I've been busy since I got home from Cuba. Thursday night, we did a girls night out. Wine tasting in San Marco, then dinner at Bistro Aix and drinks at Square One.
Then, Friday, went to the driving range with Monica and Tanya- So, form is bad....but we had more fun taking pics and giggling....
Nap time at Tanya's and then rollerblading around her new neighborhood with Jessica:
Quick change again and headed over to Stacie's for a girls night in with Monica, Jess and Stacie.
Saturday, Jessica, Phil, Tanya and I drove to Orlando and picked up Phil's sis to spend the day at Universal and Islands of Adventure. They had free tickets for military we needed to take advantage of!
It's been a great weekend and ended with Church this morning. I really like Christ's Church where I've been going. The message this morning was about waiting patiently for God to use us. We have to remember to take advantage of the time we are being patient. We we think we're just sitting around counting the hours, days until we do something great, we need to be doing something great instead of counting the hours, days, etc.
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Psalm 37:3
Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it. Psalm 37:34
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24
So, maybe I wasn't used the way I thought I was going to be used in Cuba, but I did keep His way and did the best He could use me for while I was there. He's only just preparing me for something bigger. I still have a long way to go as a nurse to be able to take on some of those bigger things.
Today, I will nurse my cold and prepare for the week.
I've realized....some of my best guy friends shave their heads. huh.......Just figured this out. I wonder if it means something.
Anywho, so I'm back from Cuba. Yes, it was short. That's all everyone kept saying to me at work today. Well, do they not realize we were told it was going to be 3-5 days? It's the Navy's 3 hr tour. I learned a lot and I'm not putting together a RDC (Rapid Deployment Checklist). :) That way, when this happens again, I know everything is taken care of. It went pretty smoothly though this time. Tanya and my parents were a huge help.
Even though we didn't process through a bunch of patients through Cuba, we still saw some and I think to those few, we were important. We were doing what we were told-standing ready. Once the ships arrived, things really slowed down for us. They sent us back, but I'm sure the Comfort personnel will need to be relieved at some point. They are working very hard around the clock. I've come back. I'm getting things in order and I'm ready to go. Whenever. Wherever.
I'm so proud of the military for working together and doing amazing things for Haiti on a moment's notice. I truly believe we are the glue that holds this country together sometimes. I hope I can be used more in the future.
I love Marines. I just have to say that. There were a ton waiting with us in the air terminal in Gitmo to come back. You could tell they were exhausted and probably frustrated, but you would never know it. They were so disciplined and made do with what they had.
I went and got my new Navy camis today. Woo! Three times during that trip people assumed I was enlisted. Urg. I'm so tired of people thinking I'm 17. One enlisted girl started asking me about "our" uniforms, as in, what the enlisted girls wear. Then, I went to get something for my uniform that said "US Navy" and the officers wear it in gold, so I was grabbing the gold one and the lady working there told me I needed the silver one (enlisted). I had to correct her and tell her I was an officer. Then, I asked the tailor to get my name tape and she asked if I was an E-3? No, O-2. Not that I'm snobby about it because I'm not....but sheesh.
Oh, and on the plane on the way home, I was sitting in between two PO 2nd classes and I wasn't in uniform. Well, we talked about jobs, etc and no one understands that nurses are officers. Well, after we had landed I showed him this text that said something about me being an officer and he laughed and then said, "Wait, are you an officer??" haha. I told him yes and then he began to apologize. There wasn't any reason to. He wasn't disrespectful or anything. It was just funny. They all think I'm 17.
the front of the hospital From inside the hospital Our helo pad at sunset Corspman up! Go coast guard!
How do I put into words what I have experienced in the last week? I'll start in bullets by what I have learned:
1. Always have a seabag packed and your legs shaved! I went to work Wednesday morning for our early staff meeting and new collateral meeting. I went home and caught up on what had happened in Haiti. I thought about the fact that I might need to pack in case they sent me somewhere, but I didn't hear anything about it that morning at work, so I figured they would be sending some people from the larger hospitals, etc. So, I took a nap. I was just falling asleep when I got a call from my department head.
