tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62150480402062535892024-02-07T10:38:30.823-08:00I'm Crazy But You Like ItGigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-30585747699147493432012-09-07T10:48:00.001-07:002012-09-07T10:48:55.301-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-73495299528488851082012-06-11T07:25:00.001-07:002012-06-11T08:03:19.952-07:00Daily Water IntakeI drink, on average, 5-6 liters of water a day. Several times I've been told by people that I am at risk for 'water toxicity'. Of course, I know I'm not (I still feel dehydrated even with all my water intake) and I found this interesting site. <br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The kidneys of a healthy adult can process fifteen liters of water a day. You are less likely to suffer from water intoxication, if you drink it over the entire day's time as opposed to drinking a huge volume at one time. Most adults need about 3 quarts of fluid each day and a lot of that water will come from food. The typical recommendation is 8 - 12 eight ounce glasses of water a day. More water will probably be necessary for your body if you live where the weather is hot or very dry. Also if you are exercising or if you are taking certain medications you may need more water than what is typical. It is certainly possible to drink too much water and suffer from water intoxication although it is a very uncommon condition. ~Dr Standly . com</blockquote>
Other sites of interest: <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283">Mayo Clinic</a><br />
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</div>Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-86373183778415925452012-06-03T11:48:00.000-07:002012-06-03T11:49:24.486-07:00Videos for my classmates...Traumatic Brain Injury<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-66612156106532814422012-06-03T11:01:00.001-07:002012-06-03T13:00:16.797-07:00Bucket ListAlright at 32 years old I am officially writing down my bucket list. I will add to and update it occasionally! This list is in no particular order.<br />
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Read the Bible in Spanish<br />
Read the Bible in Italian<br />
Participate in a Zumba flashmob<br />
Sing 99 Luftballons in German at karaoke<br />
Finish respiratory school<br />
Get my bachelors degree<br />
Get my masters degree<br />
Visit Prince Edward Island in Canada<br />
See <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Metalachi?ref=ts">Metalachi</a> live!<br />
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......to be continued!<br />
<br />Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-14481919576275426142012-05-31T18:59:00.001-07:002012-06-03T11:49:46.484-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another video pertaining to my paper and presentation on brain injury.</div>
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<br /></div>Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-81787431383523915772012-05-31T00:22:00.000-07:002012-06-03T11:50:02.409-07:00Hyper-Acute Subdural Hematoma<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This is horrifying! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a></div>
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<br /></div>Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-86542315047010432362012-05-30T23:44:00.000-07:002012-06-03T11:50:22.061-07:00CraniotomyA video from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a> to go with the topic I have written a paper on and am preparing a presentation for. Not for the squeemish!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/R0dhzZekiis?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-13870039776908628532012-05-30T23:33:00.001-07:002012-05-30T23:45:14.473-07:00Neurologic Injury Research Paper<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
I recently was assigned a research paper on the topic of mechanical ventilation and neurologic injury. I spent approximately 16 hours researching and writing this paper. It was written in APA format (re-formatted for the purpous of this blog post, the copy and paste was not quite as successful as the original formatting) and I've included a list of sources that I drew my information from. I'm a student and don't pretend to be a genius on this subject nor in the mechanics of writing a paper. I did recieve a 100% on this paper based on its meeting all of the assignment criteria. There was absolutely no plagerism intended, so if there's an issue please bring it to my attention so that I may rectify the situation. Happy reading!</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;">Neurologic Injury</span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;">The Roll of Mechanical Ventilation</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> Neurological injuries are commonly known as
traumatic brain injuries, or TBI. In the United States alone TBI is
reported in over 200 cases per 100,000. This means that with the US
population being over 300 million that just about 600,000 cases of
TBI are reported each year. This does not account for those cases not
reported in an Emergency Department, or ED. As can be imagined, each
person is very different, so each case of TBI can vary greatly from
person to person. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> There are three stages of brain injury.
Included in these three stages are mild TBI, moderate TBI, and severe
TBI. According to David W Crippen, MD “almost 100% of persons with
severe head injuries and as many as two thirds of those with
moderate head injury will be permanently disabled”. Economically
this means that the cost of TBI is staggering on the public. A mild
TBI is referred to as a concussion sometimes. Most patients
diagnosed with TBI are mild. Losing consciousness briefly after a
concussion is normal as is a general feeling of dizziness, confusion,
and perhaps small losses in memory and physical abilities. The
brains ability to send messages is temporarily blocked when the
trauma occurs. Losing consciousness is the brains way of shutting
down and restarting. Of course not every patient with a concussion
will lose consciousness. Other conditions possibly associated with a
mild TBI are post-traumatic amnesia that is short lasting and a
slightly lower Glasgow Coma Score, or GCS. A moderate TBI has
similar factors as a mild TBI but the symptoms last longer.
