Determination & Sacrifice

Exercising on a regular basis requires true determination & sacrifice on one's part. Sometimes it's been hard coordinating this into my daily schedule, but when I do, I'm reminded of how important this is for every person. When Ashley comes home on visits from college, we buddy up and go together, while a family friend, Donna & I, have set our own gym schedules to go together throughout the week.

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As addicting as it may be, this is the worst thing anyone can do!

Keep chocolate away from me.

Sometimes it is depressing to do this, but as the figures come down, it should give anyone more of an incentive to keep working hard.

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=)..... if this is what it takes...... I'll do it.

Valentines...& working.

Since I've started working as a nurse, I've found every day to be a challenge! A challenge to do my very best, to learn something new, help make an impact on someone's life, and the list goes on. Throughout my hospital experience at Albany Med and now at Sunyview, I have found my time well spent and very rewarding. Oh, not always at first, but as time goes on, definitely.

There is a very big difference between Albany Med and Sunnyview hospital, and that difference is the length of stay. The rehabilitational hospital is for weeks to sometimes months. It is here that I find the opportunity to build closer, trusting relatonships between the familes and patients. You get to the point where you feel like you are a part of them, their life history, and there are no problems carrying on conversations. We all learn how to pick & tease as if we're a family. That's pretty awesome I'd say.

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Anyways, there are moments where we as a staff are given such wonderful gifts that you hate to even accept them. They're given to us out of thankfulness and love for caring and helping to make such a difference/impact on someone's physical condition.

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Last night, Valentines day... we had very few patients(compared to normal) to nurses. The supervisors have been cutting a lot of us because it wouldnt be cost effective otherwise. Being fairly new to the facility, I had never been left alone on my unit to keep things in order. Everything you can think of, I was to do... but didnt feel like I had anyone to lean on in time of need. The RN for the unit was being split between 2 units and so most times I was holding the fort ALONE. A bit frazzled I was at times... but the patients were so good! I couldn't have asked for better patients to care for last night. Their families helped make Valentines Day special for us there.

How sweet & thoughtful.

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Now, back to work this weekend..and hope we have a few more patients than we had, or else Im afraid I'll be floated. Now that wouldn't be very sweet and thoughtful.

In Glens Falls

A post a bit late.

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I don't know what has gotten into me this winter season, but I have absolutely loved going to our Albany River Rat's hockey games. I have posted several times here, but dont think I included them all. Anyways, this past weekend Ashley's roomate came home with Ash and had several different plans. One being going to a game seeing, for 1) Luba had never been to a hockey game & 2) they were playing Syracuse Crunch. Ash and Luba are going to school in Syracuse so they wanted to see the teams play. There was a change to where the game had to be held because of some home show being held in the Albany arena. With this being so, the game was in Glens Falls.

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What a wintery evening, as we were to be hit with several inches of snow that night. Anyone that knows my dad know that a few snow flurries would be enough to keep him home for the evening. He hates anything but perfect weather, but we kept with plans as such. The northway was quite an adventure to say the least. It didn't seem to bother me so much, but as far as the others... I can't quite say that. Right and left, we would see flashing lights off in the distance signaling a warning. Another car off the road and down in the ditch... I mean IN THE DITCH. Snow pounding more as we headed farther north.. oh how exciting.

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Sounds crazy, but I was looking forward to a different arena seeing I have only ever been to the Albany one. Dad had warned us that this one only held nearly 5-6,000 people where as Albany held over 20,000. YUP.. definitely much smaller, but who cared. It was the game that I was there for.

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Here's a few snapshots with my phone camera that were taken.

Cell phones....

Do ever miss something that you once had, even after knowing that whatever you've gotten to replace it, is incredible, has lots to offer, and is one of the top on the market right now?

Silly, huh? I know... but when it comes right down to it, I don't like change. Things attract me, and I'll usually buy it if I seem to want it bad enough, but when it comes time to mail my item out for someone else to use, I feel like Im giving away something really personal. I just recently sold my Orange EnV and bought The Voyager. My EnV is now somewhere out in the mail today heading to TEXAS. Oh dear...

Winter Snow

I'm waiting for the moment where we're litterly getting pounded with snow, feel it's too risky to leave the comfort zone of home, and relax. This winter has been VERY weird to say the least. Our first snow fall didn't come until the middle of December if I'm not mistaken. That happened to probably be the biggest for this season too. Since then, the forecasts seem to be more of a wintery mix of sleet, rain, & snow flurries. Most days when I look out the window, I see patches of grass, puddles and mud. Not an attractive winter in my opinion!!!

I'd wanted to pack winter fun in the past couple months and months to come, but at the rate things are going, I'm afraid that wont be happening. I mean, at least not exactly how I would plan it. Some plans have been canceled already, phone calls have been made for other areas with the same type attractions, but no snow! That's all I've heard recently. I guess this winter has come in like a lamb...... BUT BETTER go out like a lion! =) I know some of you probably hate me for saying this, but I'm just eager to make this season worthwhile. Cold weather isn't attractive without snow.

Sometimes, it is nice to go do errands in spring-like weather, WITHOUT a coat in the middle January. There was a 3 day stretch when this happened... but it seemed all too weird.

SO, in December I decided to make my own little wintery world in my room with blue and white lights, snow and lighthouses. At night time, with only those lights on, my room seemed so relaxing to me. Here are a couple snap shots of course during the daylight.

Just this week, I decided to take everything down and put it away. I did contiplate leaving it up for awhile longer to prolong the wintery feeling at least inside, but decided against it. It's time to move on I guess. =/

The Great Encourager

The Great Encourager

We all need some encouragement

Along this life of days,

And there are always those who help

In their own kindly ways;

A spoken word, a flashing smile, A visit, letter, call;

Within our hearts we realize

That each of them stands tall.

But there's a great Encourager,

Above and over all,

And he will always fill us up

If we on him will call.

He IS the Christ, the living Lord,

He is our strength and stay;

He is our great Encourager

Along this life of days.

-Louise Pinkerton Fritz