RN2B...er RN!

Stand Up for Transverse Myelitis

2010-09-02T16:50:00.000-04:00

If you live in the Montreal Area please consider coming to this event on September 8th 2010!

Bourbon Street West
1866 Boul des Sources
Pointe Claire, Québèc
September 8th, 2010
@ 7:30pm

Proceeds of this event will go help send children and teens to the Victory Junction Gang Camp and to help establish the much need infrastructure support that has been missing for patients diagnosed Transverse Myelitis and other neuro-immunological disorders in Canada.

In addition to the comedy night, there will be a silent auction and a raffle where prizes will be given away. VIP seating will be arranged for those that wish to have dinner at Babaloo's Restaurant next door.
Tickets are $10 and you can call (514) 636-9337 or email Kimberley at kkotar@myelitis.org to arrange purchase in advance.
If anyone would like to help sponsor the event (donation of cash or prizes) or volunteer their time, please contact Kimberley at (514) 636-9337 or kkotar@myelitis.org.

Most insulting thing ever!

2010-04-21T14:29:00.001-04:00

DEAR LORD, THIS YEAR YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTOR, PATRICK SWAYZIE. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTRESS, FARAH FAWCETT. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE SINGER, MICHAEL JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT IS BARACK OBAMA. AMEN.

I see this on Facebook postings from certain "friends" I have online. I know everyone has their own opinion and I am not saying you have to like Obama, but wishing a person would DIE from Cancer or Drug overdose i just plain SICK!

RIP Bear Junior (BJ)

2010-02-12T19:29:00.002-05:00

Tonight, February 12 2010 BJ was put down as he was suffering from Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

He came to us as a stray 3 years ago, looking rough and tough. He quickly became my "baby", needing me to tuck him in at night, wrap him in his blankie and and kiss and cuddle him. He eventually let my mom pet him, but not my dad... he didn't like men at all!

He never bit or clawed us, just hissed when displeased. I will miss him dearly.

Love you for ever and always my Bee!

Some things are so true!

2010-01-14T16:21:00.000-05:00

Some of these are oh so true...specially #15...lol

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing $ucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive
for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear
I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever..

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail.

What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. My 6-year old grandson asked me in the car the other day "Grandpa what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the heck do I respond to that?

19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..

20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

Dawson Shooting made the top 10 news stories of the decade

2010-01-02T12:32:00.002-05:00

http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091217/mtl_decade_dawson_shooting091217/20091218/?hub=MontrealHome

I was there, and in some ways it feels like yesterday and in other ways it feels like a lifetime ago.

Help us find a cure for paralysis

2009-11-08T12:22:00.001-05:00

Take a look here, and browse through the stories.. donate $5 and help those of us affected by spinal cord injuries.
http://02e39ca.netsolhost.com/onedegree/index2.html

My story is there along with my picture :)

RIP Bear

2009-08-26T19:25:00.002-04:00

My big black beast Bear is sick and had to be put down. I love him so much and can't believe I am losing another cat so soon. He found us and it took a good 18 months before he came to live in the house for good. I had him for just over 6 years, the vet says he was close to 14 years old. I am glad that I was able to give him a good 6 years of love and cuddles and happiness. He was my little shadow and would cry when I left the house. RIP Bear, I love you! xox

What does TM feel like?

2009-08-03T13:53:00.003-04:00

I don't have MS but have TM (transverse myelitis), something related with many similar symptoms. Most people do not have a clue what it feels like or what I go through to get through a day. I walk with a cane and a full-length leg brace which while it allows me to walk also adds more weight and uses more energy.
I got this off another blog, it is not my own writing but I felt that it is accurate and worth sharing.

Another favorite of mine is the Spoon Theory, it can be found on this website:
http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/the_spoon_theory/
Please read it too!

MS Symptoms - What It Feels Like

When we say we can't do something because we don't feel well, put yourself in our shoes by using the examples of our symptoms below---

What You Can do To Understand Painful Heavy Legs... Apply tightly 20 lb ankle weights and 15 lb thigh weights then take a 1 mile walk, clean the house, go shopping and then sit down - how ya' feeling now?

Painful Feet... Put equal or unequal amounts of small pebbles in each shoe then take a walk.

Loss of Feeling in Hands and/or Arms... Put on extra thick gloves and a heavy coat then try and pick up a pencil, if successful, stab yourself in the arm.

Loss of Feeling in Feet and/or Legs... Ask a doc for a shot of novocaine in both of your legs and then try and stand up and walk.

TN (Trigeminal Neuralgia). ..Take an ice pick and jam it into your ear or cheek whenever the wind blows on it, or a stray hair touches it. If you want something easier to do, get someone to punch you in the jaw, preferably daily.

Uncontrollable Itching... Glue or sew small steel wool pads to the inside of your shirt, pants and undergarments wear them for an entire day.

Tingling... Stick your finger in an electrical socket - preferably wet.

Tight Banded Feeling... Put 12 inch wide belt around you and make is as tight as you can and leave it there for the entire day.

Shots... Fill one of our spare needles with saline solution and give yourself a shot every time we do our shot.

Side Effects From the Shot... Bang your head against a wall, wrap yourself in a heating pad, wrap your entire body with an ace bandage tightly then finally treat yourself to some spoiled food or drink.

Trouble Lifting Arms... Apply 20 LB wrist weights and try and reach for something on the highest shelf in your house.

Spasticity... Hook bungee cords to your rear belt loops and rear pant leg cuffs then for your arms hook bungee cords to your shirt collar and cuffs on shirt sleeves then go dancing.

Poor Hearing/Buzzing in Ears...Put a bee in each ear and then put a plug in each one...bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Balance and Walking Problems... Drink 100 proof grain alcohol and then sit and spin in an office chair for 30 minutes, now try and walk.

Urgently Needing to Pee... We put a .5 liter remote controlled water bag and drip tube in your pants, we point out 2 restrooms in a crowded mall, then we tell you that you have 30 seconds before we activate the water bag (by remote control) to get to a restroom. Just for spite we may make that 20 seconds without telling you.

Bizarre and Inexplicable Sensations... Place tiny spiders on your legs or arms and allow them to periodically crawl around throughout the day.

Pins and Needles... Stab yourself repeatedly with needles all over your body or better yet....Get a large tattoo.

Dizziness (Vertigo)... Get on a gently rocking boat all day and all night and take several walks around the deck.

Fatigue... Stay awake for two full days to induce incredible fatigue and then cook dinner, clean the house, walk the dog and see how you feel.

Bowel Problems... Take a 4 day dose of an anti-diarrhea medicine followed directly by a 3 day dose of stool softeners for a minimum of 3 weeks, at the end of 3 weeks sit down on a hard uncushioned chair and stay there till tears appeared.

Burning Feeling... Make a full pot of boiling water and then have someone fill a squirt gun with the boiling water and shoot it at yourself all day long. However, you can give us the pleasure of shooting you instead...optional of course.

Intention Tremor... Hook your body to some type of vibrating machine try and move your legs and arms.....hmmm are you feeling a little shaky?

Buzzing Feeling When Bending Our Heads to Our Chest (L'Hermitte's)... Place an electrical wire on your back and run it all the way down to your feet, then pour water on it and plug it in.

Vision Problems (Optic Neuritis)... Smear vaseline on glasses and then wear them to read the newspaper.

Memory Issues... Have someone make a list of items to shop for and when you come back that person adds two things to the list and then they ask why you didn't get them. When you come back from shopping again they take the list and erase three things and ask why you bought those things.

Foot Drop... Wear one swim fin and take about a 1/2 mile walk.

Depression... Take a trip to the animal shelter everyday and see all the lonely animals with no home. You get attached to one of the animals and when you come back the next day you come in while they are putting her/him asleep.

Fear... Dream that you have lost complete feeling in your feet and when you wake up wiggle your feet, just so happens they don't move. Think about this every night wondering whether something on your body won't work the next day.

