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THANK YOU !! :)
Monday, December 30, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
HAPPY NEW YEAR...!!
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year... Make 2014 the best one yet!! :)
All our very best... B & S!
Until next year...
Do you agree...??
I received an interesting email from a man in my life for whom I have a lot of respect; it contained four agreements, as written by Don Miguel Ruiz; human musings on achieving personal freedom...
agreement
1
Be impeccable with your word - Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using
the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of
your word in the direction of truth and love.
agreement
2
Don’t take anything personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and
do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune
to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless
suffering.
agreement
3
Don’t make assumptions - Find the courage
to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others
as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just
this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
agreement
4
Always do your best - Your best is
going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are
healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and
you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
Thanks Dad!
Until the next time...
Friday, December 6, 2013
Good Morning texts...!!
Over the past several weeks, I have been the happy recipient of many good morning text messages...complete with a picture of the cutest little lady, offering me yet one extra reason to get up and get moving...!!
Despite not being a morning person...uhhh, at all...these are messages that I will happily and hopefully continue to get for many, many more mornings to come!! :)
Uncle Bruce loves you Eliza Lou!!! :)
Nelson Mandela; a tribute to a great man..
"I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended."
“Difficulties break some men but make others.”
Words from an inspiring leader, educator, humanitarian and fellow man....
Mr. Mandela, your walk is over; rest peacefully and God Bless...
Mr. Mandela, your walk is over; rest peacefully and God Bless...
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Stephanie...!!
I met a beautiful woman named Stephanie...
I want to share what I have come to know, respect and love about her:
- She works as an ICU nurse at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD.
- She grew up in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
- Her parents, Denny and Sandy, raised her very well.
- She has an older sister Missy.
- She was born the same year as ME!
- She has a ton of friends, in both Maryland and Pennsylvania.
- She believes in GOD.
- She loves to read.
- She loves dogs; especially Maggie... her current furry friend.
- She has a contagiously cheerful and helpful disposition.
- She is innocent, but not naive.
- She appreciates simplicity.
- She is happy.
- She is a realist.
- She believes in contribution.
- She believes in the importance of self-awareness and self development.
- Her smile makes me smile.
- I am happy to call her my girlfriend...!!
to a hopeful and exciting future...!! :)
home, sweet home..!!
Hey!! A month has passed and my blog continues to cry for my attention; so without further delay....
The Hoffman Legacy at Hopkins has ended (at least from full time status). And by Legacy, I mean, Subaru Legacy.. my car will no longer be seen ripping into the parking garage, full steam ahead, 10 minutes past the start of my shift, or sneaking out half hour before my shift ends..!! :)
All jesting aside, and for real, my experience as full time Hopkins employee, is over; specifically November 5, 2013 at 2100. Although I still hold lecture privileges at a few of the colleges there, my time as a critical care transport nurse and paramedic is done! And what a wild ride it was...I can safely say that this was a time that I will never, ever forget, for the rest of my life. I am very grateful for the connections I have made and the opportunities that I have had...
So, as a final and lasting tribute to my time with Johns Hopkins....to all of those that work beneath the dome; keep it alive!! Here's to a very bright and promising future...!! :)
In a conclusive effort to finalize my time in Baltimore, Maryland, I re-recruited the help of my original moving crew...and they gladly accepted??!! In under two swirling hours, we had my place broken down and completely packed into a trailer...it is totally amazing how much stuff a single person can accumulate...the boys came up with an easy solution....; asking me which part of George Washington bridge I would like them dump the contents of the trailer over..???!! The summary to this story, is that my belongings made it safely back to a CT storage unit... intact and dent free.
To celebrate my last weekend as an official Washington DC local, a group of my friends came down from CT and we served lunch to some of the close friends and families that "temporarily" adopted me...welcoming and treating me like a King during my time there!! We spent Saturday night trekking (for houuuuurrrrsssssssss) around DC; which was totally amazing and super fun!!
