Angry Dance - First Flamenco Class Ever

I finally had my flamenco dance class. It was really fun clagging on the floor. The instructor explained to us the origin of flamenco was during a dark period in Spain. So when dancers dance Flamenco the emotion should be firm and kind of "angry". I kind of enjoy dance with a proud attitude.

As the day coming closer to get my immigration paper work done, I got eager then ever before to go on a vacation out of the US. One of the country that I want to go is Spain. Spanish culture has such an influence here in the state. I mean just from knowing that half of Texas population speak spanish. I think it would be a brilliant idea to speak and learn Spanish well. But then, I am also thinking about Italy too. I hope this vacation coming soon. Spain, Italy, France, Norway, anywhere is all good as long as I am traveling somewhere.

What a Code Blue!

Monday, I came in to work at 7pm after 2 days off. Everything was going kind of slow and easy and I was expecting a new patient from PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit). As everyday work routine, I started to passing medication and checking my patients around 8pm after I got my report from day shift nurse, L.

PACU faxed the report long before I came to work. The patient had bilateral total knee replacement done, a 83 years old female. They called to confirm I have received the faxed-report and told me they were going to send the patient to the floor. I hang up the phone and continued my work at my last medication round on a patient. I heard PACU came up and the family member were all in the room. I thought that I would go down there to check on my new patient as soon as I finished passing medicine in few minutes. Then I heard they broad casting something but did not pay attention to it. As I was talking and watching the patient swallowing pills, I heard C was running like tornado in the hall way opening the storage door getting sliding board. I ran out to the door and asked what was going on. She did not answer. A, came out from another room like I did. We ran after C to the new patient's room. There were already about 20 people in the room. I was shocked when I saw K doing cardiac compression on the bed, Dr. P was directing the whole process, S was giving ambu bag then compress the IV fluid.

WHAT THE HECK......

I jumped into the crowd trying to do things that in the every minute period was so crucial to the patient. The EKG monitor shown a single straight line, then epi and nor epi were given to the patient still no pulse. Cardiac compression was still performing by K. Then withing couple minutes, we saw the heart beats on monitor. No body said anything, but I believed we all relief when we saw that wavy line on the monitor.

HOW DID THESE ALL HAPPENED IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES....

L, the nurse technician went into the room to take vital signs when PACU nurses came to the floor with the patient. She couldn't get BP, pulses and the patient was unresponsive. She was shaking and running to the charge nurse. When the operator was announcing the "code blue room 207", I missed it while passing medicine in the other room. PACU nurses dashed back to the room when they heard the announce on their way to PACU. That was how it happened so quick. PACU nurse said the patient was still talking to them in the elevator. It seemed that they had some trouble in PACU with that patient. Her blood pressure was low down there...

After this code blue, I think there are a lot I can do better. I am just glad that she did not die on me......In the medical field, uncertainty is such a trick.

Woody and me.

Woody is not my dog. But I would like to have a dog like him. In legend, Woody flew from Minisota to Richmond, Virginia to become a lovly pet of a wealthy family. When I first saw him, he had all my attention. He is probably the cutiest puppy I have ever seen. He is my type of dog. Curly messy hair, long ears, eyes with hair covered, and figure of Teddy bear, all these have let him won my heart. A, my roommate described him like a little lamb.

Virginia Beach - Part II (Yoly from Colombia)

I met Y seven years ago in West Virginia. The very first year I came to the State for school. International student house was a house that fulled of laughters, joys, romances, and friendships with strangers from all over the world. It is really hard to believe that we are still friends after 7 years. In these years, we only corresponded through emails. She is in Colombia and I am in the US.

With a week's off from M's visit from Texas, Y came two weeks ago and stayed with me along my 4 other roommates. It seemed the house suddently became international student house again. In these 7 years, we all been through a lot in live. Y works a good job in Colombia and also a licensed Psychologist. And me with 3 master degrees ( not that I am really proud of but is did mean some kind of achievment to me though?) and in the process of becoming American, we have good life.

Working full-time, I made some plans to spend time with Y and my friends here. We cruised through Richmond to Willamsburg and Virginia Beach (yes, 2nd time in a month). Although, we did not have coconut trees or hot six-packed muscle men to entertain us but all has been good. Sea breeze, waves, blue sky, sand and a ocean front hotel room with just a minute's walking distance to the beach, what can we ask more for life.

Our footprints were also left at James River with two little good looking "men". I guess that was my substitution for six-packed muscle men. It was just so hilarious when I saw they looking at me taking off my cloth with bathing suit underneath. They are definately curious. I just thoutht that was funny.

That was my "vacation" with friends this summer (yeah with over 40 hours' work and two summer classes going on). Wish my real vacation coming soon. I am ready to explor...

Virginia Beach - Part I

This May is really a friend's month for me. M came all the way from Texas visiting me in the middle of May. With working night shift in the hospital, I think maybe it is kind of good that I can spare some day time with friend coming a long way to visit me. I love friends! Ever since I work like owl, my schedule and social life have been really living like vampire. While everybody sleep, I am up; while all my friends up doing things, I sleep. To end this curse, the only salvage for me is the day when I get my permenant resident document.

M is such a sweet friend to me. We use to hike together, go out together, and talk about a lot of things out of our mind very much. This time she came to visit me after 2 years leaving in different cities from each other. We were very excited to get the same old feeling back again. In order to be a "good" host, I was kind of planning where to take her to. So I came up with some places that would be potential "must-see" site near Richmond, Virginia. The only exception would be Kings Dominion. I think we have grown to old to take the risk of heart attack riding roller coaster. Sunshine, find white sand, waves, and "muscle men" sounded good to both of us. Definately, it would be a worth site to spend some time at. We stayed at the oceanfront hotel with all our pleasant heart.

Then we went to Washington,DC. Of course, this is also a must-see site at least one time in everybody's life. Best way to get around a big metropolitan would be riding the subway. We parked the car at subway parking log then took the blue line to white house, memorial momument, china town, and capital.

Happy time is always short. M stayed for 4 nights then back to Texas. I have another colorful page in my life book with M.