We're Not dead yet...

With the news of North Korea testing nuclear weapons and denouncing the treaty, we are starting to get a bit nervous...

Somebody from the base called and asked Joe if he knew how to use his gas mask (yes we were all given gas masks when we got here). If the news stories didn't freak us out, that surely did.

We are talking about Joe and Jordy going back to the states, possibly soon.

I am not jumping up and down to be alone here for two and a half months, but would feel awful if we didn't get them to a safe place and something bad did happen.

For the next two months I will be on nights anyways- and I hardly see them when I am work nights. But it will be pretty lonesome...

This saturday we are supposed to go to China. I am hoping my leave doesn't get cancelled.

My plea to North Korea- please play nice until the 15th of June so we can have our vacation.

Lost in Seoul

I had to take an ACLS class (advanced cardiac life support) class in Seoul on Thursday and Friday. Several other people from the med group got approval to stay up at the army base where the class was being held last month so I figured I would do the same. When I turned in my papers, I was denied b/c they had spent too much money on the previous groups. I didn't think much of it and figured I would just take the bus up.

The morning of the class I arrived at the bus station at 645 ready for the 7AM bus. Much to my surprise there was no 7AM bus! So that meant I had to drive up. I stopped at the ER and got directions and I was off...

I got lost on the way to the freeway and circled around for quite a while. Then I had to sit in traffic for an hour. Finally I made it, but I was 30 minutes late. Luckily the main instructor was super nice and didn't mind that I was late.

The real problems started when I had to go home...

One wrong turn and it was over...

I realized I was going the wrong way, and tried to get off the freeway. There was a freeway exit and I figured it would lead to a street where I could turn left and get on the freeway exit on the other side....nope. Didn't happen. The off ramp was actually a link to a bridge that led across the river. Once on the other side of the river I had to choose between all kinds of other freeways that I had never heard of.

I found another bridge and took that back across the river trying to get back to the 1 freeway. Long story short, I circled the river for two hours! Going back and forth, back and forth over the river. Each time I thought it was an off ramp and took it, suddenly I was on a whole new freeway.

Frantically I called the ER to talk with one of our Korean guys. I tried to explain where I was, "I am on a freeway. There are lots of Korean people all around me. I am going under a bridge right now. I am directly under the earth's sun..." Mysteriously no one could tell me where I was, and I couldn't read any of the signs to tell them where I was.

I called Joe and had him try to look at our GPS and asked him to navigate me home. This should bring anyone who knows my husband to tears b/c Joe is the worst person at directions I have ever seen. After a few minutes of talking I realized this was a lost cause.

So it was me against the road.

I am proud to say that 2.5 hours later, running on fumes in my little Kia Avella, I eventually found my way back to the 1 highway.

In Korea they have gas stations on the side of the freeway- you don't even have to exit the freeway, just pull over to it. They are kind of positioned like rest stops. I pulled into one and got gas.

3.5 hours after I left my ACLS class on Thursday, I finally arrived at home.

By then I was fuming mad that my request to stay up at the base where the class is being held was denied. Plus, I forgot to mention, there were other people from my hospital that had their requests approved, and we were in the same class. Murderous Rage building....

P90x continues...

Last night I did the Yoga workout...I hated it. I have tried in the past to like yoga, it seemed so relaxing. When we lived in S. California, I used to get up early on Saturday to make it to a yoga class. There in the 24 hour fitness group exercise room, I would stretch and breath and hold weird body positions for one hour. At the end of it I didn't feel any fitter, stretchier, or more at peace.

Finally I had to accept the fact that I don't like yoga.

I like a workout that leaves my muscles achy, my body drenched in sweat, and when I wake up the next morning I had better feel it.

The P90x yoga workout is 90 minutes! That's right, an entire hour and a half! I only made it through 30 minutes b/c I was ready to shoot myself by then. I did add in the 10 minute ab workout afterwards out of guilt.

We'll see how today goes...legs and back day.

