Sad

I am sad at the state our world is in. When 12 year old babies are having sex and getting pregnant, something is wrong with the world. Our new patient who is 12 came in today for an ultrasound a check with the Dr. I think we were all really hoping two things, 1) that she was seriously going to consider adoption, and 2) that it had been a case of rape instead of something consensual. We were unlucky on both counts. The father of the baby is apparently 3-4 times her age and her grandmother got him put in jail for statutory rape; it was totally consensual. She also firmly wants to keep the baby....so sad. It makes me want to go and steal the baby while she is in the hospital, just to keep it safe and give it a good life. *sigh* Its just plain sad, very, very sad. It makes my head hurt, so I am going to bed.

Poor Dr D

So I told my Dr today that I had applied for a per-diem position at Stevens....she just about died because she thought I was leaving. I realized after that I could have asked for just about anything at that moment and she would have given it to me without reservation. Its kind of scary to have that kind of power! She started asking if I wasn't getting paid enough or needed more time off. Once I calmed her down and explained my reasoning, she felt much better.....poor Dr. D, I really scared her.

For those who aren't aware of my reasoning for going insane and working more, there are three main reasons:

1) I'm probably going to need a new car sooner than later, and an extra job would allow me to funnel larger amounts of money into that fund.

2) Once you've been out of the hospital 3 years or more, you are required to take a refresher class before you can work in one again....it will be 3 years in October and I REALLY don't want to take a refresher class.

3) I'm getting bored with my job and needing a change. This allows me to get some change without sacrificing my good, stable position.

Dark Side

So I have started playing Knights of the Old Republic again (Star Wars game) and have decided to be as bad as I can be. Its weird cause normally I try to be as good as I can, but my bad side needed an outlet. Its also kind of nice to get to say mean, evil things to the other characters in the game, and you get to use cool dark side powers like force choke and lightning.

I just read that last sentence and it makes me sound REALLY cruel....good thing y'all know I'm not really like that. Anyway, its really interesting to see the game from the dark side, and your face also gets all craggy and ugly like the Emperors. Sweet! My GT guys would be proud of my complete turn to the dark side.

Too fast

This weekend went way to fast for my liking! I don't want to go back to work tomorrow, I don't!!!! I keep telling myself that its only 4 days until Saturday again, but its not really helping that much. I just got finished watching The Sin Eater. Its one of those cheesy Christian movies produced by Michael Landon Jr. For once I would like to see a Christian movie that doesn't have crappy music, bad acting, and can actually give some competition to Hollywood. Ugg!! Anyway, its now late and as I have to work tomorrow, I should probably go to bed.

Good movie

So I just go back from seeing Waitress. Its was a cute, funny movie, and I overall enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy the part where they had an affair, but other than that it was good. We were going to see Pirates of the Caribbean, but the 7:45 showing we had arrived at 6:45 to buy tickets for was sold out, and we didn't feel like hanging out until 8:30 and then having 3 hours of movie, so we switched theaters.

Plan on doing the Denny Creek hike tomorrow with Abby if the weather cooperates. I can't believe this three day weekend is almost over! I got nothing done! That's not entirely true...its just that my Saturday was jam packed and so it didn't feel like a day off. I REALLY don't want to go back to work on Tuesday. *sigh*

I need to go wash some dishes as I have a pot with some strange thing growing in it.

Short blog

I'm tired, too tired in fact to write a long blog. More tomorrow.

Tired

Well, my new visor worked fairly well. I only sweated out 1L of fluid as opposed to 5L, so I count that a success! Seriously, if there is a nice breeze, its not too bad. The real test will be tomorrow when I'm out walking in the sun.

