Three months in... and counting!

Yo wad' up...clearly my downtown lingo is becoming more fluent by the minute; and speaking of minutes / time...i have successfully made it through the first quarter!; and speaking of first quarters...it seriously sometimes feels like I'm on the front lines, getting pummeled, of this ever growing football game/field...and speaking of football...good grief, I have never faced such passionate sports fans; I have quickly, and rather harshly, learned that having no opinion at all is viewed as the social equal to supporting the opposing team!!  Apparently, learning the "ins and outs" of football has been added to my orientation checklist, including the requirement to pick and root for a specific team (specifically the RAVENS)...and speaking of RAVENS, I can't decide if I really like them or not...and them, this time, refers to the literal bird - they kind of make me gag...they are a large, disgusting sect of flying vertebrates that, despite their awful face, are known to be pretty intelligent...so mixed emotions; but whatever... the argument really doesn't matter, it's pretty much for the birds...oh, and speaking of mixed emotions.... I was able to spend the last two weekends in CT (didn't really want to leave), which was totally awesome.  I am and will be forever grateful for family and friends!!  Both Christmas day and New Years day, I was able to enjoy splitting my time between 7 or 8 different household visits, enabling me to relish in the blessing of great company and good foooooood!!  To complete my HAPPY NEW YEAR festivities, I arrived back in Maryland, the evening of Tuesday December 1, 2013, only to be greeted by a four lane highway halted to a dead stop...10 miles in one hour !!; several new year's resolutions (be more kind, gentle, speak evil of no one, think pleasant happy thoughts, etc) were TOSSED RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW...literally; beep, honk, swerve...it was probably as bad, or worse, than you are currently imagining... :) but despite this / these setback/s I arrived safely to the Inner Harbor in one piece, and dent free!!

Since getting back to work, I have been stationed at the Lifeline Pier 7 base, home to the ground trucks and helicopter.  The weather has been sunny, cool and crisp, making early morning vehicle checks seem like a bit  of past war time torture ..argggghhh, it was so cold in the patient compartment one morning, it was snowing....inside...bring out the portable heater puuuuhhhleeezzzz....duhhh :)  Nonetheless (I really just wanted to type that word...lol), the days have been beautiful and love where I both work and live.

Several weeks ago, my brother, his wife and their six little chillin's made the ground trek to HarborView!!! It was phenomenal...the kids were great and had a blast... We made good use of time by swimming, visiting the National Aquarium  watching a dolphin show, pigging out at the Cheesecake Factory and seeing a stunning light show at the nearby PowerPlant !!  Church was Philadelphia on Sunday, it was nice to connect and reconnect with some good friends...

As another years closes and another opens, I am ever reminded of and continue to become increasingly thankful for the gracious goodness, mercy and love of GOD, FAMILY AND FRIENDS !!

Until the next time...

thought this was good!!
PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP...

"THE BIRD"
N522ME STATMEDEVAC 10, EC 145 on the pier !!

"THE BIRD" 
N522ME STATMEDEVAC 10, EC 145 on the pier !!

I don't think I have ever worn a bow - tie before Monday night...
first time for everything...lol; pretty schnazzzyyy!!!?

first ever (#imsure) glidescope intubation on a (simulated) difficult airway..
oh yeah.whose ure dadddy now - but seriously - pretty much a big deal !!

INNER HARBOR FROM THE NATIONAL AQUARIUM !!!

the FAM'...love you guys :)
sir, are those ALL seriously your kids....??!!!
no dude, we kidnapped a few on the way in....seriously #sillyquestion

WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER...

THE SOULS OF SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, NEWTOWN, CT

12 / 14 / 2012

MAY THEY NEVER BE FORGOTTEN: 

      Allison Wyatt - 7/3/06                       Ana Marquez Greene - 4/4/06
      Anne Marie Murphy - 7/25/60              Avielle Richman - 10/17/06
      Benjamin Wheeler - 9/12/06               Caroline Previdi - 9/7/06
      Charlotte Bacon - 2/22/06                  Catherine Hubbard - 6/8/06
      Chase Kowalski - 10/31/05                 Daniel Barden - 9/25/05
      Dawn Hochsprung - 6/28/65                Dylan Hockley - 3/8/06
      Emilie Parker - 5/12/06                      Jack Pinto - 5/6/06
      Grace McDonnell - 5/6/06                   James Mattioli - 3/22/06
      Jessie Lewis - 6/30/06                       Jessica Rekos - 5/10/06
      Josephine Gay - 12/11/05                   Lauren Rousseau - 6/8/82
      Grace McDonnell - 2/11/56                  Madeleine Hsu - 7/10/06
      Noah Pozner - 11/20/06                      Olivia Engel - 7/18/06
      Rachel Davino - 7/17/83                     Victoria Soto - 11/04/85

GOD BE WITH YOU TIL' WE MEET AGAIN !

FAMILY TIME and more...!!!

