May 09, 2003 - Msg 13695: Possum dear, I'm so sorry to hear about your problem. It just isn't fair. Similar situations arise in the healthcare field all the time, situations coming dangerously close to abuse. I'm not complaining for myself. I'm paid reasonably well, and at my hospital am well-treated by management for the most part. I wouldn't have stayed there 24 years if that weren't true. However, we have a policy whereby if census doesn't meet certain levels on a given shift, they start cancelling people. Nurses can't be cancelled, but if it's offered and you don't take it, you can be floated to another unit, and you probably won't enjoy where you'll be sent! It's our PCA's (Patient Care Assistant) and our unit secretaries who bear the brunt, though. They can be just summarily cancelled, no say in the matter. True, they can cover the shortage with vacation hours so they still get a full check, but then they never get a vacation. They protest, but it does no good. The Board is too many steps removed from reality, and they have the final say on policies that govern such practices. It's not the local unit management's decision. We lose good people all the time over this, and it's not fair.

frustrated (#13691), I think you're making it harder than it needs to be. Here's a sample:

(b)this makes bold.(/b) (i)this makes italics.(/i)

Obviously, it didn't work. Now I'm going to do the same thing, using < and > instead of ( and ).

this makes bold. this makes italics.

OK, here goes....
May 09, 2003 - Msg 13696: There you are. Try that and see if it works.

Sugarplum says hey, friends. --Romeena
May 09, 2003 - Msg 13697: Well! I've never been swept off the porch in the middle of my bolding and italic-ing before! Guess it did need sweeping, though. I think the Plum got swept away, hope she's not in a rosebush. Hey, Sugarplum! Let's go find a carrot! Oh, there she is, she's fine. Good night, folks. See you tomorrow. Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
May 09, 2003 - Msg 13698: BOLD
May 09, 2003 - Msg 13699: Why Romeena - I did it!
Thanks !
sign me. .
almost unfrustrated
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13700: Happy Saturday morning guys, hope you all have a good weekend! Be sure to spend dome time with yer mommas now. Asa did you ever find the wife a gift yet? That basketball idea I had was a pretty good one. See yall later--Salty Dog
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13701: Good morning porch pals. How are you this fine wonderful beautiful lovely Saturday morning? Huh? Huh? Huh? (my take off on Warren)
Possum, what a hard thing you had to do. I hope that through all this you got someone's attention and they will make things right for you. Hang in there dear.
Where is Mavis at? I've been listening to her music last night and I tell ya that girl can sing. Hope y'all get a chance to hear her sometime.
Romeena, I sure hate to see you working them long shifts like that. It must wear a body down. I imagine it ain't like working in Mayberry either, sitting around a desk listening to Leanord Blush! Or sitting in front of Floyd's with a bottle of pop talking about the weather! I bet it's just rush, rush, rush.
Well guess I best go get some stuff done on my porch today. Wonder what the weather will bring. We actually had a little snow on it yesterday. Beats a tornado though. I hope you are all safe with this crazy weather.
Lots of love to you and yours from me and mine.

Asa
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13702: Salty, you snuck in on me. You wasn't there when I started my post.
See if you think this is a good idea. I am taking her to the nursery today and buy a few tree's to plant in our back yard. She loves tree's and being in a newer home on an acre of ground we got lots of room for them. You think thats a good plan? Or should I do something else? If only that bed jacket was still avaiable.

Asa
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13703: Oh, Possum, how terribly sad. It sounds like you have been very self-sacrificing for the last twenty years. They will miss you but lets pray that either the school meets your much deserved terms or that the Lord will send someone in your place who the children will love and who will love the children as you did, Dear. Hang in there. God really is in control.

Boo


May 10, 2003 - Msg 13704: That sounds like a good plan, Asa, but be sure you take her out somewhere nice for dinner, too.

Ro, the hospital I worked in did the same thing (maybe they all do). I always thought it was funny that the folks making the decisions to cut people's hours were the ones who came to work everyday and got to go to luch everyday AND never had to hold their urine for 12 hours (oh, and drew the biggest pay checks, of course). Something's just not right, there. It's like administration sees itself as in a higher "class" or something, while those doing the real work are treated as second class citizens. I never saw an administrater go home because of staffing. I was usually looking for a chance to stay home but some of the others had a tough time with it (making ends meet). I think the kind of policy that sends valuable employees home because of low census lacks respect for its employees. There has to be a better way. I can recall when I worked nights how when I got to work, there would be low census and the supervisor would send home nurses and THEN it would hit the fan and patients would start pouring in (labor and delivery is very unpredictable) and if you tried to call the nurses back in the middle of the night, they wouldn't answer the phone (understandably, i guess). I had a lot of those nights! I was usually in charge and would make the supervisor come back and help but they usually didn't know L+D so they answered phones or took BP's! I don't miss that monkey business. On same days in that place I felt like I had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when I got home!! Too many emergencies. We had lots of pre eclamptics, bleeders and fetal distress, it seemed--just a very busy unit that served most of Corpus Christi. There were a couple of smaller hospitals with L+D units and the county hospital where nobody wanted to go to have a baby, so we were the busy one. Enough of that.....

Hope ya'll have a great day today.
Asa, i can't even fathom the thought of snow. It's been 90 and humid here for weeks!