The couple tonight did a pretty decent job on the costumes. The bride was Padme, the groom Anakin, the bridesmaids were Handmaidens, the groomsmen were Jedi, and the flower girls were junior Handmaidens. Some of the other guests were also dressed in costume. None of the costumes would have made it into the 501st or Rebel Legion, but over all not

bad.
I managed to get my lines off with only two mishaps. I said "royal scum" instead of "rebel scum" and then I messed up their last name slightly. I'm hoping that no one really noticed as my speaker system isn't great and I had the mic literally in my mouth. I was hoping to practice a few times after I was in gear to check volume levels and such, but after arriving 20 min early, I realized that I had left my outer robe in the dryer(where it was de-wrinkling), so I had to drive home and back, which only gave me 5 min to get dressed and have them tell me their name. Ahh well, it still was fun.

Jill, here are some old pictures of my Royal Guard costume. Don't have any from the wedding reception yet.

Lesson

I learned a lesson this evening.....don't put your head inside a helmet where you just installed a new visor using super glue. It makes your nose and throat burn something awful. In the attempt to get more airflow in my Royal Guard helmet, I have replaced my solid visor with double layer screen mesh. In theory it should work, especially since I can tilt my head back a bit when I exhale through my nose and the warm air goes out through the visor. We'll see how it work at the wedding tomorrow night.

Hurt Knee

So I hurt my knee today and I have no clue how it happened. After lunch it started getting sore and then I started limping. Its moving all wonky....yes I did say wonky. I've been icing it all evening and have taken Advil, so hopefully it will be better by morning.

I really have to work on my Royal Guard helmet tomorrow. I'm putting a mesh visor in to give that baby some airflow. I guess I'm just full of a lot of hot air!

I'm off to bed early tonight. I'm so tired.

Worst day

Well, today almost took the cake for "worst day at work". Dr D was in surgery most of the morning, and was running 45 min behind, so our in office procedure had to wait. While she was gone, a patient showed up for fetal monitoring/contraction monitoring. Baby looked great, but she was contracting every 3 minutes, which is not great at 35 weeks, but ok. She then had a fluid check which confirmed a low fluid that hadn't resolved and a baby in frank (legs up next to head) breech. Her cervix was closed (good), so after a quick call to the OR to confer with Dr D, the patient went to Maternal Fetal Medicine for an evaluation. Well, they found out that the baby has a heart defect and had to be delivered today.

While Dr D (who was back in the office) was on the phone with them, another patient was getting an ultrasound at 20wks to check gender....they had unexpected identical twin girls! Great, yes, but we don't do twins so we are sending them elsewhere, which is sad because they are one of our normal couples. Phone calls in numbers you can't believe were followed by all three Dr's being in surgery/deliveries, which delayed patients. Right in the middle of this, we get a call from an ER Dr over at Swedish with a pt of Dr I's who wants to be admitted to Evergreen for a possible bowel obstruction. I call into the OR where Dr I is and he says there is no way he is dealing with this because its a general surgery case. Phone call back to the ER Dr wraps that up.

More phone calls followed by the receptionist coming back to let us know that a grandmother just called to set up OB care for her 12 year old (yes, I said 12) granddaughter. What in heavens name is a 12 year old doing having sex!!!!??? Who is having sex with a 12 year old???? Why do they have to call us??? We are kind of stuck taking her as her older sister (20) is coming to see Dr D for her 2nd baby (first at 16). Stupid, stupid people......it just makes me sick thinking about it. Let me just tell you right now that I will be handing out all the pamphlets we have on adoption and places for her to call. I don't care if she doesn't want them, she is getting them. I can't even wrap my mind completely around the situation, and I am MOST interested in hearing how all this came about. As one of the girls up in the front office said, "She's probably only had her period for, what, 5 minutes."

Ok, I am going to bed. Its been too long of a day.

Extra Work

Just a quick note tonight as I am tired and ready for bed.

