Day 1 & Be the Hero In Your Own Story

“We all love the good hero story.

The person who had it all stacked against him/her.

The person who kept on getting up after getting knocked down.

The person nobody thought would ever make it.

And then they do it all despite it.

Never forget that you can be the hero in your own story.”

- Brian Kim's MIT of the day of Wed.; April 3^rd, 2013 

http://briankim.net

Today is Day One of my 30 day marathon of establishing the habit of waking up every day at 5 AM. Again why am I doing this? To distinguish myself through my work ethic, desire, and wisdom to achieve goals that will serve myself and others. To distinguish myself to the point where, when people think of my name, they understand it stands for something with high regard. That is what I want, and it can’t be disregarded that those who wake early tend to be more productive with their time. Perhaps Aristotle said it best, “It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.” Certainly I will be adapting my early morning routine as I go along here to suit my preference and I will not rush it. We can all be the hero in our own story. 

Writing Out My Goals:

To become a habitual early riser and be productive with my time.

To become a habitual early riser and be productive with my time.

To become a habitual early riser and be productive with my time.

To have a body as cut as brad pitt in troy without flexing.

To have a body as cut as brad pitt in troy without flexing.

To have a body as cut as brad pitt in troy without flexing.

To write and contemplate about life’s wisdom.

Tp wirte and contemplate about life’s wisdom.

To write and contemplate about life;s wisdom.

To build upon my vocabulary ti improve my ability to articulate exactly what I am thinking.

To build upon my vocabulary to improve my ability to articulate exactly what I am thinking.,

To build ipin my vocabulary to improve my ability to articulate exactly what I am thinking.

To become an active DC QHHT practitioner AND write about the sciences that are merging science with spirituality.

To become an active DC QHH practitioner AND write about the sciences that are merging science with spirituality.

To beome and active DC QHHT practitioner AND  write about the sciences that are merging science with spirituatly.

What am I Grateful for?

Grateful for the opportunity to have the resources that I've had to improve my life. I'm grateful for the opportunity to really be able to make a difference in the lives of others. Grateful that I'm up this early and MAKING the conscious decision to dictate my actions based off my goals and to choose not to be dictated by the circumstances of every day life and the need to be in a 100% state of "everything is going right" to live my life based off what I want to pursue. Grateful to understand that I can choose to overcome obstacles, and that they cannot thwart me if I choose so.


Time today after finishing my early morning routine: 5:55 AM

My Early Morning Routine today:
5 min. to check basic news; play motivational music; read MIT, contemplate, write about it briefly; write down your goals; visualize and understand the opportunity you have right now to distinguish yourself, especially when compared to the majority of others your age; think over what I'm grateful for; and begin your To-Do List of Objectives to complete today

I wonder what parts I can or need to shorten down or cut out?

My Many Goals: Now and in the Near Future

1. To be the nurse who makes the difference in a crisis.  

To be the leader, a life-saver, and the difference maker in a crisis.

Motivation for this goal: I want to be the hero; to save lives; to act in an emergency when others can only watch, wishing they knew what to do; to make a positive and inspiring difference in the lives of others.

For clinical: to conduct thorough assessments, practice hands-on, to ask for what I need, to understand what interventions should be done based off priority, to understand why I am giving each medication, and to take my time to get it right.

2. To become a habitual Early riser and be productive with my time. To minimize the amount of time I NEED to sleep to have more time during the day.

Distractions to be Expelled From My Life: the television <-- the most prominent distraction in my life  

Motivation for doing this: I want to be seen as someone who has discipline, determination, ambition, desire and this makes an obvious first hand statement with just the eyes when someone sees you up that early at such a young age when it’s just not the norm, and of course, this helps me be more productive and disciplined in my mentality towards other goals.

"If you will do what most people are not willing to do for the next few years, then
you'll be able to do what most people won't be able to do for the rest of their lives.

Extremely concentrated effort in a short period of time builds enough rocket fuel to
help you escape the gravity of mediocrity that entraps everybody else."

