A Nurse's Walk

2008-08-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a long time since I have been here on my blog. Since I was last here, I have been very busy getting set up on a new Christian website called Christian Women Take Root. It is fabulous!!!! The creator of the network has honored me by asking me to do a column about eldercare on the site. I am so excited!! I have never done anything like this before. The column will be called Caregiver's Corner and will be published the second Friday of every month. PLEASE visit this website. You will not be sorry that you did. Right now there are 179 Christian women that have signed up to be members and it is wonderful fellowship and fun!

I really want to get back to this blog as well. I would like to change some things on it, like the background. I would like to spruce it up a bit. If you guys can share info with me as to how to do that, I would greatly appreciate it! Until next time, here's hoping the Lord blesses you and your family richly!!!

2008-07-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a while since I have been here on my blog. Much has happened, with my Aunt's death and all, and I just haven't felt like posting. But, I hope to get back into it again.

I must admit that I have been rather frustrated with blogging. I get all excited and start posting, but then there are so many others out there, I just don't seem to get any traffic. So, I'm sorry for giving up for a while. I'm thinking about changing my blog completely. I really want to center the blog around my love for the elderly and caregivers that care for their elderly loved ones. I want to expand it in some way that will interest more people. I have a couple of ideas for a new blog, but haven't decided yet. Any ideas would be most appreciated.

Well, it's time to sign off. God Bless you all!!!!!

Answered Prayers

2008-05-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

So many prayers have been answered since I last posted or wrote in my journal. Sometimes the answer to our prayers is not easy to take. My aunt found out after she had a PET scan done that her cancer was all over her. She found this out when I took her to the doctor on 4/29. The Lord healed mine and my aunt's relationship and I had that Tuesday morning to spend some time with her without any problems or harsh words. Thank you Lord! She went back to her doctor that performed the PET scan on Thursday, 5/1/08 and he confirmed this is was really bad and spreading everywhere. She was not a candidate for surgery. By Friday, 5/2/08, Hospice was called into her home because she was in so much pain and on Saturday, 5/3/08, at about 11PM, the Lord took her home to be with him. She did not suffer long and the torment in her mind is now over. Thank you Lord that she is not suffering and that she is finally at peace with everything.

God does answer our prayers, this is my prayer written in my Bible study on 5/1/08, just two days before I lost my aunt:

"Father God you know my greatest fear right now is for my aunt's cancer. Lord I cry out for your peace for her, my family, and for me Lord. Lord I put my trust in you that you will take care of my aunt as only you can."

Amazing how our wonderful Lord works! I will miss my aunt so much. We have laughed together, cried together, fussed together, prayed together and made up together. We were very close all of my life. But, I am happy for her now. She is rejoicing with our Lord and our family that has gone before her. I know that I should be rejoincing for her too!

Lost Fan

2008-04-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I am thrilled, I didn't know there were other Lost fans out there on CWO! Tonight I happened to find a few and I'm so glad. I have been watching since the show started, except for last year when I was in school and I am hooked!! Especially this year. They really reel you in an keep you guessing. Glad to know that I am not the only one hooked!!!

The Lord Picks Me Up

2008-04-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while and much has gone on since then. I know that I have asked for your prayers for my Aunt who is facing breast cancer and possibly lung cancer. We won't know that until after she has a scope done on Weds. of this week. But what I really have not shared is that her mind seems to be getting bad as well. My Aunt and I have always been very close and I have been there to help her as she has gotten older. Recently, she has started arguing with me about everything that I say. She is not pleased with me at all right now and no matter how hard I try to help, she ends up mad at me for one reason or another. I know that I am rambling, but I cannot write what all is going on in this one post, so please forgive me. I must admit that since last week and during this past weekend, I have questioned the Lord greatly on what his plan was with this situation. My aunt is going through so much, but yet we cannot help her because she won't let us. I just didn't know where to go with it and I'm still not sure! But, during my morning Bible study and my walk, the Lord brought it to my attention that he loves me and he will pick me up from the depths of despair if I will only trust him. So, I am praying tonight, that I can trust him and know that it is his plan that will unfold for my Aunt and no matter what any of us in the family does, God's plan will still unfold. I thank you Lord for reminding me of your love!