I'm looking into taking some occasional shifts at the hospital, if they can be flexible with my schedule. It would probably be two days, maybe three a month, and most likely on weekends. I've decided that this is the best way to save money for a new car, which I will probably be needing by the end of summer. I'm not really looking forward to it, as well, I like my time off. It just seems like the most feasible option. My budget is pretty much set and it doesn't leave extra for a car, so the extra hours must be worked somewhere. I'm putting out some feelers tomorrow and Wednesday, and hopefully, they can be accommodating, especially since I'm working full-time as it is. I actually took a gander over at the Stevens Hospital website (I know, I know, not a great hospital), but its close. They have a per-diem position available there on the Birth Center. It would be nice to just have quick trip to work, instead of driving to the Eastside. Please keep the whole situation in your prayers.

Hurt Toe

I was minding my own business, checking my e-mail, when my right foot decided to kick forward and I smashed my toes into my desk. My poor middle toe took the brunt and scrapped a nice piece off. It of course hurt like no tomorrow and bleed like nobody's business. After a few choice swear words (I'll leave them to your imagination), I bandaged the poor thing and watched as it continued to bleed. I put another Band-Aid on and it finally stopped. It still hurts and I am not looking forward to wearing my shoes tomorrow. Do you think it would look funny if I wore pink flip-flops with my scrubs??

On a brighter note, I am making a fabulous dish tomorrow night for dinner. I made it once before and loved it! Its from Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller, which is my new favorite cookbook. I highly recommend it, and suggest you use the Soba noddles. Soba is a buckwheat noodle, so it has lots of fiber and a great texture and taste. Its found in the Asian food isles. The sauce makes 3 cups (you only need about 1+) for the recipe. The leftover sauce is a great marinade, or dressing, or a dip if mixed with some black bean paste.



Beef and Noodles in Thai Peanut Sauce
Recipe courtesy Robin Miller, 2006

8 ounces somen or soba noodles or whole-wheat spaghetti

Thai Peanut Sauce:
3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce

Pad Thai:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 1⁄4 pounds lean beef steak (such as sirloin or flank), cut crosswise into 1⁄4-inch-thick strips
1⁄4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1⁄4 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, transfer to a large bowl, and cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients until well blended and set the pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the peanut sauce and simmer until the beef is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the beef mixture to the noodles and toss to combine, and then serve on individual plates topped with the peanuts and scallions. The leftover peanut sauce will keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 3 months; thaw completely in the refrigerator or microwave for about 3 minutes on LOW before using.

Campfire smell

I've decided that campfire smell is pretty cool. Its amazing what a few logs and a flame can do for a persons spirit.

My sister's graduation party was today and we had a camping theme, campfire included. Decent turnout, although not as many as my mom had planned on. It was good just to spend time with family and enjoy the weird (sunny/windy/cloudy) weather.

I also watched Marie Antoinette tonight. Its a good movie and an interesting look into life during the time of big hair, powdered wigs, and men acting like women. It makes me want to learn more about her, as the movie probably isn't completely accurate (it IS a movie after all).

Friday night

Tonight I went to my younger sisters band concert. She did a wonderful job and her band sounded great! Good job Jenni! They have three band levels and several choirs, which were all good. My only complaint was that the whole thing lasted over 2 hours.....after working a full day and then driving to Arlington from Kirkland, well, lets just say I am tired.

The advanced band played a Star Wars song..the opening title with a selection from Episode 2 in the middle. They did a decent job, but it was missing something........ahh yes, Star Wars characters. I think I will make the suggestion to my sister that next time one of the bands does a Star Wars piece to tell her teacher to contact me and I'll round up some troopers and maybe a Vader. It would have made it perfect.

Work was long and boring today. I had a million phone calls, a stack of labs that was almost as tall as me, and about 5 surgeries to schedule. I was so glad to be out of there for the weekend. I managed to get almost everything done. I have to have a clean slate on Monday morning, otherwise it just throws the week off.

Well, I am off to bed. It should be nice and toasty now, since I turned on the electric mattress pad about 40 min ago. I tell you, that baby was the best investment I've ever made!

Psalm 139

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up. You understand my thoughts from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways.

Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed is Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me. and the light around me will be night," even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.

