Everyone was fine his week although Roger tried to get a look at the new ER at Aultman. He has allergies that are getting him down. He’s on spring break this coming week.
My Summer fun I referred to is the Nine Inch Nails concert at Blossom in June. I can’t wait! Roger, Ali and Carolyn are going with me for certain. I can’t wait.
Now for games, I borrowed the following from a friend. (Thanks BJ) It is aimed toward the younger generation but I found it fun. I added lyrics from lyricsdownload.com

Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle.
Say the following questions aloud, and press play.
Use the song titles that come up to answer each question.
NO CHEATING.

How does the world see me?
Where the Green Grass Grows- Tim McGraw

Will I have a happy life?
I Cannot Believe It’s True – Phil Collins

What do people really think of me?
The Thrill is in the Chase- Unknown (I’m a tease?)

Do people secretly lust after me?
Hopeless – Train

How can I make myself happy?
Reasons for Rhymes – Dan Huscussin

What should I do with my life?
Only the Good Die Young -Billy Joel (and as I said before… I’m not young but maybe young at heart)

Will I ever have children?
Roanoke -Dixie Chicks (This is a hoedown- Picture me dancing like crazy ccelebrating the fact I’m no longer able to reproduce. Roger can make me a grandma, though, in YEARS to come!)

What is some good advice for me?
Nowadays/ Hot Honey Rag – from “Chicago”

What do I think my current theme song is?
Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight – Oak Ridge Boys (This song just makes me happy to hear it.)

What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Everything I Love – Alan Jackson (…is killin’ me. I’m on month two of decaf)

What song will play at my funeral?
Oye Como Va – Santana (Everybody dance! Have a big blowout to send me out.)

What type of men/women do you like?
Something More – Train ( I really think it may be Patrick Monahan himself)

What is my day going to be like?
Rock Your Socks – Tenacious D

Why am I here?
Mutatis Mutandis – Mudvayne

What will people remember me for?
Hotel California – Eagles (That would be the people who knew me back in the 80′s when I almost wore out the album)

What song will I get stuck in my head tomorrow?
Get it Right the First Time- Billy Joel

Are there people outside waiting to take me away?
Got the Time – Anthrax (probably couldn’t find my house so they called me on the phone?)

What will this year be all about?
Time after Time – Matchbox 20 (take this to mean I will probably be at the aforementioned ER Time after Time- but perhaps it could mean something to do with Rob Thomas? )

Hellooooooo! For anyone out there that may have missed me, I am still alive and kickin’. Just don’t have much time to post. Work keeps me pretty busy, working extra shifts and overtime. Everyone at the nursing home had the flu which translates into extra diligent nursing care. Then it went through the staff. Then staff that weren’t affected by the flu were affected by rampant stupidity. phttt.
Dad has been in and out of the hospital so on my days off I go to their house to help out.
In the midst of all of this, I had a terrible reaction to sugar in a candy bar. Since I had my gastric bypass, sugar affects my body differently. I went two years without eating anything with more than two grams of sugar. Then I gradually became more tolerant of the stuff, until I could eat almost an entire candy bar without much effect. Well, a couple weeks ago, I had to work days and woke up at 6 a.m. and was at work by 7 . I had a cup of coffee before I left but didn’t have time for a proper breakfast. After I had worked a couple hours, I went to the kitchen to find some proper breakfast, but they were closed. So I went to the vending machine and got a candy bar, because that was all they had.
I ate that and drank another cup of coffee at 9:30. By 10:30 I felt lightheaded and slow and nauseated, My friend took my blood sugar and it was only 60. So I drank some unsweetened OJ and was better. I called my doctor and he said it was due to my surgery and read me the riot act regarding sugar, caffeine and drinking with meals. So I have been without caffeine for two and a half weeks, have been drinking plenty of water and not drinking with meals (this is hard!)
This is all stuff I knew when I had the surgery 5 years ago, but I have reverted to old ways slowly over the past three years and I needed this wake up call. I slowly gained back 30 of the 160 lbs I lost . In the past couple of weeks, I have lost 10 lbs! Just from eating right!
Mike and I have had a lot of alone time recently. It is great! I love Roger, after all he is my son, but I must say I enjoy the alone time with Mike. We had hardly any when we were dating, which was only three weeks. So for 16 years it has been me, Mike and Roger. Now, finally, it is Me and Mike. Roger is moving on with his life and so are we. We also enjoy the time we share with Roger and Ali. Oh my! This paragraph probably sounds selfish…
Well, this is all I have time for tonight. I hope to be back soon! ttfn.

