Are We There Yet?

SLOWLY working their way home. The 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division has made it as far as Kuwait. It is appalling how long it takes for the Army to get these guys back to the states. To quote the Usual Suspect, my favorite 11C Infantry/Mortar soldier guy.... "Here in Kuwait, there isn't a damn thing to do, and that's precisely the reason why posts have been so frequent now.

One of my friends and I were out and about exploring this wasteland (after Iraq, this place really doesn't seem that bad. It just sucks, but it doesn't seem like its been marinaded in runny, sickly shit for eons). Kuwait has REAL sand, not the Iraq dust and dirt, but legitimate sand. In the movies, when you see someone walking aimlessly across the dunes, there's always vultures circling overhead, waiting for the lost traveler to grow too weak to continue, then they descend on him and pick his bones."

I need to figure out how to post links and make a blog roll call, I seem to have accumulated quite a few milbloggers as required reading. If anyone out there wants to know what is really going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, try getting first hand information from the boots on the ground. It is an education you can't get anywhere else!

Tomorrow Is A New Day

Sorry for the confusion regarding my blog address. Apparently I am not as tech savvy as I thought I was...damn! Also, in case you haven't already figured it out, I don't usually post until I get home from the hospital, which is after midnight so a "new day" has begun. The information is generally from the previous day. Although right now, all my days are running together like a watercolor painting that has been left in the rain.

I posted this picture because it looks a little bit like a picture that Kate painted for Nick. He already has that one in his room at the hospital. He has quite a few of his favorite photos and paintings up on the walls. And he is looking forward to all the promised pictures from the nieces and nephews. Here is the address: Weinberg Center 401 N. Broadway Baltimore, MD 21231. Also, include Nick's name and 5C-Room 10.

Nick had a good day today. He was in good spirits and felt a little better. He got some much needed sleep last night and he got several pints of the elixir of life...i.e. packed red blood cells. He looks less pale and his hematocrit is up to a wopping 18 at last check. He is actually having blood drawn 4x/day (every six hours ATC) His WBC count continues to fall and was around 167,000 at last check. His platlets are a little low, but holding. If they continue to drop, he will get platlets transfused also.

We have yet to speak with any doctors regarding ultimate diagnosis and long-term plan or even short term plan. However, we were able to speak with the fellow who was covering the floor for the night. She gave us the name of some of the chemotherapy agents that might be used. I will be researching and talking to Michelle about these "big guns" as the doctor called them. I guess these are the .50 cals of chemotherapy. For those of you who don't know, these are some big guns used by the infantry soldiers. This first round of chemotherapy is called "induction therapy" and may start as early as Day 8 of admission, which would be next Thursday. But, this is all up in the air right now. Really I don't know enough to say anything for sure right now.

Sorry that these posts are so fact driven. Right now I don't have much energy to get inspired to put together I nice coherent piece of writing. And I really am not ready to handle the emotions of any real thought about what is happening right now. I made the mistake of listening to some music on the way to the hospital. This caused some early warning signs of meltdown, so I quickly switched to talk radio. I don't know how I am going to get through the shows. They are always emotional for me anyway. And I really love all my modern music this year, so I guess I better invest in some Puffs Plus. Thank you to everyone who has been calling and offering their support and prayers. In closing, I offer this quote by Emerson, which seems appropriate for the
daily roller coaster ride involved in being hospitalized for both patient and their family.

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense."

Finding A Balance

Well today was the antithesis of yesterday. How many doctors did I see today during my nine hours with Nick....one! And that one was actually very nice and actually answered our questions. However, he was not one of the heme-onc doctors (hematolgist/oncologist).
We saw a LOT of Nick's wonderful nurse for today, Megan ! She worked sixteen hours straight (agreed to stay over 4 extra hours).
So far all the nurse's have been great. But, of coarse I am just a little biased on that front. Here are a few of the highlights of today's events.

*We still do not have an official diagnosis yet. We are hoping to get that within the next day or two and then a plan of treatment will eventually be decided.
