So long AF med/Surg

I worked my last day in the med/surg department at American Fork Hospital this past Monday. Starting the first week in January I will be working for Intermountain Staffing Resources. This means that I will work where I'm needed between the three IHC hospitals in Utah County. I am super excited and nervous. I decided to make this change because I will be working in various departments and this will give me a feel for where I want to work as a nurse (I graduate in April). But the main reason for making the change is that I will be able to make my own schedule, which is extremely nice while I'm in school. Since I don't start my new position until January, I have about three weeks of not working. This couldn't have been better timing with the holidays and nursing finals.

On a side note, I got the flu vaccine today and I'm nervous that I will be sick during Christmas vacation in Naperville (again). Thank goodness Chris and I are married now and he can spend the night with me and take care of me instead of his mom waking us up and telling Chris he need to go to his own room.

Wit

There are two reasons I decided to study nursing: first, I want to be able to help when there is an emergency or a disaster. second, ever since I was a little girl, I aimed to please, or more importantly to inspire and uplift.

This semester in nursing school we were given an opportunity to choose from a list of films to count as service hours. From this list, I looked forward to viewing the movie Wit, starring Emma Thompson.

The main character, a scholarly professor is diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. She is given eight sessions of chemotherapy at “full” dose, which eventually does more harm to her than the cancer.

Besides gut renching vomit, pain, hairloss, myelosuppression (suppression of the production of blood cells and platelets causing extremely high risk for infection), and isolation; chemotherapy (not the cancer) destroys epithelial cells in the esopagus causing painful sores. In which point, we become fragile mortals who delight in the simple cold taste of a frozen popsicle and ice chips. All that is left at this stage or all that is required is kindness and compassion by healthcare providers.

A patient with cancer must feel like they are completely isolated at the end stage of their illness. Some health care providers although skilled, fall short in administering kindness and compassion when treating these patients.

I can't tell you how many times I have seen a patient's health improve just because they were shown compassion or because someone took the time to give them "the best bath they have ever had". (Thank you brother Cannon for sharing your experiences). It is the small things that matter in life. It's not necessarily the things you know, but more importantly the things you do. A simple smile or touch can change the world for someone who is ill or simply having a bad day. Next time I arrive to work feeling grumpy because I'm tired and don't want to be there, I will remember that this is my time to "Inspire and uplift."

Recap of this year

Well, I should be studying for a test but instead I am blogging. Maybe if we had some chitlins I would post more, but we don't so I wont. Since I'm not very good at blogging here are a few pictures that represent our year so far. Here's the yearly update: I'm still in nursing, Maggie is still cute, We made some jam with my dad, had another anniversary, went on a cruise to the Carribean, and fished at Scowfield. Then we had a blast in Lake Powell and Chris shot his first deer. No kids yet but if you see any lying around, send em to our house.

Election Day

Angie and I voted today. This election really worries me because I don't think most people understand how much of a socialist Barack Hussein Obama is. Last time I read the Constitution health care was not a right, welfare is not a right. Free speech is a right. Go look up the Fairness Doctrine supported by Barack Hussein. Its very interesting. It will close down free speech on talk radio. I do have a right to my Guns. Some of you might think I am a backwoods redneck but I feel very comfortable knowing that I and my law abiding neighbors can protect our families and homes if needed. All gun control will do is take guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens. Don't get me wrong I am not a full John McCain supporter but I look at him as the lesser of two evils. Whatever happens today with the election good luck and God Bless America

Update

I think our last update was two months ago. Angie is very busy with school and just does not have time to keep this up. She is getting an A in nursing this semester so I guess I cant get to upset that we never see each other. I guess if I (Chris) blog I can pick the pictures I and the subject. In September Angie and I went with the Burrs and the Scows hunting up Ephraim Canyon. It was my second year hunting and Sister Scows first year hunting. We both killed our first deer on the last day of our hunts. Here are a few pictures of the fun.

My Dad is a BAD man!!!

This is Chris. My dad is in town to help Bradget move back to southern Il to attend dental school. While he was in town we decided to go kill some cans and bottles. It was Angie and I, my Dad, Justin Burrup, and a friend.

Dad is tuff!!!

