One of the aspects of travel nursing that I have continued to say that I enjoy so much is meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures. The past couple of nights at work a couple of us tore down the walls of prejudice and really talked about some of the racism that still exists.
I have always said that movies such as The Help reinforce that I would have had a very tough time living during segregation. I grew up in a predominantly white area and really only had a couple of African American kids in my school. So it is safe to say that I never really had any AA friends growing up.
Then when I went to college, my sophomore year I had a roommate that was AA. That was a culture shock in a lot of ways, but I learned so much from LaNervia. First off, it took me a couple of weeks to even pronounce her name correctly. Secondly, I learned that AA's have extremely thin skin, so LaNervia said; as the reason that the thermostat was set at 80 degrees. Needless to say, I spent much of that year with my window open dropping the temperature out of sauna range. Just little old Northern Kentucky University opened this girl's eyes in 1995. Geez, that sounds forever ago.
The last couple of days I was working with a gentleman from the African country Malawi,and a young lady that grew up in the inner city streets of Baltimore, a young lady that grew up in Massachusetts and this gal whom grew up in a pretty rural area. The discussions that ensued were interesting.
A is a very dark black man with a huge heart of gold, that exudes nothing but generosity and goodwill. I just adore him. He calls me his work wife and we are always cutting up together and having a good time.
J is the young lady that grew up in inner city Baltimore. She is quite a bit younger than A and I, but definitely has street smarts that speak volumes of experience. She listens to my Baltimore tales and just shakes her head. She feels that Baltimore gets a bit more of a bad rap than it deserves at times. I don't how much creedence she holds as Baltimore consistently makes the top 10 list year after year.
For those of you that don't know much about where I grew up, it was a small town in Indiana that only had a blinking red light for the longest time. We had a mini mart, that somehow is still standing in the same building as it was when I was younger, a tiny post office, a couple of churches and a community of individuals that pretty much knew everyone. It was a very safe community that had lots of kids riding their bikes on country roads and playing football, baseball, and basketball outside until the sun went down. The good ole days, remember? When it was safe to stray from your parents for hours on end and kids actually did play outside. It was a farming area with horses, cows, guineas and peacocks wandering out in the road. I just have such fond memories of my time in Greenville. As I spent time with my mom, I also got to experience other small towns such as Georgetown and Corydon that also had that small community feel to them.
I set all this preface just to expose how we all came from very different backgrounds and we have come together here in Baltimore. I was really brought up not to see color. I can clearly see that A is much darker than I, but I am more interested in the culture that he brings to the table.
A told a story of when he was in nursing school and he had a white female that was adamant that he not care for her. Several other nurses accused this young lady of being very prejudiced and wrong in her actions. Albert said that he figured she had her reasons and chose to move on and not dwell on it. Later on the young lady asked to speak to A alone and he gladly went in to speak with her. She went on to explain that she really wasn't prejudice; but that she had been raped my a black man. A said that the 0.5% that was angry with her, yet he knew there had to be a better reason in this day and age, melted. He said he wanted so badly to rectify the wrongs that this gentleman had done and try to rebuild this girls image of an upstanding black man in her eyes; yet he knew he couldn't. She didn't want anyone to know that she had been raped and had come to terms with the fact that unless she was willing to go down that painful path each time, she unfortunately had to bear the cross of coming across as prejudice anytime a black male came in to be her nurse or aid. Wow! That made me think!
I have noticed that it really isn't whom the ethnic group is around me, but being anywhere that I am majorly the minority isn't really scary; it's just a feeling that is palpable. Not a feeling that I ever noticed in the midwest. Does that make sense? It is actually a very humbling experience. I have felt this feeling once when I was in a Target in SC in a predominantly AA neighborhood. I experienced it in California when I was in a grocery store and everyone but me was Asian or Middle Eastern. I noticed it again when I was bike riding a couple of weeks ago through a very Hacidic Jewish community and I rode through just as synagogue was letting out. I was like a needle in a haystack.
It was interesting to me though to hear what a scary situation would be for me versus A and J; just having different skin colors. A situation that would alarm me is if I found myself driving through or walking through a predominantly AA neighborhood, project area alone. I just feel like this Irish girl would stick out and just be asking for trouble. That is a situation that would put me on alert. J said that 9.9/10 times I would be just fine because I would probably be viewed as an undercover cop. I had never thought of it that way. Or, unless I was disturbing them for drugs or making a scene, why would I be bothered? I realize that bad things can happen anywhere. It is just best to be cautious and wary of your surroundings.
Their walk in my shoes would be a situation in which they were in an upper middle class white area and be the only black individual there. They state that they often feel that they are targeted that they are going to steal something or encounter an individual that still holds very prejudice views. It blows my mind that this would even still happen. But, I believe them that it does.
