Subaqua Sternal Rubs

Well, packing my last few things before I leave for Grenada tomorrow. Hope I didn't forget anything… I am leaving tomorrow around 7:45 am, which means getting up at like 5 am. (Better than the usual connections my personal travel agent picks.) However, checking the reliability of my flight over the last month, it has only been on-time around 40% of the time… So hopefully I will actually get out of here tomorrow.

More updates from GDA, stay tuned. (Though it may take a few days…)

In preparation for going back to school in 3 days, I went on a shopping spree today. Well, other people might just consider it normal shopping for a few hours, but since I hate shopping and rarely go, I designated it as a spree. Especially since I spent a couple of hundred bucks :frown: I got new sneakers (can finally retire my old ones which I have run down every last piece of padding and support), new sandals, clothes, 4 months supply of toiletries/meds, lock for my front gate and those new-TSA approved locks so I can actually lock my luggage.
Funny story about getting the meds: I tried to buy 2 packages of the store-brand DayQuil and 2 packages of the store-brand NyQuil. Well, when the 4th package was scanned, it came up with an error, and a notice printed on the receipt. It was a friendly message from Drug-Free America that I couldn't buy 4 packages of decongestant, since I was obviously going to make drugs out of it, or try and kill myself by OD'ing. So the manager had to come over and explain to me why I couldn't buy 4 packages of decongestant at once. Her GED-education didn't prepare her for trying to comprehend that I have access to narcotics/paralytics/various other controlled substances (actually at both jobs), so a little cough suppressants in my hands would not be all that big a deal. Still refusing, I just took my 4th box of decongestant and checked out at another register at the other end of the store without any problems. grrr.

Edit: Crap. Only 2 days left. Better start packing.

Just testing a new desktop client for updating the blog. None of them really struck my fancy, however. Anyone have any good suggestions for Wordpress/WinXP?

Well, my shift last night at the ambulance was mostly uneventful. The only two calls came in as I was picking up dinner. (Figures ) Anyways, my crew took the BLS standby, and the ALS crew took the other call…. (a teenage male who had palpitations/diff breathing because he smoked too much marijuana. And then called the ambulance, who arrived right after the state police. ) Anyways, my crew got the better end of the deal, since all we did was sit in a firehouse on standby for another ambulance's district while they tried to rescue these morons. Basically it meant that I got to eat my dinner sitting inside, at a real table, watching TV So then, I proceeded to play video games, go on the internet, and watch TV for the rest of the shift, never going to sleep. I guess I didn't learn from my previous post. So I just got up (at around 5:30 PM… missed going out to the opening day of Saratoga race track with my family/grandparents who are here to visit.) Oh well, maybe next time. Time to get ready for the day

This statue currently stands outside the Iraqi palace, now home to the 4th Infantry division. It will eventually be shipped home and put in the memorial museum in Fort Hood, Texas.

The statue was created by an Iraqi artist named Kalat, who for years was forced by Saddam Hussein to make the many hundreds of bronze busts of Saddam that dotted Baghdad.

Kalat was so grateful for the Americans liberation of his country; he melted 3 of the heads of the fallen Saddam and made the statue as a memorial to the American soldiers and their fallen warriors. Kalat worked on this memorial night and day for several months.

To the left of the kneeling soldier is a small Iraqi girl giving the soldier comfort as he mourns the loss of his comrade in arms.

Do you know why we don't hear about this in the news? Because it is heart warming and praise worthy. The media avoids it because it does not have the shock effect that a flashed breast or controversy of politics does. But we can do something about it. We can pass this along to as many people as we can in honor of all our brave military who is making a difference.

-From email

My cat, Starlight, had to be put to sleep today. May she find peace and comfort in the after-life, which she could not find in life.

My list of things I have accomplished today:
1.

Well, since this list is pitifully short, maybe I should get up out of bed and do something. (It's only 4:30PM)

But it's not like I am on vacation or anything…

Ambuslaps - Sharp, double blows, delivered to the back door of an ambulance, presumably to signal the driver to pull away; often seen on television.

Ambusneak - To shut down all lights and sirens several blocks from a scene (also see cloaking device).

Ambudextrous - Ability to hold BVM with two hands and squeeze the bag with your elbow.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hmm, Bush teaming up with the pharmacuetical companies…. what a concept.

WASHINGTON, July 24 — The Bush administration has been going to court to block lawsuits by consumers who say they have been injured by prescription drugs and medical devices.

The administration contends that consumers cannot recover damages for such injuries if the products have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In court papers, the Justice Department acknowledges that this position reflects a "change in governmental policy," and it has persuaded some judges to accept its arguments, most recently scoring a victory in the federal appeals court in Philadelphia.

From the New York Times

All the RN's over at SPH, this post is for you!

Cutting nurses' patient loads boosts care, costs Calif. hospitals struggle to meet new staff ratios

By Julie Appleby
USA TODAY

SAN FRANCISCO — Nurse Yorsing Chang remembers well the days when she would be responsible for eight or nine patients per shift, was constantly on the move and had little time for any extras. On a recent afternoon, Chang was assigned four patients at Kaiser Permanente's hospital here.

More at: USA Today