Fun with my Residents

2008-04-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

I must admit that I am very tired tonight, but I have had fun working with my residents tonight. This week I have been working with the alzheimer's residents and they can be so funny at times. Tonight we had one of the residents completely take apart one of our flashlights (which was hidden by the way), disconnect the heating and air conditioning unit in her room and asked that we move it (it is a big unit connected to the wall), and as of the time that our shift was over, still was not going to bed, no matter how many times we attempted to get her there. Yes, she was into everything tonight, but in between meddling in this and that, she would stop to give us a big hug and tell us that she loved us. THIS MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE! Thank you Lord for giving me the patience that I need to be able to do the work that you have set out before me. I love each and every one of them and no matter what they might get into, I feel so blessed to be able to care for them! Well, until tomorrow, God Bless you all!!!

Nursing Pet Peeves

2008-04-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Good Monday Morning! Well, it seems that nothing goes faster than the weekend. I get home on Friday nights and turn around and it's Monday again! Much has been going on at the nursing home. People have been fired, residents are changing rooms and as always, we are short of staff. What is it with nursing homes? They are always low on staff. I have gone from being family member of someone in a nursing home to being a CNA in a nursing home and now a nurse. Still, I cannot figure out why the nursing homes don't pay their nursing assistants enough money to keep them. The thing is we have one of the best nursing homes in our area. That does not speak well for the rest. It seems that we should all be concerned with the care our elderly loved ones are receiving. But, as much as I love working in my present position, it appears that the nursing homes themselves really only care about the bottom dollar. Well, that's my pet peeve for today. I wish our elderly could be considered so important to us that the public would demand that these facilities give them the best possible care and KEEP THEMSELVES FULLY STAFFED!!!!

Prayers Are Welcome

2008-03-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We received results from my Aunt's biopsy today and she does have breast cancer. Now, we will wait to see what a CAT scan reveals. Not sure when she will have the CAT scan, but all prayers are very much appreciated.

I just returned today from a trip with my sister, my mom and my nieces. Both of my nieces are competition cheerleaders and they travel all over for competitions. We had a great time and both the girls were really wonderful! I'm so proud of them. I always really enjoy the time I get to spend with all of them. Spending time with my mom, my sister and my nieces is truly a great joy to me.

Nothing Much

2008-03-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

Well, this morning that is exactly what I find myself doing, nothing much! Do you ever have so much to do that you just get overwhelmed and do nothing? I do. I make my list and look at it but cannot seem to get motivated to do anything on the list. This week, I have spent my mornings reading blogs, looking up various things on the computer, making my list, and thinking about what I should be doing. While I have enjoyed this time, the one thing that I haven't spent enough time on is my time with God. That's where I am going right now. No matter what is happening in your life, a little time with our Father lifts you every time!! Have a wonderful day in the Lord! Until next time.....

Prayer Requests

2008-03-18T08:12:00.000-07:00

My family, once again, finds itself in a position everyone dreads, possible cancer. My Aunt is facing a biopsy for a lump found in her breast. She had breast cancer years ago and we are very concerned that it has reappeared. Our family would very much appreciate your prayers for my Aunt. Not sure when the biopsy will be, but I will post it when I find out.

I also have a prayer request for my work. Recently, we have had conflict on our unit at the nursing home. My prayer is that, as a group, we can work things out and move forward. I pray that we will all consider what we are there for, which is taking care of our elderly, and put these conflicts behind us.

I thank you for your prayers and will gladly add any prayer requests for my blogging friends to my prayer list. God Bless you All!!!