It was just so interesting to me the dichotomy of what we both feared in the same situations. I feared bodily harm or just being messed with, where A and J feared character assassination. Both are equally devastating and both exist everyday sadly. It is just sad that the preface for such actions can start skin deep.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
The Big Apple
What does a five day weekend mean to a travel nurse? It means one must do something more than just a day trip. So, I booked a trip to New York City for the weekend. I walked a half mile from my apartment down to the Light Rail station and rode that downtown to Penn Station, where I picked up the Bolt bus to NYC. It was quite the public transportation weekend. Once there, I took the subway, rode a bike, and walked to get around town.
After my arrival on Friday, I promptly hit the ground running. I met with the kind lady that took me in for the weekend and she helped me find my way to the subway. I rode the subway uptown to Washington Park, where I was to meet a friend's son for lunch. While waiting for Gabe, in the park, I saw a very interesting lady holding a sign reading "Wanna Chat?" Suggested donation $1. I circled her like a hawk for a few minutes to see if anyone was going to take her up on her offer. So I decided if I had a dollar in my wallet I would take her up on it. My thought, "I'm in NY. Who is going to judge me? Nobody!" Once I was sitting next to Nancy, I can't tell you how many people wanted our photo. I am probably all over facebook. And yes, I am signing autographs! :-) I chatted with her about her craziest customer, her youngest customer, how profitable this job was for her, and if Washington Park is her go to spot. She has only been doing this since April, she usually mingles with people in Central Park, her youngest customer was 3, she tries to listen more than give advice, and yes this is her only source of income. How is that possible. She did mention that she lives in Harlem, though. She was a very nice lady and I found my calling post nursing.
After lunch and mingling with the locals, I jumped on the subway and went downtown to ride the ferry over to Staten Island to get as close as I could to the Statue of Liberty. It was a very nice 25-30 minute ride over on the ferry and I got a really nice view of Lady Liberty. Well worth the trip should you ever find yourself visiting NYC during another government shutdown and unable to actually visit Ellis Island.
Since there was still daylight after seeing the Statue of Liberty, I figured I better head uptown to see Time Square at dusk, as that is the best time to get pictures before the bright lights mess with your camera. I sat on the red steps of the TKTS pavilion where Broadway tickets are sold apparently, and just took in the sights and sounds of New York City. I found myself sitting next to a very nice lady named Julie from New Zealand and she of course had questions for me regarding the government shutdown and our healthcare system. I diverted her quickly referring to how beautiful New Zealand always is in photos. :-) I was yet again amazed at how very few of us were just sitting there absorbing the sights. So many people were on their phones. Couples sitting together weren't even speaking with each other. Julie pointed out the fact that we have made camera's so small anymore and now the phones are getting bigger and bigger. Funny how the trends come and go.
Saturday I spent much of my day in Central Park and walking around in Time Square. Central Park is a crazy busy park. People are running, walking, biking, there are carriage rides, fitness classes in the open fields, tag football, frisbee, Thai Chi and Yoga classes, rock climbing ........ You name it and it was probably going on there. That evening I went to Rockefeller Center and went up 69 stories to the top of the Observation Deck. What a magnificent view! It was a little bit cloudy, but it was still very cool. I would recommend this to anyone. This is recommended over the Empire State building because then the Empire State building is in your picture. Oh, I forgot, today I also went down to the Brooklyn Bridge and walked all the way across it and down to the waterfront on the other side. That was A L-O-T of walking. That is one cool bridge. Just a quick factoid for my Cincinnati friends, the Suspension bridge in Cincinnati was built by the same gentleman that built the Brooklyn Bridge. I did not know this. The Suspension bridge was built about 17 years prior to Brooklyn.
Sunday I did an NBC studio tour as well as a Rockefeller Center tour. Those Rockefeller's, they had some money! And they loved art. On the Rockefeller tour I learned that NEWS stands for none other than north, east, west, south. Really? I can't decide if that is clever or not. The Rockettes, yep you called it, named after the Rockefeller's. The Rockefeller's were big into gold, limestone, and very dark marble ( I forget the type of marble. It was black in color.), symmetrical clean lines, and neon lights; hence the lights on the Radio Center Music Hall. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree can be no more than 80 feet tall because one year it was 100 feet and when they were bringing it into the square they crashed it through the Today show studio window. Oops! There is a gentleman that flies all over the country looking for the perfect Rockefeller Christmas tree. People can submit pics of their tree but ultimately this gentleman will land his helicopter one day, knock on the owner's door and request the presence of their tree in Rockefeller Center. They always have the option to decline and his search begins again. The tree is 100% green as it is lit with LED lights that refuel during the daylight hours from solar panels. What a tradition! I was excited to see the Today show studio for some reason.
