Last Day in ICU

I am currently at work. As you can see, it is not too bad. We had the most wonderful lunch. It was prepared by my friend Les. She is one of the kindest people in this world. My coworker Leslie, brought a wonderful cheesecake. We all sat and ate. (This is a uncommon occurrence if you work in a hospital) All of us oohing and ahhing over the spaghetti that I can't even put into words how yummy it is. Eva, a nurse on the night shift brought in a homemade cake that she decorated. Currently, I am smelling the icing and wanting to run my finger through it. Did I mention I am at work. I try very hard to not put my fingers in my mouth here. Even after washings it still has the alcohol foam we use in and out of every room. Not a pleasant taste I might add. I have been here for 4 years. The majority of my nursing career. I got pregnant while working here, had Tia, closed our business, and moved. I have lost some dear friends and family during this time to illness. I have watched people come close to death and miraculously survive. I have seen those who should be going home decide it was their time to "Go Home" and not step foot out of this hospital. I have been called every name in the book. including (my sis-in-laws favorite) a GD lazy no good whore. That was a fun day? I have been puked on, pooed on, peed on, bled on. I have seen heaven and hell. I have hated this place and loved it more than I could imagine all in the same breath. I have made friends that I hope I will never lose. Working in the ICU, you become family. You spend 12 hours a day with each other. You know the good and the really bad of each person. No one else can understand except for another nurse. You get frustrated when you do everything and someone still dies. You cry on the way home b/c that patient you have taken care of for the past two weeks won't be there when you get back. This day brings a rush of emotion that I was not prepared for. I have never left a job when I wasn't past the point of hating everything about it. I love Baylor Waxahachie. They honestly have the best doctors and staff. They care for their patients like family. I wish I was able to continue on here, but after much thought and prayer it is time for me to move on. I will still receive my care here, as will my family. To those who will read this from there. I love you all and you will have a place in my heart forever. Well, 3 hours to go and I will no longer be an employee in Waxahachie. Fort Worth here I come!

First Day of Preschool

We dropped Tia off at St. Matt's this morning. She was so excited to be going to school. She immediately told everyone her name and fell in love with her teacher. It helped that the teacher asked her if she wanted to paint. Tia said "YES" like are you crazy I love it! I was afraid I was going to have to leave Jason with her since he kept going back for one more look. I can't believe how quiet the house is. I get to blog without having to get up 3 times to be Mommy!

Awesome Day

Recently someone told me they didn't see how I go to work after having a baby. I had no choice. J had his own business and I was the breadwinner. It sucked to say the least. A year later we closed the business, Jason went to work for Whole Foods, it got better. I changed my hours, we both worked our butts off to save some money and we sold some land. After 11 years I got to move back home. Given I now have to work 36 hours a week, but I get to start doing what I love. I do miss some days with my girl. I lose sleep b/c I am trying too get ahead so I can make more money to hopefully work less hours as she gets older. All and all today I knew we were doing the right thing. See I feel so selfish sometimes. If we had stayed in Ennis, I could probably stay home or at least work a day a week. I hated that house. To the point I would not invite others over due to I HATED that house. I have a house I am now proud of and a place I love to call home. Jason and I talk about how this truly feels like home. The 11 years we have been together, we have never been home. Now we are. Today, my girl, my beautiful Tia Grace, played in our yard for 2 hours. Running and playing and driving her Barbie car. Completely happy in her "Backyardigans" I am jealous of those who get to be there every day for every second. Please know I never judge any of you. Someday I will be at every game and every play, but today I have to miss some moments and relish in the ones I get like today watching Jason chase Tia around the yard trying to keep her out of the trees. :) (and know we made the right choice)

Blogging

Ok so I really am trying to do all of this... AARGH! I feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy pulls the football away. Just when I think I have it down, something moves. Bare with me while I work on the site. Laura, you may receive frustrated phone calls. I do most of this on my mini laptop, which is great for school, but we have issues when I try to do things that require patience. If my laptop survives the process of setting this up, then I will be happy. Stay tuned I should get this moving better in the next week.
Thanks Laura for the hints. Keep em coming.
C-

Holes in my ears

Tia decided the week of her birthday (3rd) that she needed (because EVERYTHING is I need) to have holes in her ears like Mom and Gigi. We went to Katherines's ever so fun birthday party at Sweet and Sassy. I called Jason (to spare him the trauma it would cause..him). He said he HAD to be there when she got this done. Tia fell asleep crying that night because she needed holes in her ears. Next day....Gigi and Papa go with us to the Sweet and Sassy in Ft. Worth. I think mom tricked Dad into going, but she won't admit it. Dad goes to the opposite corner of the store. Tia picks out her earrings, very cute flowers that are crystal on the petals and pink in the center. She climbs up in the chair smiling ear to ear. Such a big girl. The lady marks her ears, oh Tia is so excited. Each lady gets an ear and place the earpiercing gun on her ear. Ok eyes are saucers and terror has just swept across my baby's face. We had told her it hurt before she went in, but she didn't care. They had given her a stuffed dog to hold before piercing. I asked her if she wanted to snuggle him and she threw him to the side. Guess puppy took the brunt of her unhappiness. Jason got the mirror and it took a couple of minutes for T to look up but when she did the HUGE smile came back (through tears). She doesn't like to clean them everyday, but is getting better. She just smiles so big when anyone compliments her earrings. She is getting TOO Big. Jason is still trying to get over the trauma. :) The pictures above are in reverse order I will figure this out someday!

Slacker

Ok so I am not doing a good job of keeping up the blog. I did write the cutest on about Tia that went with a picture.....You have to have the memory card in the camera for the picture to go to my computer. I am sure there is another way to retrieve it but I am not savy at it.
Tia is awesome. Getting bigger every day. She went home with mom and dad last night to spend the night. She had on sweat pants, t-shirt, her jacket, socks, her High heels (purple with flowers on them and plastic), and her butterfly purse(sequins and white in the shape of a butterfly). She can walk better than I can in those things.
I had a cool experience today. Rarely will I ever blog about work, but htis did my heart good. Almost ayear ago I had one of the worstd ays ever. My patient coded 2 times in 20 minutes. All day I struggled to help keep her alive. She had a rough go the whole time she was in the hospital. Today she came in the ICU to visit another patient. She looks amazing. We had heard she wasback to her normal life. We had no idea she was honestly normal. This makes my job worthwhile. I really helped someone live. WOW!!

Hoppy Easter Bunny Egg

OK so I have now been guilted into doing this by My Annie. I hope it will let those who are interested keep up with the Atwood's. We are plain busy and I don't know where the time goes. Tia is 2 and that will keep the blog bust in itself. I am still working for Baylor on weekends (hoping to change the weekend thing soon) and Jason is still lovin' Whole Foods. I will add more later, I just wanted to get started here.