Later, friends
Boo
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13705: Hey, Boo! Have you been following me to work or something? The situation you described is just exactly how it is at our hospital, in L&D, with one difference. Management finally plugged the little hole about not answering the phone. You get sent home, but you must agree to be available for call-back. Sneaky, huh? And now they're talking about increasing our post-partum nurse/patient ratio by at least one patient per nurse. We can already take up to seven. Some nights seven can be a breeze. Some nights three can wear you out. Depends on whether you have some HMDQ's or not. You know - High Maintenance Drama Queen. People are so strange. I had a 17-yr old last week who finally had a C-section after laboring and pushing for nearly 24 hours. Not a peep out of her afterward. The same night I had a 25-yr old who delivered in less than two hours, without so much as a skidmark, and she whined and cried and carried on all night. Wanted her doctor called at 3am, to "come and check and make sure I'm okay." I think not.(teehee)

Snow, Asa? In the middle of May? Are you sure? Have you touched it to see if it's cold? Maybe it's cottonwood, like I have flying around here. It looks like snow, it makes drifts like snow. It just doesn't have the grace to melt and disappear like snow! Instead, it makes big piles on my front porch and flies into the house in great clouds whenever the door is opened. It gets into the Plum's long, silky hair and then she spends hours chewing on her feet, trying to get it out. I help her, but it's hard to find, because she's snow white, too. Besides, she hates it when I comb around her feet. Acts like a bratty four-year-old!

Well, my pansies have pretty much taken nosedives, looking pretty shabby. I think I'll go get some petunias to replace them. Hate to pull them up, because they're still making some flowers, but the plants all look like a cat's been sleeping on them, all flattened and straggly.

Have a great day, friends. Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena

P.S. Congratulations, unfrustrated. Now you're ept!

May 10, 2003 - Msg 13706: Good Saturday Afternoon Porch Friends! I'm here, Asa just been busy with my son, work, the band, & did I say work? Trying to get some downtime to do things I WANT to do, not things I HAVE to do. It's been beautiful here during the day & boy oh boy the nights change! 66 mile an hour winds last night here, talk about not being in Kansas anymore, I just knew I would wake up & find Toto in my bed instead of Cissy. Anyway off to enjoy this beautiful day before the winds & rain come back. And I'm glad you like my singing Asa thanks.
*Mavis
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13707: Hi Mavis, good to hear form you again! Asa has been telling us about your beautiful singing. Wish I could hear you.

Ro, you made me laugh out loud. Boy could I relate to the "HMDQ" thing! That's why I didn't like working post partum. Seems like the whining gets worse with some patients after they deliver! The "skid mark" thing was hilarious. Ro and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea; we care very much about all of our patients but some are really a challenge and we just try to laugh and make the best of it, right? I found after working as a nurse for so long (this month is my 20th anniversary as one) that most nurses have a rather dark sense of humor that most people might find offensive, but it is a way of dealing with the tremendous stress and responsibility of the job. We either cope or we burn out. Humor is what made me cope.

Well, hope ya'll have a great Saturday night.

Boo
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13708: Afternoon Y'all. Thanks for all the support.You know,not one person has thought I was doing the wrong thing,even though a lot of people didn't want me to leave.It will be alright,somehow.God IS in control-that I know.I look for little "signs" along the way and as I was sitting on my deck yesterday afternoon reflecting on everything that had happened,I looked down and standing alone amidst the thick clover in my yard was a perfect 4 leaf clover!
Asa,did you say SNOW? It is already in the 90's here! Maybe we can work out a trade-you send me some snow and I'll send ya some barbeque once I start working at the store next week!
I'd like to wish all the Mamas on the Porch a very Happy Mother's Day! Enjoy your special day.Love you all!
*****SMILES*****
possum under a rock
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13709: Thanks, Possum!

I wanted to ask you wonderful dog lovers a question. I had my weenie dog tested for heart worms the other day and she had them. The doc said that I could try just giving her heartworm prevention for 6 months and that might kill the heart worms. He gave her a new heart worm prevention shot that is good for six months and she got her other yearly vaccines, too. Well, the problem is that she is acting sick. She is barely eating and just laying around. I don't know if the shots made her sick or if she is grieving over our other weenie dog who was killed on Wed. night. Any ideas? I am thinking that if she has a significant case of heart worms, the shot might have made her ill. She is breathing kind of funny. I don't know what I will do if she dies too. It will be so hard on my son.

thanks for listening

Boo
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13710: Well Possum - I really understand about the special ed business and all the work the aides have to go through. They do not pay you enough money and I think aides make around $9/hour so that would average about $40 a day by the time taxes and etc are taken out. Maybe a little less. We have a biter and a scratcher at our building - you need combat pay and a tet*nus shot to boot!

Oh well - happy momma's day to you all who are momma's. Remember, if you flunk the momma test that makes you a daddy.

homemaker
May 10, 2003 - Msg 13711: Good evening, porch. Boo, you said it well. Cope or burn out, and humor is a wonderful coping tool. You wouldn't believe the conversation in an OR sometimes. To the uninitiated, it would sound like no one is taking the situation seriously. To the experienced, the joking tells you how serious it really is.

Boo, your description of your little weenie dog is a bit scary, especially the rough breathing. If she has heartworms, and the medicine is killing them, they may be traveling in her bloodstream to her lungs. I'd call her vet, post haste.

Well, after all that, I'll say HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! Whether they've actually borne a child or not, I'd be willing to bet there's not a woman on this porch that hasn't "mothered" someone or some thing, be it child or critter.

I received a beautiful Tiffany-style, candle-burning lamp from my Florida kids, and tonight I got a lovely bouquet of flowers from my local son and his wife. Will be having dinner with them tomorrow. It's so nice when your children finally grow up and become adults you like. Of course you love them, they're your children, but it sure is nice when you can like 'em, too!