I also did an NBC studio tour, which was quite neat. I had the opportunity to see where Brian Williams does the NBC Nightly News. He is the most watched TV personality in America. And a good job he does too. His studio was very cold. They don't cool it with AC, as it is bad for the cameras. They pump in refrigerated air. I guess when you have 3*4 cameras worth $250,000 you want to take care of it. I also got to see the studio where Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is taped as well as SNL. The guests on SNL have a plaster mold made of their face that takes an hour to form while they breathe through straws, so that the makeup artists can master their makeup not in person. With each skit change on SNL they have 60-90 seconds between makeup and wardrobe changes; otherwise they have to go to commercial or skip the skit all together. It is so neat to learn the inner workings of all these shows.
So I had a great but exhausting weekend! I am excited to be back to my home away from home, here in Baltimore. Pics to follow soon. I have to work in the morning, so this girl is headed to bed.
After my arrival on Friday, I promptly hit the ground running. I met with the kind lady that took me in for the weekend and she helped me find my way to the subway. I rode the subway uptown to Washington Park, where I was to meet a friend's son for lunch. While waiting for Gabe, in the park, I saw a very interesting lady holding a sign reading "Wanna Chat?" Suggested donation $1. I circled her like a hawk for a few minutes to see if anyone was going to take her up on her offer. So I decided if I had a dollar in my wallet I would take her up on it. My thought, "I'm in NY. Who is going to judge me? Nobody!" Once I was sitting next to Nancy, I can't tell you how many people wanted our photo. I am probably all over facebook. And yes, I am signing autographs! :-) I chatted with her about her craziest customer, her youngest customer, how profitable this job was for her, and if Washington Park is her go to spot. She has only been doing this since April, she usually mingles with people in Central Park, her youngest customer was 3, she tries to listen more than give advice, and yes this is her only source of income. How is that possible. She did mention that she lives in Harlem, though. She was a very nice lady and I found my calling post nursing.
After lunch and mingling with the locals, I jumped on the subway and went downtown to ride the ferry over to Staten Island to get as close as I could to the Statue of Liberty. It was a very nice 25-30 minute ride over on the ferry and I got a really nice view of Lady Liberty. Well worth the trip should you ever find yourself visiting NYC during another government shutdown and unable to actually visit Ellis Island.
Since there was still daylight after seeing the Statue of Liberty, I figured I better head uptown to see Time Square at dusk, as that is the best time to get pictures before the bright lights mess with your camera. I sat on the red steps of the TKTS pavilion where Broadway tickets are sold apparently, and just took in the sights and sounds of New York City. I found myself sitting next to a very nice lady named Julie from New Zealand and she of course had questions for me regarding the government shutdown and our healthcare system. I diverted her quickly referring to how beautiful New Zealand always is in photos. :-) I was yet again amazed at how very few of us were just sitting there absorbing the sights. So many people were on their phones. Couples sitting together weren't even speaking with each other. Julie pointed out the fact that we have made camera's so small anymore and now the phones are getting bigger and bigger. Funny how the trends come and go.
Saturday I spent much of my day in Central Park and walking around in Time Square. Central Park is a crazy busy park. People are running, walking, biking, there are carriage rides, fitness classes in the open fields, tag football, frisbee, Thai Chi and Yoga classes, rock climbing ........ You name it and it was probably going on there. That evening I went to Rockefeller Center and went up 69 stories to the top of the Observation Deck. What a magnificent view! It was a little bit cloudy, but it was still very cool. I would recommend this to anyone. This is recommended over the Empire State building because then the Empire State building is in your picture. Oh, I forgot, today I also went down to the Brooklyn Bridge and walked all the way across it and down to the waterfront on the other side. That was A L-O-T of walking. That is one cool bridge. Just a quick factoid for my Cincinnati friends, the Suspension bridge in Cincinnati was built by the same gentleman that built the Brooklyn Bridge. I did not know this. The Suspension bridge was built about 17 years prior to Brooklyn.
Sunday I did an NBC studio tour as well as a Rockefeller Center tour. Those Rockefeller's, they had some money! And they loved art. On the Rockefeller tour I learned that NEWS stands for none other than north, east, west, south. Really? I can't decide if that is clever or not. The Rockettes, yep you called it, named after the Rockefeller's. The Rockefeller's were big into gold, limestone, and very dark marble ( I forget the type of marble. It was black in color.), symmetrical clean lines, and neon lights; hence the lights on the Radio Center Music Hall. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree can be no more than 80 feet tall because one year it was 100 feet and when they were bringing it into the square they crashed it through the Today show studio window. Oops! There is a gentleman that flies all over the country looking for the perfect Rockefeller Christmas tree. People can submit pics of their tree but ultimately this gentleman will land his helicopter one day, knock on the owner's door and request the presence of their tree in Rockefeller Center. They always have the option to decline and his search begins again. The tree is 100% green as it is lit with LED lights that refuel during the daylight hours from solar panels. What a tradition! I was excited to see the Today show studio for some reason.