Swallowing... Try swallowing the hottest chili pepper you can find.

Heat Intolerance or Feeling Hot When it's Really Not... You are on a nice vacation to Alaska. It's 35° outside and 65° inside. Light a fire for the fireplace and then get into it. Once you have reached about 110° tell me how you feel, even a person without MS would feel bad, now add all of the above symptoms - welcome to our world.

And Finally... After subjecting yourself to the items above, let everyone tell you that you are just under a lot of stress, it's all in your head and that some exercise and counseling is the answer.

Summer job

2009-07-07T14:00:00.003-04:00

Sounds like when I was a teen and had summer jobs like mother's helper. But no, I am working at the Children's hospital doing research in TB for a new TB test recently approved in Quebec (QFT: Quantiferon) . It's with a Public Healh PhD student and the Respiratory TB Clinic. I am amazed at how much TB there still is in North America, and I just have the kid's number let alone the adults still affected by it.
All I can say is YIKES!

You can read more about it here:
http://quantiferon.blogspot.com/2008/01/gamma-dynacare-launches-qft.html

It's been shown to be accurate in adults so now we need to see if it is in children as well.

National Nurses Week

2009-05-12T18:41:00.002-04:00

It's Nurses Week from May 11-17th
Happy Nurses week to all my fellow nurses! We have come a long way since the "Lady with the Lamp", but what we stand for has not change.

RIP Nadia 1996-2009

2009-04-20T12:33:00.006-04:00

My little cat Nadia died today. I got her for my 21st birthday, she was 6 weeks old and teeny tiny. She stayed pretty tiny too. She was such a little toughy. She would tumble down the stairs as a kitten and then jump back up to do it again. She could jump so high in the air too, well over 4 feet.
I will miss her so much, she was a real sweetheart. I love you Nan!
This is the last picture I took of her. Her last day with us, she looks peaceful resting on her paw like that.

Colds suck & Homemade Soup

2009-04-17T16:00:00.009-04:00

I have a cold.. last night had a fever. Today had a fever for a few hours, took Tylenol and feel better now. I decided to make homemade soup. My mom made homemade turkey soup with leftover turkey and veggies and rice. It was really good, but we ate it all. I decided to make another one with what I had.

SOUP

I bought 3 red peppers and an orange one and figured I should use them up before they go bad. I looked up a recipe for roasted red pepper soup and combined 2 recipes in one. It took me 2 hours! BUT it is so GOOD! I mean kick-ass yummy good! I am holding out to eat it for supper, but seriously could have had it now!

Ingredients:
4 Red peppers, roasted and chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 medium potatoes, diced and boiled
4 cups (28 ounces) chicken broth
1 tsp cayenne pepper or ground chili (more or less to taste)
2 Tbs Vegetable Oil

Roasted Peppers:
brush each pepper with veggie oil (not olive oil, it burns and smokes a lot)
place on silver tray on highest level oven rack
Oven should be at 450 F
Skin will bubble on peppers, turn them over with tongs and let skin bubble
takes about 30 min to do
Remove from over and place in bowl.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap to keep steam in, this will make it easier for skin to peel off.
Let cool for about 20 min.
Remove skin and remove seeds and membranes

Soup:
In a pot,
Add veggie and minced garlic and onions until softened
Add peppers and heat through
Add 4 cups chicken broth
Add Chili or Cayenne
Bring to a boil and let simmer 20-30 minutes

Add soup to blender in batches along with potatoes. Use a sieve to strain it after each batch and return to a pot and bring to a boil.
It took me 3-4 times through a blender to get it smooth.

You can add a dollop of sour cream to it as well when you serve it.

** potatoes can be replaced with 1/2 cup heavy cream
I used potatoes to thicken it as me and cream do not get along anymore...

For the pen lover..

2009-04-04T23:50:00.003-04:00

Those who know me, know that I own way more pens that anyone actually needs! I love pens.. cool pens that are different, not the standard Bic pen. I recently saw this site and have fallen in love!

http://www.jetpens.com/

What us BPI's can do!

2009-03-19T12:27:00.002-04:00

Progressing by leaps and bounds
Young gymnast overcomes birth injury with hard work
Loading multimedia...

DAVE LONDRES / Observer-Dispatch
Morgan Traut, 9, of Frankfort, pulls herself up on the uneven bars during practice Tuesday at Empire Gymnastics and Fitness in Frankfort.
advertisement
By MARQUES PHILLIPS
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Mar 18, 2009 @ 10:05 AM
FRANKFORT —

When she was 3 months old, Morgan Traut’s parents weren’t sure if she was going to be able to move her left arm.

Now, they sometimes are blown away as she uses that arm to vault herself into handstands and swing around the uneven parallel bars.

“We’re extremely lucky that she could be doing what she’s doing,” said her father, Rob Traut. “Honestly, we didn’t know if she’d ever be able to do anything like this.”

Morgan, a 9-year-old from Frankfort, was born with Erb’s Palsy, a birth injury that damages nerves causing paralysis of some muscles in the arm and shoulder.

Back then, the family drove to Syracuse to get their daughter the physical therapy she needed. The disability and its potential for recovery varies from person to person, so it was hard to know how far along Morgan would ultimately come.

“We looked forward to going,” said Kim Traut, her mother. “We were getting good news every time we brought her. We wanted to see what progress she’d make the next time.”

Even then, Rob said, he could see a gritty look on his daughter’s face. The parents agree they knew she was determined then, and it’s a trait she’s carried to the present.

“Most kids that do have a disability don’t move up as quickly as Morgan,” said Dawn Kochan, a coach and the owner at Empire Gymnastics and Fitness in Frankfort. “But that’s the work ethic, the determination and everything she’s willing to put into it.”

So, even though she just started gymnastics in September, Morgan already has won three medals, including a gold for the vault. She put them on the doorknob of her bedroom.

“I felt good when I won,” she said. “It makes you feel like you did something you can be happy about.”

Morgan’s left arm still is a bit crooked when she tries to do routines on the uneven bars.
She hates the uneven bars.

She knows she might have to go to a few more sessions of open gym to perfect her skills, but said she’ll ultimately be as good as anyone else.

“It makes it harder for me to do the bars,” she said. “Sometimes, the coaches have to help me more, but I can do it.”

In addition to gymnastics, Morgan also swims, skis and plays soccer. She used to take dance and played tee-ball. Her parents say she’s just competitive, and she hasn’t let her arm stop her from competing.

“She acts likes it’s not even a problem,” her father said. “You wouldn’t even know anything was wrong with her by talking to her.”

Not sure this is the same child or not, but look at this video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqhAY96nCVI&feature=related

Stem Cell Breakthrough

2009-03-05T11:40:00.004-05:00

http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090227/stem_cells_090228/20090302/?hub=MontrealHome

Canadians make stem cell breakthrough

Updated: Mon Mar. 02 2009 9:21:47 AM

CTV.ca News Staff

Canadian researchers have found what could be a new way to make embryonic-like stem cells, a discovery that could lead to cures for devastating conditions such as spinal cord injury and Parkinson's disease.

Previous methods to create embryonic-like stem cells have used a virus to help transform adult cells into pluripotent stem cells -- cells that can develop into most other cell types. But those methods carried the risk of damaging the cell's DNA. With damaged DNA, the cells often became cancerous or led to abnormalities.

This new method, described online in the journal Nature, uses a novel "wrapping" procedure to deliver specific genes to adult cells to reprogram them into stem cells, without damaging the cell's DNA.

Genetic researchers have long believed that stem cells could be the ticket to finding cures for a host of diseases, since they allow tissue to rebuild itself. The best stem cells come from embryos, which are rich in pluripotent stem cells. But the use of embryonic stem cells has been controversial.

