People of the Week

I don't know what it is...I've been rather sentimental these few days. Maybe it's because our unit lost one of it's favorite patients a few days ago or that the school weeks seem to fly by while the school work piles up chapter-by-chapter. Anyways...

I was SO incredibly happy to have spent some quality time with my two good friends from nursing school. One, who was recently married and relocated to Ohio and the other, who enjoys playing "phone-tag" with me at least 3 times a week. I haven't seen these cats since July, but I have been keeping in touch with them by phone and the power of the blog.

I wasn't able to meet up with them for lunch since I was fasting, but we did the next best thing...S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G!!!!!

So my first people of the week award goes to Meenu and Tefsit (aka Meens and Rough-Stuff). We go way back...bumbling through nursing school exams, labs, and validation videos. Not just double trouble, but TRIPLE trouble!!!

The other person of the week is my brother, Mikey. About 3 years ago, I convinced Mikey to run in the Baltimore Marathon Relay Team with me, Has, and Chika. He ran the 11 mile leg of the race without a problem. Once year later, we both ran in the Baltimore Half-Marathon (13 miles!) together...well, sort of. We started out running side-by-side through the streets of Baltimore City until mile 7, then Mikey was like, "See-YA!" and continued off. What a great brother!?!?!? Anyways, after finishing the Half-Marathon, Mikey swore that he would never run again because of the shear exhaustion and mental anguish it created for him. But that thought didn't last too long because one month later, he was training for a FULL marathon!!! (And yes, ladies, he's single!)

Yup, so last year he ran his FIRST marathon...the Marine Corps Marathon of all things. Finished just a little over 4 hours...unbelievable!!!!

Now...just this Sunday, October 30th, 2005, Mikey completed his SECOND Marine Corps Marathon. I spoke to him today and he's already planning on running at THIRD in Virginia later this winter. How awesome his he????

Klukk Me, Klukk You

Yeah! I've been klukked by Aamina. I have no idea what "Klukk" actually means only that it is some Icelandic term. I tried to 'Yahoo!' it, but ended up some foreign definitions I cannot understand. Other than that, I am supposed to state 5 random facts about myself. So here they are in no particular order:

1) I have a phobia about using damp hand towels. It's probably some learned behavior I acquired while at work. It grosses me out to think that other people have wiped their dirty hands on the same towel after using the bathroom. It think of all bacteria, viruses, and mold that not only live, but THRIVE in the dampness of the towels. I cringe at the thought of damp warts and it shedding all over the towel by the friction of wiping your hands. I know it's a stretch, but that's why they call it a phobia. When you really think about it, you just get your hands dirty again.

2) I absolutely LOVE bloopers that are caught on television. Whenever "Game Show's Greatest TV Moments" premieres on NBC, I am hooked and laugh insanely whenever someone trips running down the aisle or says a stupid answer. I also love just about any newscaster blooper or any practical joke played on some poor unsuspecting soul. So when Kamran talked about the "Afro Ninja" on his blog, I not only checked out the clip, but every clip featured on the website! (www.ebaumsworld.com)

3) To continue off from #2, the practical joke that left me completely in tears and hunched over in laughter was this one. PLEASE check it out, you will not regret this one! OMG, it was soooo freakin' funny!!!! Just copy and paste it: www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/ratperson.html


4) Has and I may have met in different life...life at Gaithersburg Middle School! It's true, when Has and I first met, he freaked me out by saying that he also went to the same middle school as I did. To prove his point, he pulled out his old-school GHS yearbook and showed me his thin, bony, 8th grade self in 1992. Embarrassed, he flipped to the 7th grade section and showed me my own picture...I had the "geek works": spiky permed hair, thick pink glasses, braces, and the overalls attached to "skorts". My god, remember those days?

5) To continue off in our crossing paths topic, I also learned that Showieb (my B-I-L) worked in the same ice cream store that my ONCE good friend also worked in. In other words, her mother owned that very same ice cream store that Showieb spent plenty-o-hours "sampling" premium ice creams behind the counter. (I say ONCE to that friend as the fists-of-fury recount life at UMBC and UMB).




*What a great couple we would have made back in those days...


BTW, I now "klukk" the following persons: Zehra, Sarah, Kamran, Showieb, and Meenu!

A Tribute: Oh, How I Will Miss Thee...

It's officially gone...a long time companion has disappeared forever. "The search and recovery mission is now over and the recovery process (that's me) must now begin. " After nearly 10 years, my mechanical pencil is gone...lost somewhere under a couch, bed, or between someone's couch cushions. Or even worse, laying on a cold street...alone and waiting to be crushed to death by a car.

This was pre-Hassan times when I found this mechanical pencil all alone and leadless. It was laying on a study table at UMBC's library. On that fortunate day, I walked by the table and spotted it. I claimed it as my own. I cared for it and brought it back to life...filled it with 0.7mm lead refills and a brand new unblemished eraser.