Unconsciousness can last up to a full day as can memory loss and
amnesia. A person with a moderate TBI would have a GCS ranging from
9-12. Finally a severe TBI will mean a patient is in a coma. All
symptoms are elongated further and more severely. GCS score is lower
than 8. A patient with a sever TBI will have trouble functioning
normally after the incident. They may have trouble with attention
span, memory and other cognitive problems. These patients could have
loss of senses, like taste, touch, smell, etc and my develop
seizures, pain, and lose some motor functions. The speed of which a
body recovers from a </span><span style="color: black;">TBI is also indicative of the type (Traumatic
Brain Injury, 2011). A first sign of increasing ICP in a conscious
TBI victim is a change in their level of consciousness. Careful
observation of the pupils is important to see changes in pupillary
mismatch and decreasing reaction to light.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> There are many treatments for brain injuries
with increased intracranial pressure. The most critical goal of
managing neurological injury and adjacent intracranial pressure (ICP)
is to reduce brain volume. The practitioner must decrease
cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, along with blood volume while
maintaining cerebral perfusion in order to reduce ICP (Crippen,
2011). Normal ICP is 0-15 millimeters of mercury (mmHg). ICPs
elevated to 35mmHg for prolonged amounts of time can be potentially
harmful and once pressures increase above 40mmHg it is impossible not
to have sustained some damage. There are three parts that make up
the intracranial space. The brain, or parynchyma, consists of 1400ml
of the space inside the skull while the CSF and blood both make up
another 75ml each. The change in volume of the brain is
interdependent on the change in the volume of either of the other two
parts of the intracranial space (Sharma, 1999). Cerebral perfusion
pressure is measured by taking the mean arterial pressure and
subtracting the intracranial pressure, or CPP=MAP-ICP. According to
Egan's MAP is normal at about 93mmHg if arterial blood pressure is in
a normal range. ICP normally sits at 10mmHg or less. A good range
for CPP is 83-93mmHg. If a bleed is present then MAP may be kept
slightly higher in order to keep perfusion levels where they need to
be. Ischemia, or insufficient blood flow to the brain, is caused by
a decreased CPP in a vicious cycle that can possibly eternilize
itself. If the CPP is reduced the body reacts by raising the blood
pressure which in turn dilates the blood vessels in the brain. By
dilating, or widening, the vessels the venous flow is increased and
the blood volume increases in the brain. According to the CPP
equation this process then increases ICP, which decreases CPP and the
body starts all over with raising the blood pressure and so on
(Tolias et al, 2003). So the higher the ICP the higher the
practitioner has to increase the patient's MAP to prevent </span><span style="color: black;">herniation, blockages of the ventricles, which
leads to increasing CSF. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> Closed brain traumas can be caused by many
things. Tumors in the brain, falls, accidents, sporting activities,
and blows to the head are the main cause of these types of injuries
(Pillbeam, 1998). Other more specific causes can be shaken baby
syndrome, stroke, intracranial bleeding, </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;">hydrocephalus, Lyme Disease, etc. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> In the news recently has been the discovery of
high occurrences of concussions received by elite athletes,
especially football players, over many years of playing.
Statistically a professional athlete's life expectancy is about 1/3
that of the average human being and the average professional football
player will live approximately 20 years shorter than average
(Strength Planet, 2011). This statistic alone is evidence of how
devastating closed head injuries and increased ICP can be. The focus
of this topic is going to be mechanical ventilation and
hyperventilation as a treatment for increased ICP but that will be
discussed later. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> There is quite a range of treatments for
increased ICP. Starting with relatively non-invasive treatments for
this disorder patients are put on fluid restriction and specialized
diuretics prescribed by a neurologist. A patient with a closed brain
injury would be on an ordered dietary NPO, or nothing by mouth, and
would not be set up with IV liquids like most patients. A diuretic
like Mannitol is delivered directly to the patient in a continual IV
drip that removes water from the brain and expels it as waste. A
patient with an edematous brain needs to be urinating as much of the
fluid out as possible. Not only does Mannitol expel extra fluid as
waste it also thins out the blood and increases cerebral blood flow
which helps reverse the lowered CPP (Sharma, 1999). Corticosteroids
can also be administered via an IV to decrease cerebral swelling.
Steroids have many side affects and those should be considered when
administering them to any patient. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> Another non-invasive treatment for increased
ICP is to raise the the head of the patient's bed 30 degrees to
recruit gravity in helping improve venous drainage into the the
spine. Also by lowering the </span><span style="color: black;">mean arterial pressure, or MAP, using an
anti-hypertensive, such as calcium channel blockers, the practitioner
can decrease cerebral blood flow thus reducing CPP. Physiological
circumstances that should be avoided or fixed are seizures, high
temperatures, and restlessness. These increase the body's metabolic
pursuit and oxygen consumption. High body temperatures will also
increase vasodilation in </span><span style="color: black;">the brain and rouse cerebral edema (Sharma,
1999). Keeping a patient sedated will decrease their agitation.
However sedation on a patient with a head injury is done very very
carefully because it is harder to assess cranial activity after
sedation. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> Normal laryngeal intubation can be very
agitating on a patient. As stated the practitioner wants to keep the
patient calm so as not to raise the ICPs any more so it is wise to
pre-oxygenate a patient with a closed brain injury so as not to
decrease the oxygenation in the bloodstream. Rapid sequence
intubation, or RSI, is also indicated for this type of patient
because it is quick and the patient is unconscious throughout the
entire procedure thus not agitating and raising ICP levels. A quick
sequence of drugs is given finishing with a paralyzing agent. RSI can
be done within one minute (Lafferty, 2011).</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> There are much more invasive techniques which
are used to treat increased ICP. A small lumbar puncture can be used
to drain a small amount of CSF out of the spine. This procedure is
helpful with the head of the patient elevated. The catheter inserted
in the lumbar does not remove a lot of CSF but with the help of
gravity any amount of fluid removal is imperative to severe patients.
Both an epidural monitor and subarachnoidal bolts have their place
in successfully draining CSF from the brain as well. Along with
these there are intraventricular catheters which are one of the most
popular devices used to drain CSF. A catheter is inserted directly
into the the ventricle and both CSF draining and monitoring is
possible (Sharma, 1999). Newer fiber optic technology has recently
come out allowing monitoring and draining of CSF by a probe being
surgically implanted in the brain, ventricles, and subdural space. A
transducer is on the tip of the fiber optic to measure pressure and a
catheter is put in place for </span><span style="color: black;">drainage. The catheter can also be use to for
introduction of medicine (Arbour, 2011). </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> A more serious increase in ICPs might require
even more invasive procedures. Something called a burr hole can be
drilled in the patients head in the OR or right at bedside. It
creates a space just big enough to place and ICP catheter. If that
small procedure isn't enough a decompressive
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;">craniectomy can be done. This is where part of
the skull is removed to allow the brain to swell without damaging the
parynchyma or causing vessels to be crushed further increasing ICPs.