This new simplified method does not require embryos and instead can generate stem cells from many adult tissues, including a patient's own skin cells, allowing for personalized therapies.

It uses a DNA sequence, called a transposon, that can move around within the genome of a cell to extract the cell's DNA and transform it into a stem cell. When it's done the DNA leaves the cell, leaving no trace of itself in the way that viruses sometimes did.

The transposon that seemed to work best is called piggyBac, which has been in use since the 1980s to genetically modify a range of organisms.

In this latest research, Dr. Andras Nagy, from the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, was able to use the piggyBac transposon to create lines of pluripotent stem cells in mouse and then human cells.

Nagy was able to make the breakthrough only after he joined forces with a team led by Dr. Keisuke Kaji from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine, at the University of Edinburgh.

Dr Kaji had found a non-viral method to deliver four genes in a single fragment into a cell genome. However, he couldn't figure out how to remove all trace of reprogramming from the genome.

Dr Nagy's group, meanwhile, had developed a system that allowed the removal of inserted genes without leaving a "footprint," but couldn't figure out how to deliver four genes into the same part of the genome.

The teams' breakthrough came when they combined their methods.

The research could transform stem cell technology and accelerate work in regenerative medicine, the field of research focused on finding ways for the human body to repair or replace its own damaged or diseased cells and tissues, says Dr. Jim Woodgett, Director of Research for the Samuel Lunenfeld Institute.

"What's critical about this work is that it makes it much, much easier for labs around the world to create these special cells and it will accelerate discovery," Woodgett told CTV Newsnet.

Dr.Michael Rudnicki of the Stem Cell Network of Canada finds the discovery fascinating and exciting.

"We now have the technology to derive these cells readily and in a way that will facilitate their use clinically," he said. "This is an important finding and is really a breakthrough."

Rudnicki says because the previous viral-based method caused genetic alterations that predisposed the cells to becoming cancerous, many of those cells couldn't be used. With this technique, the cells are undamaged and as good as the stem cells in our body.

"This discovery is going to be widely used," Rudnicki says. "I think it will prove to be the routine method used internationally."

Woodgett believes that within about five years, researchers will be able to use stem cells generated with this new method to research ways of treating kidney disease, heart disease and joint diseases, among others.

"Really, the potential applications are endless. That's why there is so much effort going into this field at this time."

This excites me more than you can ever know! Having a spinal cord injury really is tough to deal with at times, and lately I have had problems accepting that this is permanent... I am nearly at my 5 year anniversary of having Transverse Myelitis with subsequent sequelae and it truly sucks!

More SNOW!

2009-01-29T14:15:00.003-05:00

This is Bear Jr, after coming in from the snow... he was NOT pleased!

Now... can we please have NO MORE SNOW? It's enough already! I mean it! NO MORE! It's still snowing! The weather lady on the news last night said another 50 days of winter and that Montreal has already gotten over 67cm of snow, when the average is usually 52cm! YEAH, EWWW! And it's snowing again...

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-15T14:25:00.002-05:00

IF YOU SEE A FAT MAN ...

Who's jolly and cute,
Wearing a beard and
a red flannel suit,
And if he is chuckling
and laughing away,
While flying around
in a miniature sleigh,
With eight tiny reindeer
to pull him along,

Then let's face it...

Your eggnog's too strong!

Merry Christmas and
a Happy 2OO9

.

History was made

2008-11-05T11:26:00.002-05:00

What a night! Fantastic! I am not American, but do follow politics to a certain extent and was very pleased when Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States of America!

OIIQ Exam Results...

2008-11-04T22:29:00.002-05:00

Results are in, and while not quite the same hype as the USA election, the excitement is right up there!

I... PASSED! I am now officially an RN!

Thank you to all my friends/supporters/classmates/teachers!

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T12:04:00.002-04:00

One of these things is not like the others...

2008-10-22T15:32:00.001-04:00

Congrats Irene & Chad & WELCOME Justin!

2008-10-18T12:44:00.005-04:00

My friend Irene, who I used to figure skate with had a baby boy one month earlier than expected. Both Mom and Baby are fine and home and Justin is growing and is absolutely too cute for words! I cannot wait to finally meet him (they live in the USA). Here are a few pic of him.

Happy Turkey Day

2008-10-13T16:25:00.002-04:00

Some more funnies!

2008-10-13T15:59:00.002-04:00

Five Minutes

A hospital posted a notice in the nurse's lounge saying: "Remember, the first five minutes of a human being's life are the most dangerous." Underneath, a nurse had written: "The last five are pretty risky, too."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a busy Med/Surg floor the doctor stops the nurse to brief her on a patient's condition. "This patient is a fellow physician and my favorite golf partner. His injury is serious and I fear he will not be able to play golf again unless you follow my orders exactly." The doctor then began listing orders:
"You must give an injection in a different location every twenty minutes followed by a second injection exactly five minutes after the first. He must take two pills at exactly every hour followed by one pill every fifteen minutes for eight hours. He must drink no more and no less than ten ounces of water every twenty-five minutes and must void between. Soak his arm in warm water for fifteen minutes then place ice for ten minutes and repeat over and over for the rest of the day. Give range of motion every thirty minutes. He requires a back rub and foot rub every hour. Feed him something tasty every hour. Be cheerful and do whatever he asks at all times. Chart his condition and vital signs every twenty minutes. You must do these things exactly as I ordered or his injury will not heal properly, and he will not able to play golf well."

The nurse left the doctor and entered the patient's room. She was greeted by anxious family and an equally anxious patient. All asked the nurse what the doctor had said about the patient. The nurse started, "The doctor said that you will live." Then quickly reviewing the orders, the nurse added, "But you will have to learn a new sport."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A nurse dies and goes to heaven. She is met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter who asks her questions about her life. Over St. Peter's shoulder the nurse spots a man in a white coat sitting on a cloud with a stethoscope around his neck.
"Oh brother!", she cries. "Is that a doctor?"
St Peter glances over his shoulder and says, "No, that's God. He just thinks he's a doctor."

On a Lighter Note...

2008-09-26T16:09:00.002-04:00

Two nuns, Sister Catherine and Sister Helen, are traveling through Europe in their car. They get to Transylvania an are stopped at a traffic light. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a tiny little Dracula jumps onto the hood of the car and hisses through the windshield.

'Quick, quick!' shouts Sister Catherine. 'What shall we do?'

'Turn the windshield wipers on. That will get rid of the abomination,' says Sister Helen.

Sister Catherine switches them on, knocking Dracula about, but he clings on and continues hissing at the nuns.

What shall I do now?' she shouts.

'Switch on the windshield washer. I filled it up with Holy Water at the Vatican ,' says Sister Helen.

Sister Catherine turns on the windshield washer.

Dracula screams as the water burns his skin, but he clings on and continues hissing at the nuns.

'Now what?' shouts Sister Catherine.

'Show him your cross,' says Sister Helen.

'Now you're talking,' says Sister Catherine.

She opens the window and shouts,

'GET THE FUCK OFF THE CAR!'

OIIQ Exam

2008-09-17T17:03:00.003-04:00

Well, the time has come! I am taking the OIIQ Boards this coming weekend. The OSCEs are Sunday and the written is Monday. I do not feel prepared at all, and frankly fully expect to fail it this time around.. which if I do, is a huge waste of $500! BUT really, the prep book they sell us I find to be very lacking and has mistakes in it! (mainly b/c it is translated from the French).

The OSCEs are 16 scenarios, and the written is 100 short answer questions.. INSANE!

Wish me luck, those who pray, well pray away for me! All this stress to become part of the Order of Nurse and be able to write RN after my name!

Student Nurse Humour

2008-09-03T17:00:00.000-04:00

A male patient is lying in bed in the hospital, wearing oxygen mask
over his mouth and nose.
A young, student nurse appears to give him a partial sponge bath.

'Nurse', he mumbles, from behind the mask. 'Are my testicles black?'

