Last week I had a conversation with Sparky about creationism and how some in the US want it taught in science classrooms alongside evolution. I was telling him how some - specifically young-Earth creationists - believe (among other things) that dinosaurs co-existed with humans and that the T. Rex was a vegetarian when he interrupted me:
"That is so stupid!"
Thank goodness he has a brain and loves science along with football.
Once again I find myself apologizing for my lack of posting. I'm just... grumpy. And since I'm grumpy over one of the few things I self-censor on this blog, I can't even tell you and vent about it. I guess you'll just have to take my word for it. Never fear, I'll get over it and find my happy place again - I'm nothing if not optimistic.
Last week I went into Her Majesty's Prep class (US folks, think kindergarten) to talk about what nurses do. I was quite nervous about it. I have no problems watching surgery and seeing the abdominal cavity splayed open in front of me, but put me in front of 25 4-6 year olds and I get butterflies.
I spoke simply about what nurses do - we keep you healthy and take care of you when you're sick - and the tools we use to do our job. Her Majesty's teacher took some pictures and was good enough to pop them onto my memory stick for me to share with you. I was wearing one of my more colourful sets of US scrubs - nurses in Australia do not regularly wear this sort of gear - and I brought in all my scrub tops and jackets for the kids to keep this term as they set up a doctor's office in their classroom.
My rapt audience.
One of the kids told me their daddy had one of these, but much bigger! And yes, a tape measure is very handy to have as a nurse.
I have no idea what I was explaining here. I look earnest, though.
One of the nurse's most important pieces of equipment - the stethoscope. Or as one of the kids told me, a "telescope". Close enough. This is my original stethoscope, over 10 years old, and I still use it.
Listening to someone's belly. This is not Her Majesty - I thought I'd give some of the other kids a chance to do something Her Majesty can do all the time.
If any modeling agencies or children's catalogues would like to contact me about how to have my adorable yet mulish looking son promote your product, my contact info is in the sidebar.
Her Majesty on relationships:
"You can't love someone until you're old enough to drive a car."
That sounds reasonable to me.
I never seem to have enough of it. Time, that is.
I've spent the last 4 days running about like a crazy person and I'm not certain I have a lot to show for it. Except a laundry room full of unfolded laundry and a rumpus room that looks like a bomb went off in it.
Unfortunately my week isn't looking any better. Tomorrow I have to go into Brisbane to the Large Public Hospital That Will Soon Employ Me to order my uniforms. This is not a huge deal except I'm starting my public transport experiment to see which combination of train and/or bus will get me there the most efficiently. There is scant parking available for nursing staff and what is there tends to flood so I'm not planning on driving in to work a lot.
After that I'm collecting the kids from school, taking Sparky to football training even though he isn't actually training - he hurt his ankle at yesterday's training - but as part of the "leadership team"... no they don't have a set captain but instead have 3 boys who rotate the job as well as being the leader in that area of the team... I know... Anyway because of that he feels he needs to be there to help the boys prepare for Sunday's game. And since I always make a big deal about team commitments I can't very well tell him he can't go because I don't feel like it. And then we come home and I go to work at The Large Grocery Store That Employs Me for 5 hours.
Oh, and it's Her Majesty's 6th birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday sweetie!!! I've baked two cakes, one for home and one for school - both are cooling as I type. And I have to book her birthday party before she kills me.
Thursday I'm heading in to Her Majesty's class to give a talk about what a nurse does. I'm terrified. Really - I will watch an emergency bowel resection without blinking but put me up in front of a bunch of 4-6 year olds and I'm shaking in my shoes. What am I supposed to say?? Her Majesty's teacher has asked me to come in my "uniform", so I'm breaking out my most colourful scrubs and heading in. Any suggestions about what to talk about?
After that it's a caffeine hit - one of my limited ones I assure you - and I'm off to do something with the mop of hair on my head. Then I'm sure I'll have errands to do before the school pick up, swimming lessons, dinner and work.
Can someone make my days longer please? Or make it possible for me to function on less sleep? Because I have so much to do, and so much more I want to do, but never enough time to do it in. How do some people out there manage it all?
Today's photo isn't mine, nor is it anyone in my family (although it would be soooo cool if he was):
That would be Neil Armstrong, shortly after he WALKED ON THE MOON on the 20th of July 1969!!!
Just think about that for a second - this man walked across the surface of our moon. How many people do you know who have never even left their home state? This man walked on another world! How freakin' cool is that?
I love this picture, which I had never seen before. Look at his face - that's the face of a man who, frankly, looks like he hasn't had a good nights sleep in days and yet is totally excited over his accomplishment.
To see this and other photos related to the first moon landing 40 years ago next Monday, head over to The Big Picture. The pictures will blow your mind and make you wonder, just for a minute, why we stopped exploring and how mankind is capable of great things when we put our minds to it.
If you remember the moon landing - I still had 5 months of gestating to do so I missed out - I'd love for you to leave a comment about your memories and what it meant to you.
UPDATE: Mumfies sent me these pictures that her father took on that historic day - big news Down Under as well:
Remember my stomach pain a few weeks ago?
Well I still don't have a definitive answer for it. My GP is fairly certain it was my gallbladder causing all the problems but by the time I got in for an ultrasound on the Thursday (the onset of the pain was Sunday) there were no signs of inflammation. Just gallstones, sitting there all innocent like. The GP thinks maybe I passed a stone and by the time I got in - because I'm stubborn like that - it was all quiet. And it is much better now - just a bit tender and the occasional twinge over on the right side. And belching. Man can I burp with the best of them now.