The skull piece is surgically stored in the patient's abdomen until
they are recovered and it can be put back into place (Egans, 2003).</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> The IVD or Intraventricular Drain has several
names. External Ventricular Drain and ventriculostomy are similar
devices. The IVD is a piece of medical equipment that is used in
closed neurological injuries. It was designed to decrease elevated
ICPs and hydrocephalus when there is something obstructing the normal
flow of CFS around the brain. It is a small, plastic tube that is
surgically inserted in the side of the brain that is blocked to drain
fluids from the ventricles thus reducing ICPs. A ventricular
drainage device is designed to shunt cranial fluid from the brain.
The small plastic tubing is surgically placed in the ventricle where
pressure buildup is taking place using a one-way valve into another
portion of the brain that is not blocked and/or down into the stomach
where the extra fluid would be excreted as waste (Dempsey, 2012).
This type of drain would be internal. The external drains would
drain into a bag at bedside. These types of devices are used quite
commonly in neonates. Babies have the probability of having the
shunt device in their cranium their entire lives, although some may
be able to have them removed eventually. Complications can arise
such as shunt blockage and infection. Like any surgical procedure
infection is highly likely if not cared for properly. Watching for
signs of infection such as swelling, fever, and lack of healing is
important in these patients. Vomiting and seizures are signs to
watch for that indicate the catheter has a blockage. Permanent brain
damage can occur if these things occur (Kakarla et al, 2008). </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> Now is where the respiratory department can
aid in decreasing a patient's ICPs. The patient will need to be
monitored for clear, patent airways, breathing and oxygenation. A
direct cause of vasodilation is low tissue oxygenation, hypoxia, and
high levels of carbon dioxide, hypercapnia, in the
blood. If the vessels dilate it allows increasing amounts of blood
flow to the brain increasing the
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;">vicious cycle of raising the patient’s ICPs.
Hyperventilating a patient can temporarily reduce cranial swelling.
The brain swells immediately in a patients with TBI. If
hyperventilation is applied quickly for less than 48 hours ICP may be
able to be reduced. Because the body is always trying to balance
itself, or keep itself in homeostasis after 48 hours or more the body
adjusts against the settings and normalizes it's blood gas values.
Reducing cerebral blood flow is important to reduce ICP. Alkalosis
in combination with hypocapnia can help reduce blood flow in the
brain therefore keeping the pressure of arterial carbon dioxide
levels, or PaCO2, between 25-30mm Hg is important. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"> Of course as all science and technologies the
medical field is constantly advancing and changing. New therapies and
procedures are discovered all the time to improve patient care. So
as new information is received old information is often shelved or
put on a back burner. Such is the case with hyperventilating a
patient in order to decrease ICP. All the advance drains, monitors,
and drugs combined have much less harmful side affects than keep a
person's blood gas levels in a state of alkalosis. Hyperventilation
would be a last ditch effort if none of the other procedures or
therapies worked. This does not mean that the role of the
respiratory therapist is obsolete during this particular trauma. The
respiratory staff will always work side by side with the nursing
staff in care of a patient with a TBI. Monitoring of the oxygen in
the blood would be a main concern for respiratory. Not to mention if
a TBI patient is on a ventilator they would need a respiratory
therapist monitoring that patient.</span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;">References</span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<ol>
<ol>
<ol>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup><span lang="en">Kakarla UK, Kim LJ,
Chand SW, Theodore N, Spetzler RF (2008). “</span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><u>Safety
and accuracy of bedside external ventricular drain placement”.</u></span></sup><sup><span lang="en">
</span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><i>Neurosurgery </i></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>63
</b></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(1
Suppl 1)</span></span></span></sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Crippen
DW. 2011. “</span></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">Head
Trauma”.</span></u></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Emedicine.com</span></span></span></sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup>Davis DP, Kimbro TA, Vilke GM. The use
of midazolan for prehospital rapid sequence intubation may be
associated with dose-related increase in hypotension. Prehospital
Emergency Care 2001; 5:163-168.</sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Lafferty
KA. 2011 “</span></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">Rapid
Sequence Intubation”</span></u></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Emedicine.com</span></span></span></sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Tolias
C, Sgouros S. 2003 “</span></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">Initial
Evaluation and Management of CNS Injury”</span></u></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Emedicine.com</span></span></span></sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup>Sharma A, (1999). Raised Intracranial
Pressure and its Management. Vol 1 No 1</sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup>15 Facts About World Class Athletes.
(2001) Retrieved from: http://strengthplanet.com</sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Arbour,
R. 2011. “I</span></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">ntracranial
Hyptertension Monitoring and Nursing Assessment</span></u></span></span></sup><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">”
ccn.aacnjournals.org</span></span></span></sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Traumatic
Brain Injuy (2011) The Journey Home. Retrieved from
</span></span></span></sup><a href="http://www.traumaticbraininjuryatoz.org/">http://www.traumaticbraininjuryatoz.org/</a></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup>Pilbeam SP, Cairo JM, (1998).
Mechanical Ventilation Physiological and Clinical Applications. St
Louis, MO: Mosby, Inc.</sup></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: black;"><sup>Wilkins RL, Stoller JK, Kacmarek R.