Have a lovely day tomorrow, everyone. Guys, too! If it weren't for fathers, there would be no mothers, you know. Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13712: Kyle said he felt bad tonight cause he hadn't gotten me a gift for mother's day. I told him the best present he could give me would be to wrap his arms around my neck and hug me and give me a kiss. Which he did. But then he said his aunt said he should take his birthday money and buy me something. I told him, "Honey, the best present I ever got was the one that made me a mother in the first place, so you just keep the hugs and kisses coming and don't you worry about spending a single dime on me." And I hope he will do just that. You know, now that he's a TEEN and all.

fun girl
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13713: Morning porch pals and Happy Mothers Day to everyone out there. Asa I think you have a fine idea there.And I agree with Ro.. take her out to dinner and she'll love you for it. Been hot on my porch.. in the 80's but calling for rain this morning. I'm off to work.. thats what happens when you are the only one at the place you work at that aint a mother. Oh well.. yall have a good day and be sure and call your mothers. Love yas all--Salty Dog
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13714: Good Sabbath Porch and HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to all did anyone see the Busch race yesterday? So many delays I didn't know if they would get thru with it before the storm hit or not but they did, so sad on the last lap car 20 runs out of gas, he was about a half of a lap away from Victory. Johnny S. did very well yesterday. He talked with all of us befroe the race and if you happened to see the race yesterday we were holding up the PayDay banner. It was a really nice trip my husband was all excited about it and enjoyed it completely, although Jeff Gordon is his favorite driver I belive Johnny is coming along. Hey to The Plum form Mr Bojangles and Pollyanna. Pray you all have a teriffic day. God Bless y'all.

Ellen Brown
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13715: Subject: A Baby Asked God?
> >
> >
> > A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth
> > Tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and
> > helpless?"
> >
> > "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."
> >
> > The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't
> > have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."
> >
> > God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for
> > you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."
> >
> > Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to
> > understand when people talk to me if I don't know the
> > language?"
> >
> > God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and
> > sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and
> > care, your angel will teach you how to speak."
> >
> > "And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"
> >
> > God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and
> > will teach you how to pray."
> >
> > "Who will protect me?"
> >
> > God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means
> > risking it's life."
> >
> > "But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."
> >
> > God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and
> > will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will
> > always be next to you."
> >
> > At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices
> > from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked,
> > "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."
> >
> > "You will simply call her, "Mom."
> >
> > Lift a mother's spirit, send this to every mother you know.
> >
> > HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL!!

Ellen Brown
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13716: The Plum says hey back to Mr. Bojangles and Pollyanna. --Romeena
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13717: Happy Mother's day all you sweet Mom's out there.
Tain't nothing like a Ma. I lost mine 25 years ago and I still miss her. Mother's day is always a little hard for me.
Hey! Guess what? Today is my anniverery. I joined this here porch 2 years ago this very day. Well, at least on Mother's day 2 years ago.
Mrs. Asa liked my idea of tree's for a present. I took her and her Mom out to dinner last night for Mother's day. ( Her Mom had leg a lamb btw LOL ).
All in all it was a fun night!
I hope you all have a great Mother's day and are safe from harm. God bless you all.

Asa
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13718: Hey, I got an idea!
How about a tribute to Mothers day by posting all the times we remember hearing or seeing Mother's mentioned on TAGS? There are lots of them. I'll start with Otis hitting his mother in law in the mouth with that leg a lamb. Thats all them women understand you know! LOL Even Andy said so.
OK, It's yor turn.

Asa
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13719: Here ya go Asa. and by the way my Mama has been gone 11 yrs. and I miss her so much still yet today and as you this day is a hard one for me to get through. God Bless y'all


Barney: you have on my hat, don't wear my hat, I can't stand it when someone wears my hat,
my Mother was the same way.

Andy: I remember that about your Mother.

Barneys side car ep.

Ellen Brown
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13720: "But Barney, I'm your mother!"
(Barney at the roadblock, frisking his mother)
- Hazel
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13721: Afternoon Porch!
I have a moment to sit with y'all because my hubby is cooking dinner! That hardly EVER happens! My little boy asked what he could do for me today and I said he could clean up his mess in the family room, he said anything except that, just name it! (He was serious, too! I did make him clean it up though!) Ellen your poem made me cry! Very sweet poem.

My mom has been gone 5 1/2 years now. I miss her more now, than at first, cause right after she died my sister-in-law found out she had the same kind of cancer that killed my mother. She was gone within a year of my mother, leaving a premie and a 3 year old and 5 year old. Kind of had our family reeling for a while, and as I sit here I look at the plaster cast of a hand that my now 7 year old niece gave me last year for mother's day.
It has a lovely little poem on the back of it:

Sometimes you get discouraged
Because I am so small
And always leave my fingerprints
On furniture and walls

But every day I'm growing -
I'll be grown some day
And all those tiny handprints
Will surely fade away

So here's a little handprint
Just so you can recall
Exactly how my fingers looked
When I was very small

Right next to my nieces handprint is my own little boy's. They are prized possessions of mine!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

from a sentimental
Mary Wiggins
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13722: Mary Wiggins that is so sweet, my boys did that for me when they were small except they did their hands in one color of construction paper and glued to a different color of paper, I ran across Jason not to long ago, when we moved from Okla. I lost a lot of things like that, it made me sick. well Jason is 29 and a staff Sgt. in the Army now, I can't hardly believe it and Tim is 33 and I still have and use a pencil can he fixed for me for mothers day 1977 and Jay made me one also that yr and I have them right here on my computer disk.

Ellen Brown
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13723: My mom has been gone 4 years now, and I can hardly believe it. She died three years after my husband, and I was still in a very dark and scary place from losing him. It has taken until this last year or two for me to really rejoin the living.

Remember when Opie asked Andy what you could do with a grown woman? Andy told him about going shopping, "and all like that", and then in the afternoon you would go and visit her "muh-ther." As I recall, Opie wasn't too impressed.

Well, got two flats of petunias to plant, but first I have to psych myself up to go out and murder the remnants of my pansies. Just rip 'em out! Sure is hard to do, because they're still trying valiantly to bloom, little tiny flowers opening, but the plants look just awful. It's time.