Who would have thought this pencil would have lasted this long?

It saw me through my years at UMBC...through anatomy tests, chem labs, and rough drafts in English class. In nursing school, it scribbled notes furiously on notebook paper. After graduating, I was sad because there would be no use for mechanical pencils in the hospital. But then it found it's last home in my DayRunner planner (that I've had since 5th grade).

Stored perfectly in my planner, my mechanical pencil now had the important job of penciling-in my work schedule, appointments, phone numbers, and addresses. It helped me plan my wedding (plenty of erasing during those months!), deadlines for my application to grad school and scholarships, and remembering birthdays. It's traveled with me everywhere...Mexico, California, Boston, Florida, New York, North Carolina, and abroad!

Anyways, the loss of my mechanical pencil will always be with me. I went to the grocery store today and purchased a set of new mechanical pencils in a 3 pack. What a shame...they are 3 of a kind, yet my original mechanical penci to me was one of a kind. Dated 10 years back and without the "frills" of comfortable writing. No 'suped up pencils back then. No gel-comfort pad to prevent calluses or florescent colors like "hot-pink" or "electric-blue" to draw my attention. It was a perfect pencil just for me!

It's been gone for 4 days and no luck...I can't help but think Murry must have pushed it in a location that he only knows. How tragic...maybe I'll look under the couch just one more time...

Great Minds Think Alike...Well, sort of...

Just when I thought I was safe from any Tanookie moments, this one snuck up on me so quickly, I had barely enough time react (and neither did the other person). Literally, this happened about 15 minutes ago and the adrenaline is still coarsing through my veins!

I was at Owings Mills Mall shopping for a last minute item of clothing for a wedding Has and I are attending in North Carolina (BTW, congrats Aimee & Aaron!). I found a cropped black jacket from Forever 21 (forgive me!) and was leaving the store.
Has calls on the cell and I talk to him as I walk...BIG mistake since you'll read in a few minutes that I can't do two things at the same time.

"What's for dinner?" Has reminds me again.

"I dunno...wanna check out Wegman's up in Hunt Valley?" I say as I push open the door to exit Macy's. Wegman's is a super-grocery store that opened up a couple weekends ago and people all over from Maryland flocked to the opening. It's the first of its kind in Maryland with a huge selection of some-400 varieties of cheeses and a restaurant section with hot buffet. YUM-O!

Anyways...

"Okay. I'll ask my manager if he's been there and if it's good enough to eat in, " Has says uncertainly. Sheesh, man! If it doesn't serve fresh paratas (shout-out to Sarah!) or a tandoori chicken of some kind, it's NOT good for him!

"Hey, I have a cute story about Murry today. I was studying and he was sleeping between me and my book. He got so comfortable that he was laying on his back again all stretched out. He was so cute and I mean stretched out!"

Let me remind you that I'm still walking to the parking lot...

I continue, "I wanted to take a picture of him so I got up to get the camera. I turned and then I heard him fall off the desk. (Has laughs and I unlock my car with the remote.) I look at him and there he is hanging by his little nails on the arm of the chair!!! It was so..."

...I trail off and suddenly scream as I open my car door. I was about to throw my Forever 21 bag into the passenger side and, there in the driver's side of the car was a woman about my age sitting, smiling, and talking on her cell phone.

"Oh my God, I'm soooo sorry!" I manage to say with a dry mouth. Meanwhile, a puzzled, yet concerned Has is still on the phone and said, "What...did you fall?" I wish!

I turn abruptly and now standing in the middle of the road trying to process what just happened. I freeze and find myself in a moment of panic. DAMN! That was the wrong FREAKING car with someone inside it! I thought that was my car. It looked exactly like my silver RAV4 (without the trailer hitch). I thought I unlocked it with my remote. The door was unlocked! And now, where is my car?!?!?!

Boy, was she understanding "It's okay!" from what I recall her saying smiling. Her smile reminded me of Kristen Kreuk.

Puh-leese, let me find my car and don't make me walk past that other car a second time! She must think I'm a stalker and a cRaZy! Embarrassed, I do find my own RAV4 which is directly across from her's facing the opposite direction. I'm so embarrassed that I can barely find the words to tell Hassan what just happened. My eyes are watering from sheer embarrassment and laughter.

"Just make sure you drive home safely and find your way home, okay?" I heard Has say over the phone. I'm in a daze as I drive off. My brother calls and I tell him the story. He's laughing at me and say, "Are you going to put this in your blog?" DAMN, right! And, what tha hell just happened?!?!?!?

