The New Guy in Town

Since I have been a Jazz fan for most of my life, I, being a girl, have constantly analyzed the team and decided which players were husband material. I mean who wouldn't want what seems to be a "good guy" NBA Basketball player for themselves. It started off with John Stockton of course, but my image of him was shattered when I heard he was rude to his neighbors on Walker Lane. Jeff Hornacek was always in the background because he was so charitable and seemingly good with his little kid fans. Oh yeah, you can't forget Tom Chambers way back in the day. He must have been a good guy, he went to BYU. Oh and I admired Blue Edwards because his wife had twins and I knew the nurse who delivered them so we were tight. I just knew he was the best father! I had visions of me in a wedding dress with Bryon Russell. Man he was hot!!! Then of course Matt Harpring. I was just sure he was a returned missionary and we were meant to be. More recently Chris Humphreys who had such a baby face I would melt when I saw him. I was mad when we traded him. Now today, the winner would be.... Kyle Korver. Can you say Ashton Kutcher but hotter. Yummy! So as I have gone through all these relationships alone, I have come to realize I will most likely not marry a Jazz Player, but I can still dream. Though it has been hard to grasp this reality, I realize I can still look from the sidelines. I mean, who doesn't like to think about someone with a little sex-appeal!

Dilemma

I have come to realize that medical advancements are not always a blessing. I work in area that fights death everyday. Yes its great that we save many infants, but would death in some situations have been a better choice. The choice of whether to take great lengths and save a child, or let them go as nature would have it, is not always clear. We have the ability to save most anything, but are we preventing them from taking the course they should have taken. I often think of what I would do if I was the mother of a child that had serious physical anomalies, and had to decide whether to take drastic measure to save their lives, knowing it would not cure them of their physical disability but it would keep them alive. I have been in many situations where the infant is alive and responsive on a ventilator, but beyond that, they have nothing else functioning. How would it be to look into your child's eyes and know you had to make the decision of whether to keep them on the ventilator or whether you are going to pull the plug. From the words of a mother that we posed this question to, she responded, "I will live with this decision for the rest of my life." The silence in the room was awful. From the nurses standpoint, it is easy to say, why would you save this child. It will never walk, talk, eat, hear, see, breath on it's own, etc. We also spend day in and day out with these infant managing their care and know how much work it is. We see all the needles, tubes, sutures, that go into them. We work with them through their anguish to survive. We come to realize that there are things worse then death. On the other hand, we are not the parent. We don't have to live that horrible decision of life or death. We don't have to think about the infant everyday and remember their sweet eyes starring at you. For us it's just a job, and we can go on living outside this sphere once we leave the hospital. So during those times that I am struggling to understand why parents can't just let their child go, in the back of my mind I know as the mother I would have a hard time letting go too. This is a dilemma that tears at me daily, and is one of the most stressful parts of my job. It is my goal to be remembered by the family as someone who is supportive and understanding with the decisions they make at this time, even if I don't agree. I can't blame them for being protectors. That's what parents are suppose to be. On a lighter note, I do have fun at work despite some of the heaviness. Yes we have named Dr. Mcsteamy and Mcdreamy in our unit. Yes we do mess around on our voceras and laugh at each others crazy lives. Most of all, we do love these babies and enjoy snuggling with them and rocking them or just holding their hands. As cheesy as it sounds, it is true!

Best In Show

I'd like to give a shout out to all beagles! It is about time they were recognized for their excellence. My Sadie looks a lot like Uno, the winner of the Westminster Dog Show, but she may have a little more fat on her!

My Enemy

I Hate this stuff! It is suppose to be my friend and kill all the squirmy germs on my hands but it does more then that. It eats away at my skin and leaves it in despair. It feels like alcohol would on an open wound or burn. I have no choice but to use it because I can't always make it to the sink to wash my hands between patients, but I do what I can to avoid using it. I thought I might have to change professions until I found a wonder creme. It is usually used for diaper rashes, but it works like a charm saving my hands from the grips of AVAGARD!!! It is like covering your hand with crisco. I leave grease marks everywhere I go. Thank goodness for my Aloe Vesta! I suppose I will have to live with this enemy for the rest of my career unless somebody thinks of something for sensitive skin. Although if the stuff wasn't harsh, it probably wouldn't' be doing it's job.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

If you didn't get one of my amazing cookies for Valentine's, you really missed out!

Do We Look Alike?

Genes are stronger then you want to believe. Although I have never thought that me and my niece Rosie looked alike, we seem to make the same facial expressions. Have you ever caught yourself making a gesture that you've seen your parents make over and over again. Lately it has been happening to me; especially when I am sitting in church. I will bring my hand up to my face and rest it on my chin and then realize this is what my dad looks like when I look over at him in church. The worst thing is, you use to laugh at your parents for being so weird, and then you realize you're weird too!

