My Role(s) at St. Francis Medical Center and Holiday Festivities

The VSC Christmas party was last Saturday at the Boyle Heights house. Kathie, Sr. Camille, San Fransisco -1, Santa Barbara and past volunteers were present as well as MM and BH of course. It was a full house to say the least. There was plenty of food and games, which went on a bit too long; however, we still made it fun and presents. It was a good evening of visiting. Kathie, Sr, the past volunteer and Santa Barbara left. San Fran went to bed and some of MM went home, which left BH, myself and Jess up to drink hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps and play catch phrase and a bit of N64. Grand Times. I should also mention that MM decided to wear ugly sweaters/vests. Mine had glitter and bears on it.

The next evening the family went to Pershing Square for the Winter Festival. It was booths set up for families and kids to enjoy the holidays. They had foods, baked goods, face painting, crafts, etc. They also had an ice skating rink and a "hill" of snow with "sledding" The height of the hill was probably 10 feet or so and the length was about 75 feet. Still, they made it work. It was about 75 degrees that day, so it was very out of place. It was a cute little event that showcased some joy in the downtown that we know if a different light. We got a free picture of us in the "Winter Holiday Festival" Train. It's a touch blurry, but there wasn't a charge!

This week at SFMC was a busy and a good example of how every day is different. Holly and I have been working set schedules now that we're both off orientation. I work every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; She works Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. As volunteers, Holly and I don't displace or cancel any staff. We don't take regular patient assignments like the other floor nurses. Instead we cover the LVNs patients and do other things on the floor. Typically, the LVN has 5 patients just like the RNs. Each patient will be covered by another RN on the floor who has their own assignment. The LVN can do just about everything the RN can. The major differences are that RN must document an assessment or co-sign the LVNs assessment and the RN must administer all IV piggyback and push medications. Typically my day looks like this:
-Arrive and get assignment. Get report from night shift with LVN.
-Assess patients
-Check meds
-Administer AM meds
-Open all charts
-stay at pod while LVN takes breakfast. If the other nurse at that pod hasn't had breakfast at this point, cover them when the LVN returns. Then I take breakfast. This is usually sometime between 10:30 and 11:30. Sometimes it is so busy I don't take a break.
-Once the charts are open I am free to help out until about noon when I start covering nurses for their 30 minute breaks. Usually I cover about 3 or 4 nurses and the charge nurse covers the other 3 or 4. This consists of me receiving a brief report on their assignments and assuming responsibility for their assignment while they are gone. This was very nerve wracking and challenging at first, but I'm getting the hang of it and what I need to know before they go.
-I'll take my 30 minute break around 3:00 if I'm not too busy. Sometimes I will take only 15 or not at all.
-3:15 is change of shift for CNAs and the Unit Secretary. Usually there is no evening secretary, so I help the charge nurse fill that role as well.
-The remainder of the shift I just help out the nurses that need help. By this time I've covered about half of the nurses on the floor so I have a pretty good idea of what is going on with the patients so I know what I can do that will help them out. Everyday is different. Some days I do a lot of secretary work, others I perform a lot of technical skills (IV starts, foleys, NGs, blood transfusions and the like), sometimes I'll do discharges and/or admissions. It really varies, but I usually keep very busy.

That's my typical day. Monday I was with Blanca, an LVN, who just returned from maternity leave. We had a good day that was similar to what I described above. I hung 6 different anti-microbial piggybacks for ONE patient! It was epic. The reason was that he had 3 or four and the ID doc dc'd a few that I had already hung earlier that day and ordered 3 more!

Holly and I work every Wednesday. The reason is because Wednesdays are usually the busiest days on the floor because it is skin day. Every patient's skin breakdown risk score are assessed and we make sure that the proper interventions are in place. Additionally, photos of all pressure sores are taken and put in the chart. I've done the skin sheets the last two weeks. This week Holly did it and I covered the LVN like I do on regular days. The skin doesn't take up our whole day, so there is even more extra help on the floor.

I went in Thursday to discover on the assignment that there was no charge nurse. This has happened before and what we did was instead of me covering the LVN, I took the would be charge nurse's assignment thus giving us a charge nurse and having the assignment balanced. It's nice to have these days every now and then. I've done it once a few weeks ago and had a chaotic assignment. I had 5 patients. I discharged two (both before 1pm!), transferred one out and received a transfer from ICU. I opened my last chart at 5:00pm. I was hella busy. This past Thursday I had a much easier assignmet. It started off a bit rocky, but I got it worked out. It was a great day to practice being a patient advocate and getting what I needed for my patients.

One patient had a lot of nausea and vomited a few times. She had surgery two days prior and was on clear liquid diet. She wasn't tolerating it well and had pain. I talked to the doctor and she dc'd morphine leaving the patient with round-the-clock motrin. we made her NPO. she was up later and ordered a radiology study if vomiting continued, which it did. I sent her to the KUB study and shortly after she returned she was short of breath. I tossed some O2 on, sat her up and got a pulse ox. She was ok and we got her breathing better. She was in a lot of pain, so I got her toradol. It turns out she had an ileus. With less than an hour in the shift I had to put an NG tube in. I started to put it in and she grabbed my hand, ripped it out and started sobbing. I endorsed it to the next shift. (She was doing a lot better the next day, she apologized to me-not necessary, but nice).

I had another patient, total knee replacement, Spanish speaking only. I walked in there, first patient of the day that I saw-his entire right side of his gown covered in blood. He pulled out his IV. Great. I got a new gown and got him cleaned up a bit. He was in a good deal of pain. I told him I would need to start an IV to give him the morphine that he had ordered but he would not have it. He could also have 1 vicodin every 4 hours. He was down for it. I may not know a lot of Spanish, but the dialogue was pretty clear. I gave the vicodin and called it a day. Later, after PT about 1030 he was having more pain. I told him we could do the IV and he said no. The CNA talked to him in Spanish to no avail. I called the doctor, but he was in surgery. A while later, I got a hold of the doctor and got an order for IM morphine. For whatever reason, he was completely fine with that needle. He actually was fine for pain the rest of my shift. The only other problem was that the CPM (continuous passive motion) machine stopped working. They had to get one from an outside source. Again, endorsed to next shift.

