Leaving the Loony Bin

So it only makes sense that our neurosurgery/neurology (brain/back surgery and stroke) patients might be a little loony sometimes. Anything goes wrong with your brain and things start to get a little bit coo-key. Remember that one patient I mentioned a while back who somehow had a bag of marijuana smuggled into the hospital and he hid it in the sugar drawer at the coffee station? Well, HEEEE'S BACK. Last time he was admitted he was one of the most inappropriate patients I had ever had-trying to cop a feel when I'd lean over to listen to his heart and lungs with my stethoscope. Last night he tried to hug me at least 3 times and asked me out 4x which is a lot less than his last admission. Oy vey! Tonight is my last night as a floor nurse. Starting monday I become an ICU nurse. How weird/cool is that!?

Ventriloquist Evangelism

A of week ago I was driving down 34th street and turning onto Archer Road when I saw this strange figure between the cars on the median in the middle of the road. I drove up closer and stopped at the light to turn left and there he was- A man with a sign condemning everyone to hell if you don't turn and repent now! on his back, an umbrella hat, and to make things just a little more interesting a ventriloquist doll proclaiming the gospel. Growing up in church, I had always seen puppets being used to teach Sunday school lessons and help children relate to bible passages somehow through furry hand socks, but I had never even thought I'd see the day where I could be evangelized via drive by. I wish I had also gotten a picture of his RV that was covered in print just like the sign on his back. It was quite a story to tell people the day I saw this man, but when I was leaving work the other morning I saw him again! This time he saw me pull out my iphone to take his picture and he started walking towards my car. I hope this ventriloquist evangelism picks up across the world!! He's obviously getting the attention from distracted drivers like me.

The News

There has been a lot going on in the life of Kathy in the last few months. But before starting with my news, I wanted to briefly talk about what's been going on in the national news.

Most people have heard about the crazy pastor in Gainesville who is talking about burning Qurans with his tiny cult-church. 9 years ago on sept 11, I was a freshman in high school watching the twin towers be struck by the second airplane while I was in the cafeteria eating lunch. Everyone was so concerned about the terrorist attacks

, but I was convinced that it was not very likely that the Taliban would blow up my hometown of Gainesville. There was never any reason for the Taliban or any Muslim extremist to even know where Gainesville was on a map, UNTIL NOW! This crazy extremist who calls himself a follower of Christ, Pastor Terry Jones, has now put Gainesville on the rad

ar and made my life HELL. Its all the talk around Gainesville and the hospital because we have been put on high alert and have been made aware that if something were to happen all hospital staff will be "on call". My anxiety level has been sky high.

Nuff about that, lets get on to the more important news. Just to update those across the country who might read this blog who I haven't spoken with in a while, much has changed in the last few months as far as my home, my roommate, and now my job! I have 3 more shifts on the burn/plastics/neuro floor before I move on over to the pediatric intensive care unit on Monday the 19th. This is what my heart has always wanted and d

reamed of. I applied to the Burn ICU and was almost certain I was going to get the job. Well, to my surprise I didn't! Thank God though, or I would have missed out on the amazing opportunity to be a peds nurse. My new home and roomate(s) are great. I have never lived with a stranger before. Well she wasn't quite a stranger, more like a friend of a friend who was practic

ally a stranger because we had only spent about a total of 3 hours together. I had no idea what to expect. I was excited because there were no expectations. If she was a sloppy mess who never spoke to me and just inhabited the same apartment and paid her rent then I could find a way to deal. Turns out she and our other roommate (her small chihu

ahua Molly) have become not only co-inhabitants of a living area, but I'm rather fond of the both of them as well. I mean, who wouldn't love a Cuban with a Mexican dog, who is funny, pretty, makes banging awesome dinners, and keeps things interesting around the house? Props to Christina Palau. I will leave you with a few pictures of my new apartment that I LOVE! Props to Aly Kee for helping me pick out an awesome comforter set for my bed!