This is for the blog ring Kween of the Queens.

“FIVE”

Name 5 things that make you attractive to other people, be they friends, acquaintances, mates or anything unbeaten.

1. I wouldn’t ask someone else to do a task I would not do myself.  Most of the time, if there is a job I want done, I go ahead and do it myself unless I don’t have the time or know-how.
2.  I have a “sunny” disposition…  (some people, my husband included, wonder at how I can live being so optimistic.) and gosh darn it, people like me.
3. I love my husband and son, as well as my extended family.
4. I have a good sense of humor…(it’s a necessity – I love my husband and son)
5. I don’t pretend to be something I am not. In fact, I sometimes surprise people with my candor.


Five attributes I admire…
1.  A great sense of humor
2.  Intelligence
3.  Playfulness
4.  A keen sense of honor
5.  Compassion

This past week has been very difficult for me. Two residents passed away on my watch. Even though neither was in good health, it was still tough to say goodbye to them. One had only been with us for two days and the other has been there for three years. Both were very elderly. Although it was tough in the moment for them to pass, it was also a blessing for both families. They have been dealing with their imminent deaths for weeks.
Then yesterday, I was called to my parents home because my Dad was having a tough time getting his breath. He has a history of heart and lung problems. I listened to his lungs and then asked him if he was ready to go to the emergency room. He immediately said yes. So off we went. They kept him. They said his heart is okay but feel his emphysema may be catching up with him. I actually felt it was his asthma. His family doctor came in to see him and he said he thinks it is asthma, too. Everybody in the ER had breathing problems last night. I don’t think they all have emphysema.
While we were at the hospital, I noticed my mom’s feet and ankles were swollen and she couldn’t walk very far without collapsing in a chair to rest. I was supposed to work today, but took the day off to be sure Mom was okay. She took an extra diuretic last night like her doctor has told her she could do and was much better this morning, but I still noticed she tires too easily. She has a history of congestive heart failure. I am going to work tomorrow afternoon but I have made sure my brother will take her to visit Dad.
Although certain aspects of the week were difficult others have been good.
I enjoyed a good dinner with my niece and her two babies on Tuesday night. Both our husbands were working and she and the kids are staying with her mom this week. She wanted out of the house and I wanted to spend special Aunt Sherry time with all of them. It was great. Quinn is 7 months old and Faythe is 2 years old. They are just too cute. and so much fun!
I was shopping at Wally World on Sunday and was looking for a new novel to read. A small book caught my eye and I was enthralled with the premise of it- a dinner with Jesus! I bought it. I was reading another book and did not start this one until this morning and finished it in a couple of hours. I feel blessed to have read it. I highly recommend it to all- seekers and Christians. I am going to give it to my son, my sister, my mother, and a friend at work just for starters. I am also going to recommend our new book club read this one first. I can’t wait for the discussions. The book is above.

Well, my IV therapy class is finally over. I passed and am now certified to start IV’s. Yippee. I feel I learned a lot, but I don’t feel anywhere near confident about the procedure. I suppose like everything, that will take more practice. I loved my instructor. She was a joy to be around and made each and every one of us feel better about ourselves. I also enjoyed spending time with my workmates outside of the workplace. We have sworn to spend an evening together every month just doing girl talk. That’ll be great!
Our taxes are done and we get a small refund! I was sure we’d have to pay this year. Now, THAT is good news!
I have quit my walking program because I was constantly tired. Now, bear with me. I work full time afternoons. I get home from work and it takes at least an hour and a half to unwind. So I get to bed at 12:30 – 1 a.m. Then I wake up at 7 a.m. to get ready to go walking, because I have to have time for breakfast and waking up. My friend has to be at her clinic at 9:30 am. so we walk from 8-9. I was operating on sleep deprivation after months of this routine. It was not unusual for me to take a nap at the drop of a hat during the day and my butt was dragging at work. Then I’ve had a small health problem that has kept me from walking this past couple of weeks. I have been able to sleep in, and I am so much more relaxed. So, I will let my walking partner know that my morning walking time has ended and I will go into town and join the gym. I am counting on my husband to hold me to three workouts per week. I will also try to walk with the dogs a couple times a week.
This pretty well catches me up on my ever so interesting doings around here. Hope all are doing well. Have a good day!