I had another patient who had morphine every three hours. He was the patient who waited for the EXACT time to get his next dose. He slept most of the day, which worked out in my favor. He was a nice guy, but I am not a fan of when patients tell me to "push it in faster" or not to dilute it in the TKO lines.

I had another patient who had his CT removed early in the day. He didn't have pain and pretty much just slept all day. He got discharged the next day.

My last lady was a weak woman who was to be transferred to hospice the next day. She took a good deal of my time. Up to chair TID. I got her up twice and that was a feat. I put a new foley in because hers leaked. Thank goodness I had a nursing assistant for her for my whole shift. It made my life that much easier.

Actually, because we didn't have a charge nurse (technically speaking because I am not a part of the staffing so from their standpoint we didn't) we got extra nursing assistants, which means we had 3 on the floor (enough to cover almost all patients) PLUS two 1:1 sitters (one of which I had) which means I had a CNA for all 5 of my patients for the first 8 hours, which makes a world of difference. Again, it was a pretty easy day. I got busy in the last hour or so, but so it goes. I gave a rock solid report at change of shift. During which time, Beverly, my manager, asked if I'd be willing to come in the next day to cover assignments so people could go to the fall risk assessment training class as it was the last day.

I had offered to do this two weeks prior, but she declined because she was didn't want me making overtime. I got that cleared up. I don't make overtime, I have a set stipend and if I am at SFMC anytime I am covered by their insurance. I mean, I need 1700 hours to get my AmeriCorps scholarship. The program is designed for me to do so, but I'd rather get to that number sooner than later in case something happens. A buffer if you will.

I went in with Holly Friday. She covered the LVN and I discovered we didn't have a unit secretary. I took on the role for the day. There were only two nurses on that day who needed to go to the 1 hour class so I covered one in the morning and the other for the afternoon session. I also helped out when I was putting in orders or covering. The last few hours were unusually slow on the floor, but it was a nice break for everybody.

So I was the volunteer covering the LVN/extra set of hands; nurse with patients and improv unit secretary this week. Never a dull moment. I can't think of an RN role that is like ours. We get to just help out around the floor. It's good for us and it is good for the floor. Other nurses who float to our floor are jealous that we are there but very thankful for our help.

It was a difficult transition to our current role on the floor. There was a great deal to learn, but even after a mere 4 months I feel much more confident in my skills. I am excited to for the next 7 months there. As for the rest of this experience, it is great. I am really living on a budget-not that I wasn't before but now more than ever. My housemates are amazing and we've shared in so much in this experience together. We are 1/3 done with our year with VSC. It blows my mind, but I am very glad I made this decision. I've done a lot of things I never would have otherwise, and I've learned a lot about myself by putting myself in a very different situation than what I'm used to.

Today we went to Homegirl cafe after reveling who our secret santas were with the final gift exchange. It was a great lunch to celebrate the end of 2010 and our 4 month marker. If you're unfamiliar with Homeboy industries, I recommend you check it out. I've had the privilege of hearing Fr. Boyle speak and I've just started reading his book "Tattoos on the heart". My housemates say it has a lot of stories in it that he told us at the Vincentian Family Day. If that is the case, I recommend reading it.

Holly and I are both going in Monday and we fly back to MN Tuesday. I'm extremely exciting and worried I won't be able to handle the cold weather! Fortunately, LA is experiencing "cold and rainy" right now, which is the closest to winter I will get out here.

Cha'Von Visits; Thanksgiving; 2010 Winds down

It's been a busy few weeks here at The Medal. I had a head cold that came on late Sunday and didn't completely go away until Friday, though I felt fine Thursday thankfully. I had worked out my schedule at work to have Wednesday-Sunday off, but I ended staying home Tuesday.

Cha' Von flew into LAX late Tuesday night. Traffic was incredibly backed up at LAX with all of the holiday travelers. It took me 40 minutes to get from the exit to the terminal (normally takes less 5 minutes). It was disgusting. Our trip back to Montebello was much better. We hiked Runyon Canyon in Hollywood and got a great view of the cities. We walked a fair stretch of Hollywood Boulevard as well, which is...an experience to say the least. We took the bus and subway to get there. It was Cha'Von's first time on a public bus so that was exciting. On our way back from Hollywood we walked into skid row to meet Laura after work. We took is easy that night since we walked so much during the day.

Thursday, Thanksgiving, was awesome! Everyone in my house except Alli was there. Becca and Meaghan came from BH as well as Becca's Boyfriend Mike, Adrienne's cousin Paul and Cha'Von rounded out the group. We each took on a different dish for the meal so the work wasn't too great for anyone. Cha'Von brought Lefsa and introduced it to the gang (Aside from me and Holly). Holly introduced many people to bars. 7-layer to be specific. We had Turkey, Dressing, Corn Pudding, Green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy (Which Cha'Von saved from being something awful!), Calico beans, lumpia, appetizers and plenty of wine. I did the turkey and dressing. I must say that I am very happy with the turkey. I brined it two days before and then put an herb butter under the skin....along with bacon strips. Following the meal, we played games around the table, enjoyed pie and bars and more wine. It was a great day of family away from family.