(2003). Fundamentals of Respiratory Care. St. Louis, MO: Mosby,
Inc.</sup></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
</ol>
</ol>Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-1330060378216239762011-10-12T16:54:00.000-07:002011-10-12T16:54:45.772-07:00'Tis The Season<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvshrxCe8jUoBYSpYSIQPDj-MRaea2XyxSrwsDt7N-S0UnuqFYRakXD-A_pJOKciEMr8G0OF3TXhmeNc2kkHXMGl3Q9-ADuuDgEBEHD4oAXxjyj4TTNTJf2C8AESxe-5mGF8k6xGhXbsc/s1600/My+awesome+vampire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvshrxCe8jUoBYSpYSIQPDj-MRaea2XyxSrwsDt7N-S0UnuqFYRakXD-A_pJOKciEMr8G0OF3TXhmeNc2kkHXMGl3Q9-ADuuDgEBEHD4oAXxjyj4TTNTJf2C8AESxe-5mGF8k6xGhXbsc/s200/My+awesome+vampire.jpg" width="122" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coricula</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9oTgbEaQcTKnA2Egel7_ymnGOsay-_Gcni9q836cx2CRu9e-seXwO4EigDUZzLm5lJ4eT6BDiFRvwJn0gVcWxv5KajHlFX5IufDmOLUofnnOFMtSyx4b-pUFRTQofzvEbUXfmOsEwq4/s1600/1638727297389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9oTgbEaQcTKnA2Egel7_ymnGOsay-_Gcni9q836cx2CRu9e-seXwO4EigDUZzLm5lJ4eT6BDiFRvwJn0gVcWxv5KajHlFX5IufDmOLUofnnOFMtSyx4b-pUFRTQofzvEbUXfmOsEwq4/s200/1638727297389.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corporal Ethan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Halloween season that is! Growing up my mom always made or pieced together me and my sister's costumes. In kindergarten I was a ballerina, 1st grade she made this awesome tiger costume, 2nd grade a cheerleader, 3rd grade a rock star...after that the memories get kind of fuzzy. But all the costumes were handmade/pieced together and probably super cheap and were always awesome!<br />
<br />
I have continued that tradition, for the most part, because it's so much cheaper! Last year Cori was a vampire and the only thing I had to buy was make-up, Ethan was this awesome army man thanks to the dollar store and my face paint creativity, and Georgia wore one of her three Princess dresses that Cori passed down to her (the dresses are amazing, hand made by a friend's mom).<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5Qv3oANA_9BmZwjHqd-WAWmD4173gizIPfz7qfrXNNct5G_Z_UrCvlSx4al12ZJ-hTuAGCum3ecbbanpt2JkbEJ9vKI2uMmNyIeOKwXxb6hGS18HD1eiVaKGOgSFd6m4uqeqWJTAJy8/s1600/My+little+Cinderella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5Qv3oANA_9BmZwjHqd-WAWmD4173gizIPfz7qfrXNNct5G_Z_UrCvlSx4al12ZJ-hTuAGCum3ecbbanpt2JkbEJ9vKI2uMmNyIeOKwXxb6hGS18HD1eiVaKGOgSFd6m4uqeqWJTAJy8/s200/My+little+Cinderella.jpg" width="152" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cindergeorgia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So Halloween is a little over 2 weeks away and I've got two out of five costumes figured out. A friend gave me a bunny costume for Georgia and she's ecstatic! She wants white gloves and a basket of eggs to carry around. Apparently she is going as the Easter Bunny! LOL Ethan wants to be a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clone_trooper">Clone Trooper</a> from <a href="http://www.starwars.com/">Star Wars</a> but I convinced him to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Skywalker">Jedi Luke Skywalker</a> because we already have a cape and a black outfit and a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightsaber">Lightsaber</a> shouldn't be that hard or expensive to put together. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXw6r-CrBnZrGAxbbfGkuuGnshx78Gij1XXwKTuo5v9iL8M1mdVkBAAk4tX-NcKIPqeMRNLAOQ8JsoRiHb3a_85rX0bSp8JiE9GHaGPuNs_t-SS00D-gklJK8318c5zca6qrI6l7qlVps/s1600/1640656825626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXw6r-CrBnZrGAxbbfGkuuGnshx78Gij1XXwKTuo5v9iL8M1mdVkBAAk4tX-NcKIPqeMRNLAOQ8JsoRiHb3a_85rX0bSp8JiE9GHaGPuNs_t-SS00D-gklJK8318c5zca6qrI6l7qlVps/s200/1640656825626.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teacher of the Year & Clark Kent</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Cori on the other hand is a totally different story. She has rejected all my cheap ideas (Rock Star, Soccer Player, etc) and said she wanted to be a dead bride. Of course I put the brakes on the dead part, I hate scary Halloween. If she had a white dress I could easily make her a vail and a bouquet to go with it, but alas she doesn't have a white dress. A white dress wouldn't be a terrible investment since she could wear it to church after Halloween, but I just don't think I can afford it. So I'm now putting my thinking cap on to see if I can come up with a cheap white dress either borrowed, made, or from Goodwill then I can handle the rest of the costume.<br />
<br />
And after all this thinking about the kids costumes I'm totally burnt out and don't even want to think about costumes for me a Rob! Seriously, being poor is a lot of work! LOL We have some ideas, but I don't want to spill the beans just yet. We like to be original! LOL<br />Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-61591961281072519612011-10-09T18:26:00.000-07:002011-10-09T18:28:07.519-07:00A Peak at Our October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7X7DA-G2ajM2CYwcsrB7QmIN2MV5MYaW4D3nNuvBfBTs3IZxWs21NjpKKIXSOJM1ajXK4tusgIeLDX7lknIDR6awti6N6qRINaLZHA1sj_MLv6dfEEjq5We98tJqwt52HnYlJlcxa4gs/s1600/Goergia+100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7X7DA-G2ajM2CYwcsrB7QmIN2MV5MYaW4D3nNuvBfBTs3IZxWs21NjpKKIXSOJM1ajXK4tusgIeLDX7lknIDR6awti6N6qRINaLZHA1sj_MLv6dfEEjq5We98tJqwt52HnYlJlcxa4gs/s320/Goergia+100.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
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Georgia, my 1st grade is doing so well in school!</div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnRoxdDKgrR-B0SFO1OS7f-UAeiFOdLVZIPqVVNCRGxsP9GJ_znvj5nVUJh10vK2IMp2Dbw1F-q4RfojdqN2xARdgqQl1i1tF5LR7A1yLuQjS2SRayeUE8FSV4KPfv_WzzCvcSh3WEZ8/s320/%25241+swim+suit.jpg" width="244" /></div>
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I got this swim suit for $1 at Goodwill. It was brand new! I love getting good deals!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVJvqz4JG-Z9OQhf1OVvEtmX8p9q7s7f2W7dv7SoHSsbQ1aNza2UNWagYMiz_k5mYfTtc4vRhDAXMeojftFMbqTWSMDny-rEL7d-ussd2bO6UnuuD8pA8f40ruXaiIipgLsqfDjQBFLM/s1600/bailey+came+over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVJvqz4JG-Z9OQhf1OVvEtmX8p9q7s7f2W7dv7SoHSsbQ1aNza2UNWagYMiz_k5mYfTtc4vRhDAXMeojftFMbqTWSMDny-rEL7d-ussd2bO6UnuuD8pA8f40ruXaiIipgLsqfDjQBFLM/s320/bailey+came+over.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Georgia invited her friend, Bailey, over to swim after school. Aren't we lucky to still be swimming in October?!?!!!</div>
Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-77594185952712446492011-10-09T15:14:00.000-07:002011-10-09T15:15:00.066-07:00I Love Old People!!I have always loved old people. I love talking to them and hearing their stories. Old people have a lot of knowledge that no book can ever teach you. I have my mother, Emma Camille Gamble Harrison (aka Cammy) to thank for my love of old people. My mother is very traditional. She believes in doing what's right, no matter how it affects her. I don't always agree with her version of right, but at least I always know where she stands. That must be why I can't stand wishy-washy people. My mother raised us to visit, write, or take care of the older people in our family until the end. I remember when I was very very young visiting my grandpa's mother, Clara Mae Kimball Gamble, aka Muzzy. I don't remember any interactions with Muzzy but she had a reputation for being kind of mean, but my mother visited her anyway and I took that example to heart. <br />
<br />
My grandmother's mother, Georgia Emma Burelson Thompson/Hastings, aka Bamba, lived in California with her husband James <middle name> Hastings, aka Grandpa Jimmy. As a child my grandparents, Howard Ladd Gamble, aka Papa, and Mildred Cleo Thompson Gamble, aka Memo, and mom would pack me and my sister, Natalie Iva Harrison Wills, up in the motor home every summer and take a trip to California (and other places). I vividly remembering visiting Bamba many many times. My mother also wrote her a letter every week. She loved Bamba and was a diligent granddaughter. She name me after her, Georgette Pearl Harrison. <br />
<br />
We also visited and cared for my Aunt Ivy Pearl <maiden name> Kimball/Alpert, aka Iva. I was also named after Iva. Iva married into our family by way of my grandpa's favorite uncle, Delbert Kirkland Kimball. Delbert died in the mid-1950s and Iva moved from Oklahoma to Arizona and in with my grandparents when my mom was very young. She and my mom became best buddies. I think Iva was the only person who my mom truly trusted. They told stories about the tricks they used to play on each other and the fun they had. One story was that they shared a bed with a trundle and my mom would set up the trundle in such a way that it would hit the floor when Iva climbed in it. It was a big laughing joke between them. They truly loved each other. <br />
<br />
I didn't know Delbert, I knew Iva's second husband, Walter Alpert. Walter was a strange man and he would sometimes make me mad, but I loved him. I have memories with him as young as 3. One time he took me to a playground and I crawled UNDER a moving merry-go-round, scared the bejeeziz out of Walter and he dragged me out and spanked me. Pretty sure that's the only spanking I've had in my life and I'm pretty sure I deserved that one plus many more! Iva and Walter lived in a Trailer park near 27th Ave and Camelback in a horrible neighborhood, not because they were poor but because Walter was a stereotypical Jew. Lived more frugally than I have ever seen. When Walter died he left Iva over $300,000 in the bank. No investments built that money, he just saved every penny he could from his job as a mail carrier and whatever pension or social security they received (man I wish I had the self-disciplin!).<br />
<br />
I don't remember Iva doing anything but sitting in her chair, painting her fingernails, or going to eat with us at a buffet. She loved buffets. She was very overweight and it was hard for her to walk. I spent quite a bit of time in hospitals because of Iva. We visited Iva and Walter at least once a week, and drove them around to doctors appointments and such. I had graduated high school when Walter passed away. We prepared ourselves to take care of Iva until her end however the most heartbreaking thing happened to us the weeks to follow after his funeral. Iva's family in Oklahoma, which had had nothing to do with her for years, showed up and managed to brain wash her into thinking that we were going to hurt her and they took back to Oklahoma. It hurt so much with her gone, and I can't even imagine what my mom went through when her best friend was taken from her. We learned later that Iva's family had taken her money, put her in a home, and left her there to die. They never visited her. I don't understand why they didn't just come take her money and leave her with us. We didn't want her money, we wanted Iva. <br />
<br />
After Iva our lives went on, but my love for old people lived on. I always managed to endear myself to an older person. I had several restaurant jobs and inevitably the restaurant had one older hostess that I became fast friends with. I just love talking to these ladies and hearing about their lives. It makes me sad that I didn't keep in touch with them after leaving these different jobs. So at the age of 24, having two kids at the time, I went to work in the nurse's office at my mom's school because my husband had been out of work for a while. The nurse I worked with was a wonderful older lady and I really enjoyed my time with her. <br />
<br />
I left the school to go work as a CNA in a care center a few months before the school year was out. The job was hard, and frustrating, and the only thing that kept me going were the residents, my old people. Several residents stick out in my mind. Strelsa had Alzheimer's and was a difficult patient. I did my best to talk to her and made her feel comfortable. She told me quite a bit about her early life and I discovered she liked music. Showering her was always a hard task because she wouldn't cooperate but as soon as I started singing to her she was completely relaxed. I was so sad when she passed away. I still have her obituary somewhere and was saddened that the family didn't put much thought or creativity into it. Another resident, Pam, was the funniest lady. She only had one leg due to her diabetes and she was heavy and quite difficult to move around and care for. But being able to have conversations with her is what made caring for her fun. I wish I had had more patients with my co-workers I could have stayed longer at that job. I've always struggled getting along with stupid, unmotivated people. <br />
<br />
