Kitt....How are you doing?

griff,

 

Hey there my friend, the kids treat me better then the convicts from our local county jail did when I worked in the ER. Even with big Deputy Sheriffs in attendance one prisoner grabbed my stethoscope and tried to strangle me one time..............the Deptuy let him have it. 

I did learn all kinds of new swear words working in ER over the many years. 

 

On someone's birthday at the grade schools I get a cupcake too..............the perks of the job.   

 

Please do avoid that flu, keep on washing your hands and try  to avoid people with Upper respiratory infections.

 

Denise,

 

The best part of being a school nurse, Mom and Dad send the kids to school ill and tell them to go see the nurse as soon as you get there...............argh !  

 

Many of the parents I have run into do not even medicate the child with a Tylenol as they think we can do that but that is a no no if they do not have a form and their own medicine on file. 

 

Earaches are tough as the parents know the child has had an earache all week end and then tell the child to have the nurse look in your ears when you get to school on Monday.

 

So I often have grade school children get right off the bus and march to my office.

 

The kids, as you probably know, are taught to cover their coughs by using the crook of their elbow as they do not usually have a tissue on them.

 

But I do love working with the boo boos.

 

I am glad to hear you have a bit of Back to School Anxiety each year too. 

 

Bill,

 

Are you slacking?  LOL.  Gee I wonder why you have not got all your chores done?  Our home is coming into the age where things need to replaced...........this year we have done all the carpeting on the main level, new steel front door special order as the house faces south and the wood frame all rotted out.  New refrig and dryer, new light fixture in dining room.  Some new furniture and now in 3 weeks a new roof. 

 

I feel like all I have been doing is writing out some big checks.

 

I am sorry to hear your sitting there at what looks like late a night with your kidney pain.  Don't tackle the River Rock or anything to strenous right now.  What is your Doctor saying re the kidney stones?  I know you passed on the other night.

Did you get your Pain Meds refilled?

 

I am plugging along and will keep on moving forward into the light.

 

Gentle Hugs to Everyone,

 

Kitt

 

 

Bill,

You are hardly whining

with all you have been through , you have been wonderfully positive.

Hope you get relief soon, it has been too long for you.

Take care, anne 

kitt,
heh glad to hear it! You deserve only the best!
griff

Janice, love that song !! I can't think who sings it !!

Kitt, you are a doll, keep on doing just as you are, giving comes naturally to you, I can tell!!

love ya, Anne

Good Morning Everyone,

Mariacarole

Thank you so much for the kind and caring words. I am so glad that you found help here in this great forum.  I too have found this to be a safe haven and to feel that I can come here and someone will help me put into perspective my "stinkin thinkin" thoughts.  With me the anxiety can hit for a week or perhaps just a day, then again I will be fine for a long time.

I think we all become our own worst enemy at times and I am so glad you are working through this.

There is a lot of love, joy, and wonder out there for us all, we just have to work and go get it. Are there struggles and pain? That just seems to be one of the layers of living, but those are the things that teach us and help us grow.

Your story re your friend with cancer whom you cared for so lovingly for 4 years touched my heart.  I think as caregivers we become more loving and understanding of the pain we see in others as well as in ourselves.

What a great thing you have done for your friend by bringing her son back to his Father.  Bless you for being so awesome.  You are truly a good and kind person.

How proud you should be of your daughter.........wow, a Master's Degree and I do believe if she has even a little of you in her she will be a natural in the field of nursing.  I suspect she has a whole lot of you in her.......I love to hear of great outcomes so give her my best and I will say a prayer for her success in whatever she chooses to do.

It is great to know another sub...................do keep on talking with us here and my email is always open so do shoot me a email if you ever feel like it.

Blessings,

Kitt

Aw shucks Bill, you are such a sweetheart.  I am here and I am doing ok.........one foot in front of the other.

I do have to work on Thursday and Friday this week and I think once I get past those first two days I will settle in to feeling less anxious and more comfortable with myself again.

Today I see my PCP just for may annual check up and renewal of my regular meds for GERD etc.