3. To write and contemplate about life’s wisdom. (Brian Kim’s MIT’s of the Day, articles, Books; Steve Pavlina; Anthony “Tony” Robbins; Personal Excellence Blog (Ex: article on overcoming shyness article mentality change); Self-Improvement Individuals)

Motivation for doing this: B/C the more you can learn from the wisdom and life lessons of others, the more you will amplify your potential for the attainment of your own goals.

4. To become an active DC QHHT practitioner AND write about the sciences that are merging with what DC’s work has found as well as other sources regarding Spirituality.

I also want to write about how these modern chronic diseases that Western medicine has no cure for is being covered up for profit by powerful pharmaceutical companies as well as how it's related to our modern day lifestyles. <-- How we are making ourselves sick and why medicine is not the answer to these chronic illnesses. (Relates to DC and spirituality b/c it's talked about how we shouldn't be sick, and how we do it to ourselves; how people have been healed by DC's work, thus understanding that medicines and chemotherapy of Western medicine is not the answer; and worst of all, the travesty that is going on by drug companies for money)  Write about BL's work, DC, Tom Campbell, and the likes who are proving how science is moving us into an age to spiritual enlightenment, growth, and health.

Motivation for doing this: to change lives, heal people in ways that medicine hasn’t been able to, and to grow even more spiritually.

-          To write about the story of my dog and the legacy to leave. 

Motivation for doing this: B/C I want her story told, b/c her life and how it has and will impact me positively deserves to be known

5. To cut down on body weight and develop a strong body weight to strength ratio. To train my body towards a mountain climber's level of fitness.



Goals to Pursue Later in Life:

6. To live a life of excitement by pursing Adventure-related activities, hobbies, and travel. (From Lion King Days)

“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances without own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.” - Joseph Campbell

http://coachingtohappiness.com/follow-your-bliss-a-collection-of-joseph-campbell-quotes.html

7. To develop strong, deep, emotional connection with others based off honesty and the sharing of intimate thoughts, feelings, experiences (life and everyday exp.), beliefs, and values. (From Lion King Days)


8. To develop my personality in ways that benefit me, ways that I desire, and in ways that has a positive impact on those I come in contact with. To challenge my negative beliefs and to therefore change my attitude, thoughts, feelings, mindset, and actions for the better. (Inspired by the Domestic Disturbance Incident)

            One Area I Want to Change: To be able to confidently and intellectually articulate about topics of importance to me in front of a large group and audience. To deliver speeches (public speaking) with resonance, cogency, satisfactory economy of language, and be able to express myself in the moment, off the cuff, with the right words that come to mind and do justice to how I feel about what I am thinking about.  


9. To learn about the difficulties others are experiencing in their lives AND to step outside my own needs for the needs of others by portioning, saving up, and donating part of my salary to animal and human needs organizations monthly.

(Make sure the organizations actually make a difference vs. organizations where most of the donations go into the pockets and salaries of those not in need! i.e. Susan G. Komen Foundation)

Motivation for doing this: B/C animals and humans out there are suffering. To learn to be grateful for what I have and at the same time, taking advantage of the opportunities I have in this life to maximize my potential. 

Now that I have written out in clarity and specificity what it is I want to achieve in my life, what do I need to do everyday to take me one step closer? Also, continue to experiment with morning routine.