I left that job and went back to taking care of my babies. When I was 25 my grandpa, who had been struggling with old age for a while, had open heart surgery. After 3 weeks recovering at a hospital he was moved to a care center. We didn't know how long he'd have to be there and were just going day by day making the best decisions we could. I visited him on the third day he had been there, it was Valentines Day (which is an insignificant fact, but it sticks out in my mind). He left with me that day. He was miserable and uncomfortable not being home and more scared than I have ever seen him. He looked me in the eye and said 'please take me with you'. It meant rearranging my life so that he would have round the clock care, but I did it. There is no way I could have told that man no after everything he had done for me his entire life. So I gave up my profitable in home baby-sitting business, moved my oldest kids, Coraleigh Shreeve and Ethan Ladd Shreeve, in with my mother so they could continue going to school, and my youngest daughter, Georgia Pearl Shreeve, and I moved in with my grandparents. They lived in Morristown which was about an hour from town in a house they built in the middle of the desert. We were there for a month and it wasn't easy, but I got him so that my grandma would be able to take care of him. He lived a couple more years after that. He died at home surrounded by family. It was a bittersweet time. I was so grateful his suffering had come to an end but my heart was broken because the man that I had loved the longest was gone. I miss him.<br />
<br />
So now I'm 32 and I'm going to school for respiratory therapy and the past month I have been doing a clinical rotation at John C Lincoln North Mountain. A respiratory therapist doesn't spend much time with their patients but I'm enjoying the interactions with my old people. I love them and I think that is my calling in life. I'm hoping I can find a job as a respiratory therapist working with old people. Respiratory therapists have some down time built into their schedules because they are on call their entire shift, meaning if someone needs a treatment we hop to give it to them even if we're on a break. I hope to be able to use my down time talking to my old people.Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-68671055336800204842011-10-05T14:25:00.000-07:002011-10-05T14:25:20.124-07:00People I MeetGonna start a series on Wednesdays about the people I meet. Working at a bar and health care I meet some, let's say 'interesting' people. I love people watching but I don't necessarily enjoy people talking. Sometimes I find as soon as someone opens their mouth they start spraying their stupid all over me. My thoughts my seem a little judgemental, but we all make judgements about people and you'll discover that once we get past those first thoughts about people and see who they really are, bad or good, we discover just how interesting people are. I will probably poke some fun and quite frankly if you're offended by jokes then you don't need to read any further. We gotta learn to laugh at the crazy and learn from the stupid. And most importantly I gotta vent my frustrations about stupid people somewhere! LOL<br />
<br />
So for today's 'People I meet' I'm gonna tell you about this crackpot I met a few weeks ago while hosting karaoke. She looked fairly normal, which sometimes is very misleading and tried to have three conversations with me all while I was pretty busy working. All three conversations were scattered and made no sense. When I'm busy I try not to pay attention to anything but the matter at hand. She was pretty intoxicated and, as a rule, alcohol only enhances your true traits it does not change them. So if you're annoying with alcohol in you, more than likely you're annoying sober as well. She asked several questions but did not wait for the answers, just went onto the next subject that came out of her mouth. <br />
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After the second conversation with her I pretty much completely ignored her, with a smile on my face, because she would get distracted and just walkaway mid-sentence like a crack-head! So the third time she came up to me I was really not paying attention to her and at this point I was very done with her crazy talk. Gotta keep in mind here when I say I was busy I mean I had 10-15 singers, people coming to ask me questions about karaoke songs, friends greeting me, and I was running the equipment. Running the equipment is not like pressing play on a stereo, I have to adjust mic and music levels with each video and karaoke song I play. I have to listen to the singer during their ENTIRE song to make sure it's sounds the best it can. So quite often I am not able to have lengthy conversations with people, even people who I like having conversations with and NORMAL people understand this. She asked if I had a business card and I just shook my head. I wasn't lying because I didn't have one on me, but I really was just trying to ignore the subject. I wasn't about to give this crazy person my contact information! LOL So then she starts harping on me not having a business card and insisting that I had one. I just kept shaking my head 'no', and working because she was still talking to me while I was busy. She started talking to me about her father having a recording studio, or some such nonsense and this triggered warning bells in my head. No serious musician comes into a karaoke lounge looking for talent, at least not where I work. We do get a lot of posers though. So the head shaking continued. She got angry and asked very indignantly 'are you not interested in talking me about this?' And I kept shaking my head 'no', all while smiling and working. She snapped and went off on me and I was at the point where I was about to wrap my hands around her neck Homer-Simpson-Style and shake her to death. So I left my booth and went to get security to get her away from me. <br />
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The story doesn't go much further. She tried to complain about me and get me in trouble but I think her argument fizzled out and she walked away mid-sentence again. LOL I'm not sure if I would recognize this girl again if she walked in. She never gave me a karaoke slip, so I don't know her name and she was pretty nondescript. I wish she had been wearing outrageous purple leggin's and pink leg warmers so she'd be more identifiable in the future! She just left me shaking my head and wondering what is WRONG with people!Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-42080628486779711302011-09-30T14:14:00.001-07:002011-09-30T14:14:37.626-07:00Technology evades me! (and for some reason it's even worse today because I cannot type in the body of the blog! grrrrr)Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-78989592559277629692011-09-06T19:36:00.000-07:002011-09-06T19:37:11.298-07:00Always looking for upcycling ides: old shoes! *CONTEST*<a href="http://www.epinions.com/kifm-review-5C3F-4220B54-39B044F3-prod1">A shoe planter!!!</a> I was sad there were no pics in this article but as soon as I try this idea I'll post my pics! <br />
