juncture (I looked at the machine) I kind of just grinned and bore it. It went quick and yesterday wasn't that bad, there was drainage, that I expected. But today there is new drainage. Drainage that isn't saliva or blood or even serosanguinous fluid. I'm also starting to get a pain near my cheek bone. I called the office and was brushed off, "the pain medicine should be helping and you will get better in 2-3 days, most people don't even need all of it." Hmmm, thanks for the not really much of a reply there my dear.
I make it a habit not to announce to everyone my status in the medical field, I don't want special treatment, I want to be able to gauge it from the perspective of the regular Joe and Jane. I just feel like a diagnosis at the moment and I really dislike this aspect of health care. Patient-centered care cannot get here fast enough!
If not better by Friday, I'm calling my primary doc, after my due diligent research I may need to see an ENT if this drainage doesn't stop.
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