Cardiovascular

Recently, I was reminded of a group science project I had in the fourth grade. Our group was assigned to present on the circulatory system. We made a colorful slide for the overhead projector distinguishing the difference between the red and blue vessels attached to the heart. We began with the basics: Arteries move blood Away from the heart. Veins move blood to the heart.

Fourteen years later, here I am working on a cardiac unit as a registered nurse. I see patients that have actual or potential problems with their circulatory system. Angina, syncope, myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, sick sinus syndrome, congestive heart failure, COPD, atrial fibrillation, AV blocks, pacemakers, AICDs, just to name a few.

And yet, when I recall the function of an artery, I still look up into the recesses of my brain and whisper to myself: Arteries move blood Away from the heart.

Mammoth, June Lake, Mono Lake & Yosemite

Dave and I tried to squeeze in a weekend camping trip before the summer ends. June Lake was gorgeous. Daytime temperatures ranged in the 70's. We were amazed by clarity of the water of the lake. June Lake is a gem of a campsite especially at the peak of summer tourism. We camped at Oh Ridge, surprised to find empty campsites left and right of us, only a short walk from the beach. Fishing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking... a perfect weekend getaway.

Mono Lake.

Some words to describe this lake: alkaline, tufa towers, fishless, brineshrimp, alkali flies. The Mono Lake committee works to protect this lake "nestled at the edge of the arid Great Basin and the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Mono Lake is an ancient saline lake that covers over 70 square miles and supports a unique and productive ecosystem."



We made sure to take a day to drive out to Yosemite since it relatively wasn't a far drive. From the 395, we took the Tioga Pass Highway 120 and took in some amazing views as we got to Yosemite Valley. Not having the energy to do the Half Dome, we chose the Mist Trail that took us to Vernal Falls.

As you can see, the sights were breathtaking!
You can't really tell in this picture, but the mist from the falls was soaking our backs. A definite reward after hiking moderate-to-strenuously for about an hour in the heat.

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."
- Frank Lloyd Wright

One day, while I was at work, Dave decided to take a picture of a meal that he made for lunch. Spicy chicken on top of rice and a layer of cooked egg whites, sprinkled with sesame seeds. He has been so wonderful cooking meals at home, doing the dishes, cleaning and just making life less stressful for me.

Adventures of nursing

These past few weeks have been exhausting, mostly because I've started the new grad orientation classes at the hospital on top of my 12 hour shifts on the unit. I was hired 2 months before the orientation, so I've actually been on the unit for 2 months, caring for patients on my own for 4 weeks.

Managing my time is probably the most difficult of my tasks on the unit, with assessments, giving meds, hanging IVs, carrying out MD orders, vital signs, monitoring tele, updating profiles, and documenting EVERYTHING that I do. And when something out of the ordinary happens on top of all this, that's when you know you won't be having lunch until 2 or 3 pm. I was surprised to find that I lost 10 lbs since I started working in June.

Oh, but how I DO enjoy my job! I never realized before I started nursing school that nurses had so much autonomy. I'm not only carrying out MD orders, but doctors (not all) value my judgment and my opinion. A lot of the times, I make the call, I suggest a treatment, and the doctor will oblige.

Another thing is that I love my interactions with my patients (most of the time). One day, I had a patient in for atrial fibrillation
whom I was told in report that he was a very grouchy, difficult patient. That day, I did my assessment and valued the person behind the patient. Yes, he was grouchy, but I decided that I was going to respect that he probably had a reason behind his grouchiness rather than labeling him as difficult. As the day progressed, he was nicer and nicer to me, and later he asked me what church I went to. I asked him, "How did you know I go to church?" and he said, "I can tell." I later find out he had been a pastor and a missionary for many many years. Bad health and the hospitalization just had gotten the best of him. But that day, seeing the person behind the patient made all the difference.