Posts
**Update The following post is from the most important person in my life...My Mama! She wanted to share some of her thoughts with you guys. I just forgot to tell her to introduce herself first:) So please allow me to introduce to you my Mama, the strongest person I know!**
Origional Post Follows:
As I look at this story and the "Bring on the Rain" I have to think just how blessed I have been in life. I had a loving family, a mother that taught me to Live, Love, and Laugh. Her laughter can still be heard in my head on a daily basis. Her lessons in life lead me everyday. Then I think about what a blessed marriage I have to a man that loves me just as I am, never questions my decisions, and supports me in every endeavor I go through. Then I think about my very own daughters and think about how when they were little it would be so much easier to stay home on Sundays and Wednesdays than to dress 3 little girls for church, but I chose not to. God would not let me. Then my "little girls" became "little-big teenagers" and my challenges were much different. You see they could dress themselves and even drive themselves to church. I fell by the way side in my attendance due to my girls not going with me as they once did but I never ceased praying for my girls and their relationship with God. Now as adults all 3 of my young ladies have their own relationship with their Savior and are teaching there children, my blessed 2 grand sons (Zachary and Avery) the way of the Word. And soon to be my grand daughter (Aubree). No one will ever know how my heart sings when I hear my own children say, "I love the Lord and look forward to going to church". To this I praise The LORD with everything in me. You see I encourage every mother and father to stay true to what you believe and even when you think your children will never use what you have taught them: the way of the Lord will never depart them and they will come back on their own. This is what I have learned and I praise God for my family past, present, and future, my home, my health, my education, my friends, my husband, everything my eyes see, my hands touch, and my heart feels.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Kayleigh
Kayleigh has been doing pretty good, she is still in the NICU almost a year later but she has been making progress! 
Kayleigh was on her way to go home! She was doing better and weighed enough to finally get to go home! All that she was waiting on was for her parents to have the proper training for all the medical equipment that she will need and she was set to go home next month! 
Last week Kayleigh had a stroke. She has no noticeable brain waves, and has been like this for days! Her parents are asking for prayers in this extremely difficult time, they are meeting with the doctor on Monday to talk about how "aggressive" they want to be with her care from this point on (I think this may be fancy talk for taking her off the tube in her neck that breaths for her). Its hard to believe that after a LONG, HARD fight that this is it, this baby has fought so hard! Please pray for her parents, for strength and wisdom!I am going to leave you with a video that Kayleigh's dad made when she was first born. You will have to mute the blog music or they will play together :)
Talk to you soon!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The Box
If you follow me on Facebook, or Twitter you will know that yesterday was one of the most boring days that I have had at work since I started there 5 years ago! I was doing a job that I usually don't do which involves sitting at a computer and staring at heart rhythms for 12 hours straight! There was a point where I really didn't know if I was going to make it to 7pm! But in my boredom I noticed something, that I thought was funny and I wanted to share it with you.
Behind the desk where I was stationed was this box.
So what is it, you ask, could possibly be in this special LOCKED box? Well I will show you!
Yes, that is correct! The super special, totally worth locking in a box, item is......."AA" Batteries!! As if that is not enough how does one get granted access to the super special box? Glad you asked!
The keys of course! And where would one find these keys?
You guessed it! Off of the top of the box! So we have this super special locked box, that really only has batteries in it, that someone has thought necessary to keep under lock and key. But I ask you....what good is keeping a box locked if you are going to keep the keys on top of it? Hmmm.....
Friday, April 10, 2009
Technical Difficulties
For those of you that read my post from the site this post will seem odd, so just bare with me here!
I have received many e-mails from those of you that receive my post via e-mail that says that you didn't receive the entire post, and that the picture, and the movie at the end did not show up. So I am asking you to PLEASE visit my site and read it there, and make sure to watch the movie! It will move you in ways that I can't even explain! Let me know how it moves you, I will forward it all to Angie! Talk to you soon!
P.S. This is also for my sister Michele, who just started to get my post via e-mail, and because I wanted her to see the movie! Love Ya Sister
To go to my site CLICK HERE!
I have received many e-mails from those of you that receive my post via e-mail that says that you didn't receive the entire post, and that the picture, and the movie at the end did not show up. So I am asking you to PLEASE visit my site and read it there, and make sure to watch the movie! It will move you in ways that I can't even explain! Let me know how it moves you, I will forward it all to Angie! Talk to you soon!
P.S. This is also for my sister Michele, who just started to get my post via e-mail, and because I wanted her to see the movie! Love Ya Sister
To go to my site CLICK HERE!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
It's Been A Year (A Version of What I Learned This Week)
I have to admit that I have become slack on the "What I Have Learned This Week" but I have had a lot going on and just have not had the time. This one is going to be a little different anyways. Because this week marks the 1 year anniversary of the most important lesson that I have ever learned in my life this far. So in honor of that fact I want to share with you what that lesson is.