Embarrassed, the young nurse replies, 'I don't know, Sir I'm only here
to wash your upper body and feet.'

He struggles to ask again, 'Nurse, please check. Are my testicles
black?'

Concerned that he may elevate his blood pressure and heart rate from
worry about his testicles, she overcomes her embarrassment and pulls
back the covers. She raises his gown, holds his manhood in one hand and
his testicles in the other. Then, she takes a close look and says,
'...there's nothing wrong with them, Sir!'

The man pulls off his oxygen mask, smiles at her and says very slowly,
'Thank you very much. That was wonderful, but listen very, very
closely...

'A r e - m y - t e s t - r e s u l t s -b a c k?

The Main Event

2008-08-15T12:58:00.004-04:00

I love watching Olympic Gymnastics, and this year was no different! The showdown for the Team event was USA vs China. China won, with USA in 2nd and Russia in 3rd. The AA was next, another showdown but this time the top two spots would be USA vs USA.

Nastia Liukin came out on top, Shawn Johnson in 2nd and Yang Yilin from China in 3rd.

Nastia: Silver Team, Gold AA, Silver Bars, Bronze Floor, Silver Beam

Shawn: Silver Team, Silver AA, Silver Floor, Gold Beam

8-8-08

2008-08-05T20:27:00.003-04:00

I am very excited! I am looking forward to watching the Women's Gymnastics events! Go Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin of Team USA!

Zanaflex-less

2008-08-05T20:20:00.002-04:00

Well, it's been 2 months without taking Zanaflex.. I hate not having it anymore, as it really helped with my spasticity. BUT, it was making my "good" arm very weak and useless.. I can't afford to have a 2 "bad" arms!

So now, without the drug, my arm is better (as the second EMG proved). NOW I am more spastic even with an increased dosage of Baclofen. Grrrrrr :(

Had my 4th round of Botox and for some reason this time they all hurt/burned while going in. Oh well, I just suck it up and deal as I know it's worth it in the long run.

R.I.P. Randy Pausch

2008-07-28T11:36:00.002-04:00

October 23rd, 1960- July 25h, 2008

Recap

2008-07-19T12:16:00.002-04:00

I have had a few people ask me WHAT happened to me that I became paralyzed and what has gone on since.. I posted a bit about it in my first post back in 2006, but here is more...

Ok, so how I became paralyzed.

4 years ago, March 17th I started to feel intense nerve pain, burning/tingling, between my shoulder blades. I thought it was from a pinched nerve or slipped disc, as I was a competitive figure skater and had had a few bad falls the week before and I taught pre-k and had had to scoop up and carry a heavy 4 yr old across the street to make sure he didn't get hit by a car the day before. (he had dashed into the street).

That night I took a hot shower and I went to bed and woke up at 2 am in worse pain, took another hot shower and went back to bed. Woke up for work the next morning, too another hot shower and felt weird, like I could not feel touch on my back. And the pain was a 20 on the 1-10 pain scale!

March 18th
I went to work (I know stupid, but I did not trust my TA to be able to handle the kids as she was nice, but could NOT discipline!). I only worked until 1pm anyway and then I would go to the clinic.

I made it to work, concentrating on each step I took. I felt like I could not walk well, like I had ants in my legs (kind of like having restless leg syndrome). Once there I lay down on the story-time mat and cried. I hurt so much, I knew I could not function. My TA walked in and I told her to get my boss. It was 8:30AM at this time. My boss came, finally, and said she would bring me to the walk-in clinic as she did not want to call an ambulance as she was afraid the kids would be scared (I know, Bitch..sorry, but ya). I got there around 9AM, and finally saw the MD at 9:45. At this point I could not walk well, felt like my legs would give out. I was on the examining table, and the MD was touching my spine, I could not really feel the touch and the pain was intense. She told me it was most likely a pinched nerve and gave me a few prescriptions and told me to come back Monday (It was Thursday).

Problem was I was leaving to compete at Nationals in Burnaby BC on Sunday and would be gone 10 days. I was freaked! All I wanted was a quick fix to get me through the competition. She told me to then get back to her when I came home, but to take it easy... ?? Ya, right, this is ME we are talking about!

I went to get down off the examining table, swung my right leg off, no problem, got my left leg down, and FELL. My left leg was paralyzed and I had had NO IDEA!

I was on the floor, the MD came running back in. I told her what happened and she called 911. They came and by that time, my stomach muscles had gone too! They took me to the hospital, at this point I could still move my right leg, not as well, but still had movement.

By 11AM, I was paralyzed from the breast-line down. They took bloods, x-rays and an MRI. By 11PM I had a diagnosis of Transverse Myelitis at T1, with some disturbance (sensory, migraines, nausea..) at C6-5, possibly higher. On the MRI you could see the inflammation at T1-T3. They did a lumbar puncture and another MRI later that week with contrast.

I spent 10 weeks in acute care (regular hospital, on the neurology was), where I was ok the first 5 days, then went downhill with extreme nausea, migraines... and was put on primary care (so I had the same team of 3-4 nurses all the time). I ended up getting C-Difficile, and stopped eating for fear of having to poop all the time again, even after the C-diff cleared up. I had a PICC line put in and was on TPN (IV "food") for 3 weeks. I was discharged May 27th. From there I went to a rehab hospital (IRM) after the 10 weeks, spent 8 weeks as an in-patient, then finally got home in July.

I was in a wheelchair and went to PT 3x a week (5x a week when in hospital and rehab hospital as an in patient). I worked hard. Went back to work as a pre-K teacher in September, 6 months after getting TM. I still had PT/OT 3x a week, along with the gym (where I did rehab they have a phys-ed program too, so you do PT and OT and GYM). This was now at Lucie Brunneau rehab hospital. I spent about 18 months going there for PT/OT/Gym/psych. I was tired.. all the time, but knew I needed to do this.

I got sick again in Feb 2005, not paralyzed, but extreme nausea, fatigue, migraines. Spent 3 weeks in hospital again, after being "sick" for 3 weeks at home/work. Lost about 30 lbs.. some of which I needed to lose as I had gained weight anyway being in a chair! LOL

March 1st 2005 I applied to nursing school, after having gotten out of the hospital 4 days earlier! I was still in a chair of course, but working hard to regain my ability to walk. I could, but not long.

I was accepted and as of June 18th I stopped using my wheelchair, unless it was to go to the mall or long distances. I used my cane and leg brace and worked on endurance and balance until classes started in late August.

And the rest, as they say is History!

Human Pincushion

2008-07-18T17:30:00.004-04:00

AKA EMG/Nerve Conduction Test take 2!

I had another EMG yesterday, to make sure my arm is actually getting better and I am not daydreaming that it is. and...

Lo and Behold, IT IS! YAY! The reason my arm lost function was in fact due to the Zanaflex I take. So now I am not taking it anymore, just taking the Baclofen and getting the Botox every 3-4 months. Not ideal, as my body reacted well to the Zanaflex (too well, I guess).
Oh ya, when the neuro did one in my hand (to see if a muscle distal to the problem was affected) I thought I would pass out, it hurt so bad! She hit the motor end-plate and the nerve endings there are numerous.

Global view of a neuromuscular junction:
1. Axon
2. Motor end-plate
3. Muscle fiber
4. Myofibril

Nurse Marieke :)

2008-07-11T16:51:00.002-04:00

Bedding for Health Professionals?

2008-07-05T16:06:00.002-04:00

Check this out... I found it at Ikea. For anything bigger than Twin size, the duvet cover has 2 people stenciled on it.

Bonne Fete Quebec!

2008-07-03T12:57:00.002-04:00

It's Quebec City's 400th anniversary!

Happy Canada Day!

2008-07-01T12:25:00.000-04:00

Convocation 2008

2008-06-20T16:42:00.002-04:00

NURSING SCHOOL IS DONE!

