TELL 10 PEOPLE ABOUT SARCOMA DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY!
Sarcoma, a rare cancer of the Connective tissues and bone of which FEW treatment options exist. Let's try to generate some awareness for this cancer. Please tell 10 people about it.

I'm still swimming down deep in the abyss and have not quite come up for air. I've been busy memorizing bones of the skeleton and learning about invertebrates, shoveling snow, dealing with upset stomachs and colds and work, lots and lots of work.

Last week, was my yearly performance review. I was a little nervous but expected that the review would be negative or lackluster. It was not quite negative and it was not quite positive. My boss simply said "You're heart isn't in your work." No, I guess it isn't. She and I had a very good discussion about my goals, what I hope to accomplish and left the discussion with a few things dangling. My future with AT&T is a wait and see though my heart is right now, trying to get through these classes and start nursing school. In the meantime, I've got a 1500 site deal to work on. Last week could also be described as "PUKE." I was up to my armpits in it. Emily threw up for two days. Kris threw up for two days and yesterday, Cassie threw up. She's feeling better. Nothing like a nice introduction to the Nursing world than a good dose of vomit but what can we do? It's flu season in Chicago. Last week can also be described as SNOW.. more snow... Believe me Vancouver, I'd send it to you if I could. We are so sick and tired of snow shoveling and falling on the old gluteus maximus (See I did learn something in Anatomy) on the ice on the driveway. Though we keep sending it Eastward, the States Westward keep sending us more. Please stop!

Valentine's Day... my take.. BAH HUMBUG! I'm like ol' Charlie Brown who peeks into the mailbox and says "HELLOOOOOO in there! there! there! there!" RATS! I worked at Big Box Mart on V-Day and nothing remotely romantic crossed my belt that day. Plenty of somewhat romantic things crossed my belt on Friday night. KY jelly, his and hers, red undies, Vagi-ring (whatever the blazes that is), vibrating condoms, and briefs with big old hearts were sold to the young and um to the very old. Believe me, sometimes, I would look at some of the people buying these things and the pictures in my mind were terrifying! and in about 6 weeks, I'll be selling lots of pregnancy tests and then in November, lots of diapers. Happens every year. Moving on..

Clinic today. Nothing exciting. Another blood test. BP is fine. I ruined another tree by peeing in a plastic cup, oh wait...nevermind. Scans are in March. I am feeling a bit on edge about these scans but then again, I haven't really looked forward to any of them. In Sarcoma land today, I got wind of 4 relapses, all kids. It takes the wind out of my sails a little. It's hard enough to be an adult and live with the uncertainty, it's another for the kids and even worse for their moms who hope for the best but fear the worst. Children are like Adam and Eve before the apple. Innocently, they keep moving forward, somewhat unaware of the gravity of the situation and parents eyes are opened and they know they are naked and they are afraid. I pray for them all and hope someday I can do more.

CNA exam was last Thursday. Some of it went well. Some questions were so .....STUPID that they could only have been written by the state of IL. For example: You are helping a nurse with intake duty. What would you do to acclamate a new resident to his new environment
a) show him the call button
b) tell him the names of all the CNA's and nurses.
c) tell all your coworkers about the new resident
d) let him take a walk around the grounds by himself.

Is it my imagination or do all these choices SUCK!? These are old people who may not be able to walk or have CRS (can't remember sh--). Our book mentioned we should escort them and give them a tour..but oh well. Everyone I talked to had a different opinion of what the answer was. I'll find out in a few weeks if I passed.



Finally, I'm saying a very huge public thank you to Nonalee. It moved me to tears...and I hate crying in public. Thanks for being such a good friend to me for the past 25 years.