A Desire to Be Noticed in the Long Run

As I sit here at the law library typing this, I am wondering about a question I thought about an hour ago. First of all, I want to remind myself that no more than an hour ago, I wasn’t likely to be sitting here in the library, writing this. Less than an hour ago, I was sitting in my boxers after taking a bath, took out my contacts as my brother did and myself following suit without making the independent decision to do so, and started feeling my mind go into a state of drowsiness. The blinds being closed certainly didn’t help. Yet, I am here now. Why? Because I sat there thinking to myself, “I can go lie down and watch successive episodes of Two and a Half men and Rules of Engagement, or I can go do what I need to do to improve and distinguish myself. Why do I feel motivated lately, besides the fact that I witnessed Kobe Bryant’s own dogged determination to succeed and prove his doubters wrong after recently rupturing his Achilles? A few things. This past Saturday, I just had an exam, so the past week prior to the test, I was already in a state of discipline where I was practicing self-discipline. The fact that I did not do as well as I’d hoped for does not help either. Seeing the Man of Steel Trailer in theaters before the Jurassic Park movie in 3d played a part as it certainly reminded me of the hero’s journey that I learned about from my Mythology class this past summer. Learning about my upcoming senior one semester’s schedule is definitely contributing to my desire to pursue one of my goals here. And besides the recent seemingly trivial sources of motivation that has slightly lit a hotter fuse in my subconscious mind that ever so gently waiting to go off, I can’t say I’ve felt this way just now. I’ve felt motivated and determined for self-improvement and goal-attainment all my life. And I mean, all my life. Of course, no one huge event is responsible for my ambition but the question that I precluded this post with is something that is, has been, and will be my main source of motivation. And what is that question?

In your heart of hearts, what do people think about quiet people? Regardless of what people might say when publically asked on the spot, I feel like quiet people are looked down upon in our society. Quiet people are looked as loners. Quiet people are less thought about, less talked about, and if talked about, not likely to be regarded in a positive light. Quiet people are less noticed, and considered to be nobody. Quiet people are unintentionally ignored by girls, all the while, us noticing them. I don’t think people expect us to make noise- not literally of course- in life. As I type this, I surmise this reason as to why Kobe Bryant, who has been perceived to be quiet and reserved, has become such a fierce competitor, besides his love for the game. “When it comes to the game, the thing that is most important to me is winning. I want to win, I want to win by any means necessary, I want to be the best. I want to be the best, simple and plain. And to be the best you have to win. That’s why I play the game. That’s what drives me.” Also, does it surprise me that the bulk of my music playlist consist of two types of songs? Songs with elements of sadness to them, and music that motivates me. Certainly I have songs that may not fall into these two categories, but those are far and few in between. Songs with a jolly, upbeat attitude have their place, but lose their vigor and conviction faster than songs of despair and motivation. Do I want to be sad? After experiencing the passing of my beloved dog, the answer is a surefire NO! I listen to sad songs because they serve as the fueling ground for motivation. I love that feeling of determination and ambition. The thought of going for a run at 5 in the morning and having one of my old high school classmates, who just had to coincidentally be up early for that one day, see me working with a passion gives me a feeling of satisfaction like little that I’ve experienced. It’s similar to the feeling of being in the zone when playing basketball and no matter WHAT the defender tries to do, it has all been futile for them. Followed by the bonus of seeing and hearing signs of self-contained amazement and frustration from someone that has never noticed you or thought much of you gives me such satisfaction! That respect for being noticed NOW after time has passed and the tables have switched is what I want. No wonder self-improvement has been such a big focus for me in life. The desire to be the hero, to stand apart, to individuate myself from the crowd, this is what I work for! I want to live my life to my greatest potential and be admired. I want to live a life where others, who were too good for me, will talk about in a commendable or envious manner. Don’t get me wrong, not all my goals revolve around self-desired goals that will only benefit myself. It’s far from that. I know that a life lived to pleasure ourselves solely is a life that has made no impact on anyone. We all have to decide who we want to be in our lives. We can all change the world, for better or worse.         

The Type of Motivation & Inspiration I Want Others to See in Me

Kobe Bryant- on the night/early morning hours (Friday; April 12th/ Sat.; April 13th) after suffering a ruptured Achilles:

