I was thinking this weekend that maybe I should put my Christmas tree away (see previous post for picture).It's only 2 feet high and has a few ornaments other than the round glass ones, so it should have been done a long time ago, right? Well, here are some reasons why it's still standing by my fireplace:
1. Time. It's just one of those things that has not been on the top of my Saturday to-do list, especially since I did take an 11 hour nap after my road march last week (fell asleep at 3 pm, woke up at 2 am on Sunday morning).
2. It provides some "greenery" since it is just barely warming up to temperatures that a plant might survive in...but then comes the wind...
3. I don't have to water it.
4. The red base and red ornaments are festive enough for Valentine's Day. i guess I could acknowledge the holiday in some way. Maybe the red could be patriotic enough for the 4th of July? Maybe? Haven't you heard of celebrating Christmas in July? I did do it on my mission.
5. Since it is still winter, I can leave my snowman ornament on.
6. My Norwegian ornaments (thanks to my sis!). I can leave it up until at least the 17th of May!! (Sytennde Mai is Norwegian Independence Day, how else am I going to celebrate it in El Paso?)
7. Are we not suppose to celebrate Christmas everyday?
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
A Few Quotes of the Week
Here are some memorable quotes from the last week, at least the G-rated ones...
* Medic: "This patient has MAD tenderness in their left knee!" I really hope they didn't document "mad tenderness" in their note. I'm trying to come up with a collection of lines taken from patient notes written by medics during sick call and use them for a future post.
* "Are you nervous Ma'am? Why are do you look so nervous? You're trembling!" This was the soldier who had to supervise me as I gave a urine sample for a random drug test. It could be the fact that I was trying to hurry for the three patients I had waiting up for me in the clinic, the company commander had to stop by and talk to about a patient before I went to the clinic, the fact that I had nothing to eat in the last 5 hours, or the fact that I just don't like having people watch me pee! I have come to terms with supervised random drug screens, as this was my third, but this person was a little bit too much into my business. As one fellow soldier says, "We get paid to have someone watch us pee!" Living the dream....
* Ruck march team member #1: "Do you see the horse?" Team member #2 " Oh yeah, yeah, I see it...yeah right..." Apparently in the Organ Mountains near White Sands and Las Cruces, New Mexico (which do look pretty cool) one of the mountains supposedly looks like a horse. Someday when I see it, I'll get a picture of it and show you, but for now...
* Medic: "This patient has MAD tenderness in their left knee!" I really hope they didn't document "mad tenderness" in their note. I'm trying to come up with a collection of lines taken from patient notes written by medics during sick call and use them for a future post.
* "Are you nervous Ma'am? Why are do you look so nervous? You're trembling!" This was the soldier who had to supervise me as I gave a urine sample for a random drug test. It could be the fact that I was trying to hurry for the three patients I had waiting up for me in the clinic, the company commander had to stop by and talk to about a patient before I went to the clinic, the fact that I had nothing to eat in the last 5 hours, or the fact that I just don't like having people watch me pee! I have come to terms with supervised random drug screens, as this was my third, but this person was a little bit too much into my business. As one fellow soldier says, "We get paid to have someone watch us pee!" Living the dream....
* Ruck march team member #1: "Do you see the horse?" Team member #2 " Oh yeah, yeah, I see it...yeah right..." Apparently in the Organ Mountains near White Sands and Las Cruces, New Mexico (which do look pretty cool) one of the mountains supposedly looks like a horse. Someday when I see it, I'll get a picture of it and show you, but for now...
Sunday, January 24, 2010
I'll Bring the Strobe Light
That was my remark following the suggestion that we should throw a "block party" or rave for the new offices that my brigade's PA's as well as myself moved to this week. The three other providers and I moved next door to the same building that houses the lab, behavioral health offices, dental clinic, and pharmacy, so we claim the little nook or hallway that makes up our four offices and the three medic screening rooms. So far, I've noticed a couple things that I have to get used to: 1. I'm feeling a little more claustrophobic and can't get my usual laps around the building as I talk with other providers. 2. Since the other PA's offices next door, our evening "documentation-music" can be heard very easily and might even clash. My singing might be heard as well, but it's okay. My neighbor and I sang along to the same song the other night. We'll have to do some karaoke for our "block party." On the plus side, I do FINALLY have a working telephone IN my office!! This makes life so much easier now. A couple weeks ago I finally got my printer again and will never have to hand-write a profile again, woohoo! Oh, and my Outlook email account got fixed, and I found out that I had over 300 messages.