Everland

We went to Everland yesterday. It is the Korean Amusement Park, basically it is a gigantic rip of Disneyland. They even have a version of It's a Small World.

Jordan's favorite part was the petting zoo. Joe couldn't go into the Butterfly Garden. Actually he did go in,but had to run out almost immediately. Too many butterflies fluttering around his head. For my mom's sake, I won't post those photos (she has a crippling fear of butterflies).

Now let's try that again...

Joe and I started doing the P90x workout about two weeks ago. Then I got really sick and worked everyday for a while. I did try to keep going with the workouts, but had to stop when I had a fever and nearly dropped dead when I came home.

So now that I am fully recovered, I am trying again. Tonight I resumed the workouts.

Some of the workouts are really hard. All of them are about an hour. But the results the infomercial showed really were outstanding. Plus one of the nurses I work with had great results. He highly recommended the program.

So off we embark on another fitness goal...I will be really proud of myself if I can do the first 30 days. That is my goal, complete P30x as Joe has nicknamed it...then we will worry about the next 30 days...

The most perfect B-day picture ever!

Some of our good friend's son was having his third birthday. It was kind of a big deal since I got to be at his birth! When Stacey delivered via C-section, I got to be the baby nurse! While she was being sewn back together, I got to make sure that little Elijah was doing okay.

Now that kiddo is already 3 years old! Wow how time flies!

All of the kids were excited to eat the beautiful cake, made by Dr. Sarlay's wife. I felt just awful when Jordan walked right up to it and stuck his hand in the frosting. You had to forgive him though, it was after all his time attending a birthday party

Then when Elijah blew out the candles- he spit all over the cake! You can actually see the stream of saliva pouring out of his mouth in the picture! So hilarious! Kids are wonderful!

Here are all the wives!

And all the kids! Plus two of them are missing...

Beautiful skirt giveaway!

Hey check this out! Maybe I will win it! Milk Weed Skirt

What's in the bag?

Today was a crazy day...to make matters worse this guy came in who had cut off his finger.

Surprisingly he was very calm. He was more patient that some of the coughs and colds we had waiting to be seen.

Then the most amazing thing was when we were discussing reattaching the finger- he didn't want to be a bother! He said if it was too much trouble we didn't need to bother!

The Ortho doc came down and took a look and said just to close up the skin over the bone and to let him go home. So that is what I did.

Good News!

I have nearly recovered for the worst cold I can ever remember having. It all started last Thursday and progressively got worse until just yesterday. We are talking fever, body aches, sinus pressure, coughing all night keeping everyone up, coughing so hard I vomited (all over the bed!), losing my voice...it was wonderful. Oh did I mention that I worked still, no one to cover for me :(

So today is the first day I have felt like a human being in a long time! Hooray!

Some of my faves...

I just love the internet.

I wanted to share some of my favorite sites:

Awful Plastic Surgery is one that has all kinds of celebrities and their bad surgery. Very funny!

Evil Beet Gossip has all kinds of delicious celebrity gossip.

Enjoy!

V

Do you remember that series called "V" that was out in the early 80's?

It was the highlight of my family's week! Every Friday night we would go out to eat at Bob's Big Boy. Then we would shop at Fedco and buy all kinds of yummy snacks and chocolate. Then we would rush home and watch V!

The series was about an alien race that invaded earth. At the time it was the greatest show ever! It had great special effects and the aliens would peel off their skin- it looked so real!

My favorite part of the entire thing was the routine. I liked the dinner, shopping, and then watching a show with my entire family. For evening a week we all ate together, shopped together, and sat through an entire show. There was no fighting, no interruptions. We all got along and enjoyed eachothers company.

Now that I have my own family, I wanted to recreate the experience. After years of searching for V, I found it! I bought it, I watched it...and I must say it was a bit disappointing. What seemed like the best and most realistic special effects in 1980s are just silly by today's standards. The acting is way over the top- almost like a soap opera.

