Tag Archives: daily prompt

Daily Prompt: In a Crisis

Posted on by

Honestly evaluate the way you respond to crisis situations. Are you happy with the way you react?

After 26 years of nursing, I react the same way to any emotion evoking situation. No matter what the situation, crisis or otherwise, I am always cool as a cucumber.

There are only a few exceptions to which I will lose my cool, the main one is when the crisis involves a close family member. When Barry had the stroke, I was on top of the situation until help arrived and then I lost it. I couldn’t drive myself to the hospital.

The second is if the “Chipmunks’ are on the movie screen, I have a tendency to burst into tears. I do not understand this one at all, but hey…..it happens!

As a trained professional, am I extremely happy with my reaction to a crisis. I think my reaction over a close family member is perfectly normal and I cannot say I should act any other way.

As far as the ‘Chipmunks’ thingy, I haven’t got a clue…..other than they are just so incredibly sweet and absolutely cute as buttons. How can you not get emotional over something soooooo sweet……???? 🙂 🙂

Daily Prompt: Toot Your Horn

Posted on by

Most of us are excellent at being self-deprecating, and are not so good at the opposite. Tell us your favorite thing about yourself.

I can give you numerous incidences of my many mishaps in life, but writing down what I have done right, is a different ballgame.

I think if we all took 5 minutes out of our day to write something good about ourselves, self-confidence everywhere would improve. Mental Health Clinics everywhere would lose business.

Now give me a sec to figure out how to toot my horn. This first one will sound a little strange, but it’s true. Those of you who know my blog, know my story.

  • I drive better than I walk.
  • I say what is on my mind, I do not play games.
  • If you tell me I can’t do something, only makes me want to do it more.
  • I love the Lord, studying the Bible and learning more about the Gospel of Christ.
  • I’m good with plants.
  • Improve the springtime.
  • I believe in love, marriage and the whole fairy tale.
  • I have a brain tumor that is a symptom of a generic disorder, called Cowden’s Syndrome. I do not let this effect my life. I live a happy, full life and intend to keep it that way until I can’t do it anymore!
  • I’m good with kids
  • I’m good with animals
  • I’m a great cook, without a recipe
  • I’m crafty and creative
  • I consider myself intelligent, but my brain tumor can get in the way
  • My husband knows I love him because I show him
  • My family knows they can count on me for whatever they need no matter what. Even though I have screwed things up with my older sister, I’d be there in a heartbeat if she needed me. 
  • I adore, Maggie, my dog-child.
  • I am good with geriatric patients
  • I’m an excellent nurse
  • I know my way around a computer and I love learning new things.
  • I love studying birds
  • I love to sing, but I only sing in church and the car for now. I don’t want to scare anyone with what the brain tumor has done to my voice. 
  • I still blush at the drop of a hat.

My favorite thing about myself, is that I love elderly people. I have spent 25 years as a nurse and have always gravitated back to the geriatrics field. My husband says this is where ‘I shine’.

The elderly are a fascinating group of people. I have worked with a stewardess that was on the first plane to ever land in Figi, a woman that was one of the first law enforcement officers in our state, an author, an artist, a woman who helped pioneer one of the largest charity organizations in our state,a comedian and many others that wrote just hardworking people that watched this country grow into the force it is today.

OK, ok , OK enough about me. I hope this is what the daily prompt was referring to. Otherwise, I’m just ranting again. I hope you enjoy reading this yourself!

Daily Prompt: 1984

Posted on by

You’re locked in a room with your greatest fear. Describe what’s in the room:

As I sit here trying to determine what my greatest fear would be, I think of where my life was in 1984. My fears then are incredibly different from today. I wouldn’t like being locked in a room, period. Wait, it just hit me how to write this up.

I’m in my favorite chair, in the living room at my parents home (since I was a mere 17 years of age in that year), I’m reading a mystery. The door to the kitchen is to my right, the couch is against the wall to my right and the door to the front yard is in front of me. The fireplace is to my left. There are windows  to each side of the fireplace. The television is between the fireplace and the front door. The laundry room door is to the left side of my chair. The ceiling fan is bustling above, moving just enough air to keep the room from being stuffy.

My fear is sitting on the screen of the television, a good twenty feet from me. Sitting on the screen of the television is a tiny, harmless, dinky spider. In my mind it is enormous.

It is just sitting still, not moving an inch.  My mind is telling that is the largest critter on earth and it is staring at me, waiting to attack. I’m feeling like a mid-morning snack.