*skips a few verses*

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

Frustration

Uggg.....remind me again why I work....oh that's right, to pay off the bills I earned so I COULD work. So not worth it!

I had the same conversation today 4 times. Twice with the patient and twice with her husband because she didn't believe me when I told it to her the first two times. The poor woman just had her second chemical pregnancy, and wanted to insist that I was wrong and that we had failed her because this was her second one. Frustrating! Despite what people think, neither the Dr or I have any control over what God decides to do with a fertilized egg. Do you hear that, NO CONTROL!!!!!!!

A chemical pregnancy (for those who don't know) is basically where conception happens, the hormone levels rise (you get a + preg test), but then it doesn't develop/implant and everything fizzles out. You are usually a few days to a week late on your period, and it may be heavier than normal. In the good old days when women weren't checking pregnancy tests every 5 minutes after having sex, they didn't even know they were pregnant and just attributed it to a fluke in their cycle. The stats say that 8/10 women will have at least 1 chemical pregnancy during their childbearing years, and some will have more that that. There is nothing to prevent a chemical pregnancy, and you can't cause one. It is just one of those flukes that happen in the miracle of getting pregnant.

I swear that if people had an understanding of the thousands of things that have to happen in a certain order to even get pregnant, let alone have everything develop properly, they would have a much better time of dealing with these sorts of things. They should feel blessed to even have a sperm and egg that get together, because a lot of people can't even get that far.

Stupid Questions Pregnant Women Ask

Forgive me if you have heard me complain about these before....

- Can I paint my toenails?
- Can I drive a car?
- Can I open a door?
- Can I go up stairs?
- If I drink Ovaltine (substitute in any dark food/beverage), will my child have dark skin?
- Will the jewels on my belly button piercing bother my baby (ie unborn child)?
- I have an awful headache, what can I take? Me: Tylenol. Pt: Oh no, I don't want to take any medication because it might hurt my baby.
- Aren't water births better for the baby....so they can breath? Me: Excuse me? Pt: Don't they need the water to go through the gills so they can breath?


Ok....I know there are more, but these are the only ones off the top of my head at the moment. I really need to write these down so I can put them in my book.

Work today was boring. Dr D's surgeries were delayed 90+min, which means she didn't get back into the office until 2:30. We had to reschedule the 1:00, 1:30's, and the 2:00 patients. Thankfully, we were able to shuffle some of them to the nurse practitioners schedule tomorrow. I don't know where we would have put them in, we are just way to full. Since we didn't have patients until later in the afternoon, Dorothy and I were bored out of our minds. I must have shuffled the same papers 20 times. I should enjoy it, considering we have 30+ patients Wed and Thurs, which is our standard for those days.

My Star Wars group, Garrison Titan (bad guys) will be mingling at a wedding reception the Friday before Memorial Day. They were hoping for a Vader, but he is going to be at Celebration IV, which is the HUGE Star Wars convention in LA *sigh, I wish I was going*

It seems that since Vader won't be in attendance, the next highest ranking Imperial gets to announce the couple at the reception, guess who that is......yep, me. My Royal Guard trumps the troopers ( I do guard the Emperor after all).

I've been practicing my speech......"Loyal servants of the Empire and Rebel Scum, on behalf of the Emperor, Garrison Titan would like to announce Mr and Mrs.___________. Long live the Empire!"

The only downside is that my speaker system has the speaker at about chest level, which is where I'm going to hold the mic. My chest will be doing the talking :-)

My first blog!

I have decided to develop the area of consistency in my life and keep a blog. I must warn you that it will probably not be filled with profound thoughts, deep philosophical musings, or other things that cause your brain to work hard (although I may throw a few in there to keep you on your toes).

It will most likely be comprised of a mix of my musings about Star Wars, costume updates, funny stories from work, and a smattering of recipes I found enjoyable.

Anyway...enjoy, offer criticisms, and encourage me in my journey of self discipline.