Howdy! I just got back after a 5 day vacay in CT; spent lots of time visiting family and friends and had a wonderful time.  This past Saturday was the 2012 Mark Hoffman Immediate family Christmas and, as expected, was a little bit o' fun, little bit o' crazy and definitely a time to be remembered by all !!!  As I have mentioned in previous posts, family is something that I have come to largely appreciate and Saturday did nothing to disprove or disappoint that!! :)

Tuesday night, after a short 45 min flight, I arrived back to my "other" home on the Inner Harbor and found things exactly the way I left them....with the exception of warmer weather and lots of christmas cards and pictures - keep em' coming... !!!.  I was never sooo happy to be returning to a place where I could call 50 degrees warm, but I'll def take it...I think I'm cut out to be lifelong south of the MASON DIXON snow bird :)

AGAIN...THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE REMEMBERED ME WITH CARDS, LETTERS AND PICTURES!!!

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday is back to the grinding grindstone; much of this week will be spent in an advanced airway management class, where we will learn to secure a patient's airway....the highlighted moment of the introductory class was "you guys...air goes in the lungs, not in the stomach" !! After spending over 10 years in nursing school and professional practice, sometimes, the most basic is the most relevant.

I think the picture (from work) below accurately represents three essential dynamics of a good time: education, teamwork and happiness!!! :)

I am looking forward to John and Erin + 6 to come visit this weekend!!!! Harborview Community better break out the umbrellas cause' there's a storm coming... LOL :) !!!! can't hardly wait to see all of u!!

Until the next time...

advanced airway management simulation...LARYNGOSCOPY GALORE !!!
" GET THAT MANDIBLE UNDER CONTROL "

family christmas....good time had by all !!! :)

Brother - Sister portraits... :)
at least my eyes are open, but where's the smile... dude??

funny faces... two of my favorite nephewssssss

stick dat' tongue out.... three more wicked cool kats !!!

Dear CT, I miss u...

Hey!!

One more day of work until I can jet back to my hometown for a few days...I'll be in CT for an extended weekend, celebrating the Mark Hoffman family Christmas; a time of fun, food, family, rest and relaxation PLUS a side of pure chaos!!  Certainly something to be looked forward to each and every year... it always makes me think about the many people that do not have the privilege of close family - i have come to know it is one of the truest joys in life!

I have also come to appreciate the awesome apprehension of finding letters in my mailbox; especially this time of year.... I have received sooo many cards, letters and pictures of people from all over...THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!!! When I lived back in CT, I would let my mail pile up for weeks (unless I knew I was getting money or a check...lol) to the point where the mail lady once asked the front office to do a welfare check on me...!!! I am please to say this has not been the case in Baltimore!

As much as I love living on the Inner Harbor and all of the newness, exploration and discovery that comes with it, I definitely miss my CT peeps and am so glad that I can trek back every now and then!!

John and Erin, my brother and his wife, recently went to HOT TABLE PANINI and sent me a picture of their lunch, prior to its immediate consumption!!!  I was salivating all the way down here in BALTIMORE; I asked them to bring me one...they said they'll see what they could dooooo...mmmmmhhhmmm - They need to build one of those down here !!! I would be a regular...ahhhh; i can hear my stomach calling for a panini....but I just ate...ugghh!

Til' the next time...

CHRISTMAS CARDS / LETTERS AND PICTURES....LOVE IT !!!

HOT TABLE PANINI..!! :)

One month down...

Hey all; one month down and still lovin it!!! life has been composed of...well; learning...a lot of learning (which is totally fine with me).  The academic semester is swiftly coming to a close and and is chewing up my free time with final exams, research papers, etc; one thing is for sure...there is very little time to get into any trouble...

Work is great! spent several hours in the simulation lab doing advanced clinical skills and loved it!  The simulation center is huge and one of the best centers I have ever been in.  Assessments, advanced hemodynamics, multi-system trauma care, airway management, ventilator management, etc....so much fun!

This past Friday night, Lifeline Transport celebrated 20 years of being in service.  They had a nice dinner and presentation at Tabrizzi's, which is about 100 feet from where I live...so for once in my Baltimore history, I could describe my commute as "simple and hassle free"; key phrase being "FOR ONCE"!  Below is a picture of the CAKE they had made and decorated at a local bake shop here in downtown B-more; it was true testament to someone's cooking talent!  I really wanted to eat the helicopter...but they said NO...wwwwahhhhhh!

Until the next time...

"THE CAKE"

VENT practice...arrrggggg - - - -
I can do this, I can do this, I can do this...

#whyamIstillastudent

Love my job!!!

Sunset from the other pad... lol!!! rooftop parking at JHH :)

Contemplative...

Jack Kornfield once wrote:

"Letting things go does not mean to get rid of them.  Letting them go means to let them."

Why is it so hard to let something go? whether it is a desire, a personality trait, a human quirk, a good friend, a dying family member, a habit, a resentment, a relationship, a cherished piece of clothing, a lack of faith, a style of communication or a (fill in the blank).... and the list goes on and on...

I found this historic, but relevant analogy helpful when thinking about the behavior involved in not letting something go...

"Tie a coconut to a tree, hollow it and put some rice in it. The hole in the coconut should just be large enough for a monkey to put its hand in it. The monkey will grasp the rice but meanwhile its hand has gotten so big, that it can’t pull it hand out anymore. But it wants to hold on to the rice no matter what and thus it remains captured."

A conclusive comment by Havelock Ellis seems appropriate: "All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on."

Until next time...

Ecola State Park, Oregon - one of my favorite places!