D.H. "Now, this is no joke...but can you be packed and at the hospital in an hour to fly to Haiti?" Me "Uh....yes!" D.H. "Okay, pack some toiletries and a few articles of clothing and get up here!" Me "Okay"
I got off the phone and threw a few curse words out there and started tearing apart my apartment. Be at the hospital in an hour?? That means leave in 3o-45 minutes! Oh, crap! Okay, grab the seabag....toiletries...check....which uniform am i going to need? Green camis? Desert camis? pack white undershirts and brown undershirts just in case....gotta call Tanya to watch Patton. Thank goodness she still has my extra key! Call mom! Pack a towel. Get Patton's carrier out in case Tanya needs to pick him up. Are his food and water bowls filled? Yes...okay.. Now, black boots and brown boots just in case. Cover? Check. Deodorant. A must. LUNA BARS! I'll need a snack on the plane. Tennis shoes. Sunglasses. IPOD! CAMERA! Change. Throw my hair up in a bun. Grab the seabag.......why didn't I shave my legs when I had the chance?? Now, I'll be in Haiti with hair as long as bigfoot.
I was just running out the door when I got a call that the plane had already left and that I had a few hours, but to still get ready and get up to the base.
2. I guess nurses can get called in a few hours notice and leave the country that day and never even know it was coming. I just never really thought we were the ones that would be deployed on a moment's notice. Even the Comfort got 48 hrs. It hit me Wednesday night when our group of 7 were being jetted across the bay in Cuba on a fast boat and I was looking up at the stars all over the sky and realizing that that morning when I woke up I had NO idea I'd be in Cuba that night.....
3. Cuba is beautiful! This is a paradise! Warm, palm trees. Blue water!
4. You don't need to be oriented to a unit in order to take care of patients. We were checking in on the quarterdeck Thursday morning and we started hearing everyone yelling "get to the ER! We have a helo coming in with 5 patients!" So, I dropped my bag and ran. Quick intro to all the doctors and nurses. We teamed up with some corpsmen and doctors to see who was going to work with what ER bed and quickly filled my pockets with flushes, IV supplies, alcohol swabs, etc. Figured out how to work their monitors and tried to calm my heart down. It was beating out of my chest. We all got our gowns and gloves on....and then found out.....they were just pilots hitching a ride......no patients. WHAT? Well, then we got a real orientation to the hospital.
5. Some times you have to let go and let God do His thing. The first couple days were great. Scary, but great. We were bringing patients in that still were covered in rubble and rocks and giving them comfort and taking care of them. I have only been in the ICU for about 2 months and really haven't had to deal with trauma patients, so I will tell you I was scared out of my mind, but I knew that if something came my way, I'd be able to handle it somehow. Well, we would watch CNN and go nuts that we weren't there! We wanted to be doing more! We were told we were going to Haiti, but we stopped in Cuba to support the hospital here. We thought about all the things we could be doing there if we were just there! Sometimes, you just can only do what you can do. Everyone is put in a place for a reason. It grew even more frustrating when I saw all the nurses leaving on the Comfort and going to the amphib, Bataan and to EMF's either here or in Haiti.
6. Everyone is allowed a few days of emotional roller coasters Our group thought we were going to be among the first health care providers to Haiti and we were so proud to leave everything and do that.....and then after a few days in Cuba and things calmed down and went back to the norm....we were a little annoyed. I had a few days there where I would wake up positive, see CNN and friend's facebook status of what they were doing on the comfort and I'd get mad I wasn't there....then get sad because of the things I left at home....and then mad because some of us were having to work in our group while others got to enjoy the island....and then frustrated at how slow the hospital is on a normal basis....and then tell myself that I'm in the navy and I just need to stop being a puss and get over it. So, then I'd be positive and the cycle would continue. I had a few days of that and I've come to terms with the situation. I do believe our group did something great by just saying "YES, I will go! Right now" and want to go and do good. If those first few days were the only action we are going to see, then it's been worth it. To give comfort to the small hospital here that there are other nurses, doctors and corpsmen that are coming to help, then it's been worth it. To learn about Cuba and another part of the world's history, then it's been worth it. To just experience this and learn from it, it's been worth it.