The day after Thanksgiving Adrienne, Laura, Jess, Cha'Von and I went down to San Diego for a day trip. We first went to La Jolla Cove. A beautifully, rocky cove filled with Sea Lions! It was a beautiful day in a beautiful city. We had a picnic in a grassy open area not far from the water before we headed over to the Gas Lamp district. This district used to be the Red Light District of San Diego years ago, but has sense become a hub for shops, restaurants and bars. There were so many places to eat-it was incredible. It was a challenge in living simply to not buy everything that caught our eyes in the stores. I did pick up a nice pair of dress shoes. My previous pair I got for free in 8th grade and they've seen better days. The new pair was originally $88.00. I got them for $5.00. I figured that was in my budget. We stopped at Dick's Last Resort for appetizers before heading out. Our server could have been snappier (It's what they're known for-Servers that are sassy and have some attitude-all in fun, of course). Still, it was a good time and a nice way to round out the day.

Cha'Von, Holly and I went to Santa Monica on Saturday Morning. We didn't spend time on the beach, it wasn't the best weather for it. We did walk the pier and the promenade. While there, a very demanding street performed got us and a large crowd to watch his full performance, which wasn't that spectacular. Walking the promenade was another reminder of our simple living budget for both myself and Holly. Our parking cost fit that budget-$1.00! Heck yes. That left us enough money to get yogurtland after driving by SFMC in Lynwood to show Cha'Von where we work. That night we went out to a dive bar in Culver City where Cha'Von, Holly, Jess and Adrienne did some Karaoke. A great ending night.

We got to LAX without a great deal of traffic. I returned home and got caught up on house chores and the like. Adrienne made Tilapia for dinner and we caught up with Alli who returned from WA the night before. It was awesome to see Cha'Von. She is the first person I have had visit and she brought back a lot of good home feelings, which was really nice. I felt really homesick for MN, specifically Minneapolis. Yes, I've only lived there one summer, but I miss it. I'm looking forward to flying by to MN in three weeks and having time with friends and family. I'm sure it will be the fastest, coldest trip of my life.

I find it hard to believe that the end of the year is already so close. This is in part due to the fact that it is 70 degrees on Nov. 30th. Also, the weeks just flow by. While I've had plenty of stress these past few months from the move, the new environment, job, financial situation, loan deferment, etc., the overall experience has been very positive and I'm so glad that I chose to do this year of service.

Echo Mountain, Symphony, Hermosa Beach

What a week!

It was my first week at S.E.A. with the after school sex. ed program. What an experience! I expected the unexpected and that is what I got. Holly is going in tomorrow and I will be the following week. We are going to be teaching these young girls who have been involved in gang activity about their bodies and a lot of things about sexuality. It will be challenging, but they seem receptive for the most part. Due to scheduling, Holly may do most of the weeks. I may look for other Public health opportunities.

I went to the Aveda Institute in Westwood Thursday. I got an awesome haircut for a totally reasonable price. The instructor did most of my hair cut too. The only thing I really sacrifice going there is time, but it is nice to mix up my environment and it's cool there so it is a win all around.

Sr. Camille came over Friday evening. I was working until 7:30. Holly picked me up after a great albeit busy shift. She briefed me with what happened. It wasn't the usual pleasant visit, but rather hashing out some 'issues'. She met with me and Holly after a great dinner for about 30 minutes. After she left, we picked up a box of wine, got really into it and watched a few episodes of three sheets. I fell asleep during the last episode, but wine and a long day will do that.

Saturday everybody except Adrienne went to Echo Mt Park. It is near Pasadena, which is about a 30 minute drive from our house. The goal was to go for a hike together and check out some "ruins" that we didn't know much about. Jess had looked up the information and said the trail she found started to the left of the entry gate. We took the trail and soon realized this was going to be an arduous hike! After about 10 minutes, someone coming down essentially warned us that even with proper footwear, getting down is a feat. She also told us there was a wrap around trail that was much longer but much less steep.

We stopped and thought about whether we were going to press on or turn back and take the wrap around. We were unsure whether the wrap around trail would connect with the one we were on toward the top. It seemed like they would, but we weren't certain. Jess and I opted to continue. It was an epic hike up the mountain. We did some legit rock climbing to the end, which led to the top of one of the peaks. At the top there was a paved road which came from behind. It was a bit ironic, but very welcome. We took it to another small trail which ultimately led to the "ruins" which were old rail car tracks from the early 20th century. The cars led to the site of an old mansion, which is now a picnic area. The others met us there about 30 minutes later.

Jess and I went down the wrap around trail with the others. Neither of us regret the decision to climb that mountain. It was a great exercise physically, psychologically and spiritually. Plus it was nice to hang out with Jess and do something awesome.

We cleaned up super quick like foxes when we got home. Laura, Alli, Adrienne and I went and got Boba and sandwiches from Bahn Mi Che Cali before picking up Kent for the Symphony. The concert hall was in Burbank, which was a very interesting place what with all of the studios. There was an obnoxious woman who sat in front of me. Pretentious to boot, but we got a laugh out of it I suppose. The music was excellent-there was a phenomenal young violinist and Opera singer. Afterwords, we went back to the Medal. Adrienne, Kent and I played word thief and had some box wine. We chatted for a good few hours after until finally we were so tired we had to get to bed. It was great! A good ol' fashioned game night.

Sunday we went to Hermosa beach. Loved it. The weather was great and the beach wasn't very crowded since it is the off season. I finally remembered my running shoes and ran the sidewalk just before the beach. I haven't been very good about running lately, so it was a welcome change of pace (literally!)

We got back to the Medal in the early afternoon to prepare for the MM/BH dinner with Sr. Camille. The dinner was great, we had pizzas from Costco, salad, wine and Holly's wonderful pudding cookies. After the meal, we hashed out the whole car situation. There was tension, emotions, drama all rooted in poor communication and misunderstandings. At this point, everything seems to be functioning properly, so I'll take it. BH stayed a little while after Sr. Camille left, which was nice to have more social time. Our house cleaned up and chatted in the dining room together about our busy weekend. I love this family!