I guess this was a highlight of the past few weeks. The first two weeks after the break were especially hard. They say that the day/week coming back from vacation is always hard, but these last two weeks were the type of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot weeks where I thought, "C'mon now, REALLY??" My first week back we were down two of our providers who were on leave, so that left me and another PA to handle sick call. Some of the patients had things that had been going since before or during the holidays and were just NOW getting it checked out, like guy with shoulder pain for three weeks (he actually fractured his humerus) and another guy who broke his hand over a week before. I got to know about the fracture clinic real well. And then there were the "incidental findings" of x-rays from lungs that didn't quite sound right. One had a hietal hernia (stomach pooches through diaphragm - which was actually great, because I had been working this guy up for chest pain), and the other was a young guy who had some weird calcifications and a 7mm nodule in his left lung. And then there was this awkward kid who I had seen for a couple of other things before who was complaining of headaches and turns out that on an MRI he has a brain mass. I referred him to neurosurgery, and the same day after his appointment he calls to complain that he knows more than the neurosurgeon handling his case. So what am I suppose to do?? Oh, and then there was the very brief phone conversation I had with a commander when I was trying to explain why I sent a suicidal patient (his soldier, who had 2 previous attempts before) to the ER and the only thing he asked me was, "Didn't you ?know he was being seen by behavioral health?" Uggg, that 's a whole other story, but if I had a little more rank I would really have told him what I wanted to say. These two weeks were finished off with me giving a lecture that I had spent hours on preparing and with little sleep, for which I only had 5 medics in attendance. Yeah. Thank goodness I had a four day weekend after that. It was much needed.
My fifteen mile ruck march for the Bataan raining was also very therapeutic, despite a couple of blisters. I am actually training heavy now (35 pound rucksack (backpack)) but unless I find another soldier to take my place, I may have to go back and support the light team. Our practice was cancelled this weekend due to predicted showers ("I'll bring a poncho!!" ) and I was a bit bummed because it turned out to be a very sunny, although cold and windy, day.
Still living the dream...
I guess this was a highlight of the past few weeks. The first two weeks after the break were especially hard. They say that the day/week coming back from vacation is always hard, but these last two weeks were the type of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot weeks where I thought, "C'mon now, REALLY??" My first week back we were down two of our providers who were on leave, so that left me and another PA to handle sick call. Some of the patients had things that had been going since before or during the holidays and were just NOW getting it checked out, like guy with shoulder pain for three weeks (he actually fractured his humerus) and another guy who broke his hand over a week before. I got to know about the fracture clinic real well. And then there were the "incidental findings" of x-rays from lungs that didn't quite sound right. One had a hietal hernia (stomach pooches through diaphragm - which was actually great, because I had been working this guy up for chest pain), and the other was a young guy who had some weird calcifications and a 7mm nodule in his left lung. And then there was this awkward kid who I had seen for a couple of other things before who was complaining of headaches and turns out that on an MRI he has a brain mass. I referred him to neurosurgery, and the same day after his appointment he calls to complain that he knows more than the neurosurgeon handling his case. So what am I suppose to do?? Oh, and then there was the very brief phone conversation I had with a commander when I was trying to explain why I sent a suicidal patient (his soldier, who had 2 previous attempts before) to the ER and the only thing he asked me was, "Didn't you ?know he was being seen by behavioral health?" Uggg, that 's a whole other story, but if I had a little more rank I would really have told him what I wanted to say. These two weeks were finished off with me giving a lecture that I had spent hours on preparing and with little sleep, for which I only had 5 medics in attendance. Yeah. Thank goodness I had a four day weekend after that. It was much needed.
My fifteen mile ruck march for the Bataan raining was also very therapeutic, despite a couple of blisters. I am actually training heavy now (35 pound rucksack (backpack)) but unless I find another soldier to take my place, I may have to go back and support the light team. Our practice was cancelled this weekend due to predicted showers ("I'll bring a poncho!!" ) and I was a bit bummed because it turned out to be a very sunny, although cold and windy, day.
Still living the dream...
Sunday, December 20, 2009
My Next Big Goal
My next big goal is the Bataan Memorial Death March, which takes place in White Sands, New Mexico every year. Every year, thousands or people from around the world -- military member, civilians, amputees, children, adults, and the elderly-- participate in a march in memory of the soldiers who survived and died during the 60 mile Bataan Death March during World War II after they were forced to surrender to the Japanese. The intro to the movie, "The Great Raid," offers a good summary of the events of the Bataan Death March. It's a bit heavy, but pretty honest too.
