6 days, 49 hours (26 for me, 23 for free)

What'd you do this week? Here's what I did:

Sunday: work 630-7
- had a patient say to me "I really trust you"
- had a patient go into vtach just raising his head to take a drink because his heart is so weak

Monday: Chemotherapy 9-130
- decided it is very disturbing to watch somebody in a gown and monster gloves hook something up to another human being that can't even be taken out of the bag it is in

Tuesday: Breast Center 9-4
- held a frightened woman's hand while she had a breast biopsy done

Wednesday: work 630-7
- coaxed frightened patients it really was ok to get out of bed, even though their chests had been cut open
- collaborated with my fellow nurses to send a singing-fat-suited-lady birthday telegram to one of the heart surgeons

Thursday: Breast Conference (big meeting with every type of oncology MD) 7-8
- listened to a big group of burly men and a few women talk about how to best preserve and protect women's lives
Radiation 830-12
- entertained the thought that the patients in the radiation department are probably 2nd only to Walter Reed in missing body parts
- concluded that I would have to think long and hard and long about whether I'd personally have radiation or chemo
- was disturbed again by watching a person get shut in a room behind a foot thick gigantic door so they could be torched by a beam

Friday: Home Heath 9-4
- asked for directions at what was called a gas station in Whitwell (pronounced as a one syllable word sounding something like Whutwull) but was hardly able to understand the answer
- walked into some houses where I was more scared to touch anything than in the hospital
- got hugged by a smiling retared girl who had something unmentionable all over her shirt but I just smiled and hugged her right back subconsciously thinking "I'm going to wash this white lab coat as soon as I get home"

* Decided nursing can either be the most rewarding or depressing field depending on your perspective

She slept, she ate, she left...

Stephanie came to town for a quick visit. It's quite sad that next year will just be a bunch of quick visits. But Stephanie, I'm only 3 hours away, I'll always leave the light on for ya... er... when I fix it...

Long weekend: Fun - 10 Sleep - 0

They're back! Ryan is down from the northland and Carrie came from the westland for the weekend. We did so many fun things its hard to believe we fit them all into one weekend!

So in love...

When you get too good you've got to increase the difficulty.

Randy figured out how to record new ringtones on his phone and entertained us all playing his recordings all weekend. Amy was down for a wedding too as well as Mary Jane's sister Ruthie. Here's a rare family photo:

This one is just too cute to resist posting

Saturday night we went downtown for the post-Riverbend fireworks. The views were beautiful with the sun going down. Laying on the bridge waiting was not so comfortable but we met up with some other friends which helped to pass the time. This was one of the best shows I've ever seen! It did make for a late night though, we hit the hay about 1:30 AM by the time we walked back to our car amidst the crowd.


Sunday was boating time! Fortunately, there weren't too many Father's Day boaters. We "kids" took at least 2 turns each but it still seems like we're getting tired faster than we used to.



Carrie double skiied for the second time and then slalomed for the first time on a regular ski. She got right up!




I'm not sure if we came to go boating or to photographize...














Carrie and Ryan take one last spin on the tubes






Monday was an early morning drive to SixFlags. Why do humans try to fly at 70 mph while strapped into strange contraptions in 95 degree heat so that we can get sunburned and sick? We were chugging ice, water, and drinks every chance we got, even an 11 PM pit stop on the way home. This is called fun... The new ride Goliath was pretty neat. This picture from the Superman was just too good to pass up. Especially when the guy gave us $25 worth for $10 (only a Ford would have to include that detail). On this ride you're laying on your stomach so it really does feel like you're flying. To complete the day, Ryan K won me a big stuffed tiger! Ryan H was the only one with a camera at the park so he's got the rest of the evidence.

I think our favorite weekend activity was the RedSox vs. Braves game!