VACATION

2008-06-12T18:09:00.003-04:00

I have a few weeks off before I start working. I went to New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

I did a bit of shopping as usual and Saturday we went to see the Visa USA Gymnastics Championships (Nationals). We saw the Sr Women's Final for All-Around and Event Finals.

It was AMAZING to see live. Reminded me of when a friend of mine and I went to Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics.

I am glad that Shawn Johnson won, along with Nastia Liukin in 2nd place. I feel bad that Jana Bieger is being so poorly scored. Ridiculous!

RN2B to CPNP

2008-06-11T16:45:00.002-04:00

Well, I should change the title of my blog as I am now DONE with nursing school! I am not quite an RN yet, still have to write the OIIQ Board exam and Practical in September (20-22nd). For now I am a CPNP : Candidate to the Practice of Nursing Profession .

But much closer than when I started this blog... and I can FINALLY wear whatever colour scrubs I want! WOOT!

Update on EMG...

2008-06-04T19:27:00.004-04:00

I realize now that I forgot to update my post about my EMG and Nerve Conduction.

1) Yes it hurt in some spots, the first needle insertion I did not feel at all... the others I did!
2) The Nerve conduction part pinches and surprised me by that!

I was so tired that Friday, having been up since 5:30AM b/c I had my OSCEs that morning for school. I was only being picke up at 4PM from he neuro's office and I was done by 2:40PM, and had my Grad dance that night at 8PM! My neuro is sweet, she let me take a nap in the waiting room even after they were closed (she was still there doing work). I needed that nap too. I was up for 21 hrs that day!

She (neuro) did my right arm (3 spots), one spot in my left arm (deltoid only), and my right leg.

Well, the culprit to the shoulder weakness may very well be the Zanaflex I take, so am now no longer taking it. Damn! I liked it, it worked well for my leg.. too well I guess!

On the plus side, it may help me with the hypotension (low blood pressure) I have, Zanaflex tends to lower BP and mine is already low so of course the Zanaflex complicated it all the more. It may have also been weakening parts of my lower body more than needed too. My neuro increased my Baclofen from 60mg to 80mg to compensate for the lack of Zanaflex, but I seriously am noticing more spasticity. NOT HAPPY! I should be getting more Botox soon so that'll help.

On a side note: I am going to the USA for 3-4 days, VT, NH and MA. And I may be going to see USA Gymnastics National Champs in Boston on Saturday! YIPPEE!

Sex and the City!

2008-06-04T19:24:00.002-04:00

In honor of the SATC movie I bought a PINK & Sparkley drink shaker pictured below and a nice set of Martini glasses!

All Done!

2008-05-17T16:42:00.003-04:00

Well, I made it through the written final, the OSCEs and the EMG test my neuro did. Had the grad dinner/dance last night and it was great! It still doesn't feel real though.. I feel like I should be studying or something...

Last week or The End Is Near!

2008-05-12T22:46:00.002-04:00

Well, this is it! Last week of "school". Feels weird to think that after this week I will no longer need to think about studying, at least for a while! I will have to study for the OIIQ exam in September and no doubt I will have in-service and classes to study for once I start working in June, but really, i's not like school.. not like going to classes and doing clinicals. This is it! 3 years of hard work done and finished with!

I have my written final on Thursday and the OSCEs on Friday, both in the morning (so any of you out there who read this CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR ME!)

On another note... I had an MRI a few weeks back after I had seen my neuro in the ER because I had had some major weakening of my right arm (well deltoid and triceps). Kind of scary considering the TM attach 4 years ago was sudden and unforeseen. Of course, me being me, I freak out and think Oh great! I have MS... there goes 3 years of nursing school and hard work!

So had the MRI of brain/spine (C and T) and it's CLEAR! Yippee! Ok, so now what? My neuro has decided she was to perform an EMG.

"Electromyography (EMG) is a technique for evaluating and recording physiologic properties of muscles at rest and while contracting. EMG is performed using an instrument called an electromyograph, to produce a record called an electromyogram. An electromyograph detects the electrical potential generated by muscle cells when these cells contract, and also when the cells are at rest."

Sound like fun? Ya, didn't think so! I had at one point wanted one for my "bad" arm, the LOBPI to see what exactly was affected, but figured OUCH! No way! Sticking a needle into an area that is already hypersensitive would not be a great idea.. At least my right side isn't hypersensitive (much).

She called to tell me it's set for FRIDAY! Yup! THIS Friday.. same as my exam (OSCE). In the afternoon though... then that night I have the Grad 2008 dinner/dance! I just hope I am functional, if not, just prop me in a corner and give me a glass of something alcoholic! I plan on celebrating, one way or the other! LOL (No, I don't drink much, but really, it doesn't take much!)

I will post more about the EMG and dance and post pics of either one or BOTH events!

Time Flies

2008-05-04T16:57:00.001-04:00

Nursing School Friends 2005-2008

The Real World

2008-05-01T16:44:00.004-04:00

This is where I will be working.. for money.. no longer a student! Big hospital, where even after 3 months of internship I still get lost!

I will be working on he same floor too, Cardiac Surgery/Neurosurgery.

HAPPY EASTER!

2008-03-23T12:08:00.002-04:00

4 years ago today

2008-03-18T16:21:00.007-04:00

2004
2008
It's been 4 years since I was "hit" with Transverse Myelitis and paralyzed at T1 (and down). It's been like being on a roller coaster, ups and downs, and sometimes scary.
I went from being completely paralyzed from the mid-chest down to being paralyzed on the left side with the left leg being the most affected. Plenty of other functions don't work well (bowel, bladder, intercostal muscles...) and I have pain 24/7 and am a walking pharmacy, BUT, for the most part I don't let it get me down or stop me from doing what I want to be doing. Sure I have days (more lately) when I am sad and frustrated and wish it had never happened. But I can't change it and figure I have 2 choices... crawl in bed and do NOTHING or continue living the life I choose to live. I've never been one to give up or sit still for long, so I choose to live.

I walk with a long leg brace and a cane, and sometimes use my wheelchair. I get plenty of "poor you" looks from strangers and at times odd, insensitive comments too. Whatever!

I am in my last semester of my RN program and will be graduating this May (fingers and toes crossed). I never thought I would make it, yes I wanted to, but honestly had no idea if my body would let me. So far, so good!

I thank the nurses who inspired me and encouraged me to do this. I will never forget it, it means so much to me. THANK YOU!

Happy St-Patrick's Day!

2008-03-16T12:30:00.002-04:00

The S word!

2008-03-09T21:25:00.005-04:00

Enough Already Mother Nature.. we get it!
To date we have received 347cm of snow this season.. another 40 cm and we break the snowfall record of 1971 with 383cm! I for one, would NOT like to see that record broken frankly. We are supposed to have MORE snow though...

... and a pic of Bear Jr, the former outdoor kitty!

Just like my Sjoukje..

2008-02-28T11:40:00.002-05:00

Yet another add that I like..

2008-02-18T20:38:00.005-05:00

This one makes me laugh.. every time. Reminds me of the Mac adds for some reason.

Mac vs PC

And to make it even better... The UK versions, making fun of Nanny 911!

And yes.. I own a Mac and always have :)

Things I have learned.. so far!

2008-02-18T18:44:00.002-05:00

This semester has been interesting. I am doing my internship which consists of 4 days a week of 8 hour shifts.

So far I have taken blood samples (first time) and gotten the majority of them without busting the vein in the process or just plain missing!
I have done ECGs, one on my own, and gotten a good reading.
I have perfected my PEG/NG/Dobhoff feeedings (sounds easy, but trust me, some crushed pills are pains in the butt and can really block up the tube), that and I can now do it in record time (check for residual, flush, give med, flush some more..).
I've swabbed more things for MRSA/VRE/Other than I thought possible in one month time!
I am now mostly on my own, meaning no teacher (from school) following my every move!