It was a great weekend which led to a great week thus far! We've had some awesome meals every night this week. We all share the cooking duty very well so it is always a joy, not a burden to cook and to eat! Here's what we had this week all made from scratch:

Monday: Frittata and steamed peas
Tuesday: Sushi, Miso soup and Soba noodles with dipping sauce
Wednesday: French Onion Soup, Rosemary roasted potato wedges, Garden Salad and bread
Thursday: Oven-baked Salmon, baked potato, green beans and garden salad.

What's not to love! It's been amazing. The company is even better than the food!

Tuesday Adrienne and I were both off and we got Hella errands done around Montebello. I've been staying up later on week nights. I'm getting more done, but I am mighty tired at this point in time. Pictures will follow....eventually.

Dia de los Muertos, VFD & Whale Watching

Alli let our community night last week and for the 2nd week in a row we went out into the community to experience some of what L.A. has to offer. She took us to the East LA convention center for the Dia de los Muertos celebration. There were excellent food vendors, a stage for performers, booths to purchase a wide variety of items and a stretch where people set up alters for their loved ones who had passed. The music was great, the food-amazing, the alters were spectacular and everyone seemed to be having a great time. It was yet another great community night.

November 6th was Vincentian Family Day at the De Paul Center in Montebello. Our house arrived early to help set up for the event. It is an annual get together for all of the Vincentian branches. The Daughters of Charity, The Ladies of Charity, St. Vincent De Paul Society, VSC and others gathered together. The keynote speaker at the event was Father Greg Boyle, who is known for his work in gang intervention through HomeBoy industries. If you've never heard of it you can check it out here. He is a phenomenal speaker with amazing stories. Following his energizing presentation, we ate some really, really good food. Later that evening, Taboo and box wine was had amoung the MM family and Sally, who came down for VFD.

On Sunday, everyone in our house except Jess (who will be going with the Boyle Heights house at a later date) went on a whale watching excursion. We boarded the nautilus at 9am with about 45 other people and set out to Catalina island. We saw a group of common dolphins, rizzo dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and a fin back whale. The crew said it was one of the best days they've had in months. It was incredibly cold, which we expected. We all had layers on, but being on the ocean on a cloudy day made it even colder. Catalina island is a gorgeous place and I'd like to get back sometime. Because we saw so much on our way to the island we didn't have a great deal of time to explore. We went on a very short hike before heading back to the boat to a chilly journey back to the mainland.

Here are some pictures courtesy of Adrienne!



On our way to Catalina island. It was a rocky ride at times and required a broad stance, which Holly was apparently found amusing.












Some of our dolphins. Pictures were incredibly difficult to get. I believe these were some of the common dolphins. The bottlenose were the coolest. They got right up to the boat and played around for a while. There was even a baby dolphin!









A view of Catalina island from where we hiked to.












In an effort to stay warm on the boat the ladies wrapped their scarves around their heads. Adorned with their fashionable sunglasses, Adrienne deemed themselves 'fabulous peasants'

Halloween!

The retreat is Los Altos Hills was refreshing. Our schedule wasn't very demanding, so we had a lot of time to spend with each other and by ourselves enjoying the retreat center grounds, which were wonderful. Being in Northern California, the weather was....well, there! It drizzled and rained most of the time we were there, which was very refreshing.

Los Altos Hills is about 5.5 hours north of LA. The drive went by well. Another 45 minutes north is San Fran. We had the day to ourselves in San Fran. It was great! That city is so easy to get around! We all met up at the volunteer house in San Fran (The Pink House) for dinner. The weekend went by very quickly, but was a good chance for some reflection and a break from the usual routine.

I felt under the weather coming back from the retreat and had a mild cold this past week. Thankfully, it never hit me too hard and I am back to good health now. Yesterday we got into our Legends of the Hidden Temple Halloween costumes and went to a get together at BH. They had their place well decorated. It was 4 of them, 5 of MM (Holly stayed back as she wasn't feeling well) and a few other friends of the BH house.

My role at work is different. I'm not sure if I like it at this point. I am going to figure it out over the next few weeks and see what I can do to make it the best I can. Plenty of chores to do around the house, which never seem to be done. Maybe this is why I am not the greatest about these updates.

Tomorrow I am going into another VSC service site to start a teen women's health after school educational program. Holly and I are spliting it up and will alternate who goes in Monday. I am starting off tomorrow. I am looking forward to it. Nothing wild right now, just a discussion with the girls to determine what they want to know. It will be interesting I am sure.

Oh! We went to Karaoke last Wednesday at the Central Community Outreach Center. It is a few hours every Wednesday night. It is a church basement on skid row they open up for people to get together and sing karaoke. I brought the MM house there for our community night. It was great! It really illustrated the point that everyone needs joy and fun in their lives. No exceptions. Rad.

Picture time! Thanks to my very talented roommate Laura....


On top of the 'Pink House' in San Fran



A view of San Fran



Fierce!



Ready for Halloween Fun!

Cruise Control.....

So after about 12 weeks here I am getting into a good type of routine. The friends I have made here are great. They are my family and my support and I would be lost without them. We've been doing less on weekends because we've been exhausted and needing to catch up on things; it also gives us time away from schedules, which is very necessary. Speaking of, we're off to our first reflection weekend at Los Altos Hills in the Bay area on Thursday. I was on today and yesterday, which means I am off tomorrow through sunday! Fantastic.

When I return to SFMC I will be off orientation and will start to function as I will for the rest of the year....still figuring out exactly what that means, but I know it will start Wednesday.

Weather: Rainy!

Life is good.

Shower Handles...