I also did an NBC studio tour, which was quite neat. I had the opportunity to see where Brian Williams does the NBC Nightly News. He is the most watched TV personality in America. And a good job he does too. His studio was very cold. They don't cool it with AC, as it is bad for the cameras. They pump in refrigerated air. I guess when you have 3*4 cameras worth $250,000 you want to take care of it. I also got to see the studio where Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is taped as well as SNL. The guests on SNL have a plaster mold made of their face that takes an hour to form while they breathe through straws, so that the makeup artists can master their makeup not in person. With each skit change on SNL they have 60-90 seconds between makeup and wardrobe changes; otherwise they have to go to commercial or skip the skit all together. It is so neat to learn the inner workings of all these shows.
So I had a great but exhausting weekend! I am excited to be back to my home away from home, here in Baltimore. Pics to follow soon. I have to work in the morning, so this girl is headed to bed.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sweatshirt Weather
What could possibly be better than the crisp cool air that creeps in your window at night; while you sleep soundly, with your windows open? This is my absolute favorite time of year! I love it when the temperature is not warm enough to allow just a t-shirt to be worn, yet it is not cold enough to bust out the winter coat. That my friends, is because it is "Sweatshirt Weather." This gal's favorite season. I will ride it out until the bitter end too. It unfortunately is not a very long season.
Some of my other favorites about this time of year are bonfires with s'mores, awesome bike rides through the country where you can hear the crisp dried out leaves rustling in the wind prior to their fall from the trees, homeowners decorate their front porches with pumpkins, gourds, and corn stalks, and you can smell the smell of fall. (Sorry, I can't describe that, but I know you understand what I am saying there.) This time of year also brings fond memories to the surface remembering collecting walnuts, peeling the shells from around them and then cracking them open with a hammer to eat the fresh nuts inside. Man those were good times. It is interesting that these walnuts that drum up such good memories from my childhood are now nearly deadly to me when I am biking. Those suckers are like land mines!I am going to collect a few though, to drum up those good memories.
Last week I explored another area of my neighborhood on a nice 30 mile bike ride. It is interesting, because in 30 miles I wheeled through suburbia, crossed over two major interstates, rode through horse country, as they call it here; obviously they have never been to Ky, and dropped into an area with the highest concentration of Jewish families in Maryland. I spoke with a very good family friend today and she depicted what I went through as a Hasidic Jewish region. Fortunately, I rolled through just after synagogue released and they flooded the streets. I have never seen anything like it. I think what really took me so aback, was that I was on a bike riding with the traffic; as I should, and I was literally almost weaving through an oncoming parade. Everyone was just in the street. The sidewalks were empty. It was the oddest thing I have ever seen and I was only hoping that they did not oppose cyclists coming though their neighborhood. I really was not conveying any malice or prejudice, I just have never seen anything like this. I am learning quite a bit about the Jewish culture, religion, and community as I live just next door.
Get out there and enjoy this whether it be on foot, on bike, or just driving on the back roads with your windows down.
Some of my other favorites about this time of year are bonfires with s'mores, awesome bike rides through the country where you can hear the crisp dried out leaves rustling in the wind prior to their fall from the trees, homeowners decorate their front porches with pumpkins, gourds, and corn stalks, and you can smell the smell of fall. (Sorry, I can't describe that, but I know you understand what I am saying there.) This time of year also brings fond memories to the surface remembering collecting walnuts, peeling the shells from around them and then cracking them open with a hammer to eat the fresh nuts inside. Man those were good times. It is interesting that these walnuts that drum up such good memories from my childhood are now nearly deadly to me when I am biking. Those suckers are like land mines!I am going to collect a few though, to drum up those good memories.
Last week I explored another area of my neighborhood on a nice 30 mile bike ride. It is interesting, because in 30 miles I wheeled through suburbia, crossed over two major interstates, rode through horse country, as they call it here; obviously they have never been to Ky, and dropped into an area with the highest concentration of Jewish families in Maryland. I spoke with a very good family friend today and she depicted what I went through as a Hasidic Jewish region. Fortunately, I rolled through just after synagogue released and they flooded the streets. I have never seen anything like it. I think what really took me so aback, was that I was on a bike riding with the traffic; as I should, and I was literally almost weaving through an oncoming parade. Everyone was just in the street. The sidewalks were empty. It was the oddest thing I have ever seen and I was only hoping that they did not oppose cyclists coming though their neighborhood. I really was not conveying any malice or prejudice, I just have never seen anything like this. I am learning quite a bit about the Jewish culture, religion, and community as I live just next door.
Get out there and enjoy this whether it be on foot, on bike, or just driving on the back roads with your windows down.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
The day I disconnected and reflected.
A week ago this Friday I did something I had never done before. I waited 3 hours for a phone. But it was for an iphone. :-)
Prior to waiting for the much awaited iphone though, I mailed my phone in for some cash and went three days without a phone at all. Not even a landline people! I was a bit worried about living in Baltimore without a phone though. Indiana maybe, but I had to work the next two days and drive in and out of the city.