"This is such BS! All the training and sacrifice just flew out the window with one step that I've done millions of times! The frustration is unbearable. The anger is rage. Why the hell did this happen ?!? Makes no damn sense. Now I'm supposed to come back from this and be the same player Or better at 35?!? How in the world am I supposed to do that??
I have NO CLUE. Do I have the consistent will to overcome this thing? Maybe I should break out the rocking chair and reminisce on the career that
was. Maybe this is how my book
ends. Maybe Father Time has defeated me...Then again maybe not! It's 3:30am, my foot feels like dead weight, my head is spinning from the pain meds and I'm wide awake. Forgive my Venting but what's the purpose of social media if I won't bring it to you Real No Image?? Feels good to vent, let it out. To feel as if THIS is the WORST thing EVER! Because After ALL the venting, a real perspective sets in. There are far greater issues/challenges in the world then a torn achilles. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, find the silver lining and get to work with the same belief, same drive and same conviction as ever.
One day, the beginning of a new career journey will commence. Today is NOT that day.
"If you see me in a fight with a bear, prey for the bear". Ive always loved that quote. Thats "mamba mentality" we don't quit, we don't cower, we don't run. We endure and conquer.
I know it's a long post but I'm Facebook Venting LOL. Maybe now I can actually get some sleep and be excited for surgery tomorrow. First step of a new challenge.
Guess I will be Coach Vino the rest of this season. I have faith in my teammates. They will come thru.
Thank you for all your prayers and support. Much Love Always.
Mamba Out                                                                                                                                              "

https://www.facebook.com/Kobe/posts/10151563315250419

I desire to be seen in this fashion by others. To prove myself. RESPECT.

Why Torture Matters

This past Wednesday, I attended a lecture on War and Its Effects on Society. Here are my thoughts. (Writing all this while listening to the Man of Steel trailer)

              Why does torture matter? This is a serious question with significant implications. The more appropriate question is, why wouldn’t torture matter? Besides the obvious fact that torture yields an automatic gut reaction so vile that is beyond contempt- in the vast majority of us at least-, should there ever be a time or situation where torture is appropriate? Rebecca Gordon argues that torture matters because of what it does to a nation. It matters because it is not an isolated event. It matters because torture is a practice, and torture engenders in us habits that not only ruin the image and perception of this overly proud nation when exposed, if exposed, but it instills in the torturers, values that are thrown into grave questioning, and nations that allows this to happen behind the shadows will certainly be questioning their own values as well, regardless of the values this nation supposedly stands for beyond all else. What does it say about a nation who covers up the veracity of what really goes on inside or behind enemy lines? It would devastate the nation’s reputation for one thing, but the individuals who participate in the abuse are guilty of cruelty to its fellow mankind. After all the changes and uprisings between groups of superficial difference this nation has seen, you would think we would all understand to treat each other with courtesy and respect, as we are not so different. But apparently when it comes to institutions of power such as the military, where information of what really happens can easily be kept a secret from the public, we can lose the common decency we show for each other. One may say, “Hold on a minute, they are the enemy! Why should we care? They deserve it!” And while I can understand the anger and hate against our “enemies”, and may even agree on an emotional level that these people should be treated horrendously for what they have done, we shouldn’t. Why? Because of what it does to us as individuals. Because of what it does to our character and values. Certainly the acts of war may be as criminal as murder, as soldiers are motivated to kill the enemy out of differences in what they believe (e.g. religion). One can argue that soldiers only go to battle because they have orders to follow, and while this is true, when we are in the midst of a heated firefight, and we see our comrade go down, it becomes personal. It is not about just following orders. We are increasingly motivated to murder the enemy in a heated moment in time. Certainly the murder is not planned like a calculated cold-blooded serial killer who stalks and executes his plan to fill some obsessive, twisted desire, but as a Delta Force soldier named Hoot in the award-winning film, Black Hawk Down, stated, “Once that first bullet goes past your head, politics and all that s#!t just goes right out the window”. And even better stated, is another quote from this same soldier when talking about how he responds when every day people ask him why he goes to war. “When I go home people ask me, ‘Hey Hoot, why do you do it man? What are you some kind of war junkie?’ You know what I'll say? I won't say a goddamn word. Why? They won't understand. They won't understand why we do it. They won't understand that it's about the man next to you, and that's it. That's all it is”. I bring this up not to try and turn the acts committed in war into something that is glorious save the fact that the values of soldiers such as trust, teamwork, valor, courage, and loyalty are certainly tested on the battlefield, but because to remind us that torture instills values of deceit (making it hidden from the public); cruelty to our fellow mankind; hate and truculence towards people of difference; along with the self-doubt, self-questioning, shame, and guilt in the minds of people who commit acts of torture. 

