Love & Messy Houses

Today I did my best in everything I attempted to do but finally it was late and I had to go home. Tomorrow is another day.

I got kind of freaked out because my son and I got our meningitis vaccines and THEN I learned that at one point there were concerns that it raised the risk for developing Guilláin Barré Syndrome, but apparently this was studied carefully by the CDC and it was determined that the number of reports of development of GBS within 4 or 5 weeks of getting the vaccine were not statistically insignificant. That does mean something to me, so it has basically set my mind at ease. I am a huge proponent of vaccines, but it made me angry to think that there is risk in something that is supposed to be benign and prevent life threatening disease. I mean, it made me angry that the doctor didn't really seem to want to discuss it with us. I even asked him why some people have bad reactions to vaccines and he said it was just from "a really aggressive immune response." Whatever that means. I did a little research and learned that there is something about certain viruses and bacteria that is thought to trigger an all-out assault by the immune system in a dysfunctional way that causes it to attack the body's own tissues. With GBS, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath of the peripheral nerves. It causes symmetrical paralysis starting in the legs and feet and moving up into the arms and sometimes affecting the muscles that allow us to breathe. Truth be told, GBS etiology is quite poorly understood and the answer is basically, "we don't know what causes it." Well, we can't know everything, now can we?

We don't know how a lot of things work.

What I do know is that body and mind are one and the same and that you are what you eat and that immunity is boosted with lots of laughter.

I have had all kinds of biology and physics and microbiology and organic chemistry, etc., and I'm pretty scientifically minded and I get irritated with vague responses to scientific questions and that has happened twice in the last two days. The second time was when I was asking questions of an infection control expert about plasmid exchange between specific types of organisms found in hospitals. I got the vague answer...I have decided that people give these vague answers because they do not know and they don't want to tell you they don't know.

I know, because I feel this way a lot in health care. We can't tell anyone we don't know. There are the egos of colleagues, the fears and projections of patients, and the soul-crushing competitiveness of certain caregivers. It would be nice if we could just be honest when we don't know something and just tell someone we'll get back to them on it...but then it would, I guess, call our credibility into question.

My sense of things is that it is very important to be compassionate and always be learning something and really, really try to help people and make the world a better place. And being funny makes the world a better place! Laughter heals and prevents disease. Laugh often, laugh loud, laugh at life, laugh at yourself, laugh with heart!

Today Is The Day!

Today I worked really hard to make things perfect with some issues at work. Perfect doesn't exist, but I tried to dot all of my i's and cross all of my t's and be at the right place at the right time, etc. I am still a little behind, but will catch up in the morning. I stayed late and got my desk organized. I can't really talk about anything I actually deal with, because it would be a violation of patient privacy laws, and I am glad those laws are in place to protect people.

So...I just want to say again that I feel so lucky and blessed and that I will move forward in my life to do as much good as I can in the world. My days of feeling sorry for myself are over. I know we all have stories and some people's stories are written on their bodies while others are written on the soul only (I assure you that if it is written on the body, it has been transcribed to the soul, as well).

My house is a MESS and I will clean it instead of being lazy this weekend. My desk, however, is not a mess anymore, and I can start with a clean slate tomorrow.

What was good about today? I shared some inspiring stories with some people who needed to hear them. They wanted more information, which I provided. I got paid to perform my job duties. I got home safely. My husband was here to greet me. My mother is doing better today. My son and I spent time together (going to the doctor, but still, had time together). My son and I got vaccines we needed. I ate french fries with gravy and it was pure decadent yumminess. I talked to my good friend on the phone. I learned new things. I found a source of inspiration: another person's blog. How someone can emit such bright light through a blog is a mystery to me, but I am benefitting from it!

Oh, and just a little icing on the cake, my vegetables are growing! They still don't look like vegetables, but they have emerged from the soil and are getting more fully plant-like on a daily basis! (The above picture is from another garden, not mine, but I will put up some pics of my "begetables" later.)

What a Week!

I'm so very grateful for this past week. My son is fine after a couple of scares. The first was an accident wherein the airbags deployed and he got neck strain and a wrist strain. The second was when he presented with weird symptoms that looked like meningitis (and if he had presented 2 days later they might have suspected swine flu). He is better & feeling good and that is just great. Regular old life with a couple of bumps along the road but nothing major or really exceptional, thank God.

I also gave a speech on Spinal Cord Injury & Rehab for my professional association. I enjoyed an excellent presentation by another speaker on spider & snake bites and jellyfish stings, etc. and took away some practical knowledge from that.

Now that swine flu is here, I'm a little nervous. I hope this thing can be contained, although clearly that is not easily done. Estimates are that between 1 and 4% of cases are fatal, which doesn't sound like a lot but it IS 1 out of every 100 persons or thereabouts. I think that is significant. The thing that is different is that it has killed otherwise vigorous young adults rather than old people and babies, as most flu does. Plus it is past peak flu season.

I am going to Houston tomorrow on business. Rehab related business, since that is my line of work. I will enjoy the change of scenery. I may have time to visit the art museum (MOFA, I think is is called). We shall see how the day plays out. I hope my plane ride is not too turbulent, etc. Just get me there and back intact, please.

I bought some flat shoes today, as I had been wearing heels to work for the past year, ever since I took a job that didn't involve direct patient care. I celebrate a bit of freedom for my feet, which have started to rebel with corns.

I also found a new sweater (for over-cooled indoor Texas buildings...must have a sweater all year-round for that) and got some new perfume, as my bottle of the precious stuff was near-empty. I feel naked without perfume!

The big thing I would like to state today is that there are people out there who have overcome unbelievable limitations and are more athletic, more positive, more connected, more amazing...than those of us who take our health for granted. I read a story on the internet about a middle aged math teacher who went into the hospital with an infection and woke up with no hands and no feet. He overcame this and continues to teach and has prosthetic limbs and is a very, very positive and active person. He says that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. I BELIEVE IT!

I spent years feeling sorry for myself because of a less than ideal childhood and I have been awakened to how extremely LUCKY I am and will not go down that road of self-pity again! There is nothing for me to complain about, as I have got it all and am so incredibly blessed with a wonderful husband and a great job & my health and the health of my family.

I have one lecture left to attend, then an exam, and then I get my BA in History! I'll be officially educated, for what that is worth. Of course, I've met some incredible people who were earth movers who never got a 4 year degree. It is about what you know, not what's on paper. It is a privilege to get a college education, though, and I'm glad I got mine.

Nurse Practitioner is my long term goal. It will take a few years. I won't stop short of it. Eventually, I'd like to be an educator. I really enjoy teaching when I get the opportunity (almost as much as I enjoy learning).

And, finally, here is the video in which Monkey Wit stars. We all get our 15 minutes (or was that 15 seconds) of fame! (I needed something demonstrating a polysynaptic reflex...I realized after the filming that Babinski's reflex is rather complex and that the medical community is in no way, shape or form in agreement as to its significance...but...here is a talented rendition of a positive Babinski).

Trans-Atlantic and Domestic Economies

I am reading for class a book called A Midwife's Tale about the life of Martha Ballard, a late 18th century midwife who did many things, including what was essentially empiric medicine as well as nursing. Her diary reveals the hidden work of women in the late 18th century, and shows how women took part in the economic life of the community in colonial New England. She was a seriously courageous woman, known to brave icy rivers to go deliver a baby.

A bit of bathroom humor

Took my mom for a walk today and encountered this sign.