This was after the weird November snow fall going up Transmountain Road. A perk of training on Saturday mornings and enjoying quiet, lovely views like these. A lovely view of Texas and New Mexico (Soccorro, far left)
For more information on the Bataan Memorial Death March, you can go here. Does anyone want to join me??
This was after the weird November snow fall going up Transmountain Road. A perk of training on Saturday mornings and enjoying quiet, lovely views like these. A lovely view of Texas and New Mexico (Soccorro, far left)For more information on the Bataan Memorial Death March, you can go here. Does anyone want to join me??
Sunday, December 13, 2009
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
I broke out some of my very few Christmas decorations (mainly a few nativity scenes and a tree from Target) last week.
I also got a lovely poinsettia that was left over from the Holiday Ball. I guess it was one of the perks of staying until the end and dancing the night away. I told my fellow PA that we should cancel sick call on Monday to go to Legal Services to account for damages to the dance floor bece WE TORE IT UP!! And I was sober too. There might be someone out there who is waiting to black mail me with video of my moves, so beware!
A couple weeks ago El Paso was hit with a freak snow storm. It wasn't that bad, it's just that El Pasoans are not used to snow. A few days later there was another storm but it mostly left EVERY road (including I-10) covered in ice! I think I wore out my guardian angels that day as I did a little "gliding" on Fred Wilson Blvd early that morning. Of course I didn't get the message that the base was going to open up two hours later that morning.
Another tid bit, one job I'm really glad I don't have: the security gate people. Yeah, they have looked pretty cold recently. Maybe when I roll down my window to hand them my ID, I momentarily blast them with a little Christmas music and heat. It has warmed up since, so don't let a little cold weather deter you from visiting me in the "beautiful" city of El Paso!
Friday, November 20, 2009
It's been one of those weeks...
These were my daily goals for Thursday:
1. Have my computer/electronic medical records system working. I was kicked off of the system at 8:30 the night before. I guess that was my sign to go home. Fortunately, it was working the next morning.
2. Talk to the clinical nurse psychiatrist about a patient whose needs exceeds that of a primary care provider. This was also my first "will not see again" patient. I've started THE LIST.
3. Not end the day with a mentally unstable patient, unlike the previous two days. Yeah, one of those weeks.
On an up note, my goals for tomorrow include:
1. Road march 6 miles through Transmountain Road. More details later.
2. Finish about 9 patient notes that had to be put off due to other events this week.
3. Go grocery shopping at the commissary when it is actually open. Open!
4. Prepare my lesson for Sunday school on Sunday. Yep, I'm subbing. It's actually from Preach My Gosple, chapter 2.
5. Enjoy my Bluebelle Groom's Cake ice cream (chocolate ice cream with strawberry swirl, chocolate cake pieces, chocolate covered strawberries, something like that.) I have been thinking about this ice cream for well over a month! It's my reward for setting a new personal record on my physical fitness test -- which I completed when it was 35 ndegrees outside. I think I will remember to bring gloves when it's that cold next time. Maybe keep the long pants on for the run too.
1. Have my computer/electronic medical records system working. I was kicked off of the system at 8:30 the night before. I guess that was my sign to go home. Fortunately, it was working the next morning.
2. Talk to the clinical nurse psychiatrist about a patient whose needs exceeds that of a primary care provider. This was also my first "will not see again" patient. I've started THE LIST.
3. Not end the day with a mentally unstable patient, unlike the previous two days. Yeah, one of those weeks.
On an up note, my goals for tomorrow include:
1. Road march 6 miles through Transmountain Road. More details later.
2. Finish about 9 patient notes that had to be put off due to other events this week.
3. Go grocery shopping at the commissary when it is actually open. Open!
4. Prepare my lesson for Sunday school on Sunday. Yep, I'm subbing. It's actually from Preach My Gosple, chapter 2.
5. Enjoy my Bluebelle Groom's Cake ice cream (chocolate ice cream with strawberry swirl, chocolate cake pieces, chocolate covered strawberries, something like that.) I have been thinking about this ice cream for well over a month! It's my reward for setting a new personal record on my physical fitness test -- which I completed when it was 35 ndegrees outside. I think I will remember to bring gloves when it's that cold next time. Maybe keep the long pants on for the run too.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
100th Post
Thanks to ll who replied to my last post. I had really good suggestions from my last post and it was hard to pick just one, but it gave me ideas for future posts.
My 50th post was dedicated to things that I was grateful for, so go ahead and check it out.
I was afraid if I blogged on 100 people I could kill. I wouldn't want someone googling their own name and coming upon my blog.
I like my sister's idea, but I stopped around 28 of awkward moments. Maybe some future posts.
A major shout-out goes out to Heather and I dedicate this post to her. May you bask in the warm fuzzies from afar, Heather.