The lack of quality television, lack of technology tethered to my person, and the nice weather has induced deep thoughts by Shannon Roddy. It is really quite scary. I will be the first to admit that I love my iphone, but I will fully admit that we have become overteched in today's day and age. We are sadly living in an age where relationships are broken via texting, there are these ridiculously realistic video games (Grand Theft Auto) coming out and we seriously wonder why these kids don't think it is a far stretch to take guns into schools and violence is only getting worse. It is a scary world out there.
I love facebook for what it has to offer, I have kept in touch with many of you via my blog, and I love my new iphone, but I really took a bit to think if I was happy with me at this time. I determined that I HAVE to read more. My lack of literacy is just embarassing. I want to seriously commit to working out more consistantly. I need to get my behind back to church since I am only working every other weekend now. I need to focus on truly being present when I am with friends and family. This is a tough one to do and not be distracted by all the garbage we fill our lives with.
Dane Cook, a comedian, did a set once that said it best. Two people meet for dinner and one says to the other," I am going to set my phone face up right here, so I won't miss when something more exciting than you comes in." Well said Dane, well said. I know people that choose cell phone carriers on whether they get reception at their job. Aren't you there to work? Emergencies can always call you at work. Apparently, I am old school on that thinking though. Sadly, I just see a lot of nurses spending the majority of their shift texting anyone and everyone. Maybe I am just jealous. I don't have enough people to stay texting around the clock.
I have a good friend from college that is on his honeymoon and he continues to update facebook while on his honeymoon. Really?! I would beat that boy down! Seeing this only drove my point home further.
I am not saying that anyone else has to make these changes. I am merely acknowledging that it took a couple days of being off the grid to get me to see this. For that I am grateful.
Progress already attained. I went to church this past sunday. I have met some good friends that I made in Arlington out for lunch and out to a Baltimore Orioles game. I am one week into a 12 week weight lifting program and thanks to this, I struggle to feed myself and sit normally on the toilet. I have really started watching what I am putting in my body. I am only going to watch tv when my favorite shows such as The Biggest Loser, The Voice, and Modern Family are on. Because let me tell you, I have wasted many an hour watching back to back House Hunters or Golden Girls episodes. Guess I should also legitimately study for my CCRN, as certification I have only been wanting to get for 8 years. Let's make this happen, Shannon!
Misc:
I am coming home at the end of October for a couple of weeks and boy am I excited to be coming home! Things are good here, but there is no place like home!
Bike riding is good here, but not nearly the same without my peeps.
Is it Basketball Season yet? :-)
Prior to waiting for the much awaited iphone though, I mailed my phone in for some cash and went three days without a phone at all. Not even a landline people! I was a bit worried about living in Baltimore without a phone though. Indiana maybe, but I had to work the next two days and drive in and out of the city.
The lack of quality television, lack of technology tethered to my person, and the nice weather has induced deep thoughts by Shannon Roddy. It is really quite scary. I will be the first to admit that I love my iphone, but I will fully admit that we have become overteched in today's day and age. We are sadly living in an age where relationships are broken via texting, there are these ridiculously realistic video games (Grand Theft Auto) coming out and we seriously wonder why these kids don't think it is a far stretch to take guns into schools and violence is only getting worse. It is a scary world out there.
I love facebook for what it has to offer, I have kept in touch with many of you via my blog, and I love my new iphone, but I really took a bit to think if I was happy with me at this time. I determined that I HAVE to read more. My lack of literacy is just embarassing. I want to seriously commit to working out more consistantly. I need to get my behind back to church since I am only working every other weekend now. I need to focus on truly being present when I am with friends and family. This is a tough one to do and not be distracted by all the garbage we fill our lives with.
Dane Cook, a comedian, did a set once that said it best. Two people meet for dinner and one says to the other," I am going to set my phone face up right here, so I won't miss when something more exciting than you comes in." Well said Dane, well said. I know people that choose cell phone carriers on whether they get reception at their job. Aren't you there to work? Emergencies can always call you at work. Apparently, I am old school on that thinking though. Sadly, I just see a lot of nurses spending the majority of their shift texting anyone and everyone. Maybe I am just jealous. I don't have enough people to stay texting around the clock.
I have a good friend from college that is on his honeymoon and he continues to update facebook while on his honeymoon. Really?! I would beat that boy down! Seeing this only drove my point home further.
I am not saying that anyone else has to make these changes. I am merely acknowledging that it took a couple days of being off the grid to get me to see this. For that I am grateful.