Holly and I both had the day off. I took the opportunity to fix my shower-I had both time and a vehicle to get the necessary parts. It took a great deal of time and driving indeed. Ultimately, I got it figured out. I’m quite happy with this. I also got to have a good chat with my dad, which is always a good thing.
I spent a few hours this evening doing some screenings with the SFMC Mobile Health Units. Usually, I take blood sugars, cholesterol and blood pressure. Sometimes I help people fill out their forms or do height and weight. It is another good chance to work on my Spanish. A little each day is the way I operate.
This weekend Sr. Camille is coming to visit. She is basically the sweetest person in the world. She is the director of VSC West. I will be seeing here next weekend as well as all of the other VSC West volunteers at our Reflection weekend. I’m very excited for this.

I got a package of wooden spoons from Aunt Terri in WA today. It was awesome because: 1-I got mail that wasn’t a student loan statement or something from the bank, 2-it was a package and 3-it had really awesome wooden spoons, a cutting board, wax and a very nice letter inside. Score for me. Thank you!
Tomorrow may be my last shift on precepted orientation. Next week Holly and I will start working totally opposite days (except one day/week when we are both on) and we will start floating around the unit discovering our role on the floor. It will be interesting.
Another volunteer has asked Holly and I to lead a Women’s health group for some of here girls at the school she volunteers at. I’m super excited! Holly is going to work on the female anat/phys, I am going to cover sex ed issues and we’ll both cover pregnancy/newborn/child care. It will be…..interesting. I’m very excited. There is A LOT we need to cover. We are going to alternate every Monday afternoon.
Most of us are in some way, shape or form stressing about our plans for after this year. It is mostly a good stress, but sometimes it gets to be a bit much. Fortunately, we support each other well. I’ve been thinking a lot. Still thinking. Still a bit stressed, but doing all right.
I’ve had some interesting patients the last few days. A lot of psych patients, a pediatric patient, a GYN patient-I didn’t sign on for this! Ha! Really though, it is a good exercise of my schooling-much like the women’s health group I mentioned. Of course there are the gun shot wound patients…..always GSWs on the floor.

The weather here is beautiful, work is going well and I am with amazing people here and supported by the love of so many people all over the place. It’s wonderful. I’m off to bed. It is 9:15 after all. My typical waking time is about 5:20. I’m not a fan, but at least I can get the rest.

Sally and the Great Food Truck Convention

In our house we've each taken on a community function. Jess has taken on the social planning position. She plans most events on our weekends and coordinates our schedules to provide us all opportunities to do a wide variety of fun things. She does it well. She was in San Fran this weekend with her school so the rest of us were on our own. We've been so busy on the weekends, we welcomed a more laid back weekend.

Sally, one of the VSCs who in Santa Barbara came down for the weekend to hang out with us. Alli's parents and sister also came she weekend. It was a different group dynamic since Jess was gone, Alli was with her family most of the time and we had Sally here. We went to a food truck convention near downtown LA on Saturday. The sun was blazin! Basically, 5 food trucks were in a lot. 5$ donation to meals on wheels got you 5 colored tickets. Each one could be redeeming at a truck for a sample. Additionally, with entry you got free Dos Equis beer and bacardi drinks. The downfall of course were the lines.

We quickly figured out which color ticket went to each truck and split into three groups of 2. Ultimately, we only got to try 3 trucks' food because the other 2 ran out/shut down because the event was ending. The food was really delicious and we had a good time for a low price. Laura went with her friend to hang out for the night leaving Adrienne, Holly, Sally and myself for the night.

We got Ramen at Foo Foo Tei (So Yummy!) and then went to Boyle heights for a movie night. Holly stayed at MM because she was very tired. 3 of the BH people were in SF as well, which made for a group of 6. It wasn't the usual group; it was a different dynamic. I enjoyed it.

Sally left MM on Sunday. I got a bunch of tasks accomplished-including some loan forbearance. Of which some have already been approved. Nice. That night I made Zucchini and Whole Wheat Mac & Cheese with a green bean, tomato, feta salad. The 6 of us at MM, Meaghan from BH and Alli's family sat at our modified large table. It was a nice family dinner to end the week apart.

Yesterday I worked my first 12 hour shift. It went just fine. It felt no different than an 8 except I didn't have a ton of other time in my day to really do anything. Now I am getting more stuff done with my day off (we only work 3 days/week on 12s). Ted, Laura's BF is here for the week. We're figuring out how to get around on Public Transit effectively. Well, he is. I'm blogging. Oh dear.....not very useful at this point.

Heat Wave

So Monday there was a recording breaking temp in downtown LA. The thermometer on USC got to 113 and then broke. Maybe it was 113 and stopped. Maybe it was hotter. Who knows. It was a fairly dry heat, which makes it tolerable.

Everything at the hospital is going well for the most part. We are moving to 12 hour shifts next week and will be on orientation for another 2 weeks and then possibly on our own after that. I am getting the hang of everything there...well, at least enough to make it through the day.

The weekend should be fairly laid back. Sally is coming down from Santa Barbara. We are going to a food truck convention. It should be awesome and delicious. Not a lot of plans for Friday or Sunday. It will be nice.

There simply aren't enough hours in the day.

Some Photos!

We went here on the weekend! It is the Pacific Ocean at San Pedro



My "Family Tree!" Front row (Standing on the ground) L->R is Holly, Adrienne and Laura. Back row is Me, Alli and Jess! They are so great!



St. Francis Medical Center Campus



St. Francis Medical Center Patient Tower. I work on the 8th floor of this building. It looks like it has a mean face on it made of glass. Scary!



This is where we live! It used to be a convent. We have plenty of extra bedrooms!

Last bunch of pre-internet posts!