It's nice, we get our independence and learn better that way too I find. We are assigned to be with 2 patients right now, we'll get 3 eventually...

My feet hurt, my back aches, and I end up with a massive headache.. BUT I love it!

Spinal injury regeneration hope

2008-02-17T11:06:00.003-05:00

How cool would this be? Not just for me, but for everyone with a spinal cord injury!

Scientists believe they are close to a significant breakthrough in the treatment of spinal injuries.

The University of Cambridge team is developing a treatment which could potentially allow damaged nerve fibres to regenerate within the spinal cord.

It may also encourage the remaining undamaged nerve fibres to work more effectively.

Spinal injuries are difficult to treat because the body cannot repair damage to the brain or spinal cord.

We are very hopeful that at last we may be able to offer paralyzed patients a treatment to improve their condition
Professor James Fawcett
University of Cambridge

Although it is possible for nerves to regenerate, they are blocked by the scar tissue that forms at the site of the spinal injury.

The Cambridge team has identified a bacteria enzyme called chondroitinase which is capable of digesting molecules within scar tissue to allow some nerve fibres to regrow.

The enzyme also promotes nerve plasticity, which potentially means that remaining undamaged nerve fibres have an increased likelihood of making new connections that could bypass the area of damage.

Boosts rehabilitation

In preliminary tests, the researchers have shown that combining chondroitinase with rehabilitation produces better results than using either technique alone.

What often happens in a clinical setting is that you don't get to see the results you would have liked
Paul Smith
Spinal Injuries Association

However, trials have yet to begin in patients.

Lead researcher Professor James Fawcett said: "It is rare to find that a spinal cord is completely severed, generally there are still some nerve fibres that are undamaged.

"Chondroitinase offers us hope in two ways; firstly it allows some nerve fibres to regenerate and secondly it enables other nerves to take on the role of those fibres that cannot be repaired.

"Along with rehabilitation we are very hopeful that at last we may be able to offer paralysed patients a treatment to improve their condition."

'Ground-breaking'

Dr Yolande Harley, of the charity Action Medical Research which funded the work, said: "This is incredibly exciting, ground-breaking work, which will give new hope to people with recent spinal injuries."

Paul Smith, of the Spinal Injuries Association, said medical advances meant that spinal injuries had ceased to be the terminal conditions that they often once were, but they still had a huge impact on quality of life.

However, he warned against raising expectation before the treatment was fully tested on patients.

He said: "What often happens in a clinical setting is that you don't get to see the results you would have liked."

In the UK there are more than 40,000 people suffering from injuries to their spine, which can take the form of anything from loss of sensation to full paralysis.

The average age at the time of injury is just 19.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7240898.stm

Published: 2008/02/17 00:01:25 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

Neat Collage of My Pics

2008-02-15T16:33:00.003-05:00

Two Little Monkeys

2008-02-07T17:39:00.001-05:00

Please take a look at this site, and please feel free to purchase a T-Shirt!
This is one medical issue I have and I know the person in charge of this site, she is a wonderful mom and spokesperson to raise awareness for OBPI (Obstetrical Brachial Plaxus Injuries).
Thanks!

http://www.twolittlemonkeys.org/AboutUs.htm

Don't Know Why, But It Makes Me Smile!

2008-01-18T19:18:00.000-05:00

Jeep Commercial on TV these days... and I found one made for Venezuela, same concept, different animals!

Tattoo II

2008-01-07T20:48:00.000-05:00

I got my tattoo today! I love it! I am glad that I did it. Thank you Melissa for coming with me! You are one amazing person and friend!

10 Years Ago

2008-01-05T18:19:00.000-05:00

In 1998, we had a huge ice storm. We lost power for 5 days, many homes lost power for up to 30 days...The area south of Montreal (Montérégie) was so affected that the triangle formed by Saint-Hyacinthe, Granby and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu was nicknamed the triangle noir ("dark or black triangle") by the French-language media for the total lack of electricity for weeks.

"Canadians had never before endured a natural disaster like the ice storm of 1998. A difficult morning of car scraping quickly turned into a state of emergency from eastern Ontario to southern Quebec. Millions huddled in the dark by their fireplaces. Many suffered from hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning. Heavy ice sheets toppled huge power pylons and in just six days an electrical system that took decades to create was razed."
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-70-258/disasters_tragedies/ice_storm/

The new 4-letter word ...

2008-01-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

S-N-O-W

2008

2007-12-31T17:12:00.000-05:00

Holiday funny

2007-12-31T17:11:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T11:28:00.000-05:00

Tattoo

2007-12-19T21:17:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about getting a tattoo for years! Especially since going with a friend when she got hers done.
I want something that represents Strength, Courage, Perseverance. Looked into it and found out that the Koi fish is the very think that does. Especially if done in a Yin and Yang form.
Found this pic online.. exactly what I am looking for and I think that this one is cute, feminine and simple.
I just have to figure out where to put it...

RELIEF!

2007-12-17T18:21:00.000-05:00

I got my results and I passed my OSCEs, my written final and clinical rotations! YIPPEE!

On Christmas Break.. for 5 WEEKS!

2007-12-14T21:10:00.001-05:00

I am on Christmas Break from Nursing school for the next 5 weeks! YAY!
Happy Holidays to all!

OSCE

2007-12-10T12:04:00.000-05:00

O bjective
S tructured
C linical
E examination

This semesters are based on psychiatry and geriatrics and emergency procedures (life saving/CPR).

Exam Stress...

2007-12-10T11:48:00.000-05:00

I am in finals week... 3 exams total, doesn't sound like much, considering I only have 2 classes, though nursing is 23 hrs a week (that's with 16 hrs of clinical), and I have a 3 hr sociology of health class.

Nursing final (written) is Tuesday and it covers 17 lectures worth 40%.. AHHHH!
Nursing practical (OSCE) are Thursday and frankly I have no idea what they will throw at us!
Sociology is a take home, an essay 2-3 pages long, sounds ok right? WRONG! This class is badly taught and we have to write the essay based on articles read for class. Problem is, we have NO IDEA what the heck he is talking about 3/4 of the time and he gives us HIS opinion and if you disagree he fails your paper...! ARGH!
I plan on writing it Tuesday afternoon AFTER the nsg written final.

1996 to 2007

2007-12-03T09:03:00.000-05:00

Memories from 1996... I was there with my friend Irene. 15 days of Olympic fun!

My night to shine

2007-11-26T18:01:00.000-05:00

OK, so yeah, I am tooting my own horn. I don't do it often, so that makes it ok!
I won a scholarship from school, from the nursing department. It was a fun night, though after an 8 hr shift and being up since 5AM I was a little tired. I got my second (or third) wind and made it through the ceremony. My two best nursing school friends came with me and I saw the other nursing students and friends/family. We made up the largest group, as our dept has the most awards/scholarships to give out.
The awards I won is called the Gail Hodson Award.

VOTE FOR MY KITTIES PLEASE!

2007-11-11T13:06:00.000-05:00

Check out this link and vote for my fur-babies! I've entered a few pics...

Pineapple Plant

2007-11-10T15:52:00.001-05:00

I went to the grocery store and saw this cute pineapple plant... I had to get one!

Open House 2007

2007-11-06T17:30:00.001-05:00

I worked Open House for my school again this year. It was fun, even better now that I am in 3rd yr. Feels like we are more important somehow. We are treated more like equals with staff at times, and the 1st yrs look up to us... more like they can't quite figure out HOW we got there as it all seems so impossible now! LOL... Ah, first year.. when doing AM Care felt hard, hahaha.

Funny Bird!

2007-10-16T16:16:00.000-04:00

This cracks me up! Too CUTE!

Video of Makena

2007-10-13T16:09:00.000-04:00

This is a video taken by someone visiting the David Sheldrick Trust in Kenya. They took a video of the baby elephant that I have been fostering for 2 years now, her name is Makena and she is a real cutie!