Although the show itself is a disappointment, I do really like snuggling up with Joe (and sometimes Jordy too- but most of the time he runs around playing with his cars) and spending time together. Except instead of raving about what a great show it is, we laugh at how hokey it is!

I do feel very fortunate to re-create one of my favorite childhood memories...next a houseboat trip to Lake Powell!

Only one more night...

I am at the end of a 7 night stretch of working. Last night was night #6, and it did not disappoint. One alcohol poisoning requiring intubation and transfer. One sexual assault. One broken clavicle...

Now I am off to bed. I can't wait till this time tomorrow- then I can finally have my chance to be drunk and disorderly!

Life...

We had a patient come in the other night who was found down in a bathroom. I got to go along on the transport to the civilian hospital. On the way his heart stopped and we had to start chest compressions. I don't think he is going to make it.

It really made me realize how fragile life is. One minute you go to the bathroom, the next you are being worked on in a ambulance, and then you die.

Whatever you are putting off till tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year...DON'T! Tomorrow may not come.

Tell your family how much you love them, make sure that plans are in place should something happen to you (wills, insurance..), and think about your life goals!

One of my goals in 101 in 1001 was to make a bucket list. Now seems like the perfect time:

1. See the Great Wall
2. Take a romantic trip to Italy with Joe.
3. Have a huge family holiday, sit down to a dinner with all my loved ones.
4. Take my kids (Jordan + more) camping.
5. Dance with Jordan at his wedding and tell him how happy I was when I had him.

That is all I can think of now, but I will add as more come up.

101 in 1001...

I just wanted to update everyone on the process of this list. Just a warning to everyone that I have taken half a tablet of Ambien and drank a Mike's Cranberry prior to this. But still can't fall asleep...

One of the goals was to give up paper towels. I did this for the one month time period I challenged myself too, and have to say the month was really hard. People who can do this dont' have children. Kids require so much clean up and maintenance. Stuff that I don't ever want to see again- not even to through that poopy mess in the washer! Maybe in a time of grown up children I can try this one again, but right now, NO!

Also I wondered what people who don't buy paper towels do when they fry something. What do they put it on to help soak up all that grease?

One of my goals was to play video games with Joe as a way to be interested in what he does. WE actually found a game that I was really excited about. Katie- get ready to laugh- It is LOST!! They have a game! It is really cool so far! We have a blast playing it together.

Another goal was to find 15 new ways in which I tell Joe I love him. One of those was accomplished tonight as I sat through another awful movie. We watched Watchmen- while it was not a awful movie, the movie was made awful by the theatre cuttng out about 45 minutes of it! Suddenly the movie ended abruptly and we were all confused as to what had happened! Joe went home and got on the internet and discovered we had missed a huge section!

So that is number 1- sitting through a plottless man movie.

I am happy to report that I am still a non-smoker and have no desire to ever light up again! Although that changes from day to day! Encourage your smoking friends to give it up, and if they fail, try not to judge them too harshly and encourage them to give it another shot!

Here is my full list:

