Relax Babe

To my Dallas AORN Chapter Peers: This week has gone by so fast. I knew I would be this happy, before and after. But it always amazes me when I come back home and I feel even more passionate about perioperative nursing and AORN. I’m obsessed with making nursing as good as it can possibly be, making myself my best in the process. As your representative Forty Under 40, the AORN CEO offered us upgraded admission to the Executive Leadership Summit. I was very excited and honored to be offered this opportunity. I had hovered over the button for 20 minutes when I registered a couple weeks earlier- could I afford the upgrade? Something so hugely valuable to my practice, career, and goals was surely worth the price. I couldn’t make myself. But somehow Linda Groah (AORN CEO) and AORN knew what I needed before I asked, and they handed me the hemostat not the tonsil. They continuously prove how willing they are to listen to all members; how dedicated they are to the f...

How I got started: I started. I asked for help and I received guidance. Never take for granted those who are willing to allow you to kickoff their success. When I got into perioperative nursing, I went directly into the AORN organization because I was conditioned in school that it was my duty. I took her, Mrs. McMenamy, seriously. I’ve never regretted that decision. The first meeting I went to I was treated like a princess. They asked me for help and I worked hard and ended up in Anaheim in DisneyLand on the National Awards Committee. I kept grinding. I kept working. There was always something new to learn, to do, to help. But it wasn’t enough for me to rise. I wanted everyone there with me. I wanted to see the sunshine with everyone who has supported me. I wanted to taste that success, but it would mean nothing without my backbone support group. If I ask you to look inside, it’s because I know the struggle of focusing on the outsid...

I warned you first. I am so grateful! Wtf I cannot even. The momentum that life is and has and could be when you are grateful. He protects me and himself. He is sweet beyond measure. He rescues animals. He goes to the gym even when he’s tired. He gets woke when he goes to the gym. He thought of me in his business and still asked for my preference. He is in the process of bettering himself and developing/creating the person he wants to be. He wants to get back to his best body and he will, he will be better than that. He gets stressed out but doesn't get angry. Maybe he’ll slam a door. I know I’ll do worse. He holds me and looks at me like I’m new and different every time. Not that I don’t also look at him that way, but I’ve never heard someone talk about me in a way that I think. He is perfect bc he is flawed. His flaws are so minute and nothing against him. Just me looking for perfection when he is literally it. He wanted a brother and he’s not religious and he wanted to...

When I first started my practice in the operating room, I was scared. Everything was new and exciting, but I felt alone. I joined AORN because it was engrained through my nursing school that it was my duty to protect nursing by becoming a member of my professional organization. A couple months later, I found myself among true friends who had been through my struggles. I found mentors who enjoyed my presence and wanted me to shine. A couple years later, I found myself at the surgical conference and expo and I will be honest, I was burnt out. I didn’t know if I could last 5 years in the OR. I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and there was very little I could do to change. When I left the conference, I was a new woman, a new perioperative nurse. I was empowered to take charge and put my foot down. Instead of enraged at my coworkers’ practices, I was determined to show everyone what real perioperative practice could be. I would lead by example and...

Somebody asked how I track macros and I thought I would share my journey. Obviously, things have changed and it's easier today than when I started. That's normal. Keep pushing. Keep learning. This is for you and your happiness. Never forget. :)  Now I track as I go.  But I used to just sit w MyFitnessPal and put in what I thought and look at the macros until they lined up how I wanted. So I would put in 100 g of rice, and my daily carbs would be too high if I also wanted a quest bar. So I would decrease until I could fit the quest bar in. Then I would meal prep and weigh out that many grams of rice.  And I would be so disciplined. I would figure out when I could eat and when I would eat what and set a timer if i thought I would want to eat too early or forget bc I was working - I would say eggs in the morning around 7, lunch hopefully at 11 w salmon and rice, then I’ll be going home (1500ish) so I need a bar so I’ll eat the quest bar, I want the max carbs after work...

My trainer told me he knew CPR and I shouldn't worry. Push. I cringed, I need to get to work today! There are other things at stake, I thought. Push. Forget work, he said. Leave it all out on the floor, right now, in this moment. Ironically I had a message waiting from the night before. I had gone to yoga and stayed up til 2200 even though I knew my alarm clock would go off at 0435 in time to run a mile before the plyo with him before 4 hours of OT at work. I did this to myself. I ask for no pity party (although I'll through one the minute you offer). I want this. I want to be fit. I want to be functional. I want to be muscular. I want to embody the perfect human being as I see her. So I allow myself to push. I push and pull and cry and swear and tear. In doing so, I never fail. Ironically I waited until after I trained to read the message. Short and simple: I want to look like you. It's humbling. I don't even want to look like me. I feel much be...

Meal Prep Recently I was asked for meal prep advice. Unfortunately, this will be a short essay as I am trying to write multiple essays and have zero confidence in the school ones. If you have any specific questions, please please please email me or comment so I can address them one-on-one. Meal prepping has helped me successfully challenge the notion that 24 hours in a day is not enough to work full time, go to school part time, take prn or part time jobs, work out, and live and sleep somewhat. I do not advocate my schedule for anyone who dislikes stress or loves sleep. I am always anxious and I never sleep. It’s how I like it. It’s how I function. But I am very aware that this life is not for everyone. Typically I meal prep for 4 days because of my work schedule. That means I try to prep Thursday to be ready to go Friday-Monday. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, sometimes I have to skip things on Saturday to make sure I have food Sunday, but a majority o...