My Personality is...

2007-10-01T21:00:00.000-04:00

Your Personality is Somewhat Rare (ISFP)

Your personality type is caring, peaceful, artistic, and calm.

Only about 7% of all people have your personality, including 8% of all women and 6% of all men
You are Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving.

How Rare Is Your Personality?

ROTFLMAO

2007-09-28T16:24:00.001-04:00

Sleep Study A.K.A. NOT Sleeping!

2007-09-21T20:46:00.000-04:00

I had to do an AT HOME sleep study... picked up the equipment at the hospital, they showed me how to strap in and back home I went to "sleep". Ya, right! How does one sleep while having a small black box starpped to your chest along with 2 other small things strapped to my chest and around my stomach, nasal prongs to record my breathing and an O2 sat monitor on my finger!

Firts off, I had a heck of a time trying to fall asleep, then woke up 4-5 times throughout the night. Ok, so I don't always sleep well and never feel rested even when I do (the whole point of the sleep study), but seriously, I think one actually needs to be able to sleep for this test to tell you something! I got about 3-4 hrs of sleep TOTAL between 10Pm and 5AM when I had to get up for clinical. Needelss to state I was tired and cranky Thursday, more so than usual.

Let's hope this reveals something and that I do NOT have to do it over... I think I would have had better luck sleeping at the hospital's sleep lab, but the waiting list is 5 months long...

(no comment on the Happy Bunny pj's.. they make ME happy!)

One Year Ago Today

2007-09-13T10:24:00.000-04:00

One year ago, a sick and deranged man came to my school and shot students.. he killed one girl,Anastasia DeSousa and later himself after police had shot him. 22 injured.. and our feelings of safety at school were destroyed.

Don't get me wrong, I know this stuff happens, but you never figure it to be YOUR school. Dawson is HUGE, many doors and ways in/out. SInce the shooting there is increased security on campus, PA system in the rooms and locks on all the doors, more than there were anyway... A friend told me there are dead bolts now, I have not looked to see yet.

They cancelled my clinical rotation today, I don't think I would have made it through 8 hrs anyway.. I am doing my psych rotation, so fitting in some way huh?

I am taking it easy today, getting together with a few good friends, attempting to get some studying done.

Let's hope that this never happens again at Dawson or anywheer else for that matter.

How Does This Happen?

2007-09-11T17:32:00.000-04:00

Ok, my leg brace broke.. for the 3rd time since mid-April... um, not good and not normal! I didn't do anything to it, didn't do anything out of the ordinary either.

The last 2 times something broke, it was just a screw/nail that broke off, this time the metal rod that goes down the side broke in half along with a screw/nail on the other side! I was walking at the time, and thank goodness I was at home. Had I been out I am not sure what I would've done. I am getting it fixed tomorrow, I think it's time they made a brand new one as this one seems to be jinxed.

Just because it's cute!

2007-09-09T11:54:00.001-04:00

Had to post this.. too cute!

Camp UBPN 2007

2007-09-08T16:29:00.000-04:00

I had a wonderful long weekend in Seattle/Auburn, Washington. 4 planes in 4 days.. 6 hrs+ of travel time there and 6 hrs back. A 3 hr time change too!

I went there for the UBPN Camp. It is a Camp for people/families of children who have a Brachial Plexus Injury, either from birth (birth accident) or Trauma (car accident/skiing..). It is a great place to meet people who are facing the same challenges that you are, a place for parents to meet and talk and see older kids/adults with this and realize that their kids will/can grow up to do just about anything they want!

Some kids are more affected than others, they may have a global injury where C5-6-7-8 and T1 are injured, others it's just C5-6.. and so on. But overall we face the same challenges just to different degrees.

I tried to climb a rock wall, I went swimming, ate s'mores at campfire, picked berries off the bush, tried out the Biofeedback machine (Myotrac), met people that I have only known via the internet. Participated in round table discussions with parents and kids, with other OBPI adults and teens, sat in on therapist panels and doctor panels, spent tons of time outside in the sun relaxing and talking. It was a beutiful place to be and I wish it was longer. Next time, Camp UBPN will be in Florid in 2009! and I can't wait!!!

Botox Round 2

2007-08-02T17:42:00.000-04:00

I went for my secon round of Botox injectiosn today...

The doctor did my calf muscles again and this time we added the hamstrings too. Yup, it hurt... bad. I am hypersensitive to regular touch so imagine a needle... 8 of them (at least I stopped counting at 8).

As promissed from last time I took pictures, ok well, I didn't take them, my friend Janel did. I was busy trying not to scream... much.

Botox is purified form of the neurotoxin produced by an anaerobic (grows in the absence of oxygen) bacterium called Clostridium botulinum.

Although there are seven serotypes of botulinum neurotoxin, only A and B are currently approved for clinical use in the United States, and A is, by far, the most commonly used.

Botox (any serotype) works by blocking the release of acetylcholine.

To begin, it's important to understand what makes a muscle contract. In short (very, very short), an action potential is carried by axonal activity from the spine, down the nerve and to the linked muscles. At the neuromuscular junction, a measure of a chemical called acetylcholine is released into the very tiny space between the end of the axon and the muscle. Acetylcholine changes the electrical potential of the resting muscle fiber membrane and initiates a process that causes a contraction. (So, think of acetylcholine as working in a very similar manner as gasoline in a combustible engine. Gasoline is released in a small amount; it reacts (explodes), which sets about a chain of events that leads to motion (piston moving down, crankshaft turning... etc.).

Now, within the nerve ending itself are a series of proteins that are necessary to allow the synaptic vesicles to bind with the nerve endings and allow the release of the acetylcholine. One of these proteins is called SNAP-25, which is the one serotype A acts upon. So, basically, the botox cuts out a necessary protein in the chain of events leading up to the release of acetylcholine. The acetylcholine is never released, thus the action command is never communicated to the muscle.

Okay, here’s the cool part. The body recognizes that it is sending a signal to the treated muscle, telling it to react, but nothing is happening. The nerve terminals actually begin to sprout, sending those sprouts toward the muscle to form new synaptic contacts. Terminal nerve sprouting!!!

Scientists used to believe the treated nerve endings were permanently impaired and that the muscle returned to full functionality by receiving its messages from these new contacts. Recent tests are showing that the original contact heals, and once it becomes fully functional again, the sprouts retract.

What is NOT known, and what I find very interesting, is whether or not these sprouts retract on a newly innervating muscle.

My thanks to Mica (BPI Friends board) for writing this to explain how it works!

Slow summer

2007-07-26T17:02:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a slow summer. Haven't done much. Studying the driver's handbook still and doing online practice questions.It's going well, not that hard.

Was waiting for the Harry Potter movie to come out, saw it and LOVED it, though I wish they hadn't cut so many details out...

Was also waiting for the Harry Potter book to come out and have read it through and LOVED it too. Kind of sad that that's the end of them, thoygh saw an interview where J.K. Rowling has said she will write an encyclopedia type book to fill in the story and backgrounds on the characters. That'll be neat!!!

Am going to get Botox again, for my left leg, this time the calf and the hamstrings.. yay, maybe now I'll get some sleep at night with less spasms!

Getting a CT Scan August 20 for my right hip, we'll see what that does/gives.

Going for a sleep study September 17th, again, we'll see what that gives.

If all goes as planned, I will graduate with my RN in May 2008 and be working as of June/July as a GPL (Grad Pending Licence) and so this means that this is my LAST summer off!

Happy Canada Day!

2007-07-01T11:06:00.000-04:00

Driving?

2007-06-30T17:13:00.000-04:00

I've decided to get my learner's licence. Bought the book to study from, taking the online practice tests and so far doing all right. When I do the driving test, I'll need a med form filled out and a CAR! I have a friend who will let me use hers since we do not have one. And by the time I take the test I'll be working (fingers crossed) and will be able to save up to get a crap car to start with!

