New Product Find! (to me)

Recently, I was in the valley for the birth of my latest NIECE! I was returning a favor to my ready-to-pop sister by cleaning her bathrooms (which she did for me first) and she gave me these pop-up-wipes..Lysol or something and said they worked well on sinks, toilets seats lids, etc. I was completely sold over to these little babies! No more search for a rag, "Is it safe to clean the faucet now that I used it on the toilet seat?" (just kidding), washing, storing, drying,..etc. So, upon my return to the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE I went to Costco and purchased a package of 3 Clorox wipes. HALLELUJAH why didn't I do this before? I think part of me is still in my younger years of 'this is how we did it then' and now I can part with a few extra bucks to use these puppies to clean the fridge handles, walls (apparently our children believe that if they don't walk with their hands along the walls either themselves or the walls will fall down), high chair and tray, cupboards, microwave door (gave up on the inside), etc.

If the makers of these products ever realize what they've done, they could make a LOT more money! I did have to stop Kevin from taking one to Lucy for clean up of the baby....There is some limits to their use after all. Oh, and I became concerned last night over possible misunderstandings from my previous post. I really want you to know that the poor gentleman with the "episode" was FINE and hence it was only funny because of the kids' response. So, enough of my guilt. I am a good person, and 'dog-gone it....People like me.' Now to go finish cleaning my windows....It is the season of wind and dust again, and the dust becomes DIRT when there is enough of it...Plus my phone just rang. Cousin Steven and his family are headed this way! Yay! That will be fun! (I think I'll wait to tell the kids until it is time.)Better run!

Inappropriate Humor

Kevin came home today with such a good story, I have to plagiarize it. (I guess if I'm giving him credit for it, it is not plagiarism, right?) He had a substitute teacher in his school today, in a 2nd grade class. This individual happens to be a not-too-elderly gentleman, also a retired teacher. Anyway, the 2nd graders were doing their journaling and he has an "episode" (hypoglycemia apparently), loses consciousness, falling from his chair to the floor. Here's where it gets interesting (Ok, I have to admit I am sick.....I laughed)....NONE of the kids did anything! No body thought this was unusual. Somehow, an adult found him (another key is that he does this EVERY time he subs...I'm guessing he's not making adequate adjustments in his intake/med doses when his schedule changes)and he was assisted without use of any major medical attention. Kevin covered his class during this snack time, and read the journals. (Come on, you would too.) The comments were like this:

"Mr. So-and-so is our substitute...He fell asleep in the chair and is on the floor..."
"We have a substitute today. He is passed out on the floor...."

Seriously. I know, I know....Diabetes is serious. I am a NURSE after all. But surely, you can see a LITTLE humor in this? If he would've been injured, or had this NOT been a predictable occurrence (according to Kevin) it would not be amusing, and would never have been in my blog. But it is MY BLOG. :) The impression one may get is that 2nd graders in that small community think that an adult passed out on the floor is no big deal... Either that or their petrified of getting out of their seats....Must be a really MEAN principal. :)

The Quiet Game Strikes Again

I will have to hurry here, I'm trying to get ready to go to Spokane with/not with my husband, who is going there for a job fair tomorrow. My role is to not impede or embarass him (that would be keeping Simon and Lucy away...Tavin is staying at our pastors' house) so he can dine with his administrator counterparts and their relatives that orchestrated this event. Apparently part of his job is, along with the superintendent and high school administrator, to entice young (foolish?) teachers to come out here and practice their new talents in the middle of nowhere. Anyway, being as tomorrow is my birthday (and I will be 25 thank you very much...again)I don't fancy the thought of being alone for 2 full days with all three kids. Plus, I looked into it and there will be minimal extra cost for ME to pay with the proceeds of my "job". And I promised to be independent and not needy of him or his time. (snort)

Anyhow, I remembered something Simon did Friday that reminded me of Uncle Will. Tavin was at the birthday party, Lucy was sleeping, so it was just the 3 of us at the dinner table. Simon wanted gum (a very hard-to-earn prize in this house as Kevin doesn't like to find the deposited chewed pieces in the carpet, amongst other hiding places)so he says "Can I play the quiet game for some gum?".

That, my family and friends, is successful parenting! :) He was quiet for the dinner just to chew gum for 15 minutes before bed IN THE HOUSE. Actually, we bent the rules and gave him gum right after dinner, and then I took him to see "Ice Age 2" which I thought was hilarious. He kept thinking the ads before the PREVIEWS were the movie and laughed at pictures of salon people. Well......

The Name Game

Tavin finally got to spend the night at a friends house Friday night! It was a birthday party, but Tavin was the sole "overnighter". (They are a family from our church that homeschools, so I expect to hear more tales of astonishment from Tavin.) They watched "Seven brides for seven brothers" which I have never seen, but apparently there is a female character in it named "Dorcas". I have known of some people with that name, and know it is not all that uncommon amongst Mennonites and I am sure other populations. However, we have not "ran in those circles" for quite some time. So, Tavin was talking about how she thought that was a funny name, and by the was she didn't like HER name and she really wanted Lucy to be named LISA etc.,etc., etc. Simon said "I don't' like my name either." I just said "Ok, we'll just call you guys 'Hey'." After a bit Simon says "Actually, I do like my name. I'm glad you didn't name me 'Dork'." Tavin then proceeded to tell me what her preferences were. "I like 'Melissa' and 'Jody'."

Looking forward to seeing my new niece/nephew and hearing THAT new name very soon! Tuesday would be great! :)

Another thing I have never seen before.....

On call again this weekend...I have now come close to seeing just about everything, I believe. If this isn't enough to get me to put away the remaining Christmas decos on my front porch, well, then I don't know what would be! I saw an unfortunate individual today and yesterday for rather involved wound care. This wound is just huge. It's a cavern. When 85+ year old flesh is impaled on the steeple of a ceramic church, the flesh loses. The result is (roughly) a 6 cm x 4 cm opening appoximately 7 cm deep with very visible flesh, tendons and sinew on the inside of this person's upper thigh/lower buttock. It reminds me of what a losing bull-fighter may look like if the bull catches him as he is running away. This person would've had surgery were it not for the extensive lung disease. (Lesson #2: Never smoke.) Wound care has to be done with the pt. standing, because they can't breathe in any other position. Pretty much rules out surgery. The individual fell, landed on the church steeple, pulled himself off, and has an impressive wound to show for it.

Some of the comments going around as I was given report Friday:
1) Looks like God got the last point in the end.
2) God's right in the end.
And other sacrilegious things. Oh, if you want to know who the REAL idiot is......no pain medication from any of his physicians. I called Saturday, got the on call doc and received an aggressive order for 650 mg of Tylenol. Let me just take this opportunity to say how much I miss the physicians I worked with in the valley! They have an appointment with the surgeon on Tuesday, so my advice to them was to not leave without an actual prescription for at least something stronger than that even if only take before wound care, as that is the only time it hurts "20" on a scale of 1-10. Please, people! (And yes I know the potential risks of narcotic usage with lung disease, but for any of my medical buddies reading this, 10 mg of Morphine once a day? I guarantee respirations will still be at least 16!) If it were my family member.....well, it's not and they seem to be the kind of family that doesn't mind the described "old coot" being in a little bit of pain...they seem to be holding some grudges from somewhere. Just doing my job!