First Week: I have survived my first week at SFMC. There is a lot to learn-the environment is unlike any floor I’ve ever been on. 10 out of 35 patients were in for gunshot wounds. This is the norm. The majority of our patients are Latino; a good portion of these patients don’t speak English or very little. A good deal of the staff speak Spanish and basically every nurse can communicate the basics with their patients. I am picking up quiet a bit already.
Of course, the charting is different, policies and procedures are different, medications, machines, etc. I am glad that I have had such enriching experiences as a student to give me competence and confidence regarding many technical skills.
There are so many new people to meet, but they are all very welcoming for the most part. My preceptors have been very good so far and I am definitely learning about the flow on the floor.
A couple of the days this week weren’t the greatest there, but they will get better. Friday was a great day; it was the day I knew I was going to be okay. There are so many new “languages” to learn: Spanish, SFMC nursing, CA culture; it is a lot to take in, but I have great support from my community, especially Holly who is also an RN on the same floor.
To shake off some of the stress Boyle Heights came over and we all went to Happy Hour at La Costa, a Mexican restaurant, which is right by our house. They have good food and drinks for great prices. We spent the night at MM (Miraculous Medal, the community I live in) after games and bonding.
Saturday MM went to Runyon Canyon with Boyle Heights and hiked up in the Hollywood Hills area. The hike was invigorating and the views of the hills and the houses were spectacular. We spent the evening at the BH house and again played games, drank tequila and antics ensued. The Hurricane occurred (Kent throwing a ton of stuff out of his room after getting soap poured on him and peanut butter smeared in his hair.) Jess got hit in the chest by the end of a bungee cord. No damage otherwise. Overall: A great night.
Today the two houses went to Will Rogers Beach with is right along the Pacific Coast Highway. Traffic wasn’t bad at all and the beach wasn’t very busy. The weather was excellent and the ocean was gorgeous. We spent about 4 hours there walking along the warm sand and soaking up the sun. Unfortunately, many of us soaked up a little too much and are quite red-myself included.

It was a fantastic weekend. Back to work tomorrow for what will hopefully be a great Monday!


Sometime during the first week of September:
Being welcomed and loving SFMC staff.
Today I admitted a patient from surgery. He along spoke Farsi. He came up to the floor after his surgery in a quite a bit of pain and nauseated. It took about an hour to get him settled and admitted. I utilized the language line: A 2 way phone that connects to a third party interpreter. I spoke into my phone, the interpreter translated and the patient answered. It was necessary to get the information I needed, but the whole thing is rather cumbersome and not something you would use for regular interactions. It was also challenging because he threw up at 4 different points in the admission process.
After all the paperwork was done, he was medicated for pain and resting more comfortably, I went to get a denture cup for him. As I walked out of the room I had moment when I thought to myself: “Hey, take a minute to really put yourself in this man’s shoes. He is in his 70s. His has lived in this country for 2 years, is in pain, just threw up 4 times after surgery and can’t understand English. How must that feel? How nerve wracking.”
I went back in the room, gave his wife the denture cup and then just stopped a few moments with them, held their hands, smiled and used a lot of assuring non-verbals. They both seemed to get the message that they would be ok. I walk in the room later and she holds up a camera and wants a picture with her husband and me. It was so great to know that I had helped them and gave them that reassurance. It was a powerful experience and I am sure it won’t be my last at SFMC.

Friday we had a BBQ at MM. BH came over, as did Darby, Ann, Sr. Camille various friends. There was lots of food. A success.

Saturday morning we went to the Getty Museum. There is a .75 mile tram ride up a mountain to get there. It was designed this way to make guests feel separated from their everyday lives. Indeed, this was the case. There were several pavilions with different levels featuring different exhibits. The numerous outdoor opportunities gave us stunning views of the mountains, cities and oceans. Inside, there were exhibits for paintings, drawings and photography. The latter I found to be the most profound. We also toured their botanical garden which was so wonderful when coupled with the spectacular architecture of The Getty. This is a place we may go to again.

Today we went to Venice Beach. The marine layer never really lifted while we were there so we didn’t get a lot of warm sunshine. Jess and I went and walked on some rocks along the water and saw some wicked animal life including: mussels, crabs, starfish, urchins and a couple of rays! It was so awesome to see these animals in their natural habitats. I’m also very glad that I didn’t get pinched by one of the many little crabs! Yikes!

Following Venice Beach we grabbed burgers and fries at In & Out Burger. If you’ve never been, I recommend it. It is fresh and delicious. I suggest getting your burger animal style for a messier and tastier experience. If you’re going to go, why not go all out.

9/9/10

Yesterday we had our second community night. We packed up sandwiches, chips and watermelon and went on a picnic! We made it home for some family bonding time and an episode of Three Sheets (A fun show about the world’s drinking cultures).

A few of us met up with some of the BH crew to go to the Art Walk in downtown LA. Basically, there are a bunch of artists-visual, performing, music, etc. that set up spaces in buildings and outside. It is roughly a 4 block stretch and is crowded with tons of people, music and great art. The area felt so alive! The art was fantastic. There were many amazing pieces. It was hard not to buy some and it was impossible to buy others ($$$$).

Afterwards, we went to this amazing coffeeshop called Syrup. Cheap and delicious Ice cream. Can’t go wrong. I had two scoops- Pear & Champagne along with Hefewezen Lemon. Yum.
We should be getting the internet tomorrow, which will be amazing. I can finally get some serious work done on loan deferment and hopefully clean up my desk of all of these papers.

9/11
It was a very chill Saturday morning, which was quite welcome. I got a bunch of cleaning and errands done. Around 5 went to Santa Barbara. It is about 100 miles right up the coast. We stayed with Alison and Sally, the two VSC volunteers there. We all went to a breast cancer walk cheering station sponsored by St. Vincent Medical Center. We spent 2.5 hours cheering for walkers. It was so much fun and rather tiring. Sally, Becca and I spent most of the time doing homemade cheers. It was pretty rad.
Oh! I have a camera now! I will be posting pictures soon!

9/19
We went to a drive in movie tonight-Sweet.

A few more retro-entries!