Progress already attained. I went to church this past sunday. I have met some good friends that I made in Arlington out for lunch and out to a Baltimore Orioles game. I am one week into a 12 week weight lifting program and thanks to this, I struggle to feed myself and sit normally on the toilet. I have really started watching what I am putting in my body. I am only going to watch tv when my favorite shows such as The Biggest Loser, The Voice, and Modern Family are on. Because let me tell you, I have wasted many an hour watching back to back House Hunters or Golden Girls episodes. Guess I should also legitimately study for my CCRN, as certification I have only been wanting to get for 8 years. Let's make this happen, Shannon!
Misc:
I am coming home at the end of October for a couple of weeks and boy am I excited to be coming home! Things are good here, but there is no place like home!
Bike riding is good here, but not nearly the same without my peeps.
Is it Basketball Season yet? :-)
Monday, September 16, 2013
Words Matter
Last weekend when I was in South Carolina I went to my brother's church and heard a sermon titled "Words Matter." It referenced the impact that your words good or bad can make on someone. I decided to do a self experiment this week and really listen to how I speak to others and to listen to those around me. I learned a lot.
I know you won't be surprised that it started with a panhandler at the train station on my way home from the airport in Baltimore. I observed this lady going from person to person asking each and every one of us for a cigarette. At least it wasn't for money this time! Some people ignored her. Others were belligerent to her. And then there were those of us that said, "No, sorry, I don't smoke." At least the people that ignored her adhered to the motto "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all." I really don't understand the belligerent people.
And then I carried the experiment to work. I met individuals from Egypt, Ghana, Tennessee, and a local Baltimorian this week. I would say that the individuals from out of the country were by far the most gracious individuals I met this week. That is to not discount the lessons that I learned from the other two though. The respect alone that individuals from other countries show to their elders is impressive just in itself. Many American children today respect no one, not even themselves. It is a sad state.
The good news is; I have always thought of myself as a kind individual and I truly believe I am, after listening to myself this week. I was luckily raised to respect my elders and to treat others as I would like to be treated. The respect from the children and family of the Ghana and Egypt individuals identified the disparity that I too often see here in the states. It was refreshing to see and they were a joy to take care of.
The other two individuals I believe I identified with because they could have been my dad. They had both had several different extensive surgeries that all entailed lengthy recoveries. They had both been in and out of rehab facilities and nursing homes and really all they wanted was to go home. One of the gentleman really took me back when the radiology tech and myself were trying to get him flat for a chest xray. This gentleman had a very painful sore on his backside, which is why he said "I can't lie flat." The radiology tech said " I will be quick and this should only take a couple of minutes." The gentleman said "Nobody ever cares what I have to say." Those words shot right through me and broke my heart. His chest xray was really only to check on a pacemaker that he had just had placed yesterday. I told the tech to get the best picture she could get without lying him flat. I told her I would explain to the doctor. This guy broke my heart. He was such a sweetheart! I really try to acknowledge that what is normal to an ICU nurse is horrific to non-medical people. I learned with my dad that everyone is someone's father, brother, grandfather, uncle...... So I really try to treat everyone as I would have wanted my father to be treated. I often will throw this line out there when I think someone is being rude or insensitive regarding a patient. It always makes them step back and reevaluate things.
The other gentleman I got to know really well referred to me as the "sarcastic baller." Haha. He was a huge women's basketball fan that lived in none other than Tennessee. He and his family were awesome to get to know. They know Pat Summit personally. Really?!!! How awesome is that? I was sad to hear that Pat Summit really is not doing well with her Alzheimer's though. Pat was a coach like no other.
I love my job as a bedside nurse. I am a rare breed in nursing. Not many nurses will say that they love bedside nursing. I just love to meet new people, hear their stories, and meet their families. That has been known to backfire at times though. But 85% of the time it works out in my favor.
I have thought about words that have stuck with me for life. As the sermon went, I can remember everything about that moment; the color of the paint on the wall, where I was sitting, whom else was in the room, etc. It's always good to check yourself and intrinsically evaluate if you are really portraying your best image. So take a moment and listen to someone that you would not normally engage in conversation. You never know what you may learn.
I know you won't be surprised that it started with a panhandler at the train station on my way home from the airport in Baltimore. I observed this lady going from person to person asking each and every one of us for a cigarette. At least it wasn't for money this time! Some people ignored her. Others were belligerent to her. And then there were those of us that said, "No, sorry, I don't smoke." At least the people that ignored her adhered to the motto "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all." I really don't understand the belligerent people.
And then I carried the experiment to work. I met individuals from Egypt, Ghana, Tennessee, and a local Baltimorian this week. I would say that the individuals from out of the country were by far the most gracious individuals I met this week. That is to not discount the lessons that I learned from the other two though. The respect alone that individuals from other countries show to their elders is impressive just in itself. Many American children today respect no one, not even themselves. It is a sad state.
The good news is; I have always thought of myself as a kind individual and I truly believe I am, after listening to myself this week. I was luckily raised to respect my elders and to treat others as I would like to be treated. The respect from the children and family of the Ghana and Egypt individuals identified the disparity that I too often see here in the states. It was refreshing to see and they were a joy to take care of.
The other two individuals I believe I identified with because they could have been my dad. They had both had several different extensive surgeries that all entailed lengthy recoveries. They had both been in and out of rehab facilities and nursing homes and really all they wanted was to go home. One of the gentleman really took me back when the radiology tech and myself were trying to get him flat for a chest xray. This gentleman had a very painful sore on his backside, which is why he said "I can't lie flat." The radiology tech said " I will be quick and this should only take a couple of minutes." The gentleman said "Nobody ever cares what I have to say." Those words shot right through me and broke my heart. His chest xray was really only to check on a pacemaker that he had just had placed yesterday. I told the tech to get the best picture she could get without lying him flat. I told her I would explain to the doctor. This guy broke my heart. He was such a sweetheart! I really try to acknowledge that what is normal to an ICU nurse is horrific to non-medical people. I learned with my dad that everyone is someone's father, brother, grandfather, uncle...... So I really try to treat everyone as I would have wanted my father to be treated. I often will throw this line out there when I think someone is being rude or insensitive regarding a patient. It always makes them step back and reevaluate things.
The other gentleman I got to know really well referred to me as the "sarcastic baller." Haha. He was a huge women's basketball fan that lived in none other than Tennessee. He and his family were awesome to get to know. They know Pat Summit personally. Really?!!! How awesome is that? I was sad to hear that Pat Summit really is not doing well with her Alzheimer's though. Pat was a coach like no other.
I love my job as a bedside nurse. I am a rare breed in nursing. Not many nurses will say that they love bedside nursing. I just love to meet new people, hear their stories, and meet their families. That has been known to backfire at times though. But 85% of the time it works out in my favor.
I have thought about words that have stuck with me for life. As the sermon went, I can remember everything about that moment; the color of the paint on the wall, where I was sitting, whom else was in the room, etc. It's always good to check yourself and intrinsically evaluate if you are really portraying your best image. So take a moment and listen to someone that you would not normally engage in conversation. You never know what you may learn.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Amazing Race Trial Run
The Amazing Race has always intrigued me; though I have zero sense of direction. That is why it would be key to partner with my good friend Christa. She is quite worldly!
On Friday, September 6th, after working 12 hours saving lives and stamping out disease; mind you, I rushed home from work to finish packing to head south for a surprise visit with my family in South Carolina. Everyone knew except my brother. I do so enjoy surprising that boy.
My flight was at 11:00 which seemed like way too large of a gap of time after getting off work at 0730. Back it up an hour for the pre-hour arrival. In order to not pay for parking, I was planning to take the train to the airport which would consume 50 minutes and I wanted to shower, eat, and finish packing. So when I got home at 0815 I felt a bit of a crunch as I needed to catch the 0900 train which is a 10-15 minute walk from my house. All was in order til I got behind a moderate walker. He was not going slow enough to pass that I could sustain my lead, yet he was cramping my style at my current pace. So when I arrived at the train station a bit behind schedule, I knew another train was coming at 0911. So I jumped on the train in front of me and comfort set in til I heard the conductor say "This train is headed to Cromwell." My sphincter tightened and I looked online to see that the trains headed to the BWI airport were the 0900 and 0935 trains. Arriving at BWI at 1030 for an 1100 flight was not going to be good. I immediately started formulating 22 different ways in my head that were not going to work to get me there in a timely manner. My only option that was feasible was a plan that myself and 2 good samaritans on the train came up with; which was to hop off the train in two stops and walk/run to Penn Station and get a taxi. They really make Penn Station sound close to that stop. My conjuring good samaritan gentleman and I both got off together and he told me to head in the direction he was pointing and turn left at the second street and then turn left when it ended. So I ran ahead and was ready to turn left though I noticed the street name that he mentioned and what the street sign said clearly said; did not match. Sweating and very out of breath I turned around to check his cues and he was two feet behind me. I clarified the directions again and when we got the crosswalk I sprinted to the next crosswalk which was two blocks. I again turned to verify his cues because I had no time for a mistake and by the time I was cleared to cross, he crossed with me. 'Why I am I running?" Idiot!
Okay, I finally reached Penn Station and now I am dripping with sweat and out of breath and I jumped in a car with a foreign stranger. Sounds like a great idea! He was my only option to get to the airport on time, so cost was really not an issue here. The few times I have ridden in a taxi alone; I always feel like I am paying someone to drive me into the middle of nowhere and kill me so nobody will ever find me. Am I the only one that has that random terrible thought? He was a very nice guy though. After he asked me the obligatory "How are you today?" and I filled him in for a couple minutes, I realized he understood about 5% of my story because he spoke very little English. Epic fail. Needless to say, I made it to the airport on time and had no other major glitches.