Wish me luck!

Do the Dew!

2007-06-17T23:13:00.001-04:00

I LOVE this TV add:

Urodynamic Testing A.K.A. Things I find Embarassing

2007-06-14T21:19:00.000-04:00

So, had another test today. One I have once a year every year since I was paralyzed... It is the test I HATE THE MOST! I find it embarassing and intrussive, but it needs to be done...

It is a UrodynamicTest. You ask, "what is this?", I'll tell you!
Basically it is a study that assesses how the bladder and urethra are performing their job of storing and releasing urine. In my case it doesn't do either well as I have aneurogenic bladder. Yippee for me! It's common with people who are paraplegic like me, who has an injury in the Thoracic spine and quadraplegics.

My tracings look something like these top two.. all is calm and quiet, then at around 200cc it rises, then calms down again, then at another 50cc it goes up again, eventually it just makes lots of peaks as my bladder is filled and all I want to do is void!

The other pic is of the computer and IV pole with the Sterile water or NS (I'm not sure) they use to fill you up...

Bear Junior

2007-06-08T16:36:00.001-04:00

Just because it's neat...

2007-06-05T23:06:00.003-04:00

This is from 1996 or 1997. Taken in the Eastern Townships on my friend's dock. Neat.

more old pics...

2007-06-04T22:35:00.000-04:00

These 2 pics are for my UBPN/BPI Friends. A while back, my friend Amy asked me if I had any pictures from when I had a tendon transfer (I was 14 going on 15) and now that I have a funtional scanner I managed to find a couple taken at my 15th birthday party (this was 10 days post-op) 1990.
I had this tendon transfer to get external rotation as I have a brachial plexus injury due to a traumatic birth. I had the surgery at the Montreal Shriners.

Memories...

2007-06-04T21:34:00.002-04:00

I just bought a new printer-scanner and so have been able to scan some old pics into the cpu, YAY! So I figured I would put in some of my skating pics from before I was paralyzed (Transverse Myelitis in 2004)... so here are some from over the years (1997-2004) from various competitions in Canada and in the USA:

This says it all...

2007-05-31T19:45:00.001-04:00

Blue and Mellow (too)

2007-05-26T17:14:00.000-04:00

Your Brain is Blue

Of all the brain types, yours is the most mellow.
You tend to be in a meditative state most of the time. You don't try to think away your troubles.
Your thoughts are realistic, fresh, and honest. You truly see things as how they are.

You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about your friends, your surroundings, and your life.

What Color Is Your Brain?

the "too" part in my title refers to my friend Cathy's results... again, I say we ARE sisters seperated at birth!

Body Worlds

2007-05-26T15:41:00.001-04:00

Well, yesterday I went to see Body Worlds at the Old Port with my bio class. It was amazing to see. Sometimes I forgot that I was looking at real people, and not statues. The method of plastination is neat and really conserves the body well. I especially liked the one with the nervous system, you can see all the nerves (CNS and PNS), they were thicker than we thought. I've included a few pics I got off the website (as we are not allowed cameras in the exhibit) and one of me and my bio teacher afterwards (we went to Pub St-Paul). Great day!

Take a look at thisvideo it's neat!

Upwards and Onwards!

2007-05-23T19:24:00.000-04:00

Well, I passed Med-Surg II and A&P IV! So I am moving on up to my 3rd and final year of nursing school come next August! WOW! What a long and intense year this has been. Both school-wise and personal-wise... But I survived it all and even enjoyed most of it.

Now I can relax and not freak out over exams and grades anymore! Woohoo... party-time!

Am going to Body Worlds on Friday. Will post more about that soon.

LibraryThing

2007-05-10T12:26:00.001-04:00

More silliness

2007-05-06T19:26:00.001-04:00

Your Birthdate: October 14

You work well with others. That is, you're good at getting them to do work for you.
It's true that you get by on your charm. But so what? You make people happy!
You're dynamic, clever, and funny. And people like to have you around.
But you're so restless, they better not expect you to stay around for long.

Your strength: Your superstar charisma

Your weakness: Commitment means nothing to you

Your power color: Fuchsia

Your power symbol: Diamond

Your power month: May

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Update on X-rays, blood tests...

2007-05-04T20:16:00.001-04:00

Ok, so the hip/pelvis X-rays came back as normal, no bone problems/calcifications... good in one way, bad in another. Good because that would mean more problems and possibly a future career issue, bad because it means I have to re-learn how to walk without compensation (or at least not too much compensation). The pain is still there, though less since I got a new shoe orthotic for my "good" side.

The bloods came back as normal too. YAY! Even my cholesterol levels were great, odd since I have lived of fries and salt and vinegar chips and other junk food since September (2nr yr nsg school makes me crave junk food.. must be the stress or something!).

My neuro ordered more bloods this past week (cause I haven't had enough poking already!). She wants to see if my fatigue, and lack of eating (or not much eating, I do eat after all, just not much) has anything to do with my thyroid and my poor eating has affected my B12 levels and such. So I did that on Tuesday and now I wait to find out if anything comes back as LOW or HIGH or WEIRD!

Botox me cont...

2007-05-04T19:58:00.000-04:00

Well it's been a week since I got the Botox. 4 injections in all in my left calf muscle, 2 of which really really hurt (I have hypersensitivity in some parts of my leg). It seems to be working, not completely yet, I was told it could take up to 2 weeks to be able to see the effects. Already I have less spasticity and much les clonus.

The problem is my quad... either it is MORE spastic or i am just noticing it more as the lower leg is "quieter". I have to see my doctor in another week and a half so will discuss it then.

I had some side effects, mainly fatigue and headache, but being a nursing student also does that, so who knows!

I'll post more updates as they come...

This is not a pic of me, but it's what it looks like when they do it..

RN2B...er RN!

Stand Up for Transverse Myelitis

Most insulting thing ever!

RIP Bear Junior (BJ)

Some things are so true!

Dawson Shooting made the top 10 news stories of the decade

Help us find a cure for paralysis

RIP Bear

What does TM feel like?

Summer job

National Nurses Week

RIP Nadia 1996-2009

Colds suck & Homemade Soup

For the pen lover..

What us BPI's can do!

Stem Cell Breakthrough

More SNOW!

Happy Holidays!

History was made

OIIQ Exam Results...

Happy Halloween!

One of these things is not like the others...

Congrats Irene & Chad & WELCOME Justin!

Happy Turkey Day

Some more funnies!

On a Lighter Note...

OIIQ Exam

Student Nurse Humour

The Main Event

8-8-08

Zanaflex-less

R.I.P. Randy Pausch

Recap

Human Pincushion

Nurse Marieke :)

Bedding for Health Professionals?

Bonne Fete Quebec!

Happy Canada Day!

Convocation 2008

VACATION

RN2B to CPNP

Update on EMG...

Sex and the City!

All Done!

Last week or The End Is Near!

Time Flies

The Real World

HAPPY EASTER!

4 years ago today

Happy St-Patrick's Day!

The *S* word!

Just like my Sjoukje..

Yet another add that I like..

Things I have learned.. so far!

Spinal injury regeneration hope

Neat Collage of My Pics

Two Little Monkeys

Don't Know Why, But It Makes Me Smile!

Tattoo II

10 Years Ago

The new 4-letter word ...

2008

Holiday funny

Merry Christmas!

Tattoo

RELIEF!

On Christmas Break.. for 5 WEEKS!

OSCE

Exam Stress...

1996 to 2007

My night to shine

VOTE FOR MY KITTIES PLEASE!

Pineapple Plant

Open House 2007

Funny Bird!

Video of Makena

My Personality is...

ROTFLMAO

Sleep Study A.K.A. NOT Sleeping!

One Year Ago Today

The S word!