And for Rachel, here is the list of my favorite numbers from 1-100.
80. Carlsbad Caverns is less than a few hours away. Camping! And bats (best seen during summer)!
99. Franklin Mountains State Park (America's largest urban state park). Good place to have a picnic at some overlooks with really good views. When I first saw it, I joked it was the "make-out point" of El Paso on the weekends.
15. Only 11-12 hours from California!! I'm not that far away. It's like driving to Utah, but you save more on gas.
12. We will laugh. Oh, yes. We will laugh.
18. You miss me.
21. You need to try something new.
16. One year until I'm deployed. The clock is ticking.
36. Lincoln National Forest (NM). Get my "tree" fix.
92. You can get lots of ideas for "desert landscaping"
34. Less than 6 hours away from the closest In n' Out (Arizona)
1. Old Mesilla Village
77. I have an extra bedroom and bathroom. Better than the Hilton, no? Well, maybe not.
33. Petroglyphs!!
43. I think El Paso still gets more water than Southern California. It may not be as "desert-ish" as you think.
49. Blue sky! I don't see very much smog.
27. Photo scavenger hunt (I love Heather's 100 photos of Texas idea, need to break out the camera!)
66. The weather has been in the 70'! And 40's, than 60's. Maybe 70's tomorrow. This was all this past week.
20. Albuquerque is less than 4 hours away, would make a good day/weekend trip.
28. Gas is cheaper here than in California.
3. Hueco Tanks State Park
54. You only have to drive on one freeway to get here (if coming from California). Yay for I-10!!
22. Home of the Sun Bowl!
37. The Aerial Tramway. I haven't even done the one in Palm Springs yet, this might be a good ride.
75. El Paso Museum of Art
2. Ysleta Mission - first established in 1682.
88. Minor League Baseball team : the Diablos.
100. An outlet mall that's pretty close. Plus there's at least 3 other malls in El Paso.
14. Lots of Latin music at YSA dances.
My 50th post was dedicated to things that I was grateful for, so go ahead and check it out.
I was afraid if I blogged on 100 people I could kill. I wouldn't want someone googling their own name and coming upon my blog.
I like my sister's idea, but I stopped around 28 of awkward moments. Maybe some future posts.
A major shout-out goes out to Heather and I dedicate this post to her. May you bask in the warm fuzzies from afar, Heather.
And for Rachel, here is the list of my favorite numbers from 1-100.
100 Reasons to Visit Me.
24. It's me!! Is there any better reason?
80. Carlsbad Caverns is less than a few hours away. Camping! And bats (best seen during summer)!
99. Franklin Mountains State Park (America's largest urban state park). Good place to have a picnic at some overlooks with really good views. When I first saw it, I joked it was the "make-out point" of El Paso on the weekends.
15. Only 11-12 hours from California!! I'm not that far away. It's like driving to Utah, but you save more on gas.
12. We will laugh. Oh, yes. We will laugh.
18. You miss me.
21. You need to try something new.
16. One year until I'm deployed. The clock is ticking.
36. Lincoln National Forest (NM). Get my "tree" fix.
92. You can get lots of ideas for "desert landscaping"
34. Less than 6 hours away from the closest In n' Out (Arizona)
1. Old Mesilla Village
77. I have an extra bedroom and bathroom. Better than the Hilton, no? Well, maybe not.
33. Petroglyphs!!
43. I think El Paso still gets more water than Southern California. It may not be as "desert-ish" as you think.
49. Blue sky! I don't see very much smog.
27. Photo scavenger hunt (I love Heather's 100 photos of Texas idea, need to break out the camera!)
66. The weather has been in the 70'! And 40's, than 60's. Maybe 70's tomorrow. This was all this past week.
20. Albuquerque is less than 4 hours away, would make a good day/weekend trip.
28. Gas is cheaper here than in California.
3. Hueco Tanks State Park
54. You only have to drive on one freeway to get here (if coming from California). Yay for I-10!!
22. Home of the Sun Bowl!
37. The Aerial Tramway. I haven't even done the one in Palm Springs yet, this might be a good ride.
75. El Paso Museum of Art
2. Ysleta Mission - first established in 1682.
88. Minor League Baseball team : the Diablos.
100. An outlet mall that's pretty close. Plus there's at least 3 other malls in El Paso.
14. Lots of Latin music at YSA dances.
81. You can watch the sunset over two states and two countries
10. Avila's Mexican Restaurant
4. Good mountain biking (I have heard).
25. Good salsa.
50. You can walk some of the same roads Billy the Kid walked in Las Cruces, NM.
97. Albuquerque temple
23. Many of these places I haven't been to yet, we can explore together!
76. White Sands National Monument
31. It is possible to snow in El Paso (but not enough that you have to worry about shoveling the sidewalk).
64. I'll make you cookies. Maybe even a pie.
5. Good stopover to visiting other cities in Texas. Dallas and San Antonio are about 8-9 hours away. There's not much in between them and El Paso, believe me.