Hip Hop

So me and my friend Jodi have decided to take a Hip Hop class together. It is great because, though we use to be basically one person, I don't see her much anymore because she's married and has two kids, which is of course what I would want for her. The point is that we use to go dancing all the time. We were regulars at the Sigma Chi house. They knew that when Jane and Jodi enter the house we were headed straight to the black and white checkered floor down stairs. We spent many nights at the Bay, Club DV8, Liquid Joes, and any other concert or party we knew about. Someone once told us they would hate to see us drunk if this is what we were like sober. We were not afraid of making fools of ourselves. I can't say I was always the life of the party, but my friends definitely were and I tagged along. Sometimes I miss those days of being crazy and letting loose. So taking this Hip Hop class is a great way to keep the energy alive in my life. It is not fun and games though. It is tough stuff. Even though I may exercise regularly, hip hop kicks your butt! I have never felt so out of shape in my life. You move your body in positions I don't think it's ever been before. I tweaked my back this week. It's dangerous stuff. I look like an idiot learning it, but once you get it down, you don't want to stop. I have to admit, if you come by my house, you may see me in the kitchen practicing my moves. Lets just say I can't wait to go dancing again. Me and Jodi are going to bring the house down!!!

Mean People Suck!

I don't know how many times I have seen this phrase on the bumper in front of me, but after last night at work, I am a believer! I worked with the angriest person who just sat and yelled at me for not having everything at his fingertips the second he asked for it. It was like I was suppose to read his mind, which as nurses we have to learn to do to survive. After he royally chewed me up and spit me out, I did not say a word. I knew that anything I said wouldn't matter. I WAS WRONG PERIOD! Whatever. I just hope that one day all mean people will have to relive all of the times they were beastly, and see it through the other person's eyes. It would be a humbling experience for them!

WHY BLOG?

So I never intended to start a blog. Mainly because I don't think my life is interesting enough to write about or read about, hence Plain Jane. Plus I have been told that I'm not that good at telling stories by several people, so maybe I am a little self-conscious about writing. Perhaps if I blog I will get better at it? Plus this blog could be entertainment when I am 90 years old and can't do anything else but read. I will need something more then just my US Weeklys. It has taken me a few days to get this up and going, but I think I am almost ready to be blog stalked! I just need to add a hot picture-

Nurse Jane

So I decided to clarify what I do, because I don't think even my family understands. This realization came to me when I was asked by a friend if all I do is take care of mentally challenged children. Though there would be nothing wrong with this, it is not what I do. I work in the Newborn-ICU, (Intensive Care Unit) therefore my patients are newborns who are intensely ill. I work at Primary Children's Medical Center which is the referring hospital for any infant needing genetic testing, surgical intervention, or have complex issues. Other Newborn-ICUs in the valley are known for having a feeder-grower population (pre-mature (tiny), just need to feed and grow) or other issues managed through drug therapy or basic ventilation. I deal with all the fun stuff like Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Gastroschesis, Hydorcephalus, Congenital Heart Disease, or Multiple Congenital Anomalies. Usually naturally along with these issues comes Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Feeding Intolerance. Though it may seem like all I get to do is cuddle with babies, this is usually not the case. There is always a barrier, whether it is multiple peripheral lines, ostomy bags, gastric suction, or an endotracheal tube. This job might add a flash of excitement to plain Jane's life. Just the other day I got my first experience of having my patient pull out their ETT (breathing tube) and turn a lovely shade of black that I don't care to see again. At the end of the day I have to say that I love my job! There is nothing that compares to the adrenaline rush of thinking quick and acting fast. Though it is stressful at the time and you are cursing life, when it's all over, you feel like you actually accomplished something. Nursing is a challenge to me but I like challenges. I have noticed amazing strength given to me at work by a higher power during critical times. My testimony of God grows stronger each day!

The Dogs

Dogs say it all! You just look into their little faces and you can see the expressions that you know you make yourself and therefore have such a connection with them. I have two dogs, Sadie and Lucy, 5o lb beagles. I know this may sound over-weight but trust me weve kept them down to a minimum that I feel proud of. They love food, but so do I so how can I blaim them. They have been my pride and joy for the last 4 years. They are my running partners, chocolate eating partners, and best of all nap partners. In bed they become like two bookends, squeezing you like a lemon, and when you wake up you wonder how your body was able to contort to such positions. I don't know what is endearing about this, but it has become one of the many blessings in my life!