I truly do love everyone here and the support and friendships that I have watched grow make me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Muscles which lose muscle mass the fastest are the ones in your legs. Specifically quads.  My hubby had pretty thin legs to begin with and now with his weight loss he looks a bit like a stick man.  How I love my stick man thow. Try building  your leg muscles back first as they will take the longest to rebuild. Just walking is a great way to start.  Even if you can only take short walks keep at it.  I think once you can gain back some weight you will fine you muscle mass will improve and you will start to feel stronger............dah,  I am so wise.  LOL

I am sorry you have to switch Doctors and I know how that feels.  My Family Doc left his practice after 24 years and I had to choose a new physician at our clinic last year around this time.   I really struggled with that one.  My previous Doctor and I discussed who would be a good fit for me as I needed someone that can deal with both physical and emotional issues and not be judgemental or label me.

It is like starting all over again but I do like the Lady Physician I have chosen as she is down to earth and seems to listen to me.  Of course being a nurse always sets off some Doctors who are not going to be told what the problem might be from my view.........ah well.  We deal with whatever comes our way.

Glad to hear the team is doing well and you get some rest and take care of you my friend.

Gentle hugs to both you and Michelle.

I wish you peace and happiness.

Kitt

 

Hi Kitt,
Sorry I haven't been around much. You know how crazy the beginning of school is. Thank God I have a great TA. I volunteered to take the tough kids if I could keep her. Fortunately neither of the other second grade teachers are comfortable working with a TA, and I really am. We work well together.

Our school nurse is hard to work with. She's a nice person, but isn't great with the kids. She doesn't believe us when we send a sick kid (we know what's normal after months in the classroom with them) and doesn't like to call parents. (I can understand that, but there are times when it's necessary.) If a child doesn't have a fever or is throwing up, she keeps sending them back until they do. Oh well. Sometimes we've actually called parents, which she doesn't like, but parents want to know!

My class seems a bit easier this year than the last two. I've got lots of kids with learning and behavior issues, but in comparison, they're a more manageable group.

The past three years I've had surgery--two foot surgeries a year apart, then the Nissen. That and the foot problems that interfered with my walking have caused my legs to get a lot weaker, too. We had to move our treadmill and bike out of the house because we needed to stage the house to show, so I haven't been able to use them. I am really out of shape, and WOW my legs have gotten weak. Yikes.

I'm hoping that once we get moved I can join the Curves in the town where we have rented an apartment. I've never tried it there, but a lot of people seem to like it, and I need to work out.

I have the added problem of ALLERGIES!!!! and I can't go outside and walk because of them. BUMMER.

Anyway, Kitt. You know that I agree with Bill--you are what makes this forum the warm, inviting, supportive, and informative site it is. I'm trying to jump on once in a while and put in my two cents when somebody is struggling.

We're having a sale in two weeks, and a woman is coming in to help us price our things. I woke up way early this morning thinking about all there is to do. We've got to get things out and displayed, pack things we're not selling, pack things we need at the apartment, pack things for our move. My husband booked the movers to our storage near our townhouse for Oct. 1. Yikes! Our kids are coming down to move us into the apartment.

My son's birthday is this weekend, so we're going up there for Saturday and staying over 'till Sunday morning. We've also got to meet with the kitchen supplier and pick our cabinets for the townhouse. They've started building and they need to have dimensions quickly.

I've got to start getting home earlier from school and get packing!
You take care and have a good first days at school.
Once you're back, it'll feel like you never left!
Have a great week!
Denise

Yard Sale! OOOOOOOOOOOO!
I love going to yard sales, but can't stand to do one. Too much work!

Joy

Kitt, I think your wonderful! :)