Chances are if you know me personally/talked to me in person/e-mailed me/or even randomly run into me on the street I have told you about the story of Angie Smith and her daughter Audrey. If not, please, go read her story. How can this one woman and her daughter have such an impact on my life you ask, well I will tell you how....
Angie is a mother to 3 little girls, Abby, Ellie, and Kate. Last year she was pregnant with her 4th daughter Audrey. When she was 6 months along Angie and her husband(Todd) found out that they were not going to be able to keep little Audrey. She had a list of medical problem that made her "incompatible with life". The doctors urged Angie to terminate the pregnancy. She and her Husband Todd refused, so she carried the baby knowing that she would lose her the minute that she was born, but still kept the faith that God CAN heal her. She writes of her journey, what she goes through, and her faith through the entire ordeal.
**Monday April 7, 2008 this beautiful little girl was born.
Chances are if you know me personally/talked to me in person/e-mailed me/or even randomly run into me on the street I have told you about the story of Angie Smith and her daughter Audrey. If not, please, go read her story. How can this one woman and her daughter have such an impact on my life you ask, well I will tell you how....
Angie is a mother to 3 little girls, Abby, Ellie, and Kate. Last year she was pregnant with her 4th daughter Audrey. When she was 6 months along Angie and her husband(Todd) found out that they were not going to be able to keep little Audrey. She had a list of medical problem that made her "incompatible with life". The doctors urged Angie to terminate the pregnancy. She and her Husband Todd refused, so she carried the baby knowing that she would lose her the minute that she was born, but still kept the faith that God CAN heal her. She writes of her journey, what she goes through, and her faith through the entire ordeal.
**Monday April 7, 2008 this beautiful little girl was born.
She weighed 3pounds 2oz, and was 15 inches long**
This last Tuesday (4-7-09) was Audrey's Birthday. She was such a joy and blessing to Todd, Angie, Ellie, Abby and Kate. They had all been anticipating the birth of their daughter/sister. Not to mention, hundreds of thousands of people (all around the world) had been praying for this little miracle girl, as well.
Shortly under 2 1/2 hours later, sweet Audrey was also welcomed into the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It truly had me stepping back and looking at my life and relationship with God. Would I be able to do and say these things if this was my baby? In all honesty, probably not. But, Angie could, and she did, and that's when I knew that something needed to change.
This was a person, a daughter of God, who was going through something so heart wrenching, yet was still giving Glory to God. This encouraged me to want even more with my Lord and Savior. Therefore, I continued to read Angie's words. I prayed for her, Todd, Audrey and their other beautiful girls. I shared her story with anyone I could possibly tell, even strangers!
Audrey was a blessing then, is a blessing today, and will continue to be a blessing forever. This one little girl, her story, and her mommy's strength to share it, changed my life, as well as lives all around the world, and still continues to.
So I will leave you tonight with a video of Audrey Caroline Smith. (You will have to mute the blog music, you will have to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen)
~ I Will Carry You ~
There were photographs I wanted to take
Things I wanted to show you
Sing sweet lullabies, wipe your teary eyes
Who could love you like this?
People say that I am brave but I'm not
Truth is I'm barely hanging on
But there's a greater story
Written long before me
Because He loves you like this
So I will carry you
While your heart beats here
Long beyond the empty cradle
Through the coming years
I will carry you
All my life
And I will praise the One
Who's chosen me
To carry you
Such a short time
Such a long road
All this madness
But I know That the silence
Has brought me to His voice
And He says...
I've shown her photographs of time beginning
Walked her through the parted seas
Angel lullabies, no more teary eyes
Who could love her like this?
I will carry you
While your heart beats here
Long beyond the empty cradle
Through the coming years
I will carry you
All your life
And I will praise the One
Who's chosen Me
To carry you
*All photos, video, and words to "I Will Carry You" are from Bring The Rain. This song was written by Angie, Todd and Christa Wells. It was sung by Amy Perry.*
Happy Birthday Sweet Audrey!
A Day In The Life Of A Nurse!
I found this on Facebook and wanted to share what a day at work most of the time is like for us nurses (or for me soon to be nurse). Hope you enjoy because it is so, so true.