1. Become a member of AAFP and complete the monthly CME quiz. (1/32)
2. Read the ER book by the time we leave here.
3. Every month while I am in the ER, draw blood and start an IV so I don't lose my skills.(3/9)
4. Go to at least 3 social events with work people before we leave here. (1/3)
5. Renew ACLS
6. Take on a new task at work.- Radiology Wet Reads while Eric was gone.
7. Once a month date night where Jordy has a sitter. (2/32)
8. Take Jordy to play group at least 10 times before we leave here. (5/10)
9. Find a wonderful daycare for Jordy once we get to Florida, one that is bilingual.
10. Work with Jordy, when he is ready, to learn spanish.
11. Take a family trip to Everland.
12. Take a family trip to Mt. Sorak.
13. Start going to church here, go at least 10 times (hey I am being realistic!) (0/10)
14. Find a church once we get to Florida.
15. Have professional pictures of us done.
16. Have a big family Thanksgiving where I do the cooking.
17. Take Joe on a romantic weekend alone.
18. Take Jordy on a camping trip.
19. Go on a cruise with family.
20. Make a letterbox and place it.
21. Make 8 weekly menu plans to alternate. (2/8)
22. Learn 5 vegetarian recipes. (0/5)
23. Learn to Eat Clean and Incorparte some of these recipes into the regular
24. Go an entire two months without buying anything for myself. (2/2)
25. Go without tv for one week.
26. Get one of my scrapbook pages published in a magazine on a website
27. Close accounts that I am not using.
28. Master Quicken.
29. Make and keep a monthly budget. (3/32)
30. Save "enough" for a down payment for a house in Florida.
31. Start saving for Jordy's College.
32. Get Joe a car when we get to Florida that isn't too outrageously expensive.
33. Get an annual credit report for both Joe and I. (1/3)
34. Start a garden to grow vegetables.
35. Start composting.
36. Have a big yard with a doggie door for Pezzy.
37. Make a cleaning schedule and stick to it. (3/32)
38. Buy Joe the tv of his dreams.
39. Have people over for a home cooked meal and a movie.
40. Get pictures from my dad, sister, and a few others to have enlarged and displayed in my home.
41. Send 5 thank you cards to people for how they have impacted my life. (0/5)
42. Test drive an extravagantly expensive sports car.
43. Get Botox.
44. Play golf for the first time, and not miniature golf.
45. Read 15 books from the library (0/15)
46. Stop swearing! This one isn't measurable, but I really need to stop being such a potty mouth.
47. Knit a sweater.
48. Participate and complete the 365 Portrait Challenge
49. Take a Class at the Community Center on making paper crafts.
50. Lasik
51. Recycle aluminum Cans Regularly.
52. Once I am doing the cans, move on to plastics.
53. Stop buying individual yogurt cups, buy the big one and put in my own reusable container.
54. Have one day per week where I don't drive and use public transportation.
55. Buy/Find enough cloth bags to use for grocery shopping. (3/10)
56. Consistently use the cloth bags when grocery shopping for one year. (0/24)
57. Donate old clothes and other things rather than throwing them away. (0/4)
58. Start using natural cleaners in my home such as Vinegar and Baking Soda and lemon.
59. Buy an Air purifier to clean out the YelloW Dust
60. Stop buying paper towels and napkins for a month. (1/1)
61. Take the clothes Jordan has outgrown to the Consigment Shop on Base.
62. Eat Sushi 10 times (1/10)
63. Go to the Seafood Festival in Florida
64. Play video games with Joe at least 5 times. (1/5)
65. Go to 10 movies with Joe, or watch pirated ones here in Korea, that Joe picks. (0/10)
66. Find 15 new ways to tell Joe that I love him. (0/15)
67. Have a spa weekend with Jennifer, my treat.
68. Visit Heidi in Kentucky and meet her family.
69. Try 10 new resteraunts. (2/10)
70. Make 100 scrapbook layouts. (5/100)
71. Go on a picnic 4 times. (0/4)
72. Draw Jordan's Family Tree
73. Make a photo book of all of Jordy's pictures.
74. Go to Disney World
75. Go to Disney Wild Animal Park
76. Get an account on Facebook
77. Watch a Marky Mark movie with Jennifer while we drink strawberry daiquiris
78. Visit the Park's in Alaska.
79. See 5 plays/musicals/concerts. (0/5)
80. Find a Charity I am passionate about and help them raise money.
81. Participate in Gimme your Stuff
82. Send PostCarts in Post Crossing (5/5)
83. Exercise for health, not to maintain some unrealistic goal for myself.
84. learn to love myself, my body, and mind, even though there are countless flaws.
85. Know that having a few jiggles here and there doesn't make me unlovable.
86. Exercise regularly 3x per week. (0/
87. Run a 5K
88. Get a perfect score on my next fitness test.
89. Laser Hair Removal
90. Do pictures for at least 5 groups of people. They can be family, wedding, kids. (0/5)
91. Stop buying bottled water. Get a filter for work so I can use a cup instead.
92. Continue to be a nonsmoker and encourage my patients to quit.
93. Have Joe and I both make "bucket lists"
94. Make a list of 100 things I love.
95. Go Hiking at least 10 times. (0/10)
96. Go to the DMZ.
97. Make Joe a new quilt.
98. Wear heels at least once per month starting in March 2009
99. Go to the Florida Keys
100. Write in my blog once per week.
101. Organize this list!