I’m Baaaaaack!
     Sorry to my Xanga friends that I haven’t posted in a long while.  I’d like to blame it on being busy but lazy is probably more like it.
     I am almost done with IV therapy classes.  I have three “sticks” to do on Wednesday at the hospital and then the final on Thursday night.  I have been taking the classes with three other nurses from work. Our friendships have grown deeper.  Although they “blame” me for taking this class.  I remind them that it was the cheapest one offered.  And we got in just under the wire.  If we had waited until 2006, the cost would have been $125 more. We got a 30% discount because we were enrolled in 2005 which was Buckeye’s 30th anniversary year.  We will all benefit from this even if we don’t use it at our job.  Two of our group are taking classes to get their RN degrees and the other lady is retiring in a few years and hoping to work in a hospital then.  (She has worked at our home for 27 years-as an aide and as an LPN).  I’m the only one who is unsure of for what I am going to use my expanded knowledge.  Maybe I will sign up for more classes, since this didn’t seem to implode my brain.
     Work has been going real well.  I look for that to end soon, as a person that likes to cause trouble will soon be rejoining our workforce. Make that two people.  Both have been off on sick leave.  Both are from my shift.  It has been so pleasant without the bickering.  I guess, since I am the unofficial boss on our shift, it will be up to me to see that the harmony continues. I will put a quick end to any spats that may arise by pointing out that we have managed without their input for the past several weeks and if they have a problem to take it to the real boss.  (I know they won’t.)
      I also made “Employee of the Month”.  The residents vote  on this distinction.  The reason they gave was that on Dec.22, our electricity went off for about four hours.  The generators kicked on but only provided power for some of the hallways and the heating system.  Since I was senior nurse on that night, I went around and made sure all of the residents were safe and all had handbells so they could call us if they needed us. The Resident Christmas party was scheduled for that night. It was decided to cancel it but have Santa Claus visit since he was already there.  Most of the residents were taken to the hallways and the Santa visit lasted almost two hours.  During that time, the fire dept. showed up to investigate a report of fumes.  The fumes were not getting into the building, but were caused by low lying cloud cover and the generators.  I had to show them where the generators were and take them all over the building to take readings on their CO monitors.  The residents reported that by making them feel safe, they actually had a great time that night.
     I borrowed this from AmyinVa’s site:
Four Jobs I have had in my life:
1.      Food service at a local hospital
2.     Desk clerk and toilet scrubber at a KOA camp
3.      Dark room processor at a film developing business
4.      newspaper reporter
 
Four Movies I can watch over and over (there are way more than four, but here are four random ones)
1.       The Princess Bride
2.       Harry Potter movies
3.       Million Dollar Baby
4.       Labyrinth
 
Four places I have lived
1.       East Sparta-Magnolia, OH
2.       Canton, OH
3.       Mineral City, OH
4.       Minerva, OH
 
Four TV shows I love to watch
1.       ER
2.       Battlestar Gallactica
3.       Nip Tuck
4.       Design on a Dime
 
Four places I have been vacationing* (not all recently)
1.        San Antonio
2.       Grand Canyon
3.       Niagra Falls
4.       Roswell, NM
 
Four Websites I visit daily
1.        Xanga
2.       Canton Repository
3.       Times Reporter
4.       Buckeye Career Center
 
Four of my favorite foods (most recently, this definitely changes from time to time)
1.       Pizza Oven pizza
2.       Pizza burger and fried mushrooms at Fundays
3.       Baked Tapia
4.       Risotto

Four places I’d rather be right now
I’m quite content where I am.
          
Four others I tag:
1.        You
2.       You
3.       You
4.       And You

Well, there’s my entry for today, other than to say:

GO STEELERS!!!

