invisible disease
On reminders and those awkward fresh starts.
Does it take greater effort to stop or to start? I’m talking physics here, my friends – which I know this old nurse has absolutely no business talking about. Especially not in public. But seriously … which do you think requires more energy?
Continue readingOn 38 years of engineering brilliance, and the finite life of a garage door opener.
So here’s what I’m thinking about today: garage door openers. Suddenly Continue reading
When poopers lurk in the bathroom.

I was smack dab in the middle of 5 years of nonstop nursing school. Or rather 5 years of nonstop frantically-trying-not-to-drown-from-the-pressure-because-they’re-cramming-so-much-into-your-head-that-it-feels-like-you’re-drinking-from-a-firehose-that-never-turns-off. And it won’t stop until you pass your boards. That’s exactly the place where I was that day.
Continue readingOn signs, symptoms, and pain control.
“Pain is what the patient says it is.” These words are first spoken to us very early Continue reading
When you recognize that family sitting on the couch.
I want you to know that I see you there. I may be in and out of the room Continue reading
On hoping for sometimes.
I usually feel it first behind my right eye. I suppose it could be described as an ominous little nag of ache on the back of my eyeball when I blink. Continue reading
On feeling what no one can see. Until someone does.

My recliner view.
There it was again. That look. A person walking towards you innocently glances your way as they pass by. But then you see that very subtle little double-take, their eyes lingering on you just a bit too long to be natural. Or comfortable. Continue reading
When your sleep is actually weirder than you are.
You’re lying there and a slow awareness slips in. That pit has enveloped you again. It’s not comfortable here. Nor is it restful. Or healing. At all. This is not that delicious place where you want to stretch and linger as the new morning dawns. Continue reading
Blue eyes and a little black suitcase.
It was around 3PM on a Tuesday when I got the call saying that I had another patient coming from the ED. Ouch. By this point in the day, I had already been juggling a team of five patients for 8 hours. Two of these patients were quite sick Continue reading