My life is too complex to blog about

Sometimes I think my life is way to complex to blog about. For example, today my patients consisted of a tylenol overdose, a Hmong with a herniated disc, and an Anterior/Posterior Fusion. Not about the latest technique for folding towels, the date I went on with Noah, or what I made for dinner. But to be honest, I would rather read a blog about tylenol overdose anyways. So I will write one :) My PSA for the day is to be seriously aware about how much tylenol you are taking. Tylenol is everything!!! ok, not everything....but in a lot of narcotics, cold/flu remedies and a basketful of over the counter products. Its not that hard to consume over the maximum amount - 4,000mg. Taking two extra strength tylenol four times gets you there. Anything over that is tough cookies on your liver. My patient the past few days has had to drink 17 glasses of a medication called acetylcysteine - its the antidote to tylenol toxicity. It smells like rotten eggs. Seriously. Its so bad we have to mix it in a cup of coke/pepsi for it to be tolerable enough to swallow. Plus you have to load people up on potassium and phosphorus because your electrolytes suffer. Then you have to drink heaps of glasses of nasty tasting potassium/orange juice concoction because your liver is so shot you wouldn't be able to metabolize anything orally. I felt seriously bad for my patient. Not a fun time.

Even though my life is crazy, I really do love it. I love working as a nurse, caring for my patinets; advocating for them; managing their care in collaboration with the doctors, social workers and rehabilitation staff. I see so many people on a daily basis, and hear so many stories. I could never imagine working in any other field than health care. Its addicting, and will forever be in my blood.

A friend of mine wrote out a list of the 101 things she wants to do in 1001 days (about two and a half years). She had a pretty long list. Unfortunately I don't have the time (full time school + full time work + part time volunteer) to do all the awesome stuff she wants to do....but I do have a few dreams. They might not be down to earth daily ones like mailing people packages and designing dream dates with hubby BUT 1)I want to apply and be accepted into medical school. 2)I want to go to Nepal and deliver babies with an OBGYN in rural hospitals. 3)I want to become an HIV educator. 4)I want to do a 6 week internship with the World Health Organization in Geneva. 5)I want to meet and serve my neighbors intentionally. 6)I want to do an in-service on buying fair trade at church and at work. 7) I want to buy a microscope. 8) with the microscope I want to teach myself how to diagnose malaria on a slide. 9) crochet caps for neonatal babies in Africa. 10) Love my patients more. That is my 10 in 1001 days. I hope I can do it :)