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*CONEST* Post here in the comments section of THIS blog post your favorite <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upcycling">Upcycling</a> idea and your name will be entered into a drawing for a cute SHOE PLANTER!! Contest ends a month from today! Get your idea posted by or before October 6, 2011!Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-16524705365573548322011-09-06T18:09:00.000-07:002011-09-06T18:09:44.579-07:00Just want to get in bed and put the covers over my headWHAT A HORRENDOUS DAY!!!!<br />
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Maybe I'll come back later when I have a better attitude!Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-60902492005925894032011-08-29T20:09:00.000-07:002011-08-29T20:09:46.470-07:00Bloggin Bloggin BlogginI swear I have positively good intentions of blogging regularly and then life gets in the way and I forget to log in here. <a href="http://facebook.com/">Facebook</a> is so easy to put a quick little blurb or picture on that I neglect the rest of the World Wide Web! <br />
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Today was the first day of my first clinical rotation. I'm spending 10 weeks at <a href="http://www.jcl.com/content/northmountain/default.htm">John C Lincoln North Mountain</a>, two 12 hour day shifts on Monday and Tuesday. Today I met some really nice people and generally had a very tiring but enjoyable day. I got to give a bunch of treatments, and do some patient education, and learn about the routine of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Respiratory_therapy">respiratory therapist.</a> I believe I am really going to enjoy doing this for a living and am going to spend a lot of time hoping and praying that I get a job when I graduate! It's really nice to know that I am not a dummy and that I have retained quite a bit of information from my classes!Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-73395916548263744952011-01-08T19:46:00.000-08:002011-01-08T19:46:21.127-08:00Beautiful Sunset in the 85029<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTu7uO7XzGnXYaTsMquH9gqCpeN_m2YWCFLUl-SlXS69CtpRcxliIMMMMI546v5pGtfsPfPoiZXrcsUGhPEevmcIIWBWkVhVZfSCKPkxyq-7WAWdC-zTXwWLIozHdNhmQupnsoHpJhC4/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDExMTMtMjAxMTAxMDgtMTc1MS5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-760278"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559984461262231042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTu7uO7XzGnXYaTsMquH9gqCpeN_m2YWCFLUl-SlXS69CtpRcxliIMMMMI546v5pGtfsPfPoiZXrcsUGhPEevmcIIWBWkVhVZfSCKPkxyq-7WAWdC-zTXwWLIozHdNhmQupnsoHpJhC4/s320/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDExMTMtMjAxMTAxMDgtMTc1MS5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-760278" /></a></div>A little blurry and sideways because we were on the move!Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-77389387555977725872011-01-08T19:45:00.000-08:002011-01-08T19:45:26.638-08:00A re-cap: I heart clouds!<div class="mobile-photo"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559566555884242834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6qgXDVSTgHuo8TDF-8UH14JmwHDGGrergBYQP3GxGQCFrZzQJeiTd4CA5R3zeLmEB2ukmhmLXXqhNq3abZHWoVURpylUjZObQtrcUARh61nMb_cLfyZbpzyGfa1KAvQX70VQ4Jm1qUs/s320/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDEwODAtMjAxMTAxMDctMTQ1Ni5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-759403" /></div>Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-3857776653464554992011-01-07T16:30:00.000-08:002011-01-07T16:31:21.927-08:00SchoolI'm not going to complain about school. I love it and it's going to give me a great future! Yesterday I was bored to death because the information taught I know like the back of my hand. This isn't a bad thing since it gives me more time to focus on the other information. I do have one tiny gripe though. My homework has a WORD SEARCH in it! I'm not in the 3rd grade here! I need to learn this stuff, not play games!!!!Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-63934728163126239202011-01-07T16:28:00.000-08:002011-01-07T16:31:05.975-08:00I heart clouds!<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPPw49IRVKsA1yilMMDD8Ags3sCfhjrOsSn3jRsO-9_SA7jWNbUo_kv_NFCOwm5zZSyOOBtF636A2m6k_M_MKkMvW1DOxuRX8f5Ks88LBwusHTCbGlYLkMmaLF-EvATnqHyquU8udZ3A/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDEwODEtMjAxMTAxMDctMTQ1OS5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-753259"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559572542724820786" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPPw49IRVKsA1yilMMDD8Ags3sCfhjrOsSn3jRsO-9_SA7jWNbUo_kv_NFCOwm5zZSyOOBtF636A2m6k_M_MKkMvW1DOxuRX8f5Ks88LBwusHTCbGlYLkMmaLF-EvATnqHyquU8udZ3A/s320/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDEwODEtMjAxMTAxMDctMTQ1OS5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-753259" /></a></div>Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerryGigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-21241941266151480902011-01-06T00:06:00.000-08:002011-01-07T16:28:19.763-08:00New Kids On The Block!!! June 30th!!!I have never been so excited about a concert in my life! NKOTB baby!<br />
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<iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/US5fXXiWjSk?fs=1" frameborder="0"></iframe>Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-31655062977240628032011-01-04T17:49:00.000-08:002011-01-04T17:49:10.421-08:00Today in a NutshellSo my thoughts for the blog today consist of two topics; school and my new venture, walking and getting healthy. The topics don't relate to each other except that they are both starts to a new and better life for me and my family.<br />
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I had my orientation at school today. I start tomorrow and I am so very excited and appropriately scared. I'm going into the RCP(Respiratory Care Practitioner) program at <a href="http://www.kaplancollege.com/Pages/MicroPortalHome.aspx" target="_blank">Kaplan College</a>.</p>I will graduate at the end of 2012 and from there my options in my career and really in life are limitless! There seem to be some really great, motivated, people in my class. This is a relief to me as I have taken SO many class with young punks who have no idea what life is about and don't care to really listen, learn, or be respectful of others.<br />