Jordy's Drive-In

Jordy went for a ride in his car outside and once we came back in he didn't want to get out. He then watched the entire movie of Cars sitting in his car! What a cutie!

Some new pictures!

Jordy's First Movie

Jordy gets a basketball hoop!

Jordy goes for the basket!

A good night at work!

The other night I had a great night at work. I actually got to do some procedures and actually did some good! After an incredibly drunken night, I got to intubate an active duty person who was puking all over the place and in danger of aspirating. To make matters worse they were combative and fighting us. I was on the fence about intubating, but since we had anesthesia right there and respirations were steadily going down, I figured we might as well. Then we wouldn't have to fight to keep them cooperative, breathing, and aspirating. Plus we got to suck all the food out of the stomach- there was puke everywhere!

Surprisingly, after not intubating anyone since the 3rd year of medical school- I got it on the first try! I was so proud! The people I work with at the ER are so nice- everyone was cheering me on, I was a celebrity for the rest of the evening!

It was a good night! I came home on top of the world and stayed up most of the day- too amped up to sleep!

You can't fight your DNA!

You can't fight your DNA, but you can try.

Every year for the military we do a PHA- periodic health assessment. This year I had to get my blood drawn (actually every year we do) for HIV and a cholesterol screening. I can't even begin to imagine all the money the government wastes every year getting HIV screenings on people like me- married, monogamous, and no new sexual partners in over a decade! I am sure you are all pleased that your tax dollars are going to good use!

Anyways, my cholesterol came back high. Total cholesterol of 207! Under 200 is "normal". I knew for a while that my cholesterol was creeping up, but thought I was doing a good job of keeping it low. Guess I was wrong.

My Triglycerides were also really high.

I am going to have to start limiting my red meat consumption, exercising more, eating fish! I love a good steak and hate fish.

I know that a large part of this is probably genetic, my mom's side of the family all had raging high cholesterol. Although I attributed their high cholesterol to their eating habits. My mom said grandma used to use bacon grease to butter her bread!

So what can be done to lower cholesterol, there are a lot- but here is what I am going to do:

1. Exercise More
2. Less Red Meat
3. Fish Oil supplements
4. Oatmeal

We'll see what happens...I will get it checked again in six months.

I did it!

Last night I was able to stay up to 3AM! Then I woke up at noon. I plan to stay up to 4AM tonight, then hopefully sleep until 1PM. By Wednesday night I will be turned around to a night schedule (I hope!).

I watched a few videos by a blogger that I love. She is a fitness and nutrition guru. There are several videos she posted on youtube about food prep. Really it is such a simple idea, I don't know why I don't do it.

She plans her meals for the entire week, grocery shops and buys those things, then does most of the food prep on Sunday for the entire week. That way there is no temptation to go to Burger King (my personal weakness) when there is no time to make dinner.

A few weeks back I was trying to come up with a similar menu planning scenario. I don't know what happened that I got derailed. Perhaps I will start again with renewed gusto!

Check out the videos and her site at Phit-n-Phat.

Must stay awake..awake..awake..

I am switching to nights on Wednesday. Unfortunately I am still on a day schedule. I had the last week off in which I was supposed to get turned around, but kept having stupid meetings to go to during the day. So alas, two days before nights begin and I am dying to stay awake!

Today I tried to make a delicious dinner, but ended up over cooking the chicken. It came out like cardboard! Seriously my jaw got tired chewing it! Poor Joe really tried to eat it, but just couldn't do it.

Oh well, I will try again tomorrow!