A prickly sensation is running all over my head and the back of my neck feels like every hair is standing at attention. I break out in a cold sweat. The spider is just sitting there. I slowly stand up and attempt to get up the step to get into the kitchen, but the door is locked. That door isn’t supposed to lock. I do not understand. I can’t get near the front door, it is too close to that spider.

I sit still and just continue to read my book. Someone will be home shortly and let me out of here. They also have to get that nasty creature off the television.Cuz, I ain’t touching it! 🙂

Daily Prompt: Quote Me

Posted on by

Do you have a favorite quote that you return to again and again? What is it, and why does it move you?

-Follow your bliss!-Joseph Campbell http://www.jcf.org/new/index.php

I have always taken this one to mean ‘follow what you love’. You cannot be happy in life, if you do not enjoy what you do. When my niece and nephews would ask me questions about what to do with their lives, I’ve told them to figure out what they love and go for it. If they choose right, they’ll shine. If not, keep looking until they find what makes them happy. One nephew is a pastor, this choice suits him perfectly. His twin brother is an artist and professional ballroom dancer, he has been showing his creative side since he was five years old. Their sister, is the perfect mother, wife and homemaker. She plans to homeschool her kids, which will be a breeze for her. My sister did a fabulous job with her kids. Of course, my brother-in-law is included in this praise.

-The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.-Joseph Campbell http://www.jcf.org/new/index.php

I continue with this quote with my younger nephews, who are still young enough to be figuring out who they are and what they want to be. They are both sweet, loving boys; but with totally different personsalities. I’m enjoying watching them grow into handsome young men and I encourage them to be themselves regularly. They will eventually figure out who they are and where they are headed in life. My younger sister is doing a wonderful job with her boys. She is a great mom with many challenges, but they are getting there. Of course, my brother-in-law is included in this praise.

I attempt to apply this one to myself daily. I learned early in life that I am a caregiver. I went to nursing school and worked for over 25 years before we had to close our business. I continue to be a caring, loving individual I have always been. I receive phone calls for medical advice regularly and do my best to give accurate, fabulous advice because I wouldn’t want to steer anyone in the wrong direction.

Even though I may not be actively working, I take care of my mother, my husband and myself daily. Sometimes it isn’t easy to be, the one person in the house, with the best memory. Making all the decisions can be a bit tedious at times. Barry has been in management for over 30 years, he isn’t the easiest person in the world to take being told what to do or how to do something. I am trying every avenue I know to figure out how to work with Barry. I don’t want to argue with him daily when he retires. I have to remember that Barry is only being who he is and that is his priviledge!

Daily Prompt: Resolved

Posted on by

For years, one of my resolutions has been to eat healthier and get into better shape. I hate to admit, it took brain surgery to get me to follow through with this resolution.

My resolutions for 2010 involved eating right, getting my weight down and exercising more.

At this point in my life, I was looking at the possibility of being in a wheelchair the rest of my life. The neurosurgeon was telling me to correct the complications from my first surgery, he would have to operate again. It would make me better in some aspects, but worse in others. I would end up permanently in a chair and need someone with me around the clock.

At my age, I was not ready to accept such, so I went back to the advice I was given at rehab. They told me to ‘keep moving’. I was killing 2 birds with one stone. The way I saw it, if I ended up having a second surgery….being as strong as I could be, would be to my benefit and the lighter my bodyweight, I would be easier to get in and out of a chair if I needed help.

In 2010, I came up with a few resolutions on New Year’s Eve; I changed my diet habits, joined a gym and started doing things around the house just to make life easier around the house.

  1. cleaned out the pantry of anything I shouldn’t have
  2. joined a gym
  3. worked exercise into my schedule, no matter what else was going on!
  4. my doctor recommended a diet plan, where
    I had to see her regularly to follow my progress
  5. I got my hubby to agree to do everything with me.

By the time December 31, 2010 rolled around I had:

  1. lost 50 pounds
  2. dropped over 47 inches over my entire body
  3. dropped 8 sizes in clothing
  4. had more energy
  5. felt better, higher stamina

The best news of all came with my yearly check at the neurologist. There was new research and some of the problems I had been dealing with, since the first surgery, could now be managed through medications. I was off to meet another neurologist, but NO MORE SURGERY was the main thing I heard.

So, long story short, it took me half my life to actually meet a resolution, but I continue to do it today! With the guidance of the good Lord above, hopefully I can continue to get stronger and healthier with each day! Whatever his plan, I’m following Him!