7. Always meet your neighbors We're in townhomes right near the hospital and one night our CRNA and the other nurse and I were on the patio having a beer and cigars and we met our neighbor. He is from Afghanistan and moved to Nebraska in 1983. He has been here in Cuba for 6 years working as a translator for the prison on the other side of the base. It was so interesting to pick his mind and see what he thinks about all of this. Surprisingly, he is adamant about them all being there for a reason. He says they don't get there on accident and they are all criminals. it was just interesting to talk about our cultures, his move to the US, his religious beliefs, etc. He's having a get together tomorrow and is going to cook us some Afghan food! We're excited!
8. The military is the most open minded group of people I've met I've seen this before, but it really hit me the other day when our neighbor, our CRNA, the other nurse and I were outside with our beers and cigars and discussing a religion. In that small group you had a Catholic, a protestant, a Muslim and a deist. We all believe in God. Maybe He has a different name. But, we believe He saves us. We see Him in everything around us. We believe in love and loving others. Maybe there are little details that separate us, but we are all the same in one form or fashion. We were able to talk about our faith and accept each other and discuss our differences. Maybe it has just opened up an area where we can discuss this more, but it just warmed my heart to be able to at least enjoy each others differences. I see this a LOT in the military. People from all areas of the world and different walks of life coming together under strange and difficult circumstances and growing together.
9. I gotta get out and enjoy this island. I could stay home and fester like I have for the past few days, but there is no point. I'm here for now. Who knows what will come our way and when I'm not working I'm going to enjoy it here.
10. I have the best friends and family a girl could ask for! I left voicemails for Tanya and Phil asking if they could please check on Patton while I'm gone and they even picked him up and moved his litter box, food and water bowls, bed, and stuffed animal all over to their new home. She even had to give Patton a bath after he got sick in the short car ride. I feel awful that she's having to do that, but I'm so thankful she's been there to help me. I don't know what I would have done without them! Jessica even ran all over Jacksonville the day I left to run my laptop up to me at the air terminal! Just in time for me to leave. I didn't think to bring it because I thought we'd be in Haiti, but then was told to bring it for when I was in Cuba. I'm so glad I did and even more thankful that Jess went to get it for me! They've put things together to send to me here, like my camera cables and a sweatshirt or two. My mom had called Tanya to bring the sweatshirts because i was so cold on the plane ride down. The military family is the strongest family you will ever have.
hehe. I couldn't get the embedded video because of ESPN, but this is a quick highlight edition of Coach Tuberville's press conference on Sunday. The Big 12 better be afraid. I have a really good feeling about the upcoming years. This next one we will have Sheffield back as QB! He rocks. It's just going to be good!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tFHYoFU7ds
That's all for now. I have a headache and need to get to bed.
I was reading a news article today about how Colt McCoy sat out during the game last night due to an injured shoulder and that all the Texas fans were calling him soft, etc. You know, honestly, I think Mac Brown probably had to be very careful in how he handled the situation after Mike Leach was fired over an injured player. If Mac had put McCoy back in, would he have gotten slack for it? So, he kept him out. That's fine. That does show one coach who will put the player before the game. As much as I LOATHE Mac Brown, I can kinda see where that was tough to do. Anywho...so, I'm reading this article and then I come to this part talking about McCoy in 2007.....
His sophomore year, against Kansas State again, he suffered a concussion but kept playing.
"We didn't see Colt at halftime because he was in with the trainers, so we prepared for the second half like we weren't going to have him," then offensive coordinator Greg Davis told the Dallas Morning News in 2007. "And then when I got back up to the coaches' box for the third quarter, he came out on the field."
He played the next week, too.
WAIT! He had a concussion and kept playing????? He played the next week???? Why didn't they fire Mac Brown right then? That is NOT how you treat a concussion! Apparently, relaxing in a cool shed sleeping isn't how you treat it either! Pshh.....