Have a great evening, folks. Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena

May 11, 2003 - Msg 13724: All those little poems/stories and kids and moms just bring tears to my eyes. I hope all the other moms here had a wonderful day. I know I did. I took my two wonderful children to my mom's house for a Mother's Day cookout (our family will have a cookout at the drop of a hat!). What a wonderful day it was! But, alas, due to my divorce I am alone once again. This was their weekend with their dad so I just had them for the day. They won't be back until I get them from school tomorrow. Sometimes I can get through a night or two without them. Other times the silence in this house is deafening and I spend all my time on the verge of tears. Tonight, I'm working on starting to pack more things I won't need in the next few weeks. Just a few more weeks until I can begin to move into my own house. Keeping busy is the key. Right now I'm still so happy from such a good day that nothing can bring me down!

To everyone who mentioned their favorite Schwan's food items, thank you! I plan on trying some out as soon as I move. My dad even told me their warehouse for this area is only about 30 minutes away so I could even go their a shop if I needed to.

*Maudy
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13725: Anyone wanna walk down to the store with me and get some icecream for later??
-Hazel
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13726: I'll go Hazel you want me to go? Boo FIND ANOTHER VET!! Heartworm preventative doesn't kill heartworms, only PREVENTS them, & some of the preventative if given to a positive dog can kill the dog. Please, Please find another vet & get her treated. The treatment is pretty rough, but it has to be done. I wish I had your email address to let you know more without taking up porch space, but you never sent it to me to put on the Cutlass. Email me *Mavis Asa you already took my favorite quote about Mothers, but I did like when Briscoe told Charlene, "you look just like yer Ma" in her wedding dress. I'm off to bed. Boo please call another vet & get an appt.
*Mavis
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13727: Good Night Friends, Mavis did you get my email? Pray all ahd a wondeerful day and Maudy my prayers are with you, Gd will help you thru it all.

Ellen Brown
May 11, 2003 - Msg 13728: Right on, Mavis. She's absolutely right, Boo. My vet did tell me, though, that the preventative can kill any existing heartworms, and that's how it can kill the dog. That's why they won't give the preventative until the dog has been tested and proven to be heartworm-free. Therefore, in a dog that has been diagnosed with the condition, I can't imagine your vet telling you to give her the preventative anyway. By all means, get another opinion.

Got one flat of petunias planted, after heartlessly ripping out the doomed pansies. I told myself I was putting them out of their misery. That made it a little easier. There's still another flat, and I can see that I'm probably going to need at least one more, maybe two. Keeping a little color going around here in this Texas climate isn't easy.

Well, guess I'll turn in. Maybe I'll stop by the diner for a piece of pie on the way home. Anybody want to join me? I love our desserts on this cyberporch, because they don't raise my blood sugar one bit! (teehee) Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13729: Ellen, that poem really touched me. I just had to sit here and cry for a bit.

Thanks Ro and Mavis, I am taking her in tomorrow to another vet in town that I know. She seems like she might be a little better today. I got her to eat a bit but her respirations are still very fast. Maybe she can still make it. Thanks for the advice.

Boo
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13730: Mavis, I sent you an email with more of the details.

Bye, Boo
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13731: Asa, I am remembering the saddest episode of TAGS when Opie killed the bird and Andy made Opie sit by the window and listen to the baby birds calling for their mother who would never come back.

Boo
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13732: Good morning Porch, For all the mothers here, I hope you had a Happy Mother's Day weekend. It sounds like the porch is doing well. I just wanted to stop by and say "HEY" to ya'll. Take care and have a fantastic Mayberry, Kinda Day!

Ed Sawyer
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13733: Hey, Ed. Say, how are things going with you and Lucy Matthews? She sure is a pretty girl. Tell her Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13734: Mornin' folks. Another busy weekend. We had many tornadoes here this weekend. A couple of towns close had major damage. Fortunately, we had none. The fieldhouse at the college where my son was going to go to basketball camp in June though was totally destroyed so don't know if they'll have the camp somewhere else or cancel it. Boo, I hope your dog is OK. I've always heard the same thing that the prevtative treatment could kill a dog with heart worms. I had a nice Mother's Day. My daughter was especially sweet to me all day, kissing and hugging me. That's the best present I could ask for! How about when Aunt Bee was going to marry a guy she didn't love and Opie said about real deep down kind of love: "Is that the kind of love you and Mom had?" and Andy said, "Yes, it was, son." I do believe Opie said Mom instead of Ma in that instance. Does anyone know for sure?
Charlotte Tucker
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13735: preventative! ,,, I'm an editor too!
CT
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13736: Well, thanks for your concern, Charlotte. I made an appointment for the dog (Mindy) today but it seems she is much better. She is eating and moving around and seems almost to be her old self. Who knows? I think it was the heartworm prevention, though. I used to have a lab who got really sick once after the rabies/parvo vaccines. She got over it in a couple of days but she was real sick for those two days.

Well, ya'll have a fine day!

Boo
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13737: Hello all! Just thought I would let you know, I went to the doctor today, I have bronchitis. I've been sleeping like a cat the last four nights. Less than, three hours a night. I can hardly talk. But I have medicine now. And I should be full of spunk soon. Love to all!

Briscoe Darling Jr.
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13738: Well Briscoe, hurry up and get better. Hard to jug with that bronchitis ain't it?
Hope your Mindy is OK Boo. That would be hard to loose another one so soon.
Good to see you Charlotte Tucker. We don't want to call you Dorothy so be careful out there.
Hi Ed Sawyer. You still gonna buy the filling station?
Romeena, It don't matter if it's animal life or plant life, you treasure it all to the max. What a sweet lady you are.
Hope your doing well today possum. Check in and tell us.
Homemaker, your goats are stealing my laundry hanging on the line. Now your gonna have to buy me new underwear. And none of that cheap stuff either. I wear Hanes! LOL

