My job thus far...

So I have been working at my new job for 6 weeks as of now and Im really liking it. While I still feel as though there is TONS to learn, I am really liking what I am doing. Yesterday I got offered to be the Director of Nursing (D.O.N.) so Im pretty stoked about that. With me accepting that position we can apply to get our own license and no longer have to be a branch office under the Abilene location. It also means I get a little more money and have the potential for another raise in 5 months.
We are taking on this new program called DB-MB (Deaf-Blind with Multiple Disabilities). Its quite sad to think that there are at least 150 people in the state of Texas that are both deaf AND blind and have another disability. So we have to do 30 hours of training for this new program so in our training today we were practicing what it was like to be deaf and blind. Its was quite a frightening experience. My boss was leading me around with a blind fold on, and having me feel my way though areas so that I could get a small sense of what it was like. Then I got to lead my boss around while we did different things to through her off. It was quite the learning experience, not to mention it was kinda fun. I get to do some cool stuff with my job.
I am looking into getting certified with the American Heart Association to be able to teach CPR that way we can offer that to the attendants that take care of our patients. Lots is going on with my job.
My car is going to be in the shop for at least another 9 days. I did a major number on my car to the tune of $6,300. But my body can attest to the amount of damage that was done because my body is still in a good amount of pain a week later.

Run for the Angel Twins

For those of you in the Dallas area, I wanted to post some information about this race. I had the opportunity to take care of Corynne when she was in the hospital March of last year before she passed. This is a great opportunity to raise awareness for this disease that is so very deadly.



Get ready to join Frisco for the first annual "Run for the Angel Twins!"

The 5k and 1 mile run/walk is scheduled for Saturday, March 28^th,2009.

The 1 mile walk begins at 8:00 a.m. and the 5k run/walk begins at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall Plaza located at 6101 Frisco Square Blvd in Frisco.

This event is in memory and honor of identical twins, Cathryn and Corynne Bouchard, of Frisco, whose lives were lost in 2008 before their
second birthdays to Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC).

Proceeds of this very special event go to the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation in honor of the Angel Twins Fund.

We will also be funding a scholarship in memory of the girls for the Frisco Education Foundation of the Frisco Independent School District.

We sincerely appreciate your continued support of our Million Dollar Mission!

To register for the race or for more information, please visit:

www.runfortheangeltwins.org

We would also appreciate your help in spreading the word about the race to your friends and family who might be interested - thank you!

In the blink of an eye...

It would have been a month in two days from now, that I got rear ended driving home from work. Today I was driving in traffic on 635 going to visit a friend. Traffic seemed to be moving pretty well for it being 5 o clock, but the Suburban in front of me slammed on his breaks and I didn't have enough time to react. I slammed on my breaks but guess it wasn't in time, all it did was make the nose of my car dive towards the ground and end up under his bumper.

This picture is from my phone, doesn't really do it justice.

The suburban seriously had like 2 scratches, and my car is smashed to heck. The police officers wouldn't let me drive it home, they said my hood would fly up and cause another accident. Not to mention it was making weird noises and smelt really bad. Right after the accident my chest was hurting really bad. I guess it was from the seatbelt. After about 2 hours my upper back was killing, my arms hurt, my neck hurt and my head hurt. Needless to say I don't feel so hot. However I figured no point in going to the ER, all they will do is give me pain pills and muscle relaxants and tell me the pain is only going to get worse. I already have those because of my back. Sad thing is, I just got 8 shots in my back yesterday to try and help my back pain. They seemed to be helping and had cut my pain in half, but now Im back to major pain again. Of all the luck!

Life's little annoyances

I was driving home from work today, in traffic, as I always do. Go, stop, go, slam on breaks. Its a lot of fun! I noticed that there seemed to be a lot of cars in the HOV lane. (For those of you not from Dallas, the HOV lane is what we have for our High Occupancy Vehicles) I looked at them with envy as they all flew past me, when I glanced in a car and noticed that there wasn't at least two people in the car. It was only the driver. I was like wow, a "lucky" one slipped by. But then I noticed the next car, again only one driver. It was then I really started to take notice. (why not I wasn't really traveling anywhere) I would say at least 60-70% of the people flying by me in the HOV lane were single drivers. I started thinking to myself its a simple rule. If you have more than one person in your car or you are on a motorcycle then you get to go in the HOV late, if you drive alone, you have to deal with traffic. So what makes these people think that they are so special? We all want to go home, and yet some how they think that their desire to go home is above everyone elses, that they get to break the law. That just annoys me. Bad drivers are just annoying in general, especially the ones that are just inconsiderate of others. Like the ones that have no early idea how to park. Its like how hard is it. There are two white lines. One should be on each side of your car. If that's not the case, fix it! Learn to drive people!

