OR Clinicals

I was in the OR for clinicals the past two days. I got to take a shot at starting an IV for the first time and to my surprise I did it! It was so easy and I was on a high until my second attempt on another patient failed. Oh well, the nurse with me told me not to let it get me down because even a practiced nurse will miss every once in a while.
That was yesterday, and today I got to see a cystocele (prolasped bladder) repair. It was painful to watch, but not as bad as when they surgically placed a sling inside of her to hold up her urethra. They jabbed these spirally needles into her groin and through an incision attached the sling to each needle, then pulling the needled out of either side made the sling taught. The sling will stay in her and the tissue will bind with it.
Very hard to watch this happen to a fellow female and I could not help but clinch my legs with every cut, jab, and suture.



This is a picture of the slings and insertion needles used. Now imagine these needles jabbed and twisted into your groin!

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Thanksgiving Decor

One thing I have always disliked about the holiday season is that it seems to go from Halloween then straight to Christmas. Hello!? Thanksgiving! Well, I finally found a decent Thanksgiving piece. My little pilgrim nutcracker!
(made in China of course)

The Army: A Westhoff Family Tradition

Happy Veterans Day! Thank you for your service!


TSGT John Kenneth Westhoff


Major John and LTC Neva Westhoff


Maj John Westhoff


Capt Matthew Westhoff

Post-Halloween Sales!

OK, here is my last "discount" post for a while. I just can't get over the savings. So I went back to CB and bought some great stuff on sale and even ran into a co-worker who let me use her discount which is even more than mine. If none of this stuff was on sale I would have spent $203 (plus tax), with everything on sale it would have been $90, but I only paid $60!!!!!! I LOVE discounts! Oh, and this dog I got would have been $40, but was only $8! Cute!

Party at the Mangums!

Tonight I got to help Rachael and Brad host a Halloween party for the kids and some of their friends. I LOVE Halloween!


I have always wanted to order a costume and this year I finally splurged! I decided to take advantage of my current hair style and be Snow White!


The kids looked great of course!


The manly pirate and ninja did not mind being seen with a princess.


The Princesses!


The party bunch!


Nathan trying to eat his donut as fast as he can!


I always knew pirates loved M&Ms!


Hyrum getting mummified.


Natalie getting mummified.

And the saving continues!

I went back today to buy a witch cookie jar for mom and Rachael to find that all the Halloween stuff was now 50% off! So I picked this festive nightlight up for myself. Was $10, paid $3! Going back tomorrow and hoping everything will be 60% off plus my 20% employee discount!

Gotta Love the Perks!

While I am in school Cracker Barrel is letting me get away with only working once a month. This way I can still get my employee discount and I still have a job to come back to over Christmas/Summer breaks. I have had my eye on this Halloween cookie jar for a while and it was just my luck they had three let for 40% off. Tack on my employee discount and what would have been $25 was only $10!! Oh yeah! Can't wait for the Christmas sales!

Halloween!

So excited for Halloween. Here is a hint of my costume. Can you tell who it is? It's pretty obvious if you ask me!

Mid-term Review...

It's finally here...mid-term. This semester has flown by so fast I feel like my head won't stop spinning. So many tests (and so close together), 80% more clinicals than last semester, and teachers who keep throwing last minute assignments at us! It feels like it will take a miracle to pass this semester. But then again, that is the way it felt last semester too.
Today I finished my forth day of clinicals. It has been a great experience to work with such a diverse group of patients. Getting to see things that I have till now only read about and really getting my hands dirty has made me feel so blessed to have my health. And at the same time reminding me that I really should make a few lifestyle changes.
For example: today I got to change a wet to dry dressing on the toe of a diabetic. About a week ago this patient had no particular problems on this toe and now it looks like it is ready to fall off. This patient seems convinced that it will get better on antibiotics alone, but unless they act fast most of the foot will end up being removed. It's hard when no matter what you say people won't listen and in the end the choice to take action is theirs alone. So what's worse getting your toe cut off or your entire foot?