Asa
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13739: Afternoon Y'all.I see that Asa was trouble checking on me,so thought I'd best pop up on the Porch for a bit! Just taking it easy today-start my new job at the BBQ place tomorrow.Hey Briscoe,I've got bronchitis too-just had it before Easter and the dang thing jumped on me again! I couldn't talk either,so I know how you feel.Plus,I get asthma along with it,so I'm doing the Wheeze.Luckily,I was smart and went to the doctor right off.Glad you went and got yourself some meds.Hope you get to feeling better soon.
My 41 year old cousin is still on life support.The poor family can't seem to disconnect the life support.First it was going to be Friday,then late yesterday.I imagine they just couldn't do it on Mother's Day,so the word now is sometime today.What a hard thing to have to do-my heart aches for them.
Hey Briscoe-what if we pour some of Colonel Harvey's elixer into a jug of your mulberry squeezins? Think that'd pep us up? Ha Ha
Oh,here's my "mother thing" for Asa- not sure if I'm quoting it exactly right,but I keep thinking about Andy having to go get somebody's cat off of the roof.Andy says to Barney: "Fluffy's got kittens and you know how you'd feel seeing your mother on the roof." Or something to that effect!
Y'all have a good evening. Stay safe with all the wild weather out there-love to all!
*****SMILES*****
possum under a rock
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13740: Hello porch, BDJ and possum pray you get to feeling better real soon, sorry about your cousion, hope the doggie Mindy is better. Ro I've been putting out plants also veggies and flowers. CT glad your allalright, I've been in two tornadoes myself and they are scary for sure.

Ellen Brown
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13741: test
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13742: One catastrophy after another! My best friend just dropped her two little ones by my house on the way to the emergency room. Seems her 17 yr old pregnant daughter was just badly beaten and kicked in the stomach by her boyfriend. This is the same friend who just had surgery last week.

Seems it is always something, lately.

Asa, I thought of another "mother" episode. Remember the one in which Opie has a crush on Miss Crump and Andy has to explain that Miss Crump was Andy's girl and Opie asks if they might get married some day and Andy says they might. Opie tells Andy that it doesn't matter to him whether she is his girl or his mother. Poor kid should have thought twice about that, in my opinion. heehee I never much cared for Helen's petty personality (high-strung).

Later, good friends
Boo
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13743: My goodness Boo, when it rains it pours there. Hope she is OK.
I just saw Howards Mother tonight, speaking of Mothers day. Now you nurses out there, is she what you would call a HMDQ? Mercy.

Asa
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13744: Evening Porch! Thought I would stop in & say hey....HEY glad to see everyone here today, been a windy day on my porch, but not as windy as some folks have had. Boo I'm heading to my email box in a minute, I usually stop by the porch on my way to the Post Office. Also prayers for your friend & her daughter, how sad that must be. Asa if you wouldn't wear them brightly colored underwear, reckon homemaker's goats would leave them alone? Ro we put out some of the garden Sat, we have had so much rain we are late getting things out, hope they still do well tho. Looks like my strawberries are struggling tho, gonna fight wind & squirrels with them I guess. Well, off to the post office before they close it for the night.
*Mavis
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13745: For all you dog lovers out there... How do you like your hot dog?. Hope that works, fingers crossed & lucky rabbits' foot in my pocket.
*Mavis
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13746: Boy that rabbit's foot sure does the trick! Heehee
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13747: Good Evening Everyone With just two or three lessons from Romeena, You too can be BOLD.

May 12, 2003 - Msg 13748: How do you like them apples Asa? I became bold and brazen just like my goats. I was really glad that it was your underwear they took, Howard's mother would have had a fit!

homemaker
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13749: Bless your heart, Boo. You sure have your share of worries right now. I hope everything that weighing on your mind is lifted soon. I certainly hope your friend's daughter and baby are alright.

Hope everyone is feeling better soon. With the crazy weather this spring has brought it's hard to stay well!

Take care everybody.

-Maudy
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13750: Thanks Maudy (and everyone) for your loving concern. My friends daughter is going to be okay (physically). A sono showed baby to be ok but a huge battle lay ahead in trying to keep the girl away from the boy that battered her. She is quite obsessed with him, even still.

Yes Asa, Mrs. Sprague would qualify as a Royal HMDQ (very observant of you).

Mavis that picture of the puppy was wonderful! He looked so much like my Mindy at that age.

Have a wonderful evening, friends.
Boo
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13751: Good evening, everyone! Mavis, that little hot dog picture is just adorable. What a precious little puppy. Thanks for sharing.

Asa and Boo, Mrs. Sprague would definitely be a royal HMDQ. She would also qualify for the name my daughter gave her parakeet, Pita. To figure it out, make it all capitals, and think about it! Actually, he isn't, he's an adorable little bird. He has learned how to squeeze through the bars of his cage, so often sits on top and chirps at everyone. When you approach, he skitters back inside real quick, then looks at you like "Who, me? Out of the cage? You must be dreaming!" Aren't pets wonderful? What a dimension they add to our lives.

I'm in the process of painting and decorating a little box that will be attached under my mail slot on the wall by my front door, to catch the mail. Right now, it falls into a large basket on the floor, and Sugar Shredderteeth nabs it and makes short work of it before I can get to her. She is one fast puppy. When I pay my bills, most of the little return sections go back all full of teethmarks, or torn and ragged. Can't you just imagine what people would think if they saw them? Fortunately, they're probably only seen by a computer somewhere, but I still get a chuckle thinking about it. Anyway, this little suspended box is going to drive the Plum crazy. It will be interesting to see how she tries to get up there. I wouldn't be surprised to see her dragging a stepstool into the entry. (teehee)

Well, back to my painting. One side should be dry by now, so I can turn the box over and paint the other side. Have a great week, friends. Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13752: Oops! Sorry! --Romeena
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13753: test
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13754: test
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13755: There! Whew! I thought I had gone and broken the porch. My abject apologies, friends. --Romeena
May 12, 2003 - Msg 13756: Oh my Romeena, I emberassed to say how long I had to ponder on Pita before it finally sunk in. LOL
I am either getting very old or very tired. Maybe I am getting old and tired? (ha, beat ya to it homemaker).
Now I gotta go take a peek at that picture Mavis linked to.

