COVID

Day "1"

 Dec. 21, 2020

 Woke this morning as I nromally do and got ready for work. I think that its a morning just like anything else. I take my vitamins, put my makeup on,do my hair and kiss my children on the forehead as I do every morning before I leave for work. I arrive to work at 6:42 and hang out in my car for a few minutes listening to Christmas music and check the lastest on facebook. I'm feeling pretty good but I have this aching headache that is just irritating me. I figure I will go in and take something for it before I start work, knowing I have to train someone i certainly dont need a headache and listen to myself talk the whole day. I come inside the building and get my temp taken and as most of the time,its 97.4. I punch in and headout to my hall.I get report from the 3rd shift nurse and go get my weekly test for COVID. I place my own swab in the testing slot and it lights up as if it had whistles it would be ringing, I'm thinking well that the control line, umm nope it was the test line. I was positive for COVID. I felt my eyes well up with tears and before I knew it I was full blown with tears streaming down my face. The only thing I could think of was my children. I was swabbed a second time to send to the lab, escorted to the front door and as they went to gather my things I was staning all alone thinking this couldnt be true. I drove home crying the whole way trying like mad to get ahold of my kids. My son had friend over the night before. I finally reached my son and told hi to tell his buddy to get ahold of his parents to come get him asap as I have COVID. I came in through the back door and went straight to my room. My room is upstairs away from everyone else. My bedroom consists of a bathroom and a room with a tv, bed, and my computer. I had both kids call their Dad to find out if they can go to his doctorsto be tested. ALl the while my Mom tests positive and my Dad tested positive as well. The kids tests came back negative! That was a huge relief for me. May Dad contacts his doctor and they both are told to head up to that hospital to get an infusion. Thats where my parents spend the next 8 hours at. And so my journey begins. My life in quarantine........ 

here I am, years later. Still running, but now a nurse and a mom of 2 teenagers. so much has happened over the years I gave up writing here. I find myself back just to write out what I feel because, today has been one of the most trying days of my life. This is where to go to vent. So another chapter of my life has started. I currently work at a rehab center with a variety of patients ranging from very stable to unstable, like should have stayed at the hospital unstable. I also take care of people on the other side of that spectrum with mental issues caused by aging like dementia . Being a nurse has been one of the best choices I have ever made in my life. I love it and wish I would have done it years ago. My Dad knew I would be a nurse when I grew up. It took me a long time to grow up, but here I am.
  Speaking of my Dad he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer back in August. He went through a biopsy where he had 12 samples taken and everyone of the samples shown it to be cancer. He has a Gleason score of mostly 10. This meaning he has the most aggressive cancer you can have. As far as we know it is contained within the prostate. Further tests show that it has no spread to other organs. The feeling that undergoes my body is not even explainable until you go through it. Some days are better than others, for me tears stream down I would say every few days or so. Today by far was the hardest day since this journey started. I sat in the doctors office with my Dad and watched my strong Dad that is tough fall apart and just sob. It was at the point I had to take over a talk for him. My heart dropped into my stomach. Nothing worse than watching your parent cry. After all they are supposed to be the strong ones.
  Today marks the first day of the rest of my Dads life. Her received his first Lupron shot. As I understand this is a hormone that is supposed to stop the cancer dead in its tracks. I pray that, that is exactly what is does. He goes back in December for his surgery. I pray that he overcomes this nasty disease and we can live one day at a time happy with the ones we love.......until next time.

Still organizing....

I have finally painted my room, minus the decor. Still trying to figure out what i want but I know I want a yellow accent color....





This is a before and after shot of my closet.....I hope with everyone in the household it remains that way.

This is the back splash we are putting in the kitchen I love it!!!
I will do a tour of the house once it is finished but just giving little sneak peaks for now....

Busy....organizing

Working on the house trying to get back to where i was. This is the bathroom.




After I cleaned it but I am going to paint this blue:

felt the need

So I sit here listening to my children outside screaming and yelling as they play for one of the few last times before winter sets in. Thinking to myself, wow it’s getting real. I am 39 years old, married, have 2 children and I am a graduate nurse. It all happened before I turned 40. I never saw that coming when I was in my early 20's. I am proud!!! I am excited!!!! I am scared!!! Proud that I accomplished something, excited to be what I always dreamed of being and scared to get out there and do it. I’m thinking most new nurses felt the same way. I came from being a truck driver to a stay at home mom to a student and now I have to learn how to not be a student and be the one who has compassion, knowledge and insight. It’s a scary feeling because as a student some didn't trust but put a RN on your badge and they suddenly have your trust. They trust that you’re going to make them better and mend them back to health. 

Of the last 2 years of my crazy high stressed life of being a student I learned a lot, not just the book work to read and notes to study and homework to do, but I learned a lot from how I was taught. I am a visual person and I learned and took a lot in with my eyes. I have visions of pictures burned in my mind, some not so good and some were learning tools to someday use again.

