RIP Uncle Randy

Two years ago today, my Uncle Randy succumbed to complications of MS.  Randy was a great person, a very loving guy.

I still think of him quite often, especially when I see a certain patient who also has MS.  It's weird but this patient even sounds like Randy.  I'm not sure if it's because MS affects the voice or if it's just a coincidence...but the patient is a great reminder of a great guy.

This fall, my mom and I are walking the MS Challenge Walk in Door County, Wisconsin in memory of Randy (and in memory of John's Aunt Joan too).  Additionally, we're walking in honor of my Aunt Kim.  MS is a horrible disease and I hope that by walking, I can spread awareness and help raise money for MS research.

Parenthood

No, I'm not becoming a parent...not yet anyway...but I do love the show Parenthood.  Tuesday night was the season finale but I just watched it last night.  It was such an emotional episode.  I admit that this show usually makes me cry at least once during its hour time slot...but I'm sure I cried at least five times last night.  I absolutely adore ALL of the (main) characters...I can't even choose a favorite.  I really, really hope NBC renews it for a third season...and more!

Here's a link to an interesting recap of the last episode.  Love.

A "real" nurse practitioner

I worked the inpatient rehab unit last weekend...and felt like a "real" nurse practitioner for the first time!  On Saturday, a patient fell, which is awful, but I had all the right critical thinking going on and made the right decisions (after a call to my collaborating physician).  I was proud of myself!  It probably helped that the patient was fine too. :)

Then, on Sunday, a patient developed a nasty infection in his incision.  I went back down to the unit just to discuss the plan with him...which could have been done by the nurse...but I had gotten to know this patient pretty well so I wanted to do it myself.  When I got to his room, he told me he felt like he had the flu and thought it was due to the pain medicines that we had changed...but I knew he just didn't look right.  Well, he had a pretty high temperature then so we transferred him back to the acute service for IV antibiotics.  (My first experience with the physician access line too.)  He ended up having surgery.  I was able to see him again because he was on the unit where I teach clinical with the undergraduate students...and he was doing fairly well...waiting to have yet another surgery the next day.  Hopefully he'll get to go back to the rehab unit soon!

While those acute episodes always make for interesting work days, I was glad that I was able to make the right decisions for the patients involved.

Illinois Marathon Half Marathon

I realized last night that I haven't blogged about my half marathon training at all...I guess my Facebook updates have sated my urge to do so.  Until now! :)

The Illinois Marathon is now in its third year, I believe.  The first year it was held on Easter weekend so I didn't participate.  Last year, I ran the 5K with my then-preceptor and now-colleague Amy.  After the run last year I decided that this year I would do the half marathon.

I started my training in February, using a program recommended by my favorite childhood baby-sitter.  She's had lots of great tips for me throughout my training.  Things are going great...and I'm only twelve days away from the big day!  So far my longest run has been 9 miles...and I did that all on the treadmill last Friday because it was not nice outside.  I have also run 8 miles outside and am due for a 10 mile run this Friday that I am bound and determined to complete outside.  I've never been a runner...but I've come to enjoy it.  This morning, I ran 5 miles in just over 46 minutes and it felt great!  I've been kicking myself for not giving in to Mr. Brone's requests that I join the cross country team in high school.

I'm a little nervous about running with so many other people (the half closed at 7700 people)!  Wish me luck!

J. Crew ad

I think I first heard about this ad from someone on Facebook...and then I read this blog post.  I thought her post was interesting...and then was rather shocked by some of the comments (and I read through ALL of them).  James summed up my thoughts perfectly.  I didn't think this lady deserved to be attacked so much for putting her views out there...yikes!

Then, I saw this video posted on Facebook.  And, wow, John Stewart just completely cracks me up.

Check it out.

Book nine already!

I read New Spring so fast I'm already a couple hundred pages into the next book, Winter's Heart.  Of course, it helped that it was only about 300 pages long!  I absolutely loved New Spring.  I read on Wikipedia that Robert Jordan intended New Spring to be the first book of a prequel trilogy of books...but that originally New Spring's reception was not that great so the trilogy was put on hold.  Apparently it's now up to Robert Jordan's wife, Harriet, to decide whether or not it continues...but that may or may not be true. 

So, why did I love it?  I thought it was very interesting to learn about some of the characters before they became who I know them as now...it's like hearing your grandparents tell stories about your parents.  Also, there was some foreshadowing in New Spring...I know things about characters that haven't yet been revealed in the other books. 

Overall, I just love these books!  I'm so glad John convinced me to read them.  I'm getting a little sad already that I only have five books left after this one.

Random fact: According to Wikipedia, the audio of the entire The Wheel of Time series is 17 days, 11 hours, and 30 minutes long...woofda!

Babies, babies, babies!

Ahh, it seems like everyone is having babies these days...and I want one too!!!  But, we're just not quite ready yet.  One of my friends sent me an email with photos like these today...

Ahh...so not helping, Jamine!

The Path of Daggers: Complete!

I finished The Path of Daggers in nearly record time (for me).  Next up is New Spring, a prequel to the first book in The Wheel of Time series.  John told me I could read it anytime after the first few books but I decided to read it at the point in the series when it was originally released.  I am still absolutely loving this series!

I'm a proud, proud wife!