HI All, Sounds like a lot of folks are in education like me.  I retired from fulltime teaching in 06 when I moved to modesto ca from San jose.  I have still remained employed in education.. Would like to go back full time, but the seniority pay would kill most districts so I just work in hourly jobs and sub on Fridays.  In Ca you can draw retirement and make unlimited money as a teacher if you stay out and don't sub or teach in public schools for a year so I took advantage of that.  They reinstate it every summer, so it could end at any time.  I don't seem to be in danger of going over the maximum though even if they do put the 30 thousand limit back on.  Oh well.  At least I have two part times which I supplement with subbing.  I would like to get a job with SS and work for about ten years to build it up for retirement, since teachers here lose a huge chunk of earned SS due to getting teacher's retirement.  It is a tricky situation and hopefully will chg so I can get all my SS from years in other jobs before teaching.  At least I am finally in a super district which has not always been the case.  THe School Nurse situation in California is laughable.  VERY sad.  WHen I started in ED in 89, there was a nurse in every school and they performed such a vital function.  Now it is left up to office staff who are so incredibly overworked and don't really like the responsibility of making Nursing decisions.  The nurse's offices are all kind of storage rooms now.  Often lots of stuff stacked in them: cums, equipment, records.  Not good especially with so many law suits.  I think my mid sized district has two nurses this year.  WOW. They are running around like crazy. Denise, My son is in NY.  New York Medical College in Westchester.  This is his last year of residency.  He lived in Hawthorn for a couple of years since he had to divide his time between several hospitals in NY and Conn.  He is an anesthesia  resident.  He has worked so hard since he was a litle kid.  I think he will be a great Doc.  He is very tactful and kind.  I kind of see him as a pediatric anesthesiologist.  It has been a lonnnnnng road.  We are near the end now and he is gainning confidence and coming into his own.  I am very proud of him.  My two daughters are going to visit him next week for a few days and he is so happy.  We went last August and really lucked out with the weather.  Lets hope the weather is nice for their visit.  My son said the rain there had been ongoing through most of this summer.  He got really tired of it since he bikes a lot, but he loves NY.  His first year of internship was in Cooperstown and he really feel in love with the town but had to move on.  GOOD luck to all those in Education.  Seem to be so many needy children now. IT is amazing.  I found a little guy sitting on the ground today who wouldn't go to class after the morning bell.  We had to keep him from running off campus,but finally got him corralled and mom was called and he ended up going home.  A second grader.  Very troublesome situation.  At least his teacher knew who he was since he was new.  It is scary to think what could happen if no one saw him and he just wandered off.  I worked 2 years in special ed as a para (AIDE) before I went back to teaching and the special ed classes seem to be mushrooming.  It was such an eyeopener.  An experience every classroom teacher should have.  I learned more in those 2 years than in all my years of teaching.  It was a life changing experience.  If I weren't so old , I might consider getting a special ed cred.  But don't know if I could manage it.  Such a demanding job.   Well, to Kitt, Denise and all the other contributors, thanks for all your input.  I have my 8 week anniversary of my Nissen tomorrow.  I ate an almost normal dinner tonight and so far so good with the intestinal feedback.  I hope everyone is healing and coping.  Sometimes the coping is the most important part.  Just that one foot in front of the other thing. Afterall, what is the alternative? Happy midweek to all. Godbless you all!

Mariacarole

Your are all amazing here and as I have said in the past, this is the one place I truly feel safe and always cared about, right here in the GERD/Heartburn Forum.

Denise, My daughter-in-law is from Albany........... I have visited your beautiful state several times.  I loved it and of course I had to buy the bumper sticker  I "heart" New York.

Sounds like a good idea to have your sale the weekend of Homecoming.  I do understand that money crunch thing...........we just signed on the dotted line for a new roof for the house.  We need new siding too but the cost of the roof alone was a sticker shock and we have a "small home". 

Stop to remember to take care of you and I am working very hard at staying in the moment...........I truly hate waking up with thoughts spinning in my head. 

mariacarole, Thank you so much for sharing and it is always interesting to hear what other states are doing in education. 

We have a very good school district and our school nursing coverage is excellent from what I hear other districts allow for.  We have 6 public shools in our town of 14,000.  There is a nurse at each school all day and 2 at the highschool ( one is the coordinator for the nursing program)

We also have 2 private schools and they also have full time nurses.

Reading your story was very interesting and it is great to get to know you better. ((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))

Joy, We should probably go to Denise's sale......I will pick you up ! 

Dear Bill,

You never cease to amaze me ! With all you go through you keep your positive attitude even when things are looking bleak.  You have had a really long haul with your surgeries and the complications yet you are here to warm my heart and help me stay in the moment. 

You embrace each of life's challenges with strength, dignity and grace. You are my hero.

Be well,

Hugs,

Kitt

Hi Kitt and everyone

Hope everyone enjoys a good nights sleep tonight.

As I have said before and I will say again...you are a dear Kitt and I am so happy and privledged to call you friend. I am so curious as to your name , is it really Kitt?

It is ok for us to use our real first names right ?? LOL

If not , my real name is Lulu!!! LOL

take care Kitt...and know that when you struggle we are here and I know that I can come to you too. Thanks !!!

Anne 

 

Hey Kitt
Hope everything went well today and you had an enjoyable day at work
Mary