Celebrity News

If anyone knows me, they know that I'm in THE know for the latest celebrity gossip. I know, I know...It's a HUGE character flaw of mine that I'm trying to improve upon. Although I don't have a subscription to 'US' magazine or 'People', I do have access to the Internet and the E! channel so that does me just fine.

On my way to clinical at Loyola, I was driving down Northern Parkway. At a stoplight, I notice a yellow sign with "Oliver" written on it. As I continue driving, I see more of these signs posted on streetlights and at various intersections.

"Oliver", "Oliver", "Oliver"...what is this some college student's birthday joke? Then, I saw the sign "Extras".
AH-HA! There must be a movie being shot around here! I secretly sit up a little higher and taller as if I'm a celebrity with my sunglasses on.

I pull into my designated parking lot at The Cathedral of Queen Mary to find that an "Extras" sign has followed me as well. There, occupying half of my parking lot were a circus of white tents and green trailers. I saw cherry-picker trucks, various lights and cables, and golf carts.

Wooooooohoooooo!!!!!! Maybe this is my BIG break...recruit me to be an extra! Hollywood, here I come! With my husband, of course! It's weird because everytime I feel the presense of a celebrity or a film on location, I always feel like I'm going to run into a celebrity or the director will stop shooting and say, "STOP that girl! She's perfect for my next movie with Joaquin Phoenix!" Oh yeah, baby! What an imagination I have!

Anyways, I park....as close to the tents as I can. Like a nosy neighbor on "Desperate Housewives", I peer between parked cars and under trucks to see if I can catch a glimpse of someone famous. No such luck. Damn!

Maybe it wasn't a movie crew, but perhaps only a local film shooting a commercial or just a really, really expensive wedding ceremony caught on film. (With a celebrity perhaps?!?!)

I get out of my car and board the shuttle to campus. I NEED to find out what is going on around here. Walking to the health center I run into a co-worker. "What are they filming here on campus?" I ask her. "Oh, some movie with Nicole Kidman and George Clooney, " she replies. (Weren't they in another movie together?)

Wha???!!!! In Baltimore? That's awesome! Then it hits me. Hassan told me a couple weeks ago that a co-worker of his thought he saw Nicole Kidman and her entourage at a local gym. He quickly dismissed the idea since Nicole Kidman wouldn't be caught dead pumping iron in a public gym. Perhaps it was really her! Apparently, there was another Nicole-sighting at a Yoga class somewhere in Baltimore. And, I find out that she is staying at the Marriott at the Inner Harbor. I just might have to go there sometime...

I go to my exam room and quickly access the Internet to find out if it was true. A movie called "Oliver"? Sounds like a remake of the Broadway play. That's not interesting. I "Yahoo-ed" the words "Nicole Kidman' and 'Oliver' together. I find out that 'Oliver' is actually the name of the director for "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Interesting...

So that's my celebrity news...Not very impressive and just plain trivial, but isn't all celebrity news trivial in retrospect?

Pri-Med 2005

As part of my clinical hours for school, I attended the Pri-Med Conference at the Baltimore Convention Center today for a series of lectures focusing on primary-care issues. (Not as fun as Kamran's conventions with an Optimus Prime booth!) I listened to lectures about hyperlipidemia, hypertension, anxiety, and thryoid complications. Blah, blah...

BEST of all, were the exhibitions...you could try out massage chairs, speak to representatives about their latest medical equipment and technology, and even try samples of Pom fruit juice as an alternative antioxidant (not me...Ramadan, remember?). Blah, blah. The best part was talking to drug representatives and getting FREE gifts. My friend Jenny and I made out like bandits in the exhibition hall! Buzzing from booth to booth like the busy-bees we were! And check out our stash!

Bags, books, unlimited pens, free samples of Advil, stainless steel mugs, pads, education posters, personalized journals, pillows, calculators, reflex hammers, spirometers, mouse pads, pen lights, more pens, highlighters, and best of all, USB external drives (yes, you heard that right!




What a dork I am! Not only am I wearing my glasses (I'll blog about the reason later...), but I'm posing with a couple of "things" from the drug Actos that treats Type 2 diabetes.

There is hope...

Jeez...I'm totally procrastinating!!!!! It's my first exam of the semester and it's worth 25% of my total grade. I morph into this ADD freak when I begin to study. First, I organize my study area, then check my email, check my blog to see if I've "caught any fish" (those who comment in my blogs), check 'Yahoo's' entertainment section for the latest celebrity gossip, and check my email again...it's a horrible, horrible, OCD-ish cycle.