    I grew close to the instructors and some I just grew to know. At the nurse pinning we had to choose a special person, part of the staff to pin us, It wasn't a very hard choice I knew who I wanted and I had my reasons why.

     When I showed up on first shift of my first med-surg clinical rotation I met a beautiful blonde young woman with a sparkle in her eyes but a sad look about her. We quickly learned she had been up all night with her dog and had decided to put her/him (not real sure) down only hours before we met. My heart sunk I choked up knowing I have once experienced her grief. I saw she was soft inside just like us. From that moment on she had me. She had a glow around her even though she was going through hard times. (many during our rotation)She had a smile that just made you feel warm and a personality that was way deeper than anyone I ever knew. Along with knowledge she had compassion. And this is where I learned to have compassion for others. Yes the right med. and right interventions etc....will heal but the process is slower without compassion. I saw it in real time. Jan Johnson, you have taught me what I need to know and I would give anything to become half the person and Nurse you are. Thank you so very much!!!! I will never forget you....as of today I will never walk in a hospital as a student again.

  

so much on my mind!!!

I'm sure most people now days feel the same. So much on my mind. In a nutshell my kids are growing way too fast, I think I’ve reached the point of starting menopause and I wanted another baby!!! Its not going to happen anyway. I’m too old and I couldn’t handle another from our gene pool. My husband and my genes don’t mix very well. I’m being honest. Sometimes I wish my life would have been different but I look at it and would go through the exact same things to get out what I have so far.

My daughter is now 10 and she is going on 30. She thinks she is responsible and can do whatever she pleases. I understand I was a 10 year old too….but now I’m the Mom and I have turned into my own mother. As hard as that is to except that’s what it is!! LOL I have to laugh now looking back I thought she was so mean because she didn’t want me to do much outside of her leash. I now understand. I know my Mom was pretty over protective and probably to the extreme but back when I was growing up things were not as harsh as they are today. Under some circumstances I will be a little overbearing as to who she is with and where she goes but its life. I rather her hate me for the moment than never give her the chance to hate me again. She is in puberty and has those rush of hormones and my goodness!! I’ll just leave it at that.

As for me, well I wake up in the middle of the night just wet with sweat and and some point I find myself smelling the covers and making sure “someone” didn’t pee the bed. I get so wet with sweat I have to change out of my clothes and I get so cold and clammy feeling I hate it. It doesn’t happen every night but it happens at least twice a week. I don’t feel overdressed because my husband puts the furnace on 65. That’s cold enough. I think it’s that time and I’m not ready for it!!! My Grandma went through it at 36 and with a flash of the eye its was done. No depression, mood swings or mental breakdowns!!! Gosh I hope that’s how it is here. I’m going to the gyno and having my tubes tied, stuffed or something so I can get off bc and live normally. I’m having a hard time excepting all of this. Life does not stop and I have to flow with it even if I’m not ready. Sucks but that’s why they say live everyday as if it were your last. Getting old suck!!!! Inside I still feel like I’m in my 20’s.

Last week I went for a bike rie with my Dad and his friends. Nice group of people now wonder why he refuses to stop running even though he had surgery and is now rubbibg bone to bone on his knee. It’s the friends that make his retire life more fun and worth while. I supposed he will find something else to do like biking or walking. I hope. It’s come to the end of the road for him and running I believe. Sometime in the future he will be looking forward to a knee replacement as the doctors words are now coming reality. He didn’t want to hear that. Like I said getting old sucks. Maybe he will be a gym junkie and start lifting weights and be one of those cut grandpas LOL

As for now I have to get back to life, make phone calls and do other peoples jobs makes lists for this week’s dinner plans, laundry, figure out where I will continue my education ie. BSN or MSN. Have a great day!!!!

It is what it is......

It was Briannas Birthday Sunday morning September 30th. I tried to make her day special. All she wanted was waffles and whip cream for breakfast and she got just that BUT with flat whip cream!!! I bought it for her and low and behold it was all gone but a little bit and no one did it. The little  leprechaun ate it!!! The only thing I can think of. 

So as our construction continues we have the wood floors in and now waiting for the counter tops and carpet. Than I can get my life back together. Living out of a family room and trying to cook is not easy. I actually hate it. Karen from Kansas, the women that helped lay the floors and re do my island was saying it is what it is. And she is right it is what it is. I just have to learn to deal with it!!! So as you can see in my pictures behind Brianna is my new wood floors. I really like it even if my first choice was not wood but I have to compromise. Even if I hate to do it and it is after all "my" women cave the rest is pretty much my idea. So can I complain? Not really.
 My new dilemma is color. I want a brighter feel like sunny and happy and my first 2 choices are blue and yellow. I decided to settle with yellow in the kitchen but I'm still trying to figure out the living room. I have both a dark couch and chair. Thinking that I need a lighter color wall to off set the dark furniture. Thinking of a neutral or a light blue. I don't want to go too light on the blue and not to mention I realized the blue I was looking for was the same as my sons room and it is pretty dark in there. It looks like neutral and I could really just throw any color in there I want and it should match. Right? Did I just talk myself into something? Probably. Based on color I feel like I am kinda alone on it and I'm so confused at what to do cuz I like a ton of things and cant do them all.........well it is what it is.....more later and have a wonderful day!!!!