What about the ticking time bomb or Jack Bauer scenario? Is torture acceptable then? My answer to this is quite straight forward and simple. I would respond that if it has come to this, if it has to come to the point where there is a calamitous threat where the number of lives impacted would be colossal, we have already failed. The fact that if we have a ticking time bomb on our hands with an enemy that hates us with that much intensity, we have severely failed as a species with the intelligence and capacity to be compassionate and help each other live life more optimistically and peacefully. At this point, whether torture is acceptable is purely a decision based off your values and beliefs. If you believe in doing what it takes to save the greatest number of people, torture is absolutely what you are going to promote for the individual with “knowledge”. Is it despicable? It doesn’t matter anymore by this stage. The fact that we cannot help each other out as the human race, the fact that there are people who are so lost in greed and power to the point where we can’t solve our differences with compassion and understanding for each other is entirely reprehensible and much more worthy of scorn than the torturing of an individual with knowledge of where the bomb is. It’s the same with these massive school shootings. People are all about the gun control debate, vehemently arguing that guns don’t belong in the household. But where are all the people who are vehemently promoting to get help for these individuals who are at risk of committing these crimes? Many of these shooters acted out of incredible rage built up from years of bullying, loneliness, hopelessness, and a feeling of being unloved and uncared about. Certainly these shooters are responsible for their actions, but how blameworthy are they? What I am saying is that we are all interconnected. We all affect each other and that while massive killings are acts of horror, we need to be on the offensive on helping people who are getting bullied at school or in the work environment, or anyone who is in distress. We have to have options and people who will care about those who are going through times of difficulty so they don’t feel so alone. We need to be there for each other and that happens through compassion and understanding. 

Torture is a result of a lack of compassion, understanding, and a willingness to put aside our own desires to help others. Torture matters because it is the epitome of savagery. And understand this, savagery is worse than primal instincts because you know the impact and the damage that you are inflicting while ignoring the needs, perspectives, and reality of others. Torture matters because of what it does to our character. Our character matters because it is the key that will sustain us. Our character is what will sustain our species and our children to live in a better world than the way we found it. Our character is what we all individually have to live with. We will never escape ourselves. We all have to decide what type of person we want to be, whoever that person is.  We can all help to change the world. The philosopher Lao Tzu said it best, “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”             

Learning the Hard Way is Sometimes Necessary

My essay to my Clinical Professor after nearly making a medication error on Tuesday; March 19th 2013: 

        

            On September 14^th, 2010, a registered nurse by the name of Kimberly Hiatt accidently administered ten times the amount of calcium chloride to a critically ill infant- she gave 1.4 grams instead of the prescribed 140 mg. The eight-month old infant died five days later. Hiatt was fired, terminating her 24 year career as a RN. Termination is certainly a problem for everyone but committing a grievous medication error will leave everyone involved shaken, it will cause us to be doubtful of our competency as health care providers, it will cause us to be doubtful of our future in the career, to feel devastated for the harmed or killed patient and their families, along with feelings of shame, embarrassment, guilt, depression, and punishing self-blame. As I read the story of Kimberly Hiatt’s mistake and the proceeding unraveling of her life that followed which eventually led to her suicide in April of 2011, I feel I can still only imagine the devastation that she must have been feeling. I feel bad for her, I really do, and at the same time I can see myself being in a situation similar to that of her’s because I nearly made a medication error, and would have committed one had my nurse not caught it right then and there. And as you know, afterwards during our meeting, I was seriously doubting if I have the right mentality, attitude, personality, and competency to perform in this career. Making that simple yet serious error brought up thoughts of whether I have the right reasons to be in nursing as well. As I have remarked, my main reasons of motivation for pursuing a career in nursing are not ones of complete altruism but more out of selfish desires of what I want to pursue in my life- travelling, adventure, etc. And as I write this now, I know no one can give me an answer that will satisfy me because no one knows.