300 yard targets dead on

Radical Islam beware (Justins Words)

Lake Powell

Lake Powell was awesome!!!

The day after, not so awesome! We got home about 11:30 last night. The next morning we didn't get up until 10:00am, we must have really needed the sleep. Maggie usually wakes up at 7:30 but not today, she must have had a great time at Bradget's house. I woke up feeling and looking like I had a hang over, Chris had to go to work, and Maggie had an appointment with the pillow. It is so hard to go back to real life after spending 4 days on the paradise house boat in Lake Powell. I'm so glad Tom and Debbie invited us to go, we had a great time and everyone made us feel so welcome.

Going to Lake Powell

I am SOOOO excited. On Wed we are going to Lake Powell after 7 years of not going. We both love Lake Powell. It is by far the best vacation possible. We are going with my Uncle Tom and his family and will post more pictures when we get back. Here are a few pictures from 7 years ago before we were married.

$1500 Bucks

Time to vent. What would you do with 1500 bucks. We have been saving for a while to pay off Angie's Car (2007 Mazda 6). I finally got enough money in the savings account and the blower/motor unit in the house furnace died. I guess it did not really die but it started making so much noise I thought it was going to explode in the basement. We have been in our house for just over 3 years. When the tech pulled it out of the furnace it was written on the unit "Bad blower/motor unit do not use". So someone before we moved in basically rigged it to work for a while knowing it was a bad unit. To top it all off Angie had surgery yesterday(Ask Angie but she is going fine). So right now she is asleep on the sofa and it is getting hotter by the minute in our house. They wont have it fixed until later today. So much for paying off the car for a few months!!!

This is the hole I have to drop 1500 into

Maggie goes to the salon

Maggie got her hair did the other day, here is a before and after. The lady at 1st east grooming does a great job. I wish you could see the bandana she puts on her.

I was really lucky to get these pictures because Maggie HATES the camera. She absolutely refuses to look at it.

Here is a run down of Maggies day after the salon. First she freaks out when she sees me that I swear she would pee her pants if she wore any. Then she sits on my lap the entire drive home and yes I took these while driving, just kidding, I pulled over.

When she comes home she tries to get as dirty as possible and then she is just all tuckerd out and sleeps the rest of the day. what a life!

Wait what am I saying! That sounds just like my life right now!

I frequently agonize over the fact that we have not been able to have children yet, however, I am really enjoying my freedom this summer. For instance, today I was put on call from work at the hospital so I slept in until 8:00. I went to the gym, came home, read my book, did some work around the house, did what ever I wanted (Chris is out of town) and now I'm going to go play a softball game. Tomorrow is just about the same only I am going to hang out with my friend Sunny to play some soccer and possibly go see a movie. I pray every day for a baby but I will certainly be grateful for the blessings I currently enjoy. Thank you to everyone who has kept us in your prayers, especially little Spencer Ross.

Summer???

You would think that Memorial Day would be a great day to go fishing; boy were we wrong!!! We stood at the shores of Scofield reservoir drenched and freezing. It actually snowed on us!!! If we hadn't caught any fish it would have been miserable but 10 unlucky fish fell for the bate and became our dinner (Thanks Bradget for bringing the deep fryer). I was the winner with the biggest pig, below is proof of my tasty little friend. By the end of the day, everyone was soaking wet, muddy and freezing except for me. I guess my parents' over prepardness rubbed off because I was well prepared with my $1.95 pancho, thermos, boots, gloves and a change of clothes. Oh, and don't forget the camera.

Adam Heiner, Justing & Stacey Burrup

Bradget, Lynn & Laura Scow

If Chris hadn't reacted quickly to help his friend, this fish may have gotten away. Do guys ever grow up?

I wish we were still sailing!!!

We hear the screaming!!! Here are some more pictures from our cruise. We are going again next year and would love for you to join us.




Me blowing my horn!!




Angie at her best




Our ship the Princess Caribbean







We went swimming with Sting Rays. I have never seen water that color. It was amazing.



We spent a day in the Bahamas doing nothing but swimming and sleeping on the beach.






The boat had an outdoor movie. We spent one night watching the movie Enchanted while sitting under the stars. It was very cool.




This was the view from our balcony on the last night. It was great to sit and watch the sun drop below the horizon.