ShesThatRNspiration

So, I was looking through my contacts in my cell phone just now and saw my mom and nephew’s cell phone numbers still programmed in there as they’ve always been. I’ve mistakenly called both numbers before and I’ve called both intentionally just because. Now I understood that “THEY” would not answer but sometimes I think about them so much that I want to hear their voices and imagine what it would be like if they could pick up. I won’t delete their numbers because it feels like I’ll be deleting part of my memory of them. As nurses, or at least from what I remember in nursing school, grieving has many steps to the process. I always thought they came in a specific order like they’re documented in texts, but they don’t. Everyone is different and grieve differently and at different times. So, I don’t beat myself when I get the overwhelming sense to cry or be sad or fall apart, I just let myself have that moment. I don’t think you really think about these kinds of things until they become personal to you. Then it personally affects you and you understand the process a lot better. I’m still grieving my mother and nephew’s death from a little over a year ago. They died a month apart, but the sting is still there to this day. One day at a time Sharon, one day at a time:)

Until next time,

ShesThatRNspiration

So, I was so tired yesterday that I was having back spasms, neck pain and shoulder pain. Nothing new for me because it always happens when I’m extremely tired and/or stressed. I get to bed early only to wake up a few hours later and not be able to get back to sleep. Going to bed at 9pm and waking up at 12:47am defeats the whole purpose of trying to get caught up on my rest. Now, I must say that usually I awaken for a reason like the need to pray or talk to God but last night it didn’t feel like God was trying to speak to me. Instead, it felt like restlessness because I tossed and turned the next couple hours until tada it was time to get up. Of course I was dragging and now I’m here at work feeling like I want to lye my head down and take a nap. Good thing is today is a half day so I’ll get to go home a little early and maybe take a nap before the real deal. Lack of sleep is ineffective for a productive day. It impairs driving, concentration, awareness, and productivity. I hope today is not a repeat of yesterday.

Until next time,

ShesThatRNspiration

I wonder how many times patients go into the doctor’s office, urgent care center, or ER and leave feeling like they weren’t taken care of properly. Healthcare is a hugely profitable business and healthcare costs are steadily rising. I had a conversation with a family member today because of course, I’m the nurse and so everyone talks to me about what’s going on with their health. She went to urgent care for a migraine she had for more than a week. The urgent care doctor sent her to the ER because he said he used to be an ER doctor and they’ll want to do a workup, hydrate her, and give her medications so that she could feel better. She only took this route because she hasn’t been able to get a doctor’s appointment with her new primary care doctor. Well, she starts telling me how the ER was jammed packed and they were in such a rush. This is probably true for most ER’s because they are not just dealing with emergent situations, they have become the primary care setting for a lot of patients. She said she was seen by the doctor for probably less than 5 minutes, given a prescription for Reglan without any explanation as to what it was and sent on her merry little way with no relief of her symptoms and wondering what Reglan was for. Before leaving she asked the nurse what the medication was for and was told it was for nausea which is something she had been experiencing but what about the other symptoms like the week-long migraine? So, this consumer left without feeling she had been cared for which is something I think all nurses can attest to happening more than we care to admit. What are some suggestions or solutions to this widespread problem?  Patients pay astronomical costs for a short visit that doesn’t resolve their primary reason for showing up in the first place so what scar does that leave with them? This is an example of how we must advocate even more so for our patients to get the best quality care they can receive. We understand the hustle and bustle and the tremendous and exhausting time, effort, and energy it takes but we must find a way to do it. In fact, I know because I was an ER nurse.  And I know I will leave a practice if I go in and don’t feel like I’m important but rather just another number. For me, it is important that I provide the care I would want someone to offer me. I understand that with some people you have to step back and assess how they want to be treated and not how you want to treat them. However, overall I think most patients/consumers come in because they are sick and in need of safe and effective care which we should be providing. Not an easy conversation, but I’d love to hear other health professionals’ perspectives on how we can provide more effective care to our patients in an efficient manner and what this looks like in terms of how nurses can be more successful as advocates for their patients. Thanks for listening, now let’s talk.

Until next time,

ShesThatRNspiration

I’m realizing more and more that not everyone will get your vision or what you’re doing. You have to move past those people and situations and keep your focus. Don’t lose your traction due to distractions (my dad told me that a few years ago). You have to stay the course, whatever that course is for you. There will be ups and downs and I know this personally for myself. Not everyday will be great and not everyday will be hell on earth, but the day “WILL” be what you decide and make it be. You can’t expect others to see or understand what God has given you to do. I don’t expect that anymore but other people’s opinions whether they meant them for harm or good, have changed how I moved and the decisions I made about things directly affecting me and my life. So, now I’ve learned not to share so much of what I am or am not doing. People will see your progress as you evolve. I am so excited about the things that are going on with me. I don’t always feel like I’m on cloud 9, but I do not lose focus of what I am meant to do. My journey, my story, my blog, and everything else that’s coming in the future is all apart of my ministry and my purpose in life. Don’t be discouraged, don’t get down, don’t lose hope, your moment is here and now. Live in it!