Anyways, I'm taking my 10th break since 8pm and here's a the beginning of a conversation between me and my brother-in-law, Showieb:

Tanookie78: Dr., I have a question
DrLove9701: yes
DrLove9701: nurse
Tanookie78: HAHA
Tanookie78: it's about renal artery stenosis
DrLove9701: ok...shoot
Tanookie78: why choose an ARB (like diovan) over an ACE (if it's renal protective)?
Tanookie78: don't they do the same thing by vasodilating the afferent arteries?
DrLove9701: really the only reason to choose an ARB over an ACE is if someone is not tolerating an ACE...i.e. they get the ACE cough
Tanookie78: yeah...but in lecture they told us that if someone has renal artery stenosis they should be on an ARB instead
Tanookie78: i checked it out on ePocrates and they said the same thing
Tanookie78: but what is the reason?
Tanookie78: the only reason I can think of it is because the ACE is renal protective and may mask symptoms of the stenosis
Tanookie78: jeez...i sound like a geek


Woooooooohoooo! There is hope for me...at least I can sound intelligent.


BTW, thanks Showieb!

Ramadan Mubarak

It's that time of year again! I wanted to wish everyone well during this Ramadan season.

As you fast this month and/or if you are just health conscious, here is a resource I hope you find helpful. Keep in mind to stay healthy during Ramadan....just because we fast during day doesn't give us an excuse to devour anything and everything within our reach. (That's one of my weaknesses!)www.foodpyramid.gov

Standard Delays

The fists of fury are back...I've been thinking about this one for a while.


Every morning I have same exact routine (think "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray)...I get up, wash the face, brush the teeth, put the contacts on, tame the hair, and head to the closet to choose the outfit of the day. And keeping me company through it all is the television. It's my morning paper read out loud. Baltimore news is like the crime section mixed in with irresistable chewy bits of tabloid. "Paris Hilton Cleared of Allegations" or "Hearings Tackle Courthouse Complaints " FYI: both these stories are true!

Lately, weather men and women have been accurately forecasting hurricanes and tropical storms. We know their names sometimes better than our co-workers. We trust their expert advise on how to prepare for hurricaine force winds. Most importantly, we depend on them to officially name our hurricaines: "Katrina", "Ofelia", or "Rita". What would we do if we didn't have a name for these natural disasters? The anarchy! Coincidentally, these are all names of nurses I know...one of which was my old-manager and a natural disaster herself!!!

Anyways....
Sidekick to the weather report are the traffic updates. This is what I have been thinking a lot about lately. For some odd reason, I EASILY get annoyed at the traffic reporters. Talk about road rage...I want to find the television studio and drive my car right into the traffic room. Report that news!!!!! Maybe it's because I'm NOT a morning person or maybe it's because they tell me information that is completely useless.

I just don't understand this profession...do they have a degree in traffic science? Are they real news reporters starting out on the bottom rung of their careers? Do they get promoted to anchor once they have put their time in the news desk? How hard is it really to look at a road map or ride in a helicopter above the traffic and tell the public where you see traffic? At least the weathermen study meterology, but all traffic reporters do is tell me the SAME, EXACT information over and over again!

Aughhhhhh!

It makes me go iNsAnE everytime I hear Sarah Caldwell tell me "Standard delays on the west side starting from 40 to Wilkins." Every single morning I hear the same sentence word for word. Nothing new...nothing interesting. I truly beleive that there's no science or talent to traffic reporting...you just pick the time of rush hour to say the same exact sentence. "Standard delays in the northeast corner of the loop starting from BelAir Road to the tunnel." See, that wasn't hard to do at all!!!!! Say that sentence at 8:05 am and I'm a certified and reliable traffic reporter!!!! Whoooo0whoo!!!! Give me cute business suites to wear and nice cup of coffee on my desk.

I don't get it!!! Do they stand in traffic the same way the brave weatherman stand in the eye of the hurricane?!?!?!?! These poor weather people...they struggle to tell us what the hurricane is like live on television when can barely open their eyes or stand up straight for the camera because of 120 mph winds and rain!

Aghhhhhhhh! Help me understand this insanity, Al Roker!

But, NOOOOO!!!! These traffic reporters...they stay safe in their cozy little traffic desks trying to act like they know what's going on out there. Trying to be sympathetic with a sense of concern when an accident or construction delay occurs. They thrive on these inconveniences...what would they do if there were no delays?!?!? Become pedestrian traffic reporters on major city walkways?!?!? Will they let us know who has broken a high-heel in the middle of major intersection? Or will they tell us who has thrown their hotdog wrapper or spit out their gum in the sidewalk?

They don't have to sit in traffic like the rest of us. They are at work BEFORE the traffic happens. They don't endure the horrible traffic caused by heavy rains or sleeting snow. And half the time when they do tell me there is an accident, by the time I get there, the accident "has been cleared to the side of the road" and its over and done. What great information that is! Tell me something useful, like which potholes to maneuver around or what parking space is open in the garage. Better yet, tell me where the cheapest gas is in Baltimore-Metro area. And if they truly want to help me out with my morning commute...tell me where I can find today's police traps are so I can actually make it to work on time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!