It Can't Rain All The Time

Happy New Year!!!

I woke up this morning no different from any day that I wanted to take photos.  I planned last night that I will atleast go to Daytona Beach to take the first photo of the year.  A nice beautiful sunrise was in my head, without checking what the day would be today. And of course, as I wake up, the sky is blanketed with overcast and thick fog- so no sunrise for me; that prompted me to just call my family in the Philippines.  I promise that I will take a great photo this week to welcome my new year.

I chose to work yesterday- the last day of 2022. When I went to work, I have hoped that my day would be easy; after all, I have the same list of patients I left from the previous day’s assignment.  But at the beginning of the shift, I was greeted with patients that is hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and one needing an immediate antibiotic infusion with no IV access; and my day snowballed from there.

wisdom from the fortune cookie last night. 12/31/2022

When I got home from the long hard day at work, I tried to eat something for dinner. Not a fancy New Year’s Eve dinner that most people I know were having; just a left over from the day before. After all, I was too tired and drained- and all I want is to shower and just hit the sack or the sofa to be comfortable. After my last bite of my left-over plate, I took a fortune cookie that’s in our bread basket- broke it and read the aphorism written on it:

“It can’t rain all the time.”

That brought smile on my face. I left that piece of paper on the counter and went to watch CNN NYE telecast of the ball drop. The segments in this TV special always make me laugh, so it is safe to say that I headed to bed after midnight with a smile on my face.

This morning as I re-organized my day because of my derailed photoshoot, I came across again with the fortune I had from last night that I left on the counter.  

I try to find the connection of my last night’s fortune to what transpired in my day yesterday and early morning today. Yes, I had a very challenging day yesterday and cloudy morning today- but it wasn’t all about the challenges at all.  During those busy times, I comforted a sobbing daughter of a severely demented patient who’s hip was broken. This change in her mother’s condition leaves her clueless on how she would take caregiving (to a mother who’s physically hurting and suffering from memory loss at the same time) to the next level.  Another time was during shift change, I have to pause from giving report to one of my colleagues as I noticed that she’s in distraught.  Apparently, she is having some personal issues that couldn’t make her concentrate and eventually broke down. I gave her some comforting and tight hugs, and my two cents that somehow calmed and made her felt better.  I reassured her that she is a valued human being before I left.

My fortune cookie was right- It can’t rain all the time.  It is up to me or to us how to find that glimpse of sunshine in the midst of the rain.  

Looking forward to a very exciting 2023!

sunrise at Sanford a couple of days before Christmas Day. The last I took for 2022.

To New Beginnings

To New Beginnings…

 During new year, I often look back to reflect upon the blessings and the good things that happened to myself and my family. I also reflect upon the not so good things- and think about the lessons I learned from those experiences.  Combining them together is always a win-win situation. I take them to the next chapter of my life’s story and hope to use them when similar situations take place. 

 Two weeks ago, I took care of a 57-year old gentleman who was primarily diagnosed with Prostate Abscess with TURP (Transurethral Resection of the Prostate) procedure done. I didn’t have an immediate connection with him- I was his third nurse. And getting reports from previous nurses, sometimes give you preconceived ideas about the person, so I distanced myself.  The second day while giving medications he asked me where I was originally from so I told him that I was from the Philippines.  That was our connection.  As we conversed, he mentioned that he had a girlfriend that was from the Philippines but broke up with him after being together for eight years. He started opening up and told me that all his medical conditions started coming out since his break up and he just went downward spiral since then.  That moment I know that this patient is not just struggling with his current medical condition but is also suffering from depression.  So we talked and give him unsolicited encouragement like any nurse does. The next two days I noticed the change in his outlook.  He was not as grouchy as the previous days. When his family came, I updated them.  They validated that my patient has been sad since his relationship went south. I extended them my words of encouragement as well. I have him for another two days after my day off and continued connecting. I sensed that he trusted the way I took care of him so I didn’t get the attitude I got from the reports of my fellow nurses. The day after Christmas, I came back to work from being off during the holidays. I was surprised that he was still admitted- but he wasn’t in my assignment; and glad to know that he is being discharged later that day.  I made sure that I saw him before he went home and gave him my last piece of advice- to look forward and anticipate the greater things; with positive outlooks come positive outcomes.  He shook my hand and thanked me. His mother and step father thanked me as well. I volunteered to wheel him down the lobby where his ride was waiting so I could continue giving him pieces of advice until he got into his family’s car. As I walk back to my unit, I have this sense of pride because I knew somehow I made an impact and a fresh new start is ahead of this patient that I just sent home. 

 About the same time two weeks ago Bob and I also completed another milestone as we closed and bought our home here in Florida.  It took 10 months since all these started.  Around February of 2019 when we first contemplated of moving to somewhere warmer; took two weeks laying out the plan- then we called our realtor to start the process of listing our Cape Cod home for the Spring market.  Not long after that, we received an offer and started packing. In June, before the start of summer, we began our journey. We temporarily rented a house while our home is being built. Six months later,  we opened the front door of our Florida home.  Finally, we are officially Florida residents. This is our new beginning.

 Have a blessed New Year Everyone!!! 

Sunrise at Light House State Park Beach, Ponce Inlet, FL January 02, 2020