It was awesome, I flew into Greenville/Spartanburg, SC where my awesome sister-in-law and my favorite munchkins picked me up. My brother beat us home and I let the family go in the house prior to me. I knocked on the front door and got to see the expression of surprise on my brother's face. I'm pretty sure after this surprise he is never going to believe me when I say I am working.
I had a great weekend with the Roddy's and my mom! I got to play games, bike ride, sit around a campfire two nights in a row, make Smore's with some of my favorite people, tell ghost stories, and enjoy a zoo owned by a friend I met in Maine while biking. If you are ever in South Carolina, Hollywild is worth a visit. Lots of their animals have been in movies and commercials; hence the name. A very interesting setup. Their bears are pretty much the happiest bears I have ever seen in captivity. Their animals were not pacing and didn't look sad. It was a neat experience. A quick but awesome weekend! I love my family and always have a great time with them.
On the job front: Hopkins is treating me well. The people are very nice and they treat their nurses very well. I will not expand in order to keep friendships with my Christ coworkers. :-) I just today extended my assignment for another 13 weeks after this assignment. So I will ride the holidays out here; though I negotiated to be off for Christmas.
On Friday, September 6th, after working 12 hours saving lives and stamping out disease; mind you, I rushed home from work to finish packing to head south for a surprise visit with my family in South Carolina. Everyone knew except my brother. I do so enjoy surprising that boy.
My flight was at 11:00 which seemed like way too large of a gap of time after getting off work at 0730. Back it up an hour for the pre-hour arrival. In order to not pay for parking, I was planning to take the train to the airport which would consume 50 minutes and I wanted to shower, eat, and finish packing. So when I got home at 0815 I felt a bit of a crunch as I needed to catch the 0900 train which is a 10-15 minute walk from my house. All was in order til I got behind a moderate walker. He was not going slow enough to pass that I could sustain my lead, yet he was cramping my style at my current pace. So when I arrived at the train station a bit behind schedule, I knew another train was coming at 0911. So I jumped on the train in front of me and comfort set in til I heard the conductor say "This train is headed to Cromwell." My sphincter tightened and I looked online to see that the trains headed to the BWI airport were the 0900 and 0935 trains. Arriving at BWI at 1030 for an 1100 flight was not going to be good. I immediately started formulating 22 different ways in my head that were not going to work to get me there in a timely manner. My only option that was feasible was a plan that myself and 2 good samaritans on the train came up with; which was to hop off the train in two stops and walk/run to Penn Station and get a taxi. They really make Penn Station sound close to that stop. My conjuring good samaritan gentleman and I both got off together and he told me to head in the direction he was pointing and turn left at the second street and then turn left when it ended. So I ran ahead and was ready to turn left though I noticed the street name that he mentioned and what the street sign said clearly said; did not match. Sweating and very out of breath I turned around to check his cues and he was two feet behind me. I clarified the directions again and when we got the crosswalk I sprinted to the next crosswalk which was two blocks. I again turned to verify his cues because I had no time for a mistake and by the time I was cleared to cross, he crossed with me. 'Why I am I running?" Idiot!
Okay, I finally reached Penn Station and now I am dripping with sweat and out of breath and I jumped in a car with a foreign stranger. Sounds like a great idea! He was my only option to get to the airport on time, so cost was really not an issue here. The few times I have ridden in a taxi alone; I always feel like I am paying someone to drive me into the middle of nowhere and kill me so nobody will ever find me. Am I the only one that has that random terrible thought? He was a very nice guy though. After he asked me the obligatory "How are you today?" and I filled him in for a couple minutes, I realized he understood about 5% of my story because he spoke very little English. Epic fail. Needless to say, I made it to the airport on time and had no other major glitches.
It was awesome, I flew into Greenville/Spartanburg, SC where my awesome sister-in-law and my favorite munchkins picked me up. My brother beat us home and I let the family go in the house prior to me. I knocked on the front door and got to see the expression of surprise on my brother's face. I'm pretty sure after this surprise he is never going to believe me when I say I am working.
I had a great weekend with the Roddy's and my mom! I got to play games, bike ride, sit around a campfire two nights in a row, make Smore's with some of my favorite people, tell ghost stories, and enjoy a zoo owned by a friend I met in Maine while biking. If you are ever in South Carolina, Hollywild is worth a visit. Lots of their animals have been in movies and commercials; hence the name. A very interesting setup. Their bears are pretty much the happiest bears I have ever seen in captivity. Their animals were not pacing and didn't look sad. It was a neat experience. A quick but awesome weekend! I love my family and always have a great time with them.
On the job front: Hopkins is treating me well. The people are very nice and they treat their nurses very well. I will not expand in order to keep friendships with my Christ coworkers. :-) I just today extended my assignment for another 13 weeks after this assignment. So I will ride the holidays out here; though I negotiated to be off for Christmas.
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