TURNING 50

I turned 50 on Friday. I’m not sure how I feel about that. The first sign the day was getting closer was when I received my AARP application. I quickly threw it away hoping that if I did not respond then it would not make it real. Then I got a schedule for the Senior Olympics. Hmmmm, someone was trying to tell me something. It was not as if I took an ad out in the paper notifying the world I was now accepting all advertisements notifying me of all senior citizen events. Somehow, however, it was common knowledge.
Fifty? Fifty? When did that happen? Where did 30 and 40 go? I’m a grandma. I have a son who is 28. I thought I was 28.
I looked up other words for old (as listed in the Thesaurus): antiquity, maturity, decline, decay, senility. All words obviously meant to uplift. I’m a mature antique woman close to senility headed for decline, and soon to decay. So much to look forward to.
Despite my resistance it was inevitable. I am officially 50. The day came and went quietly – no fireworks, no hoopla, just an ordinary day. One day closer to decay.

Week Four of Clinicals

This week begins week four of clinicals. I'm not sure why, but I never sleep well Tuesday night. I guess I'm anticipating a new week at the hospital, and I'm still overwhelmed but what I'm doing. I dreamed last night that I left the hospital while I still had all my patients on nebulizer treatments, plus I forgot to chart. I was frantic in my dream. So besides being anxious, and the dreaming I had Buster licking my nose at 2:15 in the morning. Geez, he's not even my dog.

Today was a good day at the hospital. I was able to work on a different floor. I was on IMC - Intermediate Care - and instead of working with elderly sick men I worked with elderly sick women. Much better. They were so cute, and so eager to just gab about everything. I had to tell them to be quiet and breath in their treatment - they didn't listen tho, they just wanted to talk. So I listened.

One lady was so cute - I thought she was in her 60's,but she was 83. I couldn't believe it. However, she was very ill, and I felt so bad for her. Another lady was 77 and she asked me, "you know what the bad part about getting old is? Losing your independence! The doctors leave my room to ask my daughters questions about me, and I want to say, "hey, I'm right here - you can ask me! I know all about myself!"" She was so funny. There definitely is a difference between the men and the women. The women are fiesty and zesty and the men are just lethargic and blah. I wonder why that is?

I better get to bed. I get home at 7:00 and need to be in bed by 8:30 so I have the stamina to get through 12 hours tomorrow. Getting up at 4:30 is just plain painful.

Clinical Stories

I started this blog to share some of my clinical experiences, and I have yet to do that. I have decided that respiratory therapy is the perfect job for me. I really love every aspect of it - so far anyway. I have had a chance to meet so many nice people and to really get to serve them. Every day there is some new story to tell.

Last week I was able to watch four c-sections, and I thought I was going to burst with excitement when I was called to the first one. It was amazing to watch, and to actually witness a baby take their first breath gave me goose bumps. I remember thinking how I was able to watch as someone took their first breath, and then also watch as others were preparing to take their last breath. Both experiences were actually spiritual, and I thought how close to Heaven each experience was.

Most of my patients are older men - 70 -90 - they all want to go out with me. I had one guy say he'd arrange for the mafia to help me out financially. Hmmm at this point I was almost willing to let him arrange it. One man dieing of lung cancer said if I were not married he'd take me to dinner. He was a cocaine addict. I finally got my Alzheimer's patient to remember my name for longer than half a day. He's the guy who is fed through a G-tube (tube in his belly) and he desparately wants a cup of coffee. He asks me every day for a cup of coffee. I tell him sorry, he's not allowed to have coffee and he says, "for Gods sake just give me a half a cup of coffee." Poor guy. He's grumpy but I love him. I just wish I could give him a half a cup of coffee. I'm sure I'd be in his Will. But when he went to write my name he'd probably forget what it was.

Every day I learn something new, if it's not about medicine it's about human kindness and compassion. I know I made the right decision to pursue this career - it may be late in life, but better late than never.

Grandchildren

Look what was left at my door step in July? Jesse and Stephanie brought the girls to visit. It was so much fun to have the babies running around the house. I loved it. I even loved the mess, the chaos, the laundry laying around - it was all great!
This was Josh's first time to meet the girls. It was love at first site.

Little Amish Savannah - this was an Amish hat Jesse got on his mission.
Aren't they the cutest little family? I'm so proud of them.

I thought this was so cute - they each wanted the phone. Of all the things in the house the phone and the pots and pans were their favorite. We had a great time while they were here and yes, it was hard to say good-bye.