no sugar added

I bought some apple sauce with no sugar added to make some banana bread. I didn't end up using all of the apple sauce in the bread so I decided to have some as a midnight snack. I can't say for sure because I'm not sure what my face just looked like with the first bite, but I can imagine it looked a little bit something like this :

Yet I keep eating it!

Work has been rather slow lately...the days I actually go to work that is. I have been called off a lot due to our low census. Our floor hasn't really filled our bed space like they had anticipated. Given, this is a good thing-meaning less sick people but let's get real, the hospital is still a business trying to make money. And I'm a nurse who likes making money :) . As before mentioned, our floor is made up entirely of new graduate nurses like me. I have been asked by one of my superiors to train a new member of our staff come the middle of January. I am not too sure that this is a grand idea due to the fact I am not sure what I have to teach the new guy seeing as I am still new myself. I do enjoy many parts to my job, and there are many parts that I wish change would come about. Don't be surprised if you guys don't see me in Gainesville come 6 months from now.

Tomorrow night I am getting in a car to drive 9 hours to North Carolina to meet a few of my intern buddies from this summer. We are having a little new years get together! It will be great to see their faces again and get to catch up. I love long car trips. Something about them give me peace. I think its all that option of silence and time to think. I'm excited for the get away and for the fun events Stewart has planned! Our new years is going to be a themed party. The attire has yet to be determined. Pictures will be posted upon my return.

Can I be yo' baby Mamma!?

My friend Tammy and I were walking around Walmart last night around 3 am only to remember just how great late night walmart runs are! As we were walking around and playing in the toy aisles we were discussing the name my friend chose for her new baby girl- Lucy Mathew Eden Cruse. Tammy and I weren't making fun of the baby's name per say but we were sad because she's going to get an ear full from her friends when she's older. As we were talking, a woman from behind a Christmas tree (a walmart worker putting out more decorations on the shelves) jumps out to contribute to our conversation. "Oh, YOU think that's bad?! Well, giiirl, let me tell you. I gots this friend from high school, yeah, and I went to her baby shower and I had axed her 'What are you gonna name your baby?'. Do you KNOW what she told me?! She done gone named her baby Marijuana Cocaine Johnson. And yo' ears ain't broke. She named her baby girl Marijuana Cocaine! I axed her why she was gonna name her baby that and she told me it's what she loves the most and she loves her baby too." Tammy and I looked at each other and agreed that Matthew wasn't all that bad. We tried to continue our 3am shopping when the woman continued.. "But that ain't the worse! My nephew by 2nd husband has a baby. He done gone named his baby girl Tarantula. He named his child after an inseck! So support your friend for her name choice cuz it ain't that bad." I think I might have peed my pants a little at this point. The lady herself was cracking me and Tammy up, but the way she just kept shaking her head and saying Tarantula under her breath just got me.

The most rewarding night yet

The last few times I have written about work have all been pretty depressing. I have had even more bummer stories that I spared the few who read this blog. Work is pretty dull lately. A lot of sitting and staring off into space. We have a floor with 24 beds on it. A considerably small floor I suppose. On our unit we have had max 8 patients in the past week. On Thanksgiving night we had 5 patients with 4 RN's and a PCA. We were WAY over staffed! YES, it is fantastic that people aren't sick, burned, and spending their time in the hospital on Thanksgiving. I agree 100%. But it sure makes for a hard 12 hours of work. There is no amount of caffiene that will keep you awake at that point of boredom! Tonight I have a total of 3 patients to care for. This is RARE! Typically I get up to 5 or 6. Instead of spending most of my shift staring at the wall, (usually patients are sleeping) I have had the opportunity to talk to my patients about their lives. You know- the caring part about nursing that really got me into it in the first place. Working night shift is not the most oportune time to build relationships with patients and families. Tonight I discovered one of my patients (who has been a fairly difficult patient in the past) was a nurse in the navy for 27 years! We spoke about her faith and the many places she has traveled. She assumed I was married, when I told her I wasn't, she assumed I at least had kids. She was shocked when I told her I was 23 and with out both. Aparently I am behind. One of my other patients had a rough day yesterday. His wife and daughter were by the bedside and were certain that he was going to die tonight. They had their pastor come in to read him his last rights. After going into his room many times where he had nothing to say to me because he was so tired he finally woke up and felt like talking. This 79 yr old man made me cry! He spoke about the love he has for his wife and daughter. "It's beyond passion, like it was when we were young! We have a mature love for eachother where we are intertwined" is just some of what he said. He spoke about a curse that has been over their entire family. No male has ever lived to see 80. His birthday is in May. Under my breath I tried to break that curse and encourage him that it's just around the corner. There is so much more to say, but not enough time to write it. All in all, I fell in love with this old man tonight. A love that was different. Tonight I was a nurse and it felt good.