My Journal

2008-02-26T07:18:00.000-08:00

This morning, the Lord brought my journal to my mind again. He has done that a couple of times in the last few weeks. My journal was started in 2001 and only has a couple of entries in it. With life, taking care of my MIL and my Uncle, school and now nursing, I have not made time to write in it. Well, what a blessing it was to sit down this morning and write in it. I must confess that I have struggled with what to write here in my blog, but in my journal I can just write and write. Sometimes the Lord has to knock us over the head with things before we get it. This blog should not be about me or my nursing, but should tell the story of how he has blessed me so many, many times over and nursing is just one of the blessings. So, I plan to continue writing in my journal and sharing some of the journal with others through this blog.

While writing today, it was brought to my mind how much God gives and takes away. Four years has gone by since I last wrote in my journal and much has happened during that time. We lost my dear mother-in-law to Alzheimer's Disease on 12/26/05 and my Uncle Harold to Pick's Disease on 2/11/08. We miss them both very much but know what a blessing it is for them to be with the Lord and not suffering any more. I graduated from LPN school last August and work in a local nursing home here in my home town. I have truly been blessed with this calling to take care of the elderly and I love taking care of them. My husband is wonderful and we still have our dog AJ. AJ just turned 12 this month and is really showing his age. He has lost his eye sight and has a hard time getting around, but we still love and take care of him and will continue to do so for as long as we are blessed to have him. So, you see, if you really sit down and put it on paper, you can see just how the Lord gives and takes away and how very many blessings he gives us.

My prayer for today: Lord I thank you for bringing my journal to my mind now in these last few weeks. I pray that it will please you and bring me closer to you as I write in it. Please watch over my Church family and my family and keep them all safe. Please help me to go about my day in a way that is pleasing to you Lord. Please bring to light any offensive ways that do not please you. Lord I thank you for your love for me. I do not know how I would keep going without you. In your son's most precious name, Amen.

JoHannah's 6th Birthday

2008-02-24T13:30:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems that another weekend is almost over. I travelled to my sister's house this weekend to celebrate my youngest niece's 6th birthday. We had a wonderful time and she really enjoyed her birthday. Since I don't have any of my own children, I feel blessed that I can be with both of my nieces during their special moments. Since I am writing on this subject, it brings to my mind something I ponder on a regular basis. Are there any other women out there that are not mothers? If so, I would like to hear from you. I think it would be interesting to talk with others that are spending wonderful, full lives without being mothers. Well, until next time, here's hoping you have a wonderful week in Lord!!!

Wonderful Weekend

2008-02-10T19:59:00.001-08:00

Well, it's almost the end of another wonderful weekend. For the first time in our marriage, my husband and I do not see each other very much during the week. My hours are nights and his are during the day. I wonder if it is this hard on everybody? Well, anyway, it is time to get geared up for another week with my lovely little people in the nursing home. What a treasure they are. As stressful as it is to take care of them all, I have 22 residents, it is so worth it!!! I pray that the Lord will give me the wisdom I need to keep them well and to make them happy. I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity. Sometimes, when I get overwhelmed with life, I forget what a blessing he gave me when he gave me my nursing license. Have a wonderful week in the Lord. Be back soon.

TGIF!!!

2008-02-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

I didn't think that Friday would ever get here this week. It has been a rough week at work. Seems like everybody, including employees, have had upper respiratory infections. Thankfully, it seems like most are on the mend. IT IS AN EXCITING DAY FOR US. Today, we started advertising eldercares.net on Christianwomenonline. I thank my Lord for this opportunity and hope to have a long relationship with them. I love the website Christianwomenonline and am very proud to be a part of it with my blog and now with one of our websites. Have a wonderful weekend in the Lord! God Bless!

Go Packers!