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I'm sure my blog will be filled with all the triumphs, frustrations, and observations from college. I have much I could say here today but I will only touch on a bit of the humorous of the day. If you've seen the TV show <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_%28TV_series%29">Angel</a> then you will totally relate and laugh. If you don't, well then this will be lost on you. In season 5 each of the characters take over a division of Wolfram and Hart. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Wyndam-Pryce">Wesley Wyndam-Pryce</a> takes over their research division. He goes from previous seasons of having every occult book under the sun, as every Watcher has, to a library of a few magic reference books that he is told will find him ANYTHING he is looking for. Well as I sit in the library at school listening to the librarian talk about the limitless resources at our fingertips I look around the very small room and the 2 shelves of books and pray dearly that they are magic!<br />
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When I got home from school I took my daily walk around our lake. This was my breathtaking view! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oDhYi9Dk2mOckc3IHVJG8PYaOO6xbbS1LQoVKq2qxahjt3OvWuyM0PjWkNCiYvx5QLox7g3AFyRcLuZCMmDyyGyFwVhQ6386PijQKMTBIT2IYZMbOvCLqgxSzZZ9wEcbUaazpI4wHgQ/s1600/sunset+Jan+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0oDhYi9Dk2mOckc3IHVJG8PYaOO6xbbS1LQoVKq2qxahjt3OvWuyM0PjWkNCiYvx5QLox7g3AFyRcLuZCMmDyyGyFwVhQ6386PijQKMTBIT2IYZMbOvCLqgxSzZZ9wEcbUaazpI4wHgQ/s200/sunset+Jan+4.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It's literally right out my back door but I'm not sure how long the distance is around it. I need to find this out (I'm think half a mile to a mile). Yesterday I walked it, with 5lb weights on each ankle, in about 25 minutes. Today I walked it again, with my ankle weights, in about 20 minutes and this time stopped three times to take a pictures and slowed once to go around a flock of geese, ducks, and mud hens. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkrfZEmTvd8JY8mOgfSqQknH043Ggxe0xty8S2Y2mTnoa0HNPaRL_-0ThP62px5kOfuUzHm7HS524RyHSIlPSmqKH94vjV-eUuE2R43u0UrllBh8VlF7En4JB_7ugEeTm5Y7vmpLwIBs/s1600/birds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkrfZEmTvd8JY8mOgfSqQknH043Ggxe0xty8S2Y2mTnoa0HNPaRL_-0ThP62px5kOfuUzHm7HS524RyHSIlPSmqKH94vjV-eUuE2R43u0UrllBh8VlF7En4JB_7ugEeTm5Y7vmpLwIBs/s200/birds.jpg" /></a></div>January 4 - 4 days on the wagon, 3 days eating healthy, and 2 days exercising! It's gonna be and awesome 2011!Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-64329111424375499802011-01-04T17:04:00.000-08:002011-01-04T17:04:46.918-08:00Weather in the 85029 (January 3, 2011)<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTcnCKEs513KZO4sMXqeJaNME_aBVuCPNJfaPb052G6CNiePho0LtiAr1jiOufW7rFeyBXzAweP9EJtOBxjqv7D40NcIadAdz6heYLVTujRM79S0bxGWecOCrbjPbMHhRkt76YtvJ25I/s1600/IMG01050-20110103-1704-778620.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558115370858910258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTcnCKEs513KZO4sMXqeJaNME_aBVuCPNJfaPb052G6CNiePho0LtiAr1jiOufW7rFeyBXzAweP9EJtOBxjqv7D40NcIadAdz6heYLVTujRM79S0bxGWecOCrbjPbMHhRkt76YtvJ25I/s320/IMG01050-20110103-1704-778620.jpg" /></a></div>Weather in the 85029Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-51334078608069930922011-01-04T17:03:00.000-08:002011-01-04T17:03:12.166-08:00School Paper Organization<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RUalF5z4ORm79KxpIP7s60i6y_DkEqQab1n3s2RRrpunlwyIbqSvIQdng4E0TOrKN_BV7sihZs6H4CbR9K0T-Iqt9XBnpGLuRSsT4UEpBD5WUO5jSFaKMLw-CJHsI8WPOmyQ4rTmChc/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDEwNDgtMjAxMTAxMDMtMTYwOS5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-785463"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558102082290388738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3RUalF5z4ORm79KxpIP7s60i6y_DkEqQab1n3s2RRrpunlwyIbqSvIQdng4E0TOrKN_BV7sihZs6H4CbR9K0T-Iqt9XBnpGLuRSsT4UEpBD5WUO5jSFaKMLw-CJHsI8WPOmyQ4rTmChc/s320/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDEwNDgtMjAxMTAxMDMtMTYwOS5qcGc%253D%253F%253D-785463" /></a></div>I have a magazine holder for each of my children. Their school work is deposited into them each day after school. The plan is to make a scrapbook for each child at the end of each year. I'll let u know how I'm gonna pull off such HUGE scrapbooks when I figure it out. ;)Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6215048040206253589.post-23259105190875707442011-01-03T12:13:00.000-08:002011-01-03T12:13:52.693-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR! (a few days late)Here is to the positivity that I want in my life from now on! 2011 is a start to what will be. I start school for respiratory therapy on the 5th! I am sooo beyond excited. The next two years will probably be the HARDEST years I have EVER experienced. To be honest I don't think I've had to experience much 'hard' in my life. I am very blessed. Even though I was raised by a single mother I never experienced anything truly traumatic as a child. Even though I married a man who did not deserve me or the children I gave him I never experienced loss or anguish. The last few years of my life, when I decided to strike out against what I was raised to think was 'right' I have been homeless, trampled on, hurt, and still I felt no real loss because I had my children. Then in 2009 my Papa was called home to our Father in Heaven and that is the biggest hit my life has ever taken. The only man who spent his life loving and guiding me as if that was his only duty was gone. If you've known the loss of a father and grandfather in the same moment and watched them suffer and die in that moment then you know of my loss. In 2010 my Uncle Dirty (Kirk) passed away from psoriasis of the liver. This was the 2nd and last father figure in my life. And once again experienced watching a loved one die in front of my face. Both these deaths hit me hard but I moved on with them in my heart with a clear head knowing I'd be alright. Now I face watching my Grandmother deteriorate slowly. She probably has 5-10 years left in her but it will hard to watch her move into this last stage of life. But I'm thinking the next two years in school will just be more <span><span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: default;">voluminously </span></span></span>difficult. I KNOW I will see those people who pass on again. My only uncertainty is my success here in this life. So far I feel kind of medocrly successful. It is time for 2011 to change from mediocre to AWESOME! So here it is Jan 3 and I'm 3 days on the wagon, 2 days eating healthy, and 1 day exercising. I think I'm off to a good start! Bring it on SCHOOL!Gigihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04597898877496174511noreply@blogger.com0