65. Lots of hiking opportunities.
69. Have you ever been this close to Mexico?? Sorry I can't cross the border with you.
44. Ciudad Juarez temple (sorry, can't go with you there either).
17. The night janitor is concerned for my social life. Having an out-of-town visitor may motivate me to procrastinate finishing my notes a little.
61. BlueBelle Ice Cream
77. Some bands/singers do actually come to perform in El Paso. So far since I've been here, there's been Brittany Spears, Parachute, and Kelly Clarkson, David Cook, Manheim Steamroller, and Third Eye Blind are coming in the next few weeks.
55. Hobby Lobby (crafts/home accents store - usually has good sales).
26. Just 40 minutes from the Land of Enchantment -- New Mexico!!
90. You can stop in Phoenix on the way here from California. It's a good half-way point.
3. Taco Cabana: 24 Hour Tacos and good rotisserie chicken.
60. Will you ever see a Wal Mart parking lot with more cars from Mexico than from Texas?
13. Home of the National Border Patrol Museum
86. It's Sun City, USA. Famous for an average of 302 days of sunshine throughout the yar.
9. A huge Cinco De Mayo festival
39. El Paso is the 21st largest metropolitan area in the United States.
6. How many people can really say that they've been to El Paso?
19. It's on the way to Houston, New Orleans, Florida, and a bunch of other places.
58. I have a nice view of cactus from my balcony. Lots of it.
96. UTEP (University of Texas El Paso) makes it a college town, I guess. Go Miners!
78. Lots of men and women in uniform.
7. Awesome lightning storms.
47. Tax free shopping at the Post Exchange (like a Target/WalMart) and Commissary (grocery store on post)!
59. I may actually be motivated to cook some real food.
41. Excuse to visit the largest state in the continental United States
89. There's a cool star that lights up on the mountain. It just happens to be the world's largest illuminated star.
67. Ruby's BBQ. Has some really good BBQ sauce. There's also a Famous Dave's that I still need to check out.
86. When I'm standing in line at the grocery store, people seem to be very chatty here.
11. Annual Amigo Airshow held at Fort Bliss.
73. Have you ever seen a volcanic crater? Well, now you can.
51. Since it's in the Mountain Standard Time Zone, television shows come on one hour earlier = a. better chance of catching your favorite show, and b. Getting to bed earlier.
79. Delta offers some of the cheapest, non-stop flights from Salt Lake City.
84. I recently discovered a place that sells frozen custard. I haven't seen one of those places since college.
83. Annual Wine and Jazz festival in Las Cruces.
43. Stephen's Hot Cocoa and a lot of imported German treats are available at the commissary.
30. You might be inspired if you watch "Glory Road"
45. There's a couple of scenic drives around El Paso, including a road known as "Scenic Drive."
32. Transmountain road is kind of fun to drive.
70. I live in a safe neighborhood.
29. 6th largest city in Texas!
35. You know you want to.
40. I have MREs available to use for any spontaneous camping trips.
52. Time to catch-up on your life.
63. I won't be making it to California for November.
72. You're missing out on all of my craziness.
82. You need a vacation.
95. I need to see some familiar faces.
38. Good, clean fun! But I don't mind get a little dirt on my clothes either.
42. I haven't had much bad traffic experience here in El Paso (then again, I leave for work at 5:10 in the morning).
56. Free hugs!
62. You can mark "Texas" off of your list of life-long goal of states to vist.
85. There's a Spanish radio station that plays a variety of English rock and alternative songs that you don't hear as often.
98. Carpe diem!!
68. I'm running out of reasons, but there really are more...
78. Complimentary sopapillas at Mexican restaurants. I have never seen that before.
46. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
74. "El Paso is like a big ugly wart, but it grows on you." -- Brother Jessop
87. I have hope for some wildflowers in the spring.
93. You can get your "Jennette-ic" fix.
48. Big Bend National Park
87. Time spent with those you love is the best investment.
94. El Paso is not really a tourist trap.
91. There's actually a Vietnamese restaurant in El Paso. How's that for culinary variety?
53. You can put your sunblock to good use.
71. Adventure awaits you!
57. Did I mention that I miss you?
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