2008-01-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

Well, my husband and I have done very little today but watch our beloved Packers win their Playoff Game!!!! What a wonderful day we have had. We have literally been couch potatoes the whole day. Sometimes you just need that. My week at the nursing home was a challenge to say the least. I had two residents who got into it with each other and two CNAs that caused problems with one of the same residents. It was truly an exhausting week. So, I thank the Lord for days like today when I can rest and enjoy being with my husband in our home. And the icing on the cake was watching the PACKERS WIN!!!! Thank you Lord for giving me the opportunity to become a nurse and serve others and thank you for giving me restful days so that I can continue to take care of others!!!

I'm Back!

2008-01-08T22:23:00.000-08:00

I have not been here for a while now. I must admit that I didn't have many visitors to my little blog, so I got discouraged and busied myself with other things, like Thanksgiving and Christmas! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and will have a wonderful New Year! I was so thrilled to see that I have had two visitors since I was last here. Thank you both for looking in on me. I will try to resume my writing on a regular basis. PLEASE VISIT ANYTIME!!! God Bless!

Beginning a New Week

2007-10-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Monday night/Tuesday morning and I just arrived home from work. I'm very tired tonight, so I'll make this short. Just an update on the happenings in our nursing home. Tonight went rather smoothe for a Monday night. I got there to discover that one of my residents, who was very ill when I left on Friday, had been sent out to the hospital and another one is not doing well at all. I try not to get blue about it because I know that when you are taking care of elderly people, they will have alot of sickness. But, you can't help but worry about them. On the brighter side, the rest of my residents are doing okay right now and they are so wonderful to spend time with. Young people would be wise to listen to their elders because they can teach us so much. They seem to be closer to the Lord than most people are and so devoted to him. Because of their wisdom, they seem to have a special understanding of the Lord that people younger than them are just starting to figure out. No matter how they feel, they are thankful for every blessing that comes there way. I am so blessed to be in their company and honored to take care of them. Well, for now, good night and God Bless!

Answered Prayers

2007-10-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report this morning that my relative in Florida, that we have all been praying for, was finally released from the hospital yesterday. He still has lots of obstacles to overcome. He starts chemo and radiation therapy this Friday and it will continue for six months or so. Please keep praying for him that the treatment will be successful.

I am also happy to report that I had my best night ever in the nursing home last night. Things are finally starting to fall into place and I seem to be getting more efficient at handling all of the tasks in front of me during my eight hour shift. My residents are wonderful and I just love them. In upcoming posts, I hope to share some funny stories with you on the daily happenings in my nursing home. If you have any to share, please visit a while and share your stories with us. Until I return again, God Bless and have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Busy Life

2007-10-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

I read a very interesting post this morning created by my friend Melissa at The Inspired Room. There was some debate there about juggling work and home. I must admit that for a few years now, I have not had much time to concentrate on home. With school and now with nursing from 3PM to 11PM every night, I have found that it is hard to juggle both. But, I wouldn't change my new nursing career for anything. I would love to have better hours and I hope that will come after I have worked for a while. I admire women who can so successfully juggle both. Since I don't seem to be one of them, I will do my best and pray that I will soon get better at the juggling act. Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Thank Him!

2007-10-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

This morning I awoke to see that we were getting some much needed rain in our area. I was so thankful for the rain and thanked the Lord for it this morning. After my prayers were said, the thought came to me that I don't thank him enough for everything in our lives and our world. Without him there would be no sun, blue skies, rain, beautiful birds, wonderful big trees, our families, our homes, the list goes on infinitely. So, I thank you Lord for absolutely everything in my life, the ups, the downs and all of the wonderful beauty that surrounds us. I thank him this morning for blessing me with my nursing career and I pray that I will always honor him through it. May we all thank him for every blessing he bestows upon us, whether large or small. For, no matter what comes our way, his hand is in it. Thank you Lord! God Bless and have a wonderful weekend!

A Gift from God

2007-10-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

I only have a moment today to post but I wanted to share with all of you who have been praying for my relative in Florida. We now think that the cancer is Hodgkins's Disease which is truly a gift from God!!! Hodgkin's is treatable and curable! So, it seems that the many prayers that were prayed on his behalf are being answered. PRAISE THE LORD!!! God Bless you all for your prayers!