Oh where to start? From the beginning of this mess with Tech and Leach I've been reading articles and quotes nonstop about what has been happening. I don't think since "Balloon Boy" has someone been so attached to a news story.
It's amazing at what I am amazed by. Some of these comments! It appears there are two sides to the story....ahem....:
The James' and Texas Tech Administration story: Poor woozy, bruised and beaten Adam James crawls to the field.
Hero James: "Coach, coach....I....where are you? I can't see....My head hurts. So bad. Boo hooo....." Mike Leach: "Get up, you *&$^%! I can't believe you would CRAWL on my field!" Hero James: "But, coach! I really want to practice and work HARD to help the team succeed! Ignore the fact that other coaches and players have documented how lazy I am at practice. Ignore that many people say I had a negative attitude and felt self righteous." Mike Leach: "I said get up, you piece of #*&$^%." ::Mike Leach grabbs him by his hair and draggs him to the Texas Tech practice dungeon, drops him in the pit:: Mike Leach: "It puts the lotion on itself or else it gets the hose again!" Mike Leach to trainer: "Cover the hole and leave him in there! I want him to rot away! Every 10 minutes throw rocks at him!"
Team Leach story: Punk James shows up to practice, wearing cap, sunglasses, casual athletic clothes and lazily walks around the football field. Punk James: "Naaa na na na naaaa! You can't hurt me because I'll call my daddy and he's facebook buddies with the Tech Board of Regents!" Mike Leach to trainer: "Put him somewhere. He's in the way of practice and he's buggin me." Trainer: "He has a concussion" Mike Leach: "Fine. Put him somewhere dark and cool where he can't get hit and injured more by balls or players." Trainer walks James over to training shed. Mike Leach: "Make sure you fan him with palm leaves and feed him grapes. He should be looked after with his injury." Punk James: "That's right, sucka! I own you, Leach and you're little team too!"
Ahem. So, really, I don't think either happened like that, but it seems that we're seeing those two stark differences are the only pictures being shown.
Really, I think Adam James was a punk. He really was cited by coaches and players to be lazy and have a bad attitude toward the team. I think ya, Leach was annoyed by him, like ALL coaches when they have players that don't work hard and expect a lot and even dance during discipline (as stated by fellow coach Lincoln Riley http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=11755149). I think the day that this all went down, yes he had a concussion. Yes, he was being a punk and no, Mike Leach didn't want to deal with him. I'm sure he pretty much wanted him to get off the field and away from practice because he was never really contributing anyway. He would have been better off just sending the jerk home to his dorm, but Leach has a classic theory of keeping a team a team and wanting everyone at practice, even if they aren't out on the field working. SO, he wanted him to be at practice, but not in the way, not prancing around the field while everyone was working hard and not in danger of getting banged around. So, Leach told him to get away and get somewhere dark. DUH. Dark, so the light wouldn't make him feel worse. He had the training staff check in on him and they quoted to say that he mostly slept during that time. He also went into a closet he was told not to go into and film a 4 second video (when he could have used his cell phone to call the police if he was locked up).
I won't go into the other issues around Craig James (who ruined SMU's team) calling Leach so many times about his son's playing time that Mike Leach told him not to call again and so he started calling the Administration and the Board of Regents. WAAA? What parent does that?? Would Wes Welker's dad do that? Crabtree? Harrell? NO. They were hard working kids who did fight for their playing time...not a spoiled brat who's daddy always bought him playing time.
And the other part of the Tech administration not wanting to pay Leach (feeling pressured last year by fans, they settled on a amount they didn't want to pay and therefore planned on firing him before the bonus was due anyway...).
So, that's where we are at. Now, this video comes out showcasing Leach "Screaming" at James. I think I need a reminder of what it's like when a coach screams.....
::Cries in the fetal position:: I think I have some PTSD after watching all those coaches yelling and cussing! I can't handle it! I cry when coaches yell at meeee.