Despite all the recent changes in the my life, one thing has not changed....SCHOOL! As one of my final semesters comes to a close, I can honestly say that I am totally done; burnt to an academic crisp; and the funny thing is....I LOVE BEING IN SCHOOL. Maybe its the subject material, maybe its the professors, maybe its the endless flow of papers, or perhaps just my poor attitude.... or an unhealthy combination of it all!! Whatever the source or reason, I happily look forward to a month from now...being COMPLETELY DONE!!
The picture below was sent to me by one of cohorts and I think it pretty much expresses my thoughts exactly....
As a volunteer with the American Heart Association (medical advisory), I was recently asked to participate in a panel discussion on the topic of "cutting through the clutter of social media"..!! The meeting was held down in Old Saybrook, at their local Inn and Spa. Well attended with several of the AHA local and federal executives, a three person panel spoke for about 2 hours on social media. Joining me was Representative Ritter and an senior executive from NBC Connecticut...and I think that between us, we were able to shed a little bit of helpful light on the issue!! When I left, I snapped a quick photo of the CT coast, complete with blue sky and light house; all characteristics of CT living!!
The Hoffman Legacy at Hopkins has ended (at least from full time status). And by Legacy, I mean, Subaru Legacy.. my car will no longer be seen ripping into the parking garage, full steam ahead, 10 minutes past the start of my shift, or sneaking out half hour before my shift ends..!! :)
All jesting aside, and for real, my experience as full time Hopkins employee, is over; specifically November 5, 2013 at 2100. Although I still hold lecture privileges at a few of the colleges there, my time as a critical care transport nurse and paramedic is done! And what a wild ride it was...I can safely say that this was a time that I will never, ever forget, for the rest of my life. I am very grateful for the connections I have made and the opportunities that I have had...
So, as a final and lasting tribute to my time with Johns Hopkins....to all of those that work beneath the dome; keep it alive!! Here's to a very bright and promising future...!! :)
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| "THE DOME"; THE SIGNATURE OF JOHNS HOPKINS |
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| THANK YOU GUYS SOOO MUCH...YOU ROCK!! :) |
To celebrate my last weekend as an official Washington DC local, a group of my friends came down from CT and we served lunch to some of the close friends and families that "temporarily" adopted me...welcoming and treating me like a King during my time there!! We spent Saturday night trekking (for houuuuurrrrsssssssss) around DC; which was totally amazing and super fun!!
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| THE WHOLE CREW... :) |
The picture below was sent to me by one of cohorts and I think it pretty much expresses my thoughts exactly....
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| PRETTY MUCH |
As a volunteer with the American Heart Association (medical advisory), I was recently asked to participate in a panel discussion on the topic of "cutting through the clutter of social media"..!! The meeting was held down in Old Saybrook, at their local Inn and Spa. Well attended with several of the AHA local and federal executives, a three person panel spoke for about 2 hours on social media. Joining me was Representative Ritter and an senior executive from NBC Connecticut...and I think that between us, we were able to shed a little bit of helpful light on the issue!! When I left, I snapped a quick photo of the CT coast, complete with blue sky and light house; all characteristics of CT living!!
Until the next time... :)
Saturday, October 19, 2013
HAITI 2013
Bon Jou! (Good day!!) Heyyyy! (Ahhallloo!) What uppppp..!!
I find myself back on solid ground USA, after a life changing week in Haiti. From October 4 to October 13, 2013, I was in Haiti, working with a medical mission team providing care to populations living around Bonne Fin, Sud (about 5 hours west of Port-Au-Prince).
Day #4: Women's health clinic - La Biche (1 hour from hospital) - 120 patient's seen
Day #5 and 6: Hospital, Education, Outpatient clinic - about 70 patient's seen
Day #7 and 8: Rest, Relaxation and Tourism
I find myself back on solid ground USA, after a life changing week in Haiti. From October 4 to October 13, 2013, I was in Haiti, working with a medical mission team providing care to populations living around Bonne Fin, Sud (about 5 hours west of Port-Au-Prince).