Asa
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13757: What in blazes is an HMDQ?
Charlotte Tucker
P.S. Asa, I finally received copies of some map skills books I wrote a year ago--I called one of the activities "Asa's Shopping List.” It was an activity where kids had to read a map of a grocery store. Thought you'd like to know.

May 13, 2003 - Msg 13758: Oh yea, it's coming back to me. That was some term Ro and Boo had for stupid patients. Am I correct? Still don't remember what it stood for. Maybe cuz I am one!
CT
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13759: Hahahahahahahaha! No, CT! Not stupid patients, HMDQ stands for High Maintenance Drama Queen which is kind of a demanding, whiner type.

You people kill me! What would I do without you?
Asa and Ro made me laugh out loud, too. The parakeet story hit me as very funny. I can just picture a bird doing that.

Asa, if your old, I'm old, so you ain't old, ya hear?

Nighty-night!
Boo
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13760: Greetings to my porch friends. I haven't signed in for a couple days. Been sorta busy. Actually been reading the good book quite a bit. Especially the stories about where people were healed. The annointing is this coming Saturday. I an trying to keep good thoughts in mind and have faith that whatever happens will be God's will for my life. I appreciate you porch friends and hope you will remember me on Saturday afternoon in your prayers.

If a little Col. Harveys mixed with the mulberry squeezins don't kick the bronchitis, I reckon I don't know what will.
fun girl
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13761: We are right there with you Fun Girl. Keep the faith.
Why Charlotte, I am honored! What a neat thing you did. Will I be famous now? LOL
OK Boo. I ain't old and neither are you. Just mature! LOL
Hey Mavis, that was a great puppy picture. My Sammy looked just like that when he was a young-un. Same color and everything. Amazing how them Doxie noses grow so long and skinny as thet age.
Well I need to get to work so I can buy some new underwear cause I don't think homemaker is gonna come through for me. DURN HER GOATS!

Asa
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13762: TEST
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13763: Ok, I just had to come out from under the bandstand (with them spiders) for Asa's underwear!

Hey y'all, Mrs. Wiley here - now don't have a fainting spell - it's really me. I've been reading the posts for a few days now and want y'all to know my prayers are with all those in need, Possum's situation, Boo's dog, Romeena, and all those who's kin is passing. I love you guys so much and have missed each one of you!

Been away for a spell, me 'n Big Jeff Pruitt got hitched and are staying right near Romeena's son. Just lovely down here Ro! My troubles are now well in hand - or should I say at arms length. I resigned from my horrible job - and a week before I left they asked if I would telecommute for a couple of weeeks. It's been a month now and it's still full-time, but at least I'm not run ragged and abused like I had been. Funny how people will start giving a woman respect when they see that someone is looking out for them. Now, I don't know if that would work in Possum's case but I would think them to be NUTS if they don't make her a decent offer.

I'll try to be more regular-like in my visits, as long as the rif-raff don't foller me in here again. I'll be glad when the B/W epps come back on - anybody know when that will be?

~ Mrs. Wiley
"Why, you can't be here - you're dead!"

May 13, 2003 - Msg 13764: Well, how-do-you-do-Mrs.-Wil-ey! It's sure great to see you again. It's wonderful to hear that things are going well for you. Just sorta goes along with that song we discussed back before Easter. "Hold on, my child, Joy comes in the morning!" If we just let go and let God, things do get better, eventually.

Charlotte Tucker, I think you were going back to the "NBBT" story I told once, which stands for Not the Brightest Bulb on the Tree. We nurses sometimes put that little NBBT on the written report/worksheet we pass on to the oncoming shift. This lets them know that they will have to explain things in simple terms, maybe several times, to a particular patient, and then try not to be surprised when they still don't get it. There's a funny story about an HMDQ, though. You all wanna hear it? Well, okay, here goes.

Women from certain cultures, especially the Middle East, tend more toward being HMDQs than do others. It may be their only chance to get some attention and pampering from the menfolk. Anyway, we nurses frequently refer to the more demanding ones as "princesses". Well, we had a veerrry demanding one, and one nurse told another "The Maharincess of Franistan is asking for you." This was overheard by a passing security guard, who apparently was an NBBT. He asked the nurse who she was talking about, and was told "just the princess in 205." He never said another word, but reported it to his superior, who stormed onto our floor demanding to know why security wasn't informed that we had a foreign princess in our care! Neither security person caught the "Maharincess of Franistan" as being taken from an old "I Love Lucy" episode. You cannot imagine how hard it was for all of us to keep a straight face, as our manager verbally chastised us in the presence of the security supervisor, and told us we were not to refer to our patients as princesses any more. As soon as he left the floor, we all burst out laughing, including our manager.

Well, that's my contribution for the evening. Have a good night, friends. Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13765: Hee hee hee. Thats good Romeena. I like it.
Mrs. Wiley? Is it really you? Boy oh boy have I missed you. Sounds like things are going your way for a change huh? So great to hear about that. Is your new hubby one of us? Hope so.
Boy, doesn't the porch seem nice and full again?