            From doing research, I am reminded of how many medication errors occur every week alone in the United States. Medical errors are the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and even more shocking is the fact that, the number of deaths as a result of medical errors fill up four jumbo jet passengers every week. To just put it out there in terms of numbers, it is estimated that 40,000 harmful and/or fatal errors occur each and every day (Statistic as of 2012). As I read these statistics to myself, there is a small part of me that wants to say that because these occurrences are happening every single say, with decently high frequency, that medication errors should not be that big of a deal, but I know that type of thinking is inexcusable and cannot belong in nursing or any healthcare career. As I think over the events of my own near-miss incident, I was rushing myself out of fear of being seen as incompetent and slow. Additionally, I did not run through the five rights protocol with cautiousness. To be honest with myself, I had a “nothing bad will happen” type attitude, was not thinking of the dangerous consequences that could happen, and did not have a 100% focus in the present moment to ensure I had engaged in the five rights. To make matters even worse, I failed to remember to follow my hospital’s protocols of scanning the meds before opening them. As I write this, I wonder where my mind wandered at that time. I remembered to scan the first four medications because my nurse motioned me to, but as she was talking to the patient and trusting me to continue following protocol, I seemed to fall into an automatic cycle of telling the patient what the medication I was opening was and forgot to scan them. It was only until my nurse came right beside me to where I was opening the medications did I realize I did not even scan more than half of them. Right then at that moment I experienced that feeling of incompetency and a loss in my confidence. I remember thinking to myself, “how in the world did I forget to scan more than half of the medications?!” Something so simple, yet, I forgot. During our talk, I really felt that if I don’t develop terrific habits of checking the five rights carefully and thoroughly, “My god, I’m going to be killing someone literally like this and my own life as well. Forget about all my dreams outside of nursing, I’m going to be fired, license revoked, devastated, broke, sued, and may even face civil or criminal charges against me. All this studying and years of hard work for this?!” I don’t know how other students have reacted to near-misses (since I am the first one you’ve had), but these feelings of shame; incompetency; guilt, from the very real reality of causing harm or death to a patient; and years of hard work down the drain in a second, overwhelmed me to tears. I really do understand that you are wanting to help me here. I understand that you are already being lenient with me as you technically needed to write me up. I really do understand that you need me to do more work than others because you are concerned that I am in a precarious position right now. 

            In terms of what I need to do to prevent medication errors, I need to be very careful and alert when taking out the medications from the Pyxis machine and checking with the MAR that I have the right patient, the right medication, the right dosage (so the right number of capsules like I failed to do), the right route, and the right time. From my research, I have also found two other rights that are very beneficial, and these are the right reason to giving the medication, and the right response, meaning, checking to make sure that the medication is having the proper and expected desired effect. I very much agree with your opinion that I need to slow down and not rush when performing any nursing related intervention. I need to realize the seriousness of the profession I am training to be in and ask questions to get answers regardless of my fear of being seen as incompetent, because it is the very irony that is causing me to make mistakes! It is my fear of being seen as incompetent, that I rush procedures in hopes of not being judged as slow. It is due to that fear that I do not always clarify all the questions I may have lingering in my mind. I’m terrified of being seen as incompetent! And it’s killing me and stunting my development. I hear about the other students doing different skills, and I feel like I’m behind. It can be frustrating. (Written as of Thursday; 3/21/13)

(Writing this part as of Tuesday; 3/26/13) Writing this after the emotions of the event have more or less dissipated, I believe this lesson was worth learning. It is a lesson of slowing down and being careful. It is a reminder of the danger that is involved in the profession. Looking at this event from afar, I am reminded of a quote that speaks truth to me and it goes like this:

"Stuff is going to happen to us all. It's how we respond to that, that's going to make the difference. Remember everything that happens is neutral until you give it a meaning. Feel that distance between event and response. Often, we can't understand the meaning of events until time has passed and we look back."   