You Make Me Smile Award

2007-10-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up feeling a little blue. I had my morning coffee, did some Bible study, and then decided to check in on my blog. I am always lifted when someone has made a comment on mine or when I visit others. Well, this morning, the Lord sent Melissa at The Inspired Room my way with a wonderful award from her. I opened up my blog and there is was, my You Make Me Smile Award. Well, Melissa and all of you who were honored by her make me smile too! Thanks Melissa, I can't tell you how much this helped today! God Bless you all!

Giving Good Care

2007-10-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

Good Monday morning to you. I felt led this morning to share some blessings I received last week while taking care of my elderly residents. What a feeling it is to see those wonderful big smiles from my residents as they see me coming down the hall when I come in to work. It makes my heart swell with love and pride that I could be so blessed as to take care of them. When I arrived on Friday, I had a great reception from a little group of ladies that sit together on my hall and watch the comings and goings of others. When they saw me coming, they were so genuinely happy to see me and wanted hugs all around. There is also one gentleman who hangs out with them who can be a little gruff if he doesn't care for you. But, much to my delight, he was as happy to see me coming as the ladies were. It reminded me of why I started the long journey over a year ago to become a nurse. I believe as nurses, we should always try to keep in mind, just as my wonderful instructors taught us, that it is not always the physical care we can give, but the love that counts!

With regard to my family member with cancer, we are waiting this morning to hear from the doctors. They are supposed to let us know what kind of cancer they will be treating. Please remain in prayer! Thank you so much!

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Thankfully Thursday

2007-10-11T06:59:00.000-07:00

Wow, I'm glad it is almost Friday. It has been another very busy week here. I have been in nursing now for almost two months and it has been tough getting used to the hours and getting up to speed with my new job. The whole time I was in school last year, our instructors kept telling us that we would not really understand nursing until we got out there and started in our profession. THEY WERE SO RIGHT! However difficult these last two months have been, it is worth it. I love taking care of the elderly residents in my nursing home and feel truly blessed to have this opportunity. I must admit though, that I will be glad to see tomorrow night at 11 PM roll around this week.

Update on my family member with cancer. He is going today to meet with doctors and next Tuesday for a more extensive biopsy. They believe that he might have Hodgkin's Disease. Your continued prayers would be much appreciated.

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

We Appreciate Your Prayers!

2007-10-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

Thanks to you guys who have visited and have prayed for my family. We found out last week that our loved one's cancer is malignant. He will be going for more tests in the coming weeks to determine the extent of the cancer and to see exactly what we are dealing with. Please remain in prayer for him, his wife, his son and our family. May God Bless you all!

Awaiting Test Results

2007-10-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

Today, we are waiting to hear the test results for our family members biopsy that was done on Thursday. Continued prayers would be most appreciated by me and my family. We are waiting to hear whether or not the mass is malignant and what the next step will be in the healing process. Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

A Prayer Request

2007-09-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

I have a very special Prayer request today. My family recently found out that one of our beloved relatives has a large mass around his lung and possibly moving up into his neck. It is really affecting his breathing and of course, our family is very worried about what it is. He is having an MRI done today and a biopsy done on Thurday. We would appreciate your prayers as we wait to see if this is benign or malignant and how to go about getting it out. Either way, he will have a very long road ahead. He is blessed though with a wonderful wife and family and many friends, the main one being our Lord! Thank you so much for your prayers and I will keep you posted. God Bless you today and always!

Blessed Monday

2007-09-17T06:02:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are again, it's Monday and time to get back to work. The Lord has blessed us with a beautiful morning in our neck of the woods and the weekend was equally beautiful. Now it's time to focus on a new week of taking care of my elderly residents. My prayer today is that I will be a blessing to the Lord and to them. Being a new nurse is a little scary. I'm always afraid that I will forget to do something that is very important. My co-worker, a nurse of 45 years, was gone the end of last week but thank the Lord she will be back tonight. I think I will give her a big hug. I hope everyone has a wonderful week in the Lord! God Bless and please remember us new graduate nurses in your prayers.