25 Random Facts about me...

1. I have 4 of the best sisters in the world

2. I love to sing along with songs on the radio, and learn the lyrics to every song I hear. That is half the fun of music is knowing the lyrics and singing along.

3. My favorite flower is the red rose. I know its simple but they are so elegant and smell so yummy.

4. I sleep with a white noise machine every night. If I do not have it I cannot sleep.

5. I don't care for clubbing, I prefer to eat out at a nice restaurant or go see a good movie... I'm more of a homebody!

6. When I was in the first grade I won a spelling be in my school and beat out all the 6th graders. Now I can't spell to save my life. Seriously even the easiest words I fudge up.

7. I have only been in love once in my life

8. Four years ago, the month after I graduated nursing school, my dog Koda bit me in the face and I had to get 9 stitches in my top and bottom lip.

9. When I was a kid my mom would arrange for me to have slumber party's or what not at friends homes because if it was up to me I just wouldn't go to anyone's house.

10. My sister Sharon didn't learn to talk til she was 2 because I always spoke for her. All she had to was make a sound and I was quick to tell everyone what she wanted.

11. My first word was puppy, my first two words together was "don't cindy" I guess my aunt was doing something I didn't want.

12. When I was in high school I was on the debate team.

13. I played the Cello in the 7th and 8th grade but quit before high school because I didn't want to be deemed "uncool"

14. Growing up in Utah I have some of the best memories as a child, we lived in the smallest house ever but had the funniest times.

15. When I was a child I used to sunburn so bad I would black out. I remember missing school for up to a week at a time just sitting on the pull out couch in my underwear with sheets on because nothing could touch my skin. Do that enough times and you just become content in your whiteness.

16. My favorite place to eat is Jinbeh. They have the best Japanese food known to man. Their fried rice and sushi is amazing!

17. I am big time movie fan, I don't get to go as often as I used to, but its a great escape for me. I love to see most the movies Angelina Jolie is in.

18. I love cars. Im not obsessed by any shape, but I would be happy with a nice fast and loud muscle car.

19. There is a ton that they don't teach you in nursing school. You learn to just suck it up and do it, its part of the job and what better way to learn than to get in there and just do it.

20. I love stars. I have stars on hats, shirts, earings, and its the only thing I have ever been known to "collect"

21. My friends are some of the best people in the world

22. I can talk in a duck voice

23. When I went to college I wanted to become a psychyatrist. People always camed to me for advice and I liked helping them, so I thought that was my lives work.

24. When I went away for college, I would talk to my mom every day by phone and usually emailed too. We used to talk twice daily but she had to cut back, it was making her phone bill go up.

25. When Macie was young I told her I was old enough to be her mother, from then on she found it funny to ask for something in a store by calling me mom, and when I would chew her out for it saying I wasn't her mom, people thought I was a crazy neglectful person, so I would usually give in and get her whatever she wanted.

My bipolar Valentine's Day

Okay. It was very "lovingly" pointed out that I have a clear battle raging within me between my girly self (and yes deep down there is a little bit of a girl in me, believe it or not) and my jaded cynic. I have been trying to tackle my stance on this holiday but its been a struggle. Why? Read on...

I will admit that I honestly think that Valentine's Day is a hallmark holiday (as I have previously said) designed for corporations to push candies and diamonds on the unaware masses. That said:

I'm a girl.

I love Valentine's Day because I love the thought of being in love, and spending the day together being in love, and sharing that love, and doing activities together because of that love.

That being said, I will say that if I see one more Barbie pink teddy bear with an I Love You pillow sewn to its hands, I will punch someone in the crotch!

I have mixed emotions on the topic. Clearly.

My love/hate relationship I have with this psuedo-holiday continues. My educated and overly jaded side says that this is nothing more than a fluff holiday to keep people pumping money into useless crap. But let's argue this point saying that it is a valid holiday. My rants are within people themselves.

To those of you out there who denounce the holiday because you don't have a boyfriend, cry me a river. Next year you will have one and demand a dozen roses, Alaskan King Crab dinner, and tender loving. The day can also be time to spent with a best friend or a pal or a mate (whatever your geographical location.) Its a day to promote togetherness.

Also I have done some thinking about my previous idea that "everyday should be a day to profess love." I must have clearly recently suffered from a major head injury or have never had an actual relationship with someone. Everyday? Doubtful. Spend everyday with someone, and you tell me after 24 years you still think on a random Thursday night he will say , "I should buy her roses and a box of chocolates!" Possible...yes, likely???? NO.

Okay, that was the majority of my feelings for today. My thought, if you don't like the day don't pee in the Cheerios of those of who enjoy the novelty of the day.