Okay, this one cheered me up:
"I'm sure people vomited in the stands watching our kicking game" :)
Now, I can't imagine what kind of TIRADE Mike Leach must have done on this video....and I see this:
I'm gonna cry! Wait. Wait, wait, wait. That's it? The kid is putting in poor effort and even laughing during this and Coach Leach doesn't even raise his voice? That's way more calm than most coaches I've had in the past. You can't cuss in football? Really? Huh.....should I replay those videos of some of the great coaches throwing things? Raising voices? Cussing?
This is considered one of the best basketball coaches in the history of NCAA basketball: (very graphic language, so you're pre-warned)
Now, that's a coach!
Wait....they keep calling what Mike Leach did abuse. Abuse?! For putting an injured kid in the shade with some ice and let him sleep during practice while the trainer checked in on him??? Abuse??? Check this Texas Tech coach out:
He wasn't fired. huh. Seems inconsistent. I hope you lose your job Gerald Myers.
My mom sent me this and I enjoyed it: (it might remind you of a pretty good movie scene...)
Gerald Meyers (Tech AD): Coach Leach, did you order the Code Red? Judge Sowder: You don’t have to answer that question! Coach Leach: I’ll answer the question! Coach Leach: [to Meyers] You want answers? Meyers: I think I’m entitled. Coach Leach: You want answers? Meyers: I want the truth! Coach Leach: You can’t handle the truth! [pauses] Coach Leach: Son, we live in a world that has sidelines, and those sidelines have to be guarded by pirates with swords. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Meyers? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for James, and you curse the Pirates. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That James’s small shed, while tragic, probably saved games. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves games. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties with your fat little girlfriends, you want me on those sidelines, you need me on those sidelines. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very bowl games that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a sword, and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to. Meyers: Did you order the Code Red? Coach Leach: I did the job I… Meyers: Did you order the Code Red? Coach Leach: You’re G**damned right I did!
ANDDDDD, this funny video because hey, it's the beginning of the week and you need something fun to watch to cheer you up Monday morning:
I think we should let soccer moms who want to baby the football players come coach. I read one post about how sports are supposed to be "Fun" and "kids" "shouldn't be pushed like that" referring to this incident. Kids? Fun? Um, no. "Kids" that want "fun" don't compete to play college football in Texas. You play flag football through the intermural teams. I just don't get what some people think hard work is......
I guess I should update this. Christmas was awesome! My mom didn't think anyone was coming home, except for my sister. Well, I surprised her by coming home Wed before Christmas and my sister wasn't supposed to come home until Christmas Eve, but came in the same day as me. We sat upstairs and waited for mom to get home. I called the house and told my dad that I was on skype and wanted to talk, so mom got on skype. I told her it was an okay day, but that this girl stopped by and was bugging me all day (while my sis started poking her finger at me from next to the laptop). She poked her head in the picture on skype and my mom was like..."oh!" and then just sat there a second trying to figure it out. She thought Christy had gone to Florida to be with me and then she was like, "Where are you?" and I told her I was in a room with toys I grew up with and it was a small, familiar room. She saw the attic door behind me and asked if we were upstairs. She wouldn't get up though! haha. I told her, "why don't you come see if I'm upstairs?" We ran to meet her on the stairs. She was so excited.
Well, then on Christmas day my sister and I got mom in the bedroom to watch home movies, while my uncles, aunts and cousins snuck in the house! The only thing was we couldn't get mom off the phone to come out and be surprised! She finally came out and just about had a heart attack with everyone there. It was a great Christmas. All my family brought up food and my uncle deep fried 2 turkeys. They were SO good. We played games, ate, caught up. It was a great time.
It even snowed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It looked nice in front of the house, but it was a wet snow and the wind was crazy, so it was no fun to be out.
I also got to meet someone new and enjoy some coffee. I'm glad I had time for that. In the two hours that we were hanging out, the windshields iced over. That was weird.
The night before I left, I met up with a lot of friends. It was so good to see everyone, especially Courtney and her baby belly!
Overall, Christmas was better than I could have even imagined. My dad started putting this surprise for my mom together back in February. I can't believe it stayed a secret. :)
Now, it's 2010! New year. New decade. It's going to be a good one!
So, form is bad....but we had more fun taking pics and giggling....