There a very few words that can describe the sights, sounds, emotions and lasting memories of this trip. Words of the late Carols Fuentes appropriately summarize the trip for me....
"culture consists of connections, not of separations..."
Day #1: Arrival to Haiti
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| The first (of many, many) gorgeous Haitian sunsets !! |
Day #2: Church and Volleyball
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| the local MEBSH church - AMAZING !! |
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| volleyball with the gang |
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| post volleyball piano session...so much fun!! |
Day #3: Hospital and Clinic Preparation
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| Entrance to the "hospital of light" |
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| Reviewing X-Rays |
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| central nursing supply cart |
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| teaching IV therapy to ER nurses |
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| ER room #1 (traditional acute care room) |
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| back up laboratory station (near pediatrics) |
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| Dr. Lee reviewing orders with a Haitian ER nurse |
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| housekeeping |
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| ready for clinic day #1...!! |
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| screening tools.... acetic acid (vinegar), lugols, lubrication, speculum and, oh, yeah...gloves |
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| table is ready...bring on the patient's!! |
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| the ceiling of the clinic... |
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| half-way through the day FACE - 75 vaginal exams done and there are more...??! - |
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| all types...some patients walked as far as 3 hours to see us |
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| nursing students and their "clinical instructor".... im pretty sure they taught ME more that day, than I taught them...!! |
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| the drive home...gorgeous |
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| a welcome site, after a long day!! Mona, our cook, totally rocked the Haitian cuisine |
Day #5: Women's health clinic - Plaisance (2 hours from hospital) - 110 patient's seen
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on our way...!!
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makeshift exam table (EMS stretcher, stabilized by a chair)
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Storm clouds moving in...lasted about 1/2 hour!
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| enjoying Haiti from mountainside lookout, after clinic |
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Debbie and Bruce with Frantzou, our trusted translator
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| Tour of Frantzou's house!! Traditional and modern Haitian kitchen |
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| Tour of Frantzou's house!! the master bedroom |
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| hospital portico |
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| morning rounds |
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| Rounding on the ER patients... it almost looks as if I am going bald...NOT YET??! |
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| helping Dr. Sherri suture a wound in ER no pre-medication and limited local anesthesia |
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| Haitian kids, they love having their picture taken...clearly LOL! |
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| Debbie, APRN, about to do another exam...!! |
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| Radiology |
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| drying X-Rays for review |
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| Entrance to the radiology department |
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| Jimmy, the physical therapist (high school diploma and a lot of ON THE JOB TRAINING) |
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| Jimmy's equipment...mostly donated |
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| one of our pediatric patient's...so stinkin' cute!! |
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| Our one NICU patient...doing very well!! |
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| he would scoot around the hospital all day in his wheelchair - luv this little guy... - |
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| the 12 lead ECG of a 6 year old patient we ended up shipping out for a suspected endocarditis and cardiomegaly |
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| the CXR of the same 6 year old patient (AP only) - sent to PAP / city hospital for ultrasound / ECHO - |
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| 6 year old patient with endocardial disease - such a tough little guy - |
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| portable CXR |
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| pretty hard to learn the language....LOL |
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| The entire HL staff...such a great group of people!! |
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| Overview of HL |
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| our cook's daughter, true Haitian beauty - she wanted to pose with her new hat - |
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| HAITI through the Cancer Redemption Project an orphanage for Haitian children!! :) |
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| traditional Haitian taxi |
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| tropic vegetation...hard hat required! coconuts are dangerous and very heavy (if fallen upon one's head) |
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| Dinner with the hospital administrator |
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| Typical missionary house |
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| Local grocery store produce |
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| AHHHH...finally, at last, our last HAITIAN meal !! |
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| Waiting for flight at PAP, checking emails, voicemails, etc. Back to reality, begins....NOW! UNTIL THE VERY NEXT TIME..!! |
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