However... the ultrasound turned up a couple of areas on my liver that bore further investigation. When you read the ultrasound report and see the word "lesion" you freak out just a tiny bit. But only a tiny bit because my blood levels were all good, I had no other symptoms and primary liver cancer is really really rare. But I had to go in for a CT scan, with contrast.
And that? Was freaky! The hot flash I got when they injected the contrast dye was like nothing I've ever felt before. At least I can take that experience back to my patients someday.
My liver is fine. Well not exactly fine but nothing that's going to kill me in the next six months. One lesion turned out to be fat - yes I have a fatty liver. Great. Just like my ass and thighs. Since I started modifying my diet after the last health issue, and my cholesterol is on the way down, I just really need to get off my fat liver and add exercise to the mix. The other lesion is likely a hemangioma - essentially a benign liver mass made up of a tangle of blood vessels. I'll have another ultrasound in 3 months to measure it again and if it hasn't changed it's all good.
However... the CT scan found problems in my uterus. Specifically fibroids and some type of lesion - probably a cyst (the actual wording was "partially cystic subserosal lesion" for those whom paraphrasing won't due) or another fibroid. And my uterus is "bulky", which to my way of thinking is just another way of saying fat, like my liver, ass and thighs.
So I went in to find out why I was having pain in my upper abdomen and I leave facing a possible hysterectomy.
Now this is the worst-case scenario, but I must admit I'm not fussed by it. Yes I have been having symptoms and was going to bring it up with my GP when I went in to get the results of my repeat cholesterol - which was due this month - but had no idea why I was having the problems (no, I'm not sharing them with you - TMI). There are other treatments, but I need to have an ultrasound to get more details. I will have both ultrasounds in 3 months time.
As I said, I'm not bothered by the thought of a hysterectomy. I'm done with my uterus, and so long as they leave my ovaries to control my hormones I'm good. The Hermit, however, is bothered by it and I'm not sure why. I don't know if my attitude bothers him, or surgery in general, or what it is. He's not exactly forthcoming.
And I still don't know what caused the original pain! How frustrating. Fortunately I understand that medicine isn't an exact science, so I'm not angry with anyone for not being able to give me an answer. Frustrated, sure. Frustrated they keep finding shit wrong with me, but not mad. And there is a bright side - giving up caffeine, or cutting way down, has made my kidneys very happy. I couldn't handle them falling apart right now.
That's where I stand. Approaching 40 and falling apart, apparently. And - and this is the kicker - I've had 7 years of being at home with kids to have these issues and when does it start? Just when I'm about to start my nursing career again!!! Typical. But seriously, it could be a lot worse than it is.
... I'm behind again. Give me a few minutes and I'll get caught up.
There!!! Through the magic of time travel I've got Photo Friday and the Skinfest up. Just keep scrolling down...
Now to work on the next real one with words and such.
No banter this week as I'm really late in getting the blog done. Why can't I have a relaxing weekend? Why??? Right, 4 kids and a life... that's right.
Wolfman David Williams looks so much better when I can't see his silly beard...
Hellooooooooo Nurse!!!! Cameron Smith - the one we can see - and Ashley Harrison - the one with the nicer view.
Ummmmm, go Manly???
I know I promised more NRL cheergirl pics, but really... I'm behind people! Live with Alessandra Ambrosio you poor babies...I took this picture last year during the combination Art Show/Awards Night at Sparky's school (in which he got two sports awards). This was not his picture, but it was very Monty Python-esque and so I couldn't resist:
My good friend and neighbour Pats and I were supposed to go to the Sunshine Coast hinterland town of Montville today. So naturally it rained, and we had to change our plans.
We went to IKEA instead.
Now I admit I am a total IKEA whore. I love IKEA. OK, maybe not a total whore... I don't love absolutely everything. But I love enough of it to wish I had more money than I have at the moment. I find that most of their goods are well built and are good value for money. Some things I saw that particularly caught my eye today:
This would look totally awesome in Clive's new room...
... so long as it came with this.
This bench/storage unit would be great wherever the kids have toys... which is pretty much everywhere.
And this? Would look super cute in Her Majesty's room when it's finished.
I totally covet this desk.
And this bookcase. :::sigh:::
I would have no idea where to put this, but I still want it.
I could not resist getting myself a new friend, however.
Tell me I am not alone in my IKEA love.
Ever have one of those days where your mood is all over the board and you can't organize your thoughts? Yeah, me too. In the meantime here's something to give us all a chuckle, or a giggle, or a laugh:
Sorry I'm not in a better mood this morning, gang. At least you'll be spared my usual babbling and get right to the skin... maybe that'll improve my grumpiness:
Battered and bruised, nothing can keep the grins off the faces of Israel Folau, Willie Tonga and an overdressed Petero Civoniceva as they celebrate the Queensland smashing of the Blues in game 2 in State of Origin.
The Shirtless Wonder Darren Lockyer, with more hair on his chest than on his head. Ask me if I mind...
Eels front rower Fuifui Moimoi (his real name) looking all chesty and tattooed.
I think the middle girl is praying "Please let me have a sandwich tonight". Dragons cheerchicks.