- Brian Kim's MIT of March 21st, 2013

This is such an empowering quote. At the time I was writing the first few pages of this essay, I was feeling down and in the dumps over my mistake. Now as I write these words later, I feel a sense of gratitude for learning this lesson early. Medication errors are mistakes that can happen to anyone and to come away from this experience with a sense of cautiousness and safety is worth it and will remain to be worth it as long as I remain careful. Sometimes we need an event of seriousness to wake us up. I surely have been awakened and will keep this experience in the back of my mind to see that this doesn’t happen again. Thanks for helping me learn this lesson. I sincerely appreciate it.                     

My Ejournal for Simulation (The Week After):

            Taking into account of the painful lesson of last week, I went into simulation with the attitude of slowing down and carefully carrying out my interventions. I learned from watching others’ simulation scenarios that completing a thorough head to toe assessment is absolutely crucial in being able to choose the proper interventions that meet the problem of the client’s pathophysiology. Many times, we would rush into choosing an intervention that is based off an incomplete assessment and therefore, a lack of data, to get the entire picture of what was happening to the patient. An example, at the beginning of a head to toe assessment, if we find that the patient is experiencing increasing shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, we may assume that we need to turn up the oxygen and administer a bronchodilator to help with the SOB. This reasoning is based off of the notion that the patient is experiencing bronchoconstriction, however, without listening to the lung sounds, listening to the patient’s complaints, and obtaining a full set of vital signs, we may not find out that the actual cause of SOB is being caused by fluid build-up in the lungs and a result of heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. This example may not be the best example but it gives an idea of the importance of obtaining all the relevant data before deciding to choose an intervention. This may be hard to do when the patient is in pain and is obviously in distress but without the proper data to make a determination, our interventions chosen out of haste may have little to no beneficial effect on the patient and can even aggravate the situation. In today’s example, the albuterol can cause increased HR and bronchospasms in a patient already experiencing tachycardia. So far, going to simulation has really given me a shot in the arm and confidence in my assessment skills and rationale of how to help the patient. It is something that I needed after last week’s error. I’ve learned two valuable lessons in the past two weeks and I hope these lessons will only serve and protect me and the patients in the future. 

Good Death Response and Just A Few of my Favorite Pics of My Dearly Beloved

My Response to an Article I Read for Professor Gifford's Management in Complex Clinical Systems, Spring 2013, Course:

http://www.nursingeconomics.net/necfiles/specialissue/2012/GoodDeath.pdf

"

There is a wonderfully touching article called Dignity in Death Imperative: Good Death, written by Robin Dianna and Evans Matutina. There’s a saying that goes, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. To be precise, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s about to be taken away from you. You also don’t know what it’s like until you’ve gone through it yourself. This story is concise, less than a page long, yet it’s enough to make one think about the values we need to demonstrate with our actions and words as caregivers. No words or action will light up a smile on H.D.’s parents faces when today is the day that their child is going to be passing away from terminal cancer. There is nothing left than can be done to save this child. In moments like this, our true characters, values, and beliefs will show. Unlike the vast majority of the time, now, underneath the veil of invulnerability we display, our compassion and empathy for others will lead us. We don’t need to study powerpoints to know how to act. We won’t need to dig back into our memory bank to remember what we should do or say. In moments like this, our compassion will lead the way for families like that of H.D. 

The underlying take-away from this story, besides the values that will lead us in this career, is the fact that costs should not be an obstacle to delivering the top-notch quality of care. Experiencing moments right before and after death remind us of the fragility, AND value of life. As painful as it is to be there for patients in time of need, pain will motivate us to be compassionate towards everyone, no matter what stage of cancer or disease someone may be in. We would never put a price on the lives of people, so why do it in the hospital?                                                                                                                                                                                                  "

I can't say this story doesn't resonate with me, especially as of recent past weeks. I haven't got time right now to write about the story and legacy of my beloved, many-names Golden Retriever who passed on several weeks ago. Had her for 10 heart-warming years. From summer of 2002 to Sunday, December 30th, 2012, approximately 5:30-6:30 PM to be exact.

This summer, after my Junior 2 semester, I will write about her story and legacy. Love you Lucky and I miss you.

**Her Story has been written. Today is Monday, July 8th, 2013.  

Until we meet again.

                 

Love,

      Michael  

Just a few of my Favorite Pictures of my Bear: