♪ "Oh the weather outside is frightful..." ♪

One of the reasons I don't live in New England anymore is the frigid-freeze-your-eyeballs-and-nosehairs COLD weather. Seattle may get rain, but that's what they make gear for, right?

I flew home after a meeting in Cincinnatti this weekend to find snow and ice--here, in Seattle! If we get it, you know it's bad around the country...and boy was it! There was a solid 3-4 inches of snow on my car, and most of West Seattle was as slick as an ice skating rink.

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It was 20 degrees this morning here in Seattle,

with a projected high for today of 30 degrees.

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Dig out your feather parkas, people! What's that? You say you don't have a feather parka? Come to think of it...neither do I.

I learned very quickly while living in New Hampshire and Boston that the benefits of those "sleeping bag coats" significantly outweigh the drawbacks of...well...looking like you're wearing a sleeping bag.

My friends and colleagues were toasty warm waiting for the parking shuttle, shoveling snow, walking to work or the subway....but I never broke down and got one of these floor-length beauties. I also never got a medal for heroism and bravery for defying the winter weather in the name of fashion. The skin on my legs would be cold to the touch for hours after I would get to work.

I'm not going to purchase the ultimate down parka yet. It'll warm up here in Seattle eventually, but for now it's kind of fun to have a change from the drizzle and rain. I'll brave the chill for a few days. It truly is beginning to look--and feel--a lot like Christmas outside!

♪ "Oh the weather outside is frightful..." ♪

Inside, we've decorated the lab workroom like a home away from home...come on in and warm yourself by the fire:

♪ "...but the fire is so delightful..." ♪

♪ "...and since we've [lots of patients to see]...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" ♪

♪ ooo ooo ooo ooo Stayin' Alive ♪

They were talking about this on the radio this morning...

perfect theme song for saving a life!

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From About.com: First Aid:

The University of Illinois medical school studied the effect the song had on keeping time during CPR. Five weeks after practicing CPR with the song playing on an iPod, doctors at the medical school were able to hum along without the music and keep time just a little bit faster than 100 per minute, which is perfectly fine when we're talking about chest compressions.

Stayin' alive,

Stayin' alive,

Ha...ah...ah...ah

(this part is exactly 100 beats per minute)

Stayin' a-li-ive

This tip helps rescuers keep the proper rate while doing CPR. Going too slow doesn't generate enough blood flow, and going too fast doesn't allow the heart to fill properly between compressions. Humming along with the Bee Gees is one way to stay on track.

For those of you less optimistic folks, Queen's classic, Another One Bites the Dust, also has the proper beat.

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I think that while you're performing CPR you should sing it to them too...you know, encouragement to...well...stay alive :-)

This song has been in my head all morning.
So in case you're craving a little disco:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCAjmuA1HDk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mepFmJNqsus&feature=related

Bust a move with a little chair dance at your desk :-)

Creepy Crawlies Give Me the Heeby Jeebies

So I was an inpatient tech yesterday, all day. I had several patients on different floors with varying issues, and more than one patient in "Isolation Precautions". Isolation provides protection either for the patient (whose immune system is compromised due to cancer, transplant, etc.) or for those in contact with the patient (nurses, techs, etc.)--specifically so we won't spread infection to other patients who may be immunosupressed. For isolation patients, we go beyond the standard precautions of washing hands, donning gloves and wiping down the machines with cavicide. We also get to wear these fashionable yellow synthetic material gowns that tie in the back--some of them have pinstripes which is all the rage right now. Straight off the runway for sure. About half of the time, depending on the reason for isolation, we also wear a mask with an eye-shield. So very attractive. And I'm still single...go figure.

~

I was on my last patient before lunch, stomach growling, ready to sit down. My body was still over-heated from the prior exam, which was in an isolation room with the heat cranked up to 85 degrees. Post-exam body weight was 5lbs less than pre-exam, if you catch my drift. Scanning in a plastic gown will do that for you! You can imagine my dismay to see an isolation cart oustide this next patient's room when I arrived. *sigh* With resignation I put on the gown, gloves, mask with eye-shield and prepared to lose another 5lbs (which was the good part of course). Just then, the nurse emerged from the room and during the interaction she told me the reason for special precautions isolation: Scabies.

~

Poor patient...I felt guilty for being creeped out when I wasn't the one having to deal with it...But eeeeewwwww. Halfway through the exam I felt an intense itch on my forehead. Can they leap from one place to the next? It was an internal battle to focus on the exam when all I could think about was that scene from Monsters Inc. when one of the scarers was "contaminated" by a child's sock: they tackled him, shaved him clean, showered him and coated him with an anti-something powder and topped off the treatment with one of those Elizabethan collars like they put on pets who are sick. The itch became increasingly worse...is it spreading?

~

This is what I found when I googled "scabies":

Post-exam: So far so good. No itching. Unless I think about it. Like now. I'm so thankful to be spared from things like that...and thankful for those yellow gowns. Can I have some booties to go with it?
~
What really started me thinking was: How is it that I can waltz into an isolation room all suited up and scan a patient who has a "superbug" (MRSA, VRE, etc) and not get the willies when this treatable issue makes me shudder? MRSA is way worse than scabies when you think about it! What's wrong with me? One good thing about working in a hospital is that my immune system is so strong and (to some extent, while I remain healthy) resistant to a lot of these things going around.
~
So it's all good. Just don't think about it. And don't even let me get started on bedbugs.

"Code 199..."

So I am sitting here at the front desk "watching the phones". I'm bored. No exam reports to type, not able to work on projects because I'm not at my desk. The phone isn't ringing and all patients have checked in...

