Stupid thought of the day

People casually use the phrase "courageous fight with cancer". Cancer "battles" are always "courageous".

What if the person was a real wuss about the whole thing?

I guess it all starts somewhere

I haven't written on Nurse Practice Council (NPC) for awhile, but not because we haven't been doing actual stuff.

Last week's meeting, we continued hammering out bylaws. It's not the Constitution or anything, but we made some actual progress in getting a charter done. Our fearless leader, a small, lovely man with a sprightly giggle, has reported that he's attending other "leadership" councils around the hospital. He says that they're impressed that we have an actual draft of a charter with a purpose and everything.

So okay, maybe we're doing better than a sticker club.

It's kind of fun to be a part of the process. I'm now sort of the lead rep from ICU, because the previous lead stepped down and I am a bit more assertive than the woman she got to replace her.

Are we "Magnet material"? Because of how deeply-ingrained it is that certain physicians run things to their liking, I think not. We are not nurse-driven. (We are not even patient-driven.) We are physician-driven.

But.

On the upside, we might be able to make things a little better here and there, and I'm thinkin that's worth the effort, right?

Roux-en-Y

I've been taking care of a patient for several weeks (read: months) who had bariatric gastric bypass surgery.

It has been fraught with complications. (Repeat: months of complications)

I'm looking over the American Dietetic Association's recommentations on postop nutrition therapy, and it is no way to live.

Foods to avoid: soft bread, sticky (sweet) rice, all pasta, 'high fat' cheese and melted cheese, peanut butter, strawberries, any berries, raw veggies, salads, nuts, popcorn, cakes, cookies, pies, desserts, corn, butter, any alcohol.

Okay, I know that food is not the only thing worthwhile in this world. There are mountains and deserts and sunrises and sunsets. There are good books and rainy days and quilts. There are holidays and families. There's good music and great art and the Golden Gate Bridge. There's sex. There's Godzilla movies. Not necessarily in this order.

But really, sitting on the Campo in Siena withOUT un quartro of Chianti and bufala mozzarella?

In exchange, you can eat cottage cheese, light yogurt (low sugar), selected skinless boneless fatless meats, beans, bananas, low fat soups if you and soggy cereal. (No, really, cereal must be 'soggy'.)

It's just not a way to live.