Asa
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13766: Hey to Mrs. Wiley. Yes, Ro, you are correct. That's what I was thinkin' about--NBBT! Ha! I liked your princess story too.
Charlotte Tucker
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13767: Yes,How DO you do Mrs.Wiley? Great to see you on the Porch again.Loved that story,Romeena!
Well,my cousin was taken off of life support yesterday morning.She died last night.I know she is in a better place.
Started working at the BBQ restaurant today.Lots of good people as co-workers.Some of the ladies remind me of some of my porch friends.Asa,the boss treated us to lunch and brought us each 2 BBQ sammiches.I only ate one,so I thought you'd like the other one.Gonna leave it under my rocker so you just stop by and get it when you get hungry.This job is family oriented,good benefits,bonuses,etc.,so I plan to stick with it unless the school district does right by me.I know they had an IEP meeting (homemaker will know what that is) today and I'm sure my name came up.The mom wants me as a shadow for her son.She's upset that he has to go to the middle school next year and wants me to be with him.I told her I'd be glad to,but only if my conditions are met.If not,then it may be BBQ forever for me!
Y'all have a good evening-love to all!
*****SMILES*****
possum under a rock
May 13, 2003 - Msg 13768: Hey to the Porch! It's nice to see Mrs. Wiley back. Seems like a LONG time since I laid eyeballs on you! possum, I'm glad you like your coworkers at the BBQ place. If you have to stay there for an extended period, it sure don't hurt none to like the folks you gotta spend so much time with!

Prayers for all our Porch family members who need 'em. There's a need in everybody's life from time to time, so I reckon I'll just keep prayin' for ALL my Porch buds!

It's good to hear ever'body had a good Mother's Day. We had a nice one, too. Me and my beloveded Charlene took some ham roll-ups and some brocolli-cheese casserole over to my momma's house, and my brother and sisters provided other side dishes. My dad manned the grill, cookin' up some chicken, smoked sausage, and hamburgers for ever'body. It was mouth-waterin'! Then me and my beloveded and my momma and my daddy got back into the truck, and we went and saw Bill Cosby in concert. He was extry-good. And SO funny, without being foul-mouthed! We all just laughed and laughed. Then we had supper at a downtown restaurant, and then I drove my folks back home. I'll bet my head didn't hit the piller before a quarter to eleven!

I'll stop talkin' now so somebody else can. You all take care, and TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER.

*Rafe Hollister
"This only proves one thing. If you want a good suit, you have to go to Mount Pilot."

May 13, 2003 - Msg 13769: Evening Porch! Hey to Rafe!! Wish you would stay a little longer when you drop by. Glad ya'll liked that picture, I thought it was cute & since so many of us are owned by Dachshunds on this porch thought of ya'll when I saw it. I best get to bed, tomorrow is another working day.
*Mavis
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13770: Hey to Rafe, thanks for droppin' by. And Mrs. Wiley!! How are you?
Gosh, I could never be a nurse. I guess I've always been a little on the nave side. If somebody was wimpering in pain, asking for pills or help or whatever; I'd probably believe 'em. And after having 2 hospital visits in the last 6 months, kinda makes me wonder what the nurses referred to me as when they got together at the nurses station.
- Hazel

A wink is as good as a nod to a blind mule.
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13771: Hey Hazel, maybe they referred to you as that "chicken" in room 4. (Hazel's name is from Frank Meyers chicken).
Posuum, so sorry to hear about your cousin. Prayers for your family. Thanks for the sammich. Rafe went and rocked on it and smashed it but it was still good.
Well off to work for me. Have any of you priced underwear lately? Shocking it is, just shocking!

Asa
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13772: Hi All God bless you
Morning, noom, and night;
God keep you in His care,
God fill your heart
With faith in Him
And answer rvrey prayer.

PRAYER FOR VERYONE WHO CAN UASED ONE TODAY.
LOVE TOM

May 14, 2003 - Msg 13773: Hi, TOM. Good to see you, friend, and thanks for the sweet blessing.

Hazel, you have nothing to worry about. I'm sure your nurses had nothing but good to say about you. I fear I may be giving the wrong impression here with these stories. Nurses are pretty good at discerning between the attention-seekers and those who really need help. When a patient has been walking outside the building in order to smoke, and is lying in bed drinking her fourth cup of juice, eating chips, talking on the phone, braiding her sister's hair, TV blaring, it's hard to believe her when she laughs and rates her pain as 11 on a scale of 1-10. On the other hand, when I enter a dimly-lighted room, the TV is off or down low, the patient is curled in bed with a frown on her face and tells me her pain is "getting on toward a 4 or 5", you can bet I burn up the hall getting her pain medication to her. I'll do anything I can to make her comfortable. The HMDQs are easy to spot, and they aren't all from the Middle East. The good old USA produces some dandies, too. As for the NBBTs, how would you classify a patient who asked, in all seriousness, "When you've had a lot of children like I have (7 at age 25), do you use the same uterus every time?" Funny, certainly, but also quite pitiful. We did all we could to educate her a bit before she left, and the NBBT notation let each nurse know that the patient not only needed teaching, but on what level that teaching would have to be conducted. My greatest concern, though, was more for her baby than for her. Can you imagine being reared by someone like that? The cycle will repeat itself, I'm afraid.

I have painted a cute little wooden crate, about 12x14", and attached it to the wall just beneath my mail slot. With luck, it will keep Shredderteeth from getting the mail. However, she has stationed herself beneath it, and keeps emitting like tiny barks. It's like she's saying, "One false move out of you, box, and you're history!" Oh, that little nuisance. How I do love her!

Everyone have a great day, and Sugarplum (Shredderteeth) says hey! --Romeena
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13774: Tom, bless your heart, what a beautiful poem!

Morning to one and all! I see Mrs. Wiley has returned to visit with us! Congrats on your wedding! (And what a catch, big Jeff Pruitt! I hope you got enough food for him!)

Loved the story about the HMDQ Romeena! I have a few friends who would definitely fit that description, but those kind of people can be sooo much fun, too! I probably would be considered more of a LMWF, (low maintenance wall flower!) and that is why I enjoy high energy people!

Hey to Rafe, nice to see you posting around here, too! I have always liked Bill Cosby, he seems to be a real decent fellow! Sounds like you had a great Mother's day, what cha gonna do for Father's Day?

I best get to some chores around here, wishing you all a great, Mayberry kind of day!

Mary Wiggins

May 14, 2003 - Msg 13775: "like tiny barks"? Like, am I 16? Sheesh! Make that little tiny barks, or just tiny barks! Sorry, folks. --Romeena
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13776: Hey Romeena, hope I didn't squash Sugarplum's tail when I was rocking, I didn't even see you there!