Ice cream oreo cake!!!

This is what she looked like this morning her style!!!

I think she is beautiful!!!

Just another busy day.....

yup just another busy day! waiting for the kids to get home from their half day of school. as for me I left the house this morning around 9, went for a run and made it feeling comfortable and came out with an okay time. got back home in time to get a shower got myself ready for the day, started laundry and waited for our contractor to get here. Our bed finally got here on Wednesday, and we're anxiously awaiting the construction within our home. sometimes it takes a flood in your house to get what you want. That's what happened, we awoke in the middle of the night to a flood and now we have the chance to redo some things in our home that have been long overdue and that I have dreamt of for so long.

crazy hair day.....

so my kids were sent off to school today with crazy hair!!! Brianna didn't like the idea oK putting spray paint in her hair so she decided upon a wig so then I put paint in her wig. it turned out really neat.
I myself am supposed to be going out for a morning run however I have to call Briannas doctor. hopefully I can leave a message and get on with my day......

another early morning....

 And I sit here again this morning enjoying a cup of coffee, this time it's not as strong as it was yesterday morning but its good enough. Had a long day yesterday celebrating Briannas birthday and going to a reception.

This is my Birthday girl, even though she won't be 10 till the 30th!!!

Cousins!!!

Went to a wedding reception with my daughter and nephew and the two of them had such a wonderful time, I haven't been to things like this in a long time!!!

Busy day.

I was awoken this morning by the clumping of boots back and forth throughout my kitchen as the boys carried their hunting supplies from the house to the car. today is opening hunting season for the youth, and my 8 year old boy heads out with his father to experience hunters world.
     I'm now here wide awake sipping coffee that will make the hair on the back of your neck stick up. yes it's that strong.
  

 yesterday was a day I will never forget. May be the first day I realized there are real angels. my grandma hit a train and totaled her car and she walked away without a scratch. when I received the call and was told my grandmother was in a train accident I cringed with fear feeling my face welt up holding back tears. when I learned that she was okay I took a deep breath and thanked the person in charge for that one. my grandma is 83 years old she's a very strong person, but I think her strength physically is slowing her down. mentally she's as sharp as a pin, but it hurts me to watch her slowly crumble physically.

   








 last night I stayed up till 11, making Briannas cupcakes for her 10th birthday party. I can't believe how fast she has grown. she is growing into a beautiful young lady. happy birthday my dear!

Because I just don't keep up that well.....

Not that I don't want to continue posting my journey through life I just don't make time. I can't make excuses but that's the way it is. I am a full grown adult with ADHD and I am currently trying medication. Not sure that it's working but I'm tired of feeling like I spend the day on a New York Subway as I try to maintain my everyday things to get done. I easily get distracted and lose my place frequently. It sucks and it's worse when you watch your child suffer from the same thing and maybe just a little bit worse than what you deal with. But anyway back to the subject. It has been so long since I have updated this and I will give it a try to keep up. Since last time I was on here I have graduated with an associate degree in Nursing, currently waiting to take my boards and actually obtain the title Registered Nurse. It a dream that I always envisioned as a child. I finally did it!!! I want to continue on and ultimately become a NP. A long shot from here. Putting up pictures of memories of the summer!!

 Pool time with the cousins!!

My beautiful Grandmother

Trevor up to bat

 Running home for a score...

Camping trip 

 Handsome Trevor

 Cute Brianna

Tree that fell over. It was big!!

Walking the dog

Paddle boat rides!!!!!

My pinning ceremony

 Jan Johnson pinned me, I will never forget her!!!

What a special moment!!!

 Time for fun with friends!!!!

Brianna at crossroads

My nursing party:

 On the way to the Detroit Zoo!!!! That was a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apple fest 2012!!! Brianna ran a mile in 9:10 I was so proud of her, Trevor ran the 1/4 mile like a lightening bolt and I just cheered them on!!!

First game of the season. U8 he really needs to be in U10.

Bedtime routine:

Looks like end of the school year field trips kinda out a sync:

My Beautiful gymnast:

     Recently Trevor who is now 8 is back on the soccer field playing below his level but I guess that's what happens when Your good at what you do. Yes I'm mom and I think he is good!! Brianna is 9 and is taking a break from all activity for now. She wants to concentrate on school and achieve the best she can. Soon she will be back in Gymnastics.