Hi all! I am fine, for those who have expressed concern. I will try to catch up on my goings on. Here goes.
Back in December, I fell on the ice when I was out walking. I struck my hand in the fall and had a “possible hairline fracture of the lt. ulna (arm) .” It only hurt when I put a lot of pressure on it. Then, on New Years Day, I developed a large carbuncle on my back. I had to go to an immediate care facility to have it lanced on the 2nd. The doctor there said I probably aggravated a skin condition I have when I fell, causing this problem. She lanced it and drained it for about 20 minutes, poking and prodding it. Then she packed it. I had to make two more trips to my doctor last week to have it looked after. She put me on antibiotics that caused other problems (can you say itch?) Hopefully that is all behind me now. no pun intended.
Also back in December, I was driving home from work and got hit by a deer. It did minimal damage to my car and I figured it would cost me the $500 deductible so I didn’t even bother to report it to my insurance company. Well, this past Tuesday I was coming home from New Phila and I saw a deer on the left side of the road and slowed. Then I saw one on the right. I decided the middle of the road was safest. The deer on the right decided it needed to be on the left and hit my car! I was afraid it would get thrown into the path of my co-worker who was following me. Thank God it didn’t. It went running off the right side. My co-worker’s car had three nurses in it and they said the deer was going to have a big bruise but didn’t even appear to have anything else wrong. I reported this incident as it caused my passenger front door to be difficut to open. When I told my insurance company I mentioned the December incident, my agent said I could file two reports and my deductible would only be $50 for each. Well, I went for it and now will get my car repaired soon. The estimates were $634 for the first and $1675 for the last. The checks are already sent to the body shop.
A few days after Christmas a good friend of mine and my son’s passed away after a long battle with emphysema. He was a great guy and a good Christian and will be seriously missed by all who knew him.
Speaking of my son, he and his girlfriend have been seeing each other for 6 months and are talking about the future. I have quit bothering him about school because, frankly, I am tired of the battle. He will do what he feels is best for himself, anyway. He is no longer in the band. He quit when he heard they were searching for a new bass player. He doesn’t seem too upset by it. He is already talking about starting another band.
I started taking IV therapy classes on Tuesday. I won’t be using it where I work, but I wanted to take this class in October and there weren’t enough people to sign up for it. I am taking it to have something to fall back on in the future if I need it. I am also testing the “back to school waters”. I may go on and get my Bachelors in nursing someday.
Although I am quite happy where I am right now. I was returning from my first class on Tuesday when the deer attacked my car.
My poor husband has a terrible cold. He coughs so much at night that he has to sleep in the recliner or his coughing causes him to twist his bad back. I wish there was something I could do for him.
Alrighty, I think that pretty much catches me up on my news.
The Kween of the Queens blog ring had a new assignment this week and I am a day late but here goes: this is my definition of a lady and a woman.
A lady is a female who is refined in actions. She may be feisty in nature but her way of dealing with life is not an “in your face” approach. She is not a welcome mat to be walked upon but respectful of others’ feelings.
A woman is a female who takes responsiblity upon herself but does not act in the refined, genteel way a lady does. A woman will get in your face when she feels wronged or when she feels her family or herself is threatened. She behaves as an adult and is repectful of others’ rights, if not always their feelings.
A girl is someone who hasn’t grown up yet. She is immature but has hopes of becoming an adult. Girls tend to like to have fun.
A female is only a distinction from a male.
Some females are ladies and women interchangeably. Some are a combination of women, ladies and girls, depending on the situation. I believe (hope) I am of this ilk.
Others, sadly belong only to the female classification.

And lastly, I ‘d like to send a big congrats to TyneeGrannyB for being listed on Xanga’s Featured Content!

Merry Christmas to all my Xanga friends! God bless.

Kween of the Queens blogring has an assignment on Unconditional Love. It asks if it exists. YES! At least for me.
I’m sure if you read my postings you are aware that my stepfather has had a very big influence on my life. He married my mother 44 years ago and took me and my three older brothers into his family of two sons and a daughter. This was a life changing event for me, even though I was only three at the time. We became a big blended family.
I’m not sure if I have alluded to the fact that it wasn’t always rosy. It wasn’t. But even the tough times were a learning experience.
Over the years, the good has far outweighed the bad. I cannot imagine my life without his unconditional love for me and vice versa. My husband has the same capacity for unconditional love. I’m not sure everyone has. Some people are so self-centered that they are closed to the opportunity. I am lucky, I am surrounded by it.

Now for my letter to Santa, even though it is a week late.

Dear Santa,
I hope you find time to rest this week before your annual rounds. It seems as if you have your work cut out for you. I am sure you can handle it all, though. Remember you’re not in this alone. After all, if it weren’t for God and His Beloved Son you’d be out of a job. So -”Let go and let God.” Merry Christmas. Love, Sherry