John presented his thesis defense on Tuesday...and I got to be there!  Sure, I had no idea what he was talking about...but I was still so, so proud of him and so happy to be able to witness it.  There were five professors there as well as three other graduate students...and me.  Afterwards, we celebrated with a bottle of champagne in Jozsef's (John's advisor's) office.  According to Jozsef (pronounced Yoshi), John is "more or less done."  Way to go, hunny!

Badgers

Badgers move forward carrying lessons learned

My Badgers didn't play very well in their last game of the season...but they picked it up towards the end.  It's hard to watch those kinds of games...but they're my team and I'll cheer for them anyway.  This article made me excited for next season already...just a few days after this season ended.  Of course, it helped that Florida also lost to Butler.

Mr. Marshall

I spent a few days with my cousin Jill and her family last week.  She had a beautiful new baby boy, Marshall Everett, on March 8th.  He is such a good baby.  I had a wonderful time just hanging out with Jill and cuddling little Marshall.

It was fun to hang out with Marshall's five year old brother Colton too.  We played Mario Kart and watched cartoons.  He also woke me up every morning before he went to school just to chat.  Thursday morning before I left I just had to accompany him downstairs so he could eat breakfast.  Every day when he got home from school he asked how Marshall's day was...what a sweetie!  He's such a good kid...Jill and Josh are such great parents.

Now I'm even more excited to be a parent...someday.  :)

The Path of Daggers

I finished A Crown of Swords, book seven in The Wheel of Time, in record time (well, for me at least).  I'll be starting book eight, The Path of Daggers, as soon as I catch up with my Sports Illustrated magazines!  These books are great!  I highly recommend them.

Oh, and happy March Madness, basketball fans!

We are always more afraid than we wish to be, but we can always be braver than we expect.

~Sorilea to Egwene, The Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.

~Lucille Ball

Book Seven

I finished The Lord of Chaos, book six in The Wheel of Time series this afternoon.  It was my favorite so far!  Although, honestly, some of the earlier books are starting to run together...the fifth book was the only one that lagged a bit for me.  The Lord of Chaos was very exciting and has me eagerly anticipating starting book seven, A Crown of Swords, tonight!

 

Thanks, seniors!

Dear John and The Last Song

I read both Dear John and The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks last summer...and finally got around to watching the movies.  Now, I always think the book is better than the movie, but I have to say that Dear John really disappointed me...and I wasn't expecting too much.  It just didn't have the emotion that was present in the book.  I didn't even cry!  The Last Song started out a little slow but then I thought it picked up and portrayed the story quite well.  I definitely cried through that one!

Prayers

In the past month I've been told that two middle-aged men from the neighborhood where I grew up, men I've known practically my entire life, have cancer.  One of them is in the midst of treatment and doing fairly well.  The other hasn't been started on a treatment plan yet.  I can't even imagine what they and their families are feeling right now.  Even though I'm a nurse practitioner and have learned about cancer in school, it's still very, very scary.  Right now, I'm praying.  Praying for these two men to have the strength to fight back against cancer...praying for their families to stay strong and give them the support they need...and praying that one day there will be a cure for cancer.

It's a great time to be a WI sports fan!

I am an avid fan of WI sports, especially the Badgers.  In recent years, I've also become a Brewers fan.  This year, I went to my first Packer game...and have enjoyed following them more closely since then.  This (school) year has been a great time to be a WI sports fan!

First, the WI football team beat #1 Ohio State at Camp Randall on October 16th.

This victory helped propel the Badgers to the Rose Bowl.  They lost to TCU but still...it was the Rose Bowl!!

On February 6th, the Packers (the #6 seed in the NFC) beat the Steelers (the #2  seed in the AFC) to win Super Bowl XLV.  John and I bought our first Packer shirts after this victory!

Aaron Rodgers is my new athlete crush.

Then, on February 12th, the Badgers once again beat #1 Ohio State, this time in men's basketball.  I was SO proud of my Badgers!  Basketball is my favorite...I just love Bo Ryan and all our players.

I love the joy Jordan Taylor (almost always) plays with. Keep it up!

 So, what will the rest of the basketball season bring?  I'm hoping for a good run in the NCAA tournament...a few good games by my favorite Badgers.  What about the baseball season?  The Brewers opened training camp with a couple new, really good pitchers.  It's exciting!

Note:
WI Badgers football photos from WI Football Facebook page.
Green Bay Packers Super Bowl photos from SI Photos website.

Chicago, here we come!

John was offered a research assistant professor position at UIC (the University of Illinois-Chicago) last week and he accepted it!  So, we're moving to Chicago in July.  I'm so proud of him!  He has to teach two classes one semester and then one class the other semester which is apparently the best option available...and he'll get paid pretty well too!  This is a one year position renewable for up to three years...and John says the positions are almost always renewed.

We're looking forward to living in the city...and hopefully not having to drive to work!  I've always wanted to live in Chicago...but had pretty much given up on that idea.  John's not entirely thrilled about the location...but the job is exactly what he wants/needs so he's OK with it.  I've been looking at apartments online...and looking for jobs too.

It's so great to know where we're going...and so exciting!  The only downside is that we'll have to wait a bit before starting a family...but not too long.  Both of our moms are concerned about that!