Until next time,

ShesThatRNspiration

I was busy today cleaning and cooking but mostly cleaning. It was getting late and I was starting to feel tired from going at it all day. My back was hurting and my knees were aching, but I forged forward to get my Christmas tree up and decorated. As I moved along moving furniture around with my youngest son’s help I was able to get it done. Afterward, I sat in the recliner looking at how beautiful the lights were on the tree. I absolutely love the lights on a tree. I used to sleep downstairs on the couch just to fall asleep watching them as a child. But as I sat there, I began to think of the last time my mom sat in that recliner looking at the same tree (it’s a beautiful artificial tree). It took me back to how I would wrap her in blankets and put her feet up so she could fall off to sleep. I began crying and praying and just being thankful at the end of it all that I had such wonderful memories to recall. It felt sad at first but when I think about all the amazing things we did like joke around with each other, laugh, sing and pray together I was able to smile. I never really ever stop to think about the things that trigger me whether it’s good or bad. Tonight, I realized that putting up the tree and sitting in the recliner triggered memories for me that made me nostalgic, that made me cry, that made me sad, and when it was said and done, it made me smile with so much adoration for the woman and mother she was. I spend so much time holding things in and making sure I don’t stop to feel things that when it happens, it’s like a total meltdown. I think many nurses experience “holding it together” in various aspects of our lives and also like many nurses we have our moments to fall apart and gracefully put the pieces back together again. Remember, it’s okay to not be okay even though much of society or family teaches us that crying is a sign of weakness and you never let em see you sweat. Honey please, sweat, cry, dry your eyes and come back stronger than ever. I hope this helped someone to know you’re not alone because there are many of us who never speak on it but it is still very much a part of how we operate. Have an incredible Monday….it is Cyber Monday so don’t go overboard spending all your money:} Peace and Blessings.

Until next time,

ShesThatRNinspiration

Hey hey hey everybody. We are in the season of the most celebrated holidays and for some it is amazing and for others, it’s a struggle. How many of you/me have checked on your loved ones, family, friends who are the strongest and most resilient all the time? I’ll be the first to admit that I am “that person” the strong, resilient person there for everyone else. However, I’ll share a secret with you, I am also that person who suffers depression at times especially special holidays when you think of the ones that have passed or people, places or things you may have a loss in other ways. Yesterday was Thanksgiving and of course there were so many reasons to be thankful for but still, I felt sorrow over losing my mom and nephew and holidays can be quite difficult. Well, today is my birthday and I didn’t feel like doing anything so I slept my day away. My day consisted of eating, showering, lying in bed with my computer playing anything I wanted to watch on HULU and sleeping. I’ve been saying I’m going to get up and do this and that but the truth is I didn’t feel like celebrating me. Oh no, no need to feel sorry for me because I don’t, I know when I go through things or am feeling certain kinds of ways I shut down. Is it healthy? no, but it’s what I do BUT, I just decided to get up and write about it, share it, and hopefully, inspire others to sit in it if you must, but get up, wash your face, brush your teeth and do something productive. For me, writing equals productivity and I love to do it. It comes easy for me but I don’t always want to do it. So, I am thankful that even though I lost two very special people, I have very special memories of them. I was able to cry tears of sorrow as well as joy when I thought of the moments we shared and just how much they really enriched my life. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and if for some reason you didn’t, or you too are feeling somewhat depressed, I pray that you will find that one happy moment to remember and allow that to soothe your soul and make you smile. Don’t forget, get up and get back to things once you’ve taken that time you needed to just sit and be.

Until next time,

ShesThatRNspiration wishes peace, love, and joy!

Hey guys, I have neglected to blog because, well, I guess life happened. I have had so many things going on the past year or so that I allowed myself to go through periods of depression and sporadic upbeat moments. So, what’s your excuse? LOL. Well, I am planning to implement blogging back into my every day/week/monthly must do’s. So, here I am and hopefully I can capture and keep your attention while you journey with me through my life as a nurse. Drop some suggestions for what you’d like to talk about and let’s have a conversation. For now, I lost my mom to breast cancer, my family was in a war, there were periods of depression, I felt lost and alone and so I kinda shut down. I’ve been really working on gaining control of Sharon, getting my business started, working on setting and maintaining my goals, DNP school, raising my senior in high school, and blah, blah, blah. Stick with me cuz we’re gonna take some rides on this roller coaster called life. I appreciate you and I’m back.

Hey guys, I’m back and boy have we got things to talk about. Whewww…..nursing and management and leadership definitely took its toll on me. The last gig I had, took me on a roller coaster ride that landed me on a psych unit getting professional help for things I could no longer control. NOW, before you say “Oh my God, she was on a psych unit?” Yup….I was and guess what there were other nurses there as well. You know why? Because life happens and for some of us it happens to knock us off our feet for a moment and because we really want to be better, we determine that it’s okay. That’s just it guys, it’s okay. I don’t want anyone, and absolutely none of my fellow nurses to ever feel that being a nurse means you’re superwoman/superman and in return your life will be flawless and perfect. What I’ve learned is that superwoman/superman needs time to process, heal, rebuild, restore, and soar. I have no shame in my experience. In fact, it gave me an opportunity to be a regular person with regular situations that built themselves up until it broke me down. I’ll go into more detail about that later, but for now….I’m back, refreshed a little, with some fight in me, and determination. But for right now……I thank God that HE always sees the best in me, when others see the worse. That He dispatched his angels to watch over me when I was so broken I couldn’t take care of myself, let alone my children. That He saw me at one of the lowest points in my life and He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed so tight that I couldn’t breathe. That what the devil thought would kill me, Jesus used to heal me. I am soooooooooooo grateful and eternally blessed for my God and His faithful, loyal, love toward me. Until next time……Have an amazing work week:}