2007-09-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

Hi, just a note to let you know that I have decided to change the name of my blog from Coping with Alzheimer's Disease to A Nurse's Walk. After starting the blog, I realized that I was not just focusing on alzheimer's but on my walk with the Lord and that he led me to nursing through my love for caring for the elderly. So, just as he has led me every step of the way with school, a new job and now my blog, I leave it in his control and I will follow his lead. God Bless You and have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Nspired By Faith: Fit4Life Friday...

2007-09-08T19:30:00.000-07:00

I just found this site. I hope it will inspire me to get moving and do something about my diet and exercise, or lack thereof. Visit Fit4Life Friday to read more interesting and entertaining posts. It is very uplifting!

My Work In a Nursing Home

2007-09-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

I have now officially worked two weeks as an LPN with the elderly and I love it! I am so thankful that the Lord has allowed me to pursue this passion. For anyone who is reading this post, I have a prayer request. Please pray for my little sister. Not sure what is going on but she needs your prayers. Thank you and God Bless!!

I Passed!!!

2007-09-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't posted in a while. Just an update to let you know that I passed my state boards and am now working in a nursing home. The best part is that one section of my floor is the alzheimer's unit. God has truly blessed me and my family this year! Thank you Cindy for being interested and for replying to my posts. I know that you will be blessed too!!!

State Boards for Nursing

2007-08-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is. I am one day away from taking my state board for nursing. I am trying terribly hard not to get overcome with nerves. The Lord has brought me this far and it is in his hands tomorrow as it has been the whole time. If you are reading this post, I hope that you will pray for me and the rest of my class as we take this test. If all goes well, it looks like I will be working as an LPN on an alzheimer's unit which is what I have prayed for from the beginning of my dream to become a nurse. Thank you Lord for seeing me this far and thank you for being with me through tomorrow and the rest of my days. Have a great day in the Lord.

New to Blogging!

2007-08-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

Since I am new to this whole blogging thing, I have been reading some of the blogs published by my fellow sisters in Christ. WOW! how wonderful. I didn't even know all of you wonderful Christian friends were out there. I am thrilled to find you. I pray that my blog will be a blessing to others who are suffering with alzheimer's disease and elder care issues. Hopefully we can create a community where we can love and help each other. I was so excited to receive Linda's comment. Thank you Linda for being the very first person to respond. Your blog is wonderful and I admire you very much for your writing and love of the Lord! You inspire me. God Bless All!!

LIfe a Year Later

2007-08-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Well it has been almost a year since I placed my first post. Since that time, I have not even come back to it. I have been through nursing school and will be working starting tomorrow in a nursing home. My how our lives have changed. I hope to keep up with this now and I hope I will have some visitors. Sharing my experience with Alzheimer's Disease and hearing what others have to say would be a blessing to me. Maybe you guys can give me some pointers to take with me into my new profession. I am very excited. To take care of our elderly is like a dream come true. God Bless and have a great week in the Lord!

Concerned About Elder Care

2006-09-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

Are you concerned about elder care. We are. My husband and myself are devoted to helping others find valuable information about caring for their elderly loved ones. This issue is very close to our hearts because we have been personally impacted by Alzheimer's Disease. About seven years ago, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with AD. Needless to say, we were completely unprepared for this dreaded diagnosis and did not have any idea what to do next. During the years that followed, we faced all of the phases of Alzheimer's with determination to help my mother-in-law to the best of our ability. We made some painful decisions, one of which was nursing home placement. I am writing this because I hope that our experiences will be helpful for someone else dealing with the same issues. Hopefully, we will be able to improve on the care of our seniors by sharing our information. Thank you for visiting and sharing your stories with us. May God bless you and your family in your journey.