As I noted before, I am aware it is a novelty holiday and should really never amount to much in a relationship.

The point is, the day is up for interpretation. So if it is a crap day, its a crap day. If its for card and lovin exchange, so be it. It is your day to harness.

And that, my friends, is the reason to love of the holiday. It is a holiday you can do with what you want. Sure commercialism and such will make you think it should be candles, chocolate, soft jazz and silk robes. But it can also be a roller derby, hard rock and velcro walls. And as one who is a free spirit, I take great love in a holiday I can celebrate my own way.

So in conclusion, I hate the people but I love the holiday. There it is. I solved my own riddle. Gold stars for me!

All my views aside I hope everyone had a great Saturday however you chose to spend it. The day is founded on a christian saint yet centered around a pagan god depicted as a baby with wings and a weapon. How can that fact not make you smile just a little?

Happy Valentines Day everyone. I love you all. ::squish::

Weekend Wrap Up

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to the Mavericks vs Bulls game. I was supposed to take my friend Monica but sadly she was sick, so my friend Vance got drug along. It doesn't seem like a guy who have to be drug to a game but I later found out he had NEVER seen a basketball game of any sort of his life. Thankfully it was a game to be remember. The mavericks one by 1 point in over time, it was an absolute blast. Thank you Nancy for the tickets!!!
Sunday I had a meeting with the 1st counselor in the bishopric before church. You are now looking at the new Gospel Doctrine teacher. I know im sure you are as shock as I was. I am not sure what makes them think I will be successful at this, but I guess that is what happens when the Sunday school president and the branch President are your home teachers lol. So I have this week to prepare because I am being thrown to the wolves this coming Sunday.
Now today is Monday and I am in good ole Abilene Texas. After working all day I drove the 3 1/2 hours out here to do some training for the next 3 days. I will be going with some nurses from here and trying to learn the ropes a little better. I hope it helps because I don't like having a good handle on my job. Its quite stressful.

White History Month

Since we are 4 days into the month of February also known as Black History Month I thought I would address a lesser known "event" and that is White History Month. Didn't know it existed? Well maybe it doesn't really but it should! But it should be White History Month, not Anti-Black History Month. Said event should promote equality, not discrimination. And no. White History Month is NOT 11 months out of the year, American history is. The fact that 98% of this country's history was, founded, laid out and written by white US citizens DOES NOT make it "White History". Our history just happens to be laid out mostly by white, landowning males. That's just the way it is. Do our textbooks say George Washington was "the first white president of the United States"? No. Just because there are not many blacks in this country's long history, doesn't make it "White History". It just means blacks didn't step up to the plate until later. Like I said, it's not like we're there to stop them from making history with a "Whites Only" policy. If Black people get a history, then so should the White people.

So why don't we get a white history month or week? Or even a day for that matter? Call me crazy, but despite my pale complexion I do have a heritage and a history to be proud of, and I feel kinda bad to have to celebrate it alone. If we're all for equal rights, why can't every race have a holiday to celebrate its achievements?

This is actually a bit misleading of my true beliefs however. In reality, I don't want any race to be celebrated over any other, and the easiest way to do that is to not celebrate race at all. Oh, we should certainly all be proud of ourselves, for all of the traits and characteristics that make us who we are, but race is such a divisive and petty thing to use to differentiate ourselves. We didn't choose our race, we were born with it. It's like having an 'Impoverished Backgrounds' month, or a 'Born with a Silver Spoon in our Mouth' month (note: I'm not comparing any race with either of those financial analogies). Being proud of one's heritage is one thing, but I don't see the need to celebrate race.

So since my ideal world doesn't exist where one race is not celebrated over another, my question is still there unanswered. How come there is no official White History Month? In the words of a Tulane University Black History Month Web site, "a White History Month is not needed because the contributions of whites are already acknowledged by society. Black History Month is meant to remedy this inequity of representation."

Oh...I get it now...its a remedy. Oops my bad!

Feel Young Again

My dad sent me this video, he figured with me working in home health I could appreciate the humor, which of course I could. Thanks dad!
Work has been crazy busy, I feel like I have done so much and yet I have done nothing at all. I have so much to learn still. I spent several hours with one of the nurses from Abilene yesterday. It was really nice to go meet two more patients that I will be taking care of. I was supposed to do more of it today, but it didn't work out for us to see the patient that we wanted to so I got to spend the day driving all over Texas putting up fliers trying to find people who want to help take care of some patients. I went to Keller, then to Rhome (which is out in the middle of NO WHERE) and then up to Denton. I covered over 150 miles. It was a busy day for me. But next week I am hoping to go to Abilene to work with the nurses out there and seeing some of their patients and learning the paperwork. So its coming along just slow and steady...