MW
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13777: Romeena, I didn't know you were a valley girl!

MW
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13778: Haha. I find myself doing that from time to time and even saying, "Whatever!". I hate it!

You folks sure brighten my day with your wonderful wit (low maintenance wall flower)!!

Yes Asa, the price of underwear is quite shocking...but still lower than the diapers I have to buy for baby girl every week (wow).

Mindy dog is doing very well, thanks for all of you for your concern and well-wishes.

Ro is right. We don't want to give the wrong impression about how we care for patients. Nurses really do like their patients and only the ones who really are HMDG's get talked about, so don't worry, Hazel.

The worst I had was a local celebrity who was as crazy as they come. She was pregnant with her first baby and was in "pretend" pre-term labor for months. We had to keep her in our unit for weeks because the dr was afraid of a lawsuit from her. I told him what she needed was a consult from a psychiatrist and they got her one. She was without a doubt, the whiniest, most unreasonable, demanding and horrible patient I ever dealt with. After making rounds with her dr, I told him, "Look, you need to get her out of here. She is no more in labor than I am". His response was, "I'm not transferring her out until SHE is sure she is not in labor." My reply was, simply, "I am going to kill you.". Finally she left and came back and had the baby late (figures).

Well, gotta run.......

Boo
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13779: Asa - I hear there is a sale on undies at Weaver's. Just don't let Goober ring them up for you!

homemaker

My goat really liked your white shorts with the cute little red hearts all over them! They was tooo speshal!!
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13780: Hahaha, Boo! I know just what you mean. We had one who came in "in labor" a total of 11 times over the last two months of her pregnancy. No one could convince her it was just Braxton-Hicks, and no one dared to refuse to admit her. The one time you do, she'd really be in labor. Naturally, she had no physician, and every time she came in she'd get the OB on call, so was usually a different one each time. The whole family always came in with her, and we had to beat them off our nutrition supplies with a stick. She was literally the final case that caused us to put a lock on the pantry room door. Caught her son carrying out a tray with six cokes, six cups of ice cream, six styro cups and six spoons. They were going to make floats for the family! Grrrrr!

I love taking care of my patients, and back when I was on Med/Surg, I really enjoyed my elderly folks. It was a pleasure to see someone who had been really ill, when they got better and walked out the door under their own steam. However, there are always the whiney-hineys who really need very little, but take up my time to the point that I can't give those who really need it the care they deserve. Them, I'd like to mail to Lower Slobbovia or somewhere. Oh, well....

Sure looks like rain here on the north Texas end of the porch. Hope we get it. Maybe it will settle some of the cottonwood that's flying everywhere off my very own trees! I know my neighbors hate me, but it would cost thousands to get those three huge trees taken down, then I'd have no shade at all, and I don't expect to live long enough for a "desirable" tree to grow up big enough to amount to anything. So, to my neighbors, I'd say just screen your a/c compressors like I did, sweep them daily, and get over it. It only lasts a couple of weeks, and those big old majestic trees sound so lovely when the breeze blows through them. Besides, they're just full of birds and squirrels, and I love that!

Sugarplum says hey! --Romeena
May 14, 2003 - Msg 13781: Evening Porch! Thought I would stop in & say hey to you all before heading to bed. I have been hurting all day from yet another bout with my ovaries, wish they would just take them out! (grrr) anyways, I'll be fine, I always am, been going thru this since I was 18. I meant to tell you Romeena I know what PITA stands for, but in my profession I use OPITA, meaning OWNER since my furkids are usually the best of babies!
Night Porch
*Mavis
May 15, 2003 - Msg 13782: Good morning porch, I hope everyone is doing good. I'm off to work but thought I'd leave some coffee out this morning. Sorry I aint been around much.. been doin some battles at the work place this past week. And I aint been much company to nobody. Good to see Mrs. Wiley back and doin ok. And as always Toms poems are so pretty. Asa hon I dont know what to tell you about your underwear, I think 'd go with weavers.. Mount Pilot might be the place to by a suit, but I'll bet their underwear gets way yonder too expensive. Mavis I hope you feel better girl that stuff aint no fun atall. Yall have a good day looks like it's gonna be a rainy day on this porch again. Love yas all--Salty Dog
May 15, 2003 - Msg 13783: Good morning porch, I've been tryinh to catch up on the post here, gee a lot has been going on, sorry to hear about the 17 yr old hope she gets away from that boy and stays away, take it from someone who has been there, it doesn't get any better with a so called man like that. I have a better word for guys like him but I'll just say beast, I sure have been busy haven't hardly had time to turn around. So many in & out of hospitals and one of my Friends I have tken care of just died yesterday, he and his wife Mary went to our church for yrs. they had a wonderful marriage and relationship with God , John will be missed very much, he had cancer. Remember their family in your prayers please. My hubby and I have taken the day off he is going to get his teeth today and he said he wants to go eat a big steak tonight so I guess we'll go to Montana Mikes .. LOL Mavis I have that pic of the doggie a friend of mine sent it to me about 2 yrs ago, she has a Doxie. and Mavis I adopted a lil white dog Tuesday, she is adorable not sure what she is, my hubbie said no for we have 2 Toy poodles and don't need another dog, but I said they are so small they don't even make a med size dog and with Pookie here we only in realality have 2 dogs, don't that make since to y'all she is med size. They were going to put her in the pound and I couldn't let that happen, she is 13yrs old I just couldn't let that happen, her owner is not able to care for her any more and I told her when she wanted to see her just call me and I'ld bring her by, she is just a doll I tell ya just a doll. Got to go now off to the tooth fairy for us ~ TeHe Hello to everyone here at the porch have a blessed day and may Gods Sonshine warm your life. ((((HUGS))))))

Ellen Brown