Patients aren't always satisfied with how well nurses communicate, a recent Medicare survey revealed. Well, nurses had no trouble communicating with me after I defended them (last) Sunday. Nurses from recovery rooms, coronary care, pediatrics, geriatrics, ER and Trauma units e-mailed me across the country. Here's what they had to say:Come walk in our shoes for a 12-hour shift. Come see the joy, the tragedy, the comedy, the 100 ways we are pulled and pushed, then rate my "pleasant greeting", "answers call light in timely fashion", "states name of patient."Use the bathroom now, because you might not get the chance again until your shift ends. Wear comfortable shoes. Don't worry if they're clean. They'll end up with blood and vomit on them. We are the patient's advocate, the doctors' eyes and ears, and everyone's scapegoat. We can page your doctor but we can't make that doctor magically appear. We check your stitches, wipe your blood, drain your pus and empty your bedpan. Nursing is a tough job, but we're tougher. We've been yelled at by administrators, supervisors and doctors. We've been kicked, slapped, punched, spat on, and sexually harassed by patients in various states of delirium, mental illness, arrogance, and intoxication. We've even had chairs and food trays thrown at us. We work mandatory overtime, weekends and holidays. We eat Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with coworkers. We deal with families who ignore visiting hours, bring food to patients on restricted diets, and insist on staying the night even though it's not a private room. We deal with the Florida son who orders us around to show a parent he's neglected for years that he cares. We cannot be at your side every waking minute. We have 10 other patients. We cannot answer 5 call lights at once. We can't stop doing CPR on a patient because you ran out of tissues. We are not maids, beauticians, or cocktail waitresses. We are professionals with college degrees. We hate that we can't spend more bedside time with you. Swearing at us will not make us move faster. Taking better care of your health would help. Quit smoking. Lose weight. Start exercising. Stop drinking. How do we survive? We ignore the nasty comments, the demanding relatives, the crazy staffing grids. We count to 10 before speaking. We pray every morning for strength and wisdom, patience and empathy. We drive home tired and frustrated, telling ourselves over and over , "I'm not the nurse I want to be, but I'm the best nurse the hospital staffing allows me to be." We fall asleep praying for the ones who won't survive the night. There is no finish line, ever. Nursing is demanding, fulfilling, and we can't imagine doing anything else. Nothing beats washing blood and glass off a car crash survivor , stabilizing a broken neck, saving a diabetic's leg, keeping a cancer patient in remission. The day we send a patient home we relish the unbelievable resilience of the human body and spirit. We did not become nurses for the hours, the salary, or the glamour of it all. We became nurses to make a difference. We don't ask for much. One sincere Thank You makes all the thankless hours worth it.
Patients aren't always satisfied with how well nurses communicate, a recent Medicare survey revealed. Well, nurses had no trouble communicating with me after I defended them (last) Sunday. Nurses from recovery rooms, coronary care, pediatrics, geriatrics, ER and Trauma units e-mailed me across the country. Here's what they had to say:Come walk in our shoes for a 12-hour shift. Come see the joy, the tragedy, the comedy, the 100 ways we are pulled and pushed, then rate my "pleasant greeting", "answers call light in timely fashion", "states name of patient."Use the bathroom now, because you might not get the chance again until your shift ends. Wear comfortable shoes. Don't worry if they're clean. They'll end up with blood and vomit on them. We are the patient's advocate, the doctors' eyes and ears, and everyone's scapegoat. We can page your doctor but we can't make that doctor magically appear. We check your stitches, wipe your blood, drain your pus and empty your bedpan. Nursing is a tough job, but we're tougher. We've been yelled at by administrators, supervisors and doctors. We've been kicked, slapped, punched, spat on, and sexually harassed by patients in various states of delirium, mental illness, arrogance, and intoxication. We've even had chairs and food trays thrown at us. We work mandatory overtime, weekends and holidays. We eat Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with coworkers. We deal with families who ignore visiting hours, bring food to patients on restricted diets, and insist on staying the night even though it's not a private room. We deal with the Florida son who orders us around to show a parent he's neglected for years that he cares. We cannot be at your side every waking minute. We have 10 other patients. We cannot answer 5 call lights at once. We can't stop doing CPR on a patient because you ran out of tissues. We are not maids, beauticians, or cocktail waitresses. We are professionals with college degrees. We hate that we can't spend more bedside time with you. Swearing at us will not make us move faster. Taking better care of your health would help. Quit smoking. Lose weight. Start exercising. Stop drinking. How do we survive? We ignore the nasty comments, the demanding relatives, the crazy staffing grids. We count to 10 before speaking. We pray every morning for strength and wisdom, patience and empathy. We drive home tired and frustrated, telling ourselves over and over , "I'm not the nurse I want to be, but I'm the best nurse the hospital staffing allows me to be." We fall asleep praying for the ones who won't survive the night. There is no finish line, ever. Nursing is demanding, fulfilling, and we can't imagine doing anything else. Nothing beats washing blood and glass off a car crash survivor , stabilizing a broken neck, saving a diabetic's leg, keeping a cancer patient in remission. The day we send a patient home we relish the unbelievable resilience of the human body and spirit. We did not become nurses for the hours, the salary, or the glamour of it all. We became nurses to make a difference. We don't ask for much. One sincere Thank You makes all the thankless hours worth it.
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