When Warren Buffett was asked why he would give almost all his wealth to Charity he replied, "We live in a country where a person who can walk out into a ring and knock someone out in 02 seconds can make 10 million dollars, and be considered a hero, yet I believe our Heroes are Nurses and Firefighters, and people that make a difference everyday."



I am not trying to get compliments...I am just happy about what he said and really to put things into perspective.

Today was the fourth day of the work week. I am getting tired and my orientation is getting harder, more detailed, and more Nursing oriented.

I was in meetings all day and I hate meetings but these were really informational and productive. I met all the E.T.'s (enterostomal therapist nurses) who are certified as wound care and ostomy specialist nurses...they shared some of their patient stories and I was truly amazed at the level of care they administer. My E.T. (on my team) has a complex patient who has 9 gun shot wounds. There is another patient who is a paraplegic from an old gun shot that has deep and multiple wounds, bed sores (decubiti) and MRSA (that infection that is resistant to antibiotics and spreads easily)(It is becoming a national problem). He lives at home with his wife and 5 year old daughter with no regard to safety, cleanliness or preventing the others from getting MRSA...it can be deadly if not treated. Anyway...I was blown away..so to speak. And I secretly hoped I did not get those patients.

Chicken! I'm new, remember?

I oriented today with a "travel nurse" from Arkansas. This was her first home care job as she always did Hospice home visits which is totally different. This was her first travel job. She is 62 years old and drove for 3 days from Arkansas to Philadelphia to work here for 15 weeks. It is just her and her dog..she is living in the far suburbs nd travels all the major highways in the area to get to work. Her territory will be South Philly which is where I live. I told her a bit about it and she remained with a painted smile the entire conversation. She finds the city very interesting and very different from her "country-like" community. She said it isn't unusual for a family member to answer the door(in Arkansas) with a shotgun just because they do not know who the person is at the door...but shootings rarely occur.

She was interesting.

Then another nurse told us about a case she took...a young man, 39, was diagnosed in June (06) gastric cancer. It was August of 2006 when she met him. He refused hospice. He had metastatic (traveled to other sites)cancer also. He was in the hospital for a couple of days so his wife had her OB/GYN doctor induce her so she could deliver their 5th child before he got home (or passed away). When he arrived, his new daughter was there waiting. There were boxes of enteral feedings on one side of the room and formula and diapers on the other side. The Mrs. had to care for 4 children under 12 and a newborn and had to learn how to give intravenous medication and do tube feedings. He also needed to have his pain managed. He was also a juvenile diabetic and she needed to learn all of that, too. He came to Penn for a cure. Lots of people do..when all the other resources fail to help, they seek experimental studies, research, experts, and HELP. This family was the devoted Irish Catholic type with strong faith, and a large extended family who shared help and love and time freely. Nuns from their parish started to appear several times a week at their home helping with the children, the laundry and the patient. This man, at some point, admitted the possibility of imminent death. It bothered him to know he would not dance with his daughters at their weddings.

After a couple of weeks the nuns threw a mock wedding at the church hall for about 50 family members and close friends. After properly dressing him in a tux and his daughters in beautiful dresses, they arranged for special hair dos for his wife and children and a limosine and a real live band played songs for him to dance with each daughter. Pictures, videos, and tears were abundant.

He died the day before Christmas Eve..all the kids were at the funeral.

Needless to say, I was crying in orientation.

SO, I left today wishing I do not have to see patients like this for a while. Needless to say...thank God tomorrow is Friday.

I love my new employer. I know it's only been 2 days and I am hoping it lasts but I feel like I found a soul mate.

They constantly say they strive for perfection without seeming arrogant or condescending. They expect all employees to act utmost professional and will work with each one of us to help bring us to the highest level of professional development we can achieve. Orientation was a tinsy bit boring but I was really impressed with the thoroughness and genuine friendliness and professionalism of every employee I met: guards, electricians, construction workers, HR, other nurses, physicians, etc... They seem proud and confident and dignified. The benefits were explained to us like they are trying to make our jobs as comfortable as possible. Every available favor is offered.

Also, the campus and area is beautiful. It's full of students and researchers and PEOPLE and trees and old buildings and new buildings. The diversity of ethnicities is astonishing. I hear languages I cannot even decipher (like when in NYC). Under trees, on lawns and on benches people are reading and studying.

University of Pennsylvania receives over 200 million dollars a year in research funds and grants. It is in the forefront of discoveries and innovative clinical procedures. Pennsylvania hospital (same system) was the first hospital in the NATION discovered by Benjamin Franklin. The first surgeries were done with sunlight as the primary source of lighting filtered through sky lights. It also was the place of the first Nursing School in the U.S.

Philadelphia is rich in American history. Growing up here I kind of took it for granted: the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross's house, founding fathers houses and meeting places. It is exciting to understand the relevance of the city I inhabit. Philadelphia is also rich in Medical history. University of Pennsylvania is one of the top universities IN THE WORLD. Ahead of Europe, Asia, China. It isn't located in NYC or Chicago or Houston or California. It is right here!!!!! Patients come from all over the world for expert surgeries, transplants, procedures and research hope.

Philadelphia has many wonderful universities and other impressive hospitals. They all have their niche.

CHOP is another example of a top research and treatment center for children. It is #1 in the world, too.

I bought a Penn t-shirt today. I am so excited.

....and when I got home my husband had a gourmet dinner ready and my fresh fish order was delivered (by my best friend Billy)and he put it all away in neat little packages in the freezer and refrigerator.

dinner:
tuna carpaccio with scallions, capers and extra virgin olive oil, toasted Italian slices on the side, tuna, cooked rare and served cold with cucumber slices and chopped tomato; chelean sea bass..cooked to perfection carmalized on the outside and buttery but firm on the inside served with a corn (cut off the cob) and sauteed pepper dish...like a hash, tossed salad. Delicious!

"Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.

Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.

"May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem, and may you live to see your children's children. " Psalm 128

I was listening to a radio show. The show was about food! Something normal and nice. A question was presented to the audience. Have you ever eaten over the sink? People flooded the lines. Some answers were pathetic like the girl who lives alone and has no friends who eats her entire dinner over the sink in 5 minutes so not to dirty a dish or go through any cooking trouble. Lots of answers were funny.

Of course my own family's business should be private but .....I do not believe in secrets!

lol

My first thought was my father. The man eats loads of food directly over the sink. He coughs and chokes and even enjoys himself. He used to hide treats from us too, when we were kids, but that is a whole different secret revealing blog (I know the hiding spots). The most memorable time was when he plucked piping hot corn on the cob from boiling water and ate it as it was being rinsed by cold running water directly under the faucet at the sink. It makes me crack up when I remember him trying to get that corn eaten. I really don't know how he didn't drown.

The man is completely nuts.

And I am his offspring.

UT OH!