Most of the time, we all just tune out the overhead pages. There are a lot of them: "Mr. Smith, Mr. David Smith, please return to the 3rd floor information desk." They say each announcement twice. "Attention please all medical center staff, Attention please. Employee health is conducting its routine drop-in TB testing...blah blah blah...All staff who need to update their TB testing are requested to attend." Repeat. Every hour. All week.

The ones that get me are: "Will the family of John Smith please return to the OR waiting area." Or "Will the family of Susie Smith please return to 5SE." Ahh. So in the era of HIPAA compliance and the extreme measures we take for patient confidentiality, how is this okay? When I greet a patient in the waiting room to escort them back for the ultrasound exam, I cannot address them using their last name. I must say "John"... It's rare for more than one person to stand up, but if they do, I try and narrow it down with "Last name initial S." And if that's not helping, "Birthdate in June". When we get through the doors into a more private area, I have them verify their last name and full birthdate. All of that runaround, and they page overhead enough information for me to think: "Susie Smith is having surgery today." Uh huh.

My ears are tuned in to pick up "Code 199..." At this hospital, this is a Code Blue, or medical emergency. I'm just a vascular tech, so there's not a whole lot I can do to help...only pray for them. Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping more than scanning a patient in the ICU who goes into distress. Yikes.

Here are some that make you go "doh!":
"Code 199...
- 3rd floor patient smoking area, behind the gift shop.
- Plaza Cafe lobby, near the back exit.
- Triangle parking garage cashier kiyosk.
- Valet parking main entrance.

There was one just outside our reception area in the Surgery Pavillion lobby the other day. When we got there, she was sitting on the floor talking...had just briefly passed out. So basically they call a "Code 199" for anone who becomes unresponsive. Which is probably a good plan.

"All available staff please report to 8NE." That's another good one. Essentially it means that a patient or visitor is escalated, generally angry or upset and acting in a threatening manner. All staff who are availble and in the area just go and provide assistance and a "show of force" which typically calms the person down pretty quickly. I don't go to those...I think I'd be going for the wrong reasons...not that I'm an ambulance chaser or anything. My buddy Watson (fellow tech) goes to them any chance he can get, which of course we tease him about...mercilessly.

What I'd like to hear is: "Attention please all medical center staff: Mandatory paid-vacation will begin today at 3pm, and continue until further notice. All staff who are experiencing stress are requested to comply."

"Could you water the rocks while I'm away?"

Yes, this is indeed a vase filled with rocks...or more precisely, "Decorative stones". Until this past summer, these stones and Punkin the cat were about all that would thrive in my humble abode. Every year I get all excited when spring rolls around and literally lose my head. You see, I am not in fact a master gardener. No sir. I am a plant killer in gardeners clothing. The fancy gloves and shovels and pretty pots do not actually keep plants from dying. The best I could do were the occasional Rosemary and Thyme plants (but seriously, who can kill those!?). I got all full of myself again this past spring and I'm here to document the results. As of Saturday, October 4 2008:

The LIVE Herbs:

The DEAD/DYING Herbs:

I won't even show you the Lavender or the Basil. It's tragic.

So what did I do wrong?
Water? check.
Rocks at the bottom of the pot for draining? check.
Sunlight? check.
Potting soil? (just being thorough) check.

Maybe these plants were supposed to die. Maybe they had lived their life in my sunny apartment and have eternity to spend in Heaven.

But wait: I think my gardening skills have turned a corner!! Look at this amazing Jade plant that Kim and Kurt gave me in July for my birthday! It is gorgeous--and GROWING!

THANK YOU KIM AND KURT!!! xoxo

Me Heart Carbs

Week 2 of my new fitness regimen is coming to a close, and I'm feeling FANTASTIC!! My trainer Erika is amazing, has completely changed the way I exercise, and ramped up my understanding of fitness training. I couldn't be happier!

The exercising has so much more impact on my life than just being smaller, taking up less space :-) I sleep better, have more energy through the day, and most importantly have infinitely more confidence. Because I have more confidence, I actually feel like doing my hair in the morning, putting on makeup, and dressing up to go out. I want to eat good-for-me things... I have been scarcely drinking wine--no joke! I've even been considering dumping my anti-perspirant for that "magic crystal" deoderant...I am taking better care of my skin than ever before...and flossing daily. Yes, exercise makes me want to floss my teeth....my dentist would be so proud. I want to go to the gym, go on a walk, and be active.

And then...the mid-afternoon munchies hit. I work in one of those places that always has cookies, crackers, candy, cans of soda pop, etc., etc. I bought my KleanKanteen in orange on purpose...a bright shiny object to distract me from the c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e...drinking water like it's going out of style. I keep healthy snacks like trail mix, dry roasted almonds, Luna bars and fruit in my drawer. My friend Bridget must think I'm upset with her because I won't look in her direction. The chocolate is between my desk and hers. I've taken to calling her on the phone, my desk to hers...it's safer than passing the goodies. I saw this on a T-shirt:

It is clearly a bad idea to wear a shirt that says this, when you look like I do--at the moment, anyway...it's a little too accurate. I mean...do you think the world has no clue that I love carbs?! ha ha The key to success is to NOT deprive yourself of the things you love...just to enjoy them sparingly. R i i i i g h t. You've seen Cookie Monster go to town on a chocolate chipper, right? I just don't have the willpower to eat just one. *sigh* ;-)

I would SO rather have self-confidence and feel great in my own skin! So...off to the gym I go!

Sweet Punkin!

Thought I'd post a few pictures of my own "kid"....he's just so cute, I've gotta brag :-)