Good thing we got there early, the game was almost sold out. Plus we got to watch a little of the warmups. The new RedSox pitcher DiceK was playing catch close to us. Here's Big Papi aka David Oritz up close. He hit out of the park almost every time during batting practice. Unfortunately, he was only put in as a pinch hitter late in the game (and hit a fly out) but you should have seen the cameras flashing all around the stadium when he stepped up to the plate.

The stadium was PACKED with almost 50,000 fans! The wave went around the entire place almost 3 times without stopping. The energy was incredible. The "Let's go RedSox" cheers were so bad the Braves fans had to pipe up.


Here's a sure way to get on TV. This guy's brother had another sign that said Every Sox Phan Nauseates me. Next time I'm bringing my own signage...




There was even dissention amongst our party as evidenced by this picture. Here's one of the rare times I was actually the one smiling about a play since the Sox lost 9-4!



Coco Crisp runs by Chipper Jones on one of his two solo home runs.







Unfortunately, Schilling didn't repeat his bloody ankle performance (in fact he's back in Boston for a shoulder checkup) and they had to win 4-0 last night when we weren't there... :-( So even though I'm taking Ryan out to Tony's, tonights game will determine whose responsible for dessert!

A lesson in golf

I have now watched my first round of golf. Chris and Ryan let me watch them play yesterday at Eagle Bluff. Despite the threatening clouds and a few rain drops we made it through all 18 holes.


I've decided a few things:
#1: Golf could quite possibly be the most frustrating game ever
#2: I won't be playing any time soon
#3: I might really like it once I learn how to do it
#4: Everyone should touch a golf green once in their life, the grass is just amazing

I think putting is going to be my least favorite, it doesn't roll the way I think it will

Gotta love the action shots

This ball hit up on that bank and rolled down close to the hole

Chris spots the shot, oh wait, the ball is still sitting there, this must be a practice swing

As Ryan said, quite possibly the worst lie ever

They were playing from the gold tee boxes, the ones the farthest away






This course was exceptionally hilly which makes it great fun to drive a cart but probably atrocious to walk. This is the view from the tee box on one hole...



And this is the view from below, that tee box is up on the top right.
This is about when the rain and lightning started to threaten.








I think this house would be my pick. How about reading a book in your own turret overlooking a golf course?





The happy golfers

Junaluska Chronicles

Somehow I've still been able to make the yearly trek to Lake Junaluska for Carolina Campmeeting. This is my 15th year! Carrie got to share our house again. We met up in Knoxville by accident and drove the rest of the way together.

There couldn't be a nicer place to have campmeeting. Not only is it beautiful but most people stay on campus so you never know who you're going to bump into. Academy buddies, MPA faculty, old church members, conference office people, old bosses, people you know from all over that you didn't think would be at campmeeting. Of course, this becomes a problem when you want to get somewhere on time and you must stop and talk for 20 minutes to Mrs. So-and-so who was your Sabbath school teacher eons ago. Mom, Carrie, and I walked around the lake on Friday morning and happened to meet Stanley (Ryan's dad) on his way around the 5k.

There were two bad things about the long weekend:
#1 The Ryans were long distance
#2 I spent $130 on veggie food (at campmeeting discounts!)

But Tara came for a visit from New Zealand! 3 of the 5 bridesmaids were here to help put the wedding invitations together while watching James Bond escape a volcanic erruption.

Tara mentioned the fact that we've been friends for 10 years now. Scary isn't it? Perhaps its even more scary that 4 months from now Tara's gonna be married... This could quite possibly be the last 2 am all-in-one-bed girl talk ever.

It was nice to be with Mom and Dad too. Mom got to come up for the entire week!
(We didn't try to match for this picture, honest.)

Homeward bound (don't you LOVE the mountains!)
Carrie and I stopped in Knoxville attempting to see a movie but the theater didn't have what we wanted to see. So we shopped instead but my only purchase was a deck of Dutch Blitz cards. Sigh... Now its on to a very busy week with clinicals plus working at least 36 hours. I was at Memorial's ER today and got to see a patient get shocked for the first time. He woke up quite quickly but I think he was glad we did it!