So I've only got a few more to post and then all entries will be fresh. I have a camera so there will eventually be pictures. Here's what's been happening lately: Holly and I have had hospital orientation so we are off the floor for the week. Monday and Tuesday were General and W-F have been nursing specific. It is pretty boring, but last week on the floor was stressful, so it was a nice break. I am definitely ready to go back.

We are volunteering at a St. Francis community health fair Saturday. We'll be taking blood glucose and cholesterol levels, height, weight, blood pressure and bone density scans. I will put more info up about our hospital later. Oh, and hopefully a picture too. It is a new building that is gorgeous. It looks like an angry face on the front though the way the glass is aligned. I'll point that out again when I post it.

Laura made quesadillas tonight. 4 family dinner of the week! We are going out tomorrow (a once-a-monthish occasion) and then doing movies and games at the house. We are calling it Mammaz and Pappaz friday. Sweet. Here are the old entires:

8.15.10
Today was our first community Sunday Funday! We went to the Beach at Santa Monica with the Boyle Heights crew. I am finding that I really don’t mind driving here thus far. 4-6 lanes on average for the many interstates of traffic moving 50-65 typically. Not too shabby. The weather was overcast at first, but after about 45 minutes it got nice and sunny. Alli and I walked the pier and then to the third street promenade. We saw break dancers, a guy tutting and the really cool dinosaur sculpture fountains! There is so much creativity and life!
The various groups met up and went to frozen yogurt before splitting up. When we got back we did some serious work on arranging/cleaning of the house. There is a lot to be done to make it more of a volunteer house rather than a convent. We’ll get there.

8.15.10
Holly and I both have not yet been cleared to start work. We also won’t be on tomorrow. If we don’t get a call tomorrow morning we are going to get our site supervisor involved. We still don’t have our internet access code, which really puts a damper on things. We spent a portion of the day trying to figure out where to bring out recycling. That was an epic fail.

We did have a few victories today. We got groceries, Holly did some yard work; We cleaned the recycling bins which were left NASTY from last year and I opened a checking account.
Hopefully tomorrow my scrubs will be in, internet will be obtained and we will be cleared to go in Thursday. Hopefully.

8.20.10
Holly and I had a very frustrating Friday Morning. We spent three hours at the hospital to get a few things done that in total took about 20 minutes. We basically arrived early to wait. Ridiculous. Long story short is that there are some communication issues that caused us to not start work until a week after everyone else.
That night our house and the Boyle heights house (minus Adrienne and Catie) went to a Dodgers game. Laura got us free tickets through her service site. It was a lot of fun. The Dodgers lost, which really didn’t matter since most of us didn’t follow that team. It was just a lot of fun to get out of the house and do something fun (and Free!)

Saturday we went to the Library to access the internet for the first time in weeks. A few of us, myself included, needed to access some information. It was rather slow and we realized getting the information for deferment is not easy. We were very stressed to say the least and still have to work out some of the kinks.
Saturday night we went to the Boyle Heights house for a dual birthday party for Adrienne and Benhan. The Santa Barbara house came as well. It was great to see them and spend time together.

Laura, Jess, Alli and I went to Malibu Point Beach today. Traffic was HORRIBLE but the beach was worth it. There were beautiful mountains, the ocean, palm trees, sandy beaches and a clear day (which all days have been). It is a big surfing beach. We followed one of Laura’s friends there who surfs. It was really cool to watch

I’m hoping to snag some pictures from the roommates to post on here since I don’t have my camera with me. I’m not entirely sure where it went.

Updates from August!

So knowing I wouldn't have the internet for a while (I really thought it was only going to be a week or two-not an entire month!) I made regular updates in word documents. I am copy pasting the first few here now and will get the rest up really soon! I didn't really proof them, but I tried to cut out some really mundane details so it may be a bit choppy.

DAY 1

I stayed out rather late the Sunday before my flight Monday morning with some great friends from high school; it was really great to see them and be out and about in MN. After a few hours of sleep, Amanda D. took me to the airport. I had rearranged my bags hoping they were in the right weight zone. I was 7 pounds over. Fortunately, Holly’s mom was at the airport and I was able to send a framed photo with her, which she will send with Holly’s stuff. I rearranged briefly and got it to 50.0 (Otherwise 75 dollars extra!)

The flights went very well. We had about an hour layover in Denver. It took us about 2 minutes to get from our exit gate to our next gate, which was very nice. We arrived at LAX about 10:45 PST. Darby, a VSC west volunteer from last year met us at Baggage claim. We circled the airport/parked for about another hour or so and picked up 3 others. We went to the De Paul Evangelization Center-where our first week’s retreat is to be held. We were the first ones to arrive out of 20.

Sr. Camille, our director, met us very warmly. We had lunch and got a chance to nap. When I woke up a few hours later everyone had arrived. We all got to meet each other, ask about where we are all from, our service sites and where we will be living. There are four houses; 2 in LA, 1 in San Fran and 1 in Santa Barbara.

Everybody in the program seems really great. I am going for a jog with a few people in the morning before we have breakfast. Paperwork and things of that nature tomorrow morning. Now it is time to get a good night’s rest!

Day 2

I woke up at 7 this morning and went running with some of the others. We are doing the same tomorrow.

A brief overview of some VSC West policies, lunch and a break followed. We got together again to learn more about what it means to be in a Vincentian. We talked more about what it means to live simply, which was great to get an idea of what everybody thought about simple living and how that would be played out in our communities. Following that, we separated into our communities (there are 4-I am a part of the Miraculous Medal community).

The six of us got together to work on our community covenant. We got an even more specific idea of what some of our expectations are and got to know each other a bit more. I am very excited about my community. I think we will be able to learn and grow very much together.

Day 3

We went on another good jog this morning. It was a long morning after breakfast working on AmeriCorps paperwork. Unfortunately, there is more to come with having to get information about my loans and lenders for my federal loans and filling out paperwork for all of my private loans. It will be a hassle, but a major necessity, of course.

After a much needed lunch break, we talked about finances in the house. I was designated the bookkeeper for our house and will be in charge of collecting receipts and money from everyone for the community account. Each person puts in $165/mo (out of their $390 stipend) and we spend it community needs such as the car, gasoline, etc. We are all figuring out our responsibilities.

We had a great break where we were able to relax and get to know each other in small groups. The MM community got a great photo in a tree. First Family Photo!!

Some VSC Westers from last year came and talked about community. It was a hoot!

Off to bed. Last full day tomorrow!

Day 4

We all attended a sending forth Mass, which our site contacts attending. Holly and I met Gilda, our site supervisor, and ate supper with her and a couple of VPs from SFMC.

I already knew I liked Gilda from the phone conversation we’ve had, but today I really know it is going to be great. She is helpful and excited about what she does. She oversees a Mobile Unit for the hospital that does public health screening as well as a separate wellness project. Both of which I would love to volunteer for

A Brief Update!

So we still don't have the internet! The other house in L.A. does, so I am taking advantage of it while I am here. I really need to be working on my student loan deferment so this is going to be brief:

Retreat: The retreat was a lot of fun. I met the other 19 volunteers. We are spilt into four houses in three cities. 12 of us are in LA-6 in each house. Our house is called the Miraculous Medal house. The other house is the Boyle Heights hosue. We spent a great deal of time eating, bonding and learning the basics of the program.

House: I love my housemates! They're totally great. They are from CA, WA, NY OH and Holly from MN. We have family dinner nights and it's great!

Traffic: Sucks. When 6 lanes are moving on average of 20 mph and is slowing down and speeding up with a lot of merging...noboby is happy.

Work: It took a week longer because of poor communication. I could elaborate, but it is horribly frustrating. We have started our first week-it is very different and is too early to tell just how it is going to be.

We are having plenty of fun and are super busy. There are plenty of stressors, but things are going great overall! Hopefully the next update will come off my own internet!!

Final Days in MN

While I had this last week here in MN planned out, I find a lot more popping up. I am incredibly swamped in every way. My desk is covered in papers and letters, clothes are scattered all over the place-it is wild. Even my e-mail account is ridiculous despite a very recent clean up.

I am saying my last farewells; it is challenging. I am very exciting for this upcoming week. We will be at a retreat and so I am not sure about my internet access. We will be given time to journal-I will use word documents for the days and then upload them here once I find internet access. Hopefully I can get pictures to go with it!

Public Account

Greetings All!

In my experiences (prior to have a google account) I wanted to post on others' blogs, but didn't want to make the account; therefore, I have created an account just for posting here!

Username: amos.guest
Password: password2010

If you forget, the password is in the security question (Clever, eh)

If you use this to post, please sign your name unless you have some wild desire to stay anonymous.

8th Floor SFMC

After a great last day at Pelican Valley, which included a very nice surprise get-together (with ice cream cake), I got my CA license in the mail! Shortly thereafter, I had a brief phone conversation with my nurse manager, Beverly. She had a chance to look at my resume today and was impressed and we were able to talk about some of my experiences (sweet!) She informed me that volunteers do 3 12-hour shifts per week and VSC prefers we work day shifts (NICE! Never going to get that again!)

She told me about the 8th floor. It is a 36 bed floor for Adult Surgical/Trauma patients. It is a level 1 trauma center, but they only stabilize Peds. The RN to Patient Ratio is typically 1:5 (Yowza). They do not take vents. They are switching to E-Charting and they just implemented a new computer system to look up research articles and Evidence-Based practice.

My very good friend, fellow VSC West volunteer and RN Holly Thompson will also be on that floor; however, Beverly said she is going to see if one of us can be placed on the 7th floor. She told me about it briefly. It is a telemetry unit that does take vents and oncology. Kind of a wild mix, but awesome. Both floors sound good-personally I'd prefer the 7th floor, but will be very happy and will learn a ton on either floor.

One week and I fly out. I have a lot to do to prepare.

New Blog

Welcome! This is my new blog which will feature my adventures in Los Angeles this upcoming year. I will be doing a year of post-grad volunteer service with an organization called Vincentian Service Corps West. There are 20 volunteers in the program this year. We are split into three houses-2 in L.A. and 1 in San Fransisco. We will all be volunteering full-time at VCS West Service Sites. There are numerous service sites that include schools, hospitals, clinics and numerous social service agencies.

We as volunteers will live in communities of 6 or 7. We are placed into our houses based on proximity to our respective service sites. Some are within walking distance, others are easy to get to via public transit and other community members may use a community vehicle. Housing with basic furnishings and utilities will be provided by VSC. We will all receive two monthly stipends: the first is $100 for food and the second is $125 for personal expenses. There is a focus on simple living and community. Each week we have a community night. Each household determines when and what will happen during this time.

We are also provided with Health insurance and Loan Deferment. Each volunteer will also be connected with a liason from the agency to help volunteers with any problems or concerns they have and to support them through the year of volunteering-particularly the first couple of months.

Vincentian Service Corps West is a Catholic-based program that does not require volunteers to be Catholic. It is named after St. Vincent de Paul whose work was with the homeless and impoverished. There is a focus on spiritual growth and development. There are 5 retreats during the year.

I have recently been contacted by my service site coordinator, Gilda. She gave me some basic information about my service site and a few things I need to get done. I will be at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, CA. I will receive more information about my specific placement soon.

I fly out of Minneapolis August 9th at 6:30am. We will be at a retreat in Montebello for the first week. We will move into our communities during the weekend. I begin general orientation at SFMC on the 16th.

My contact information is below. Please feel free to write or comment on this blog!

Address
840 N Garfield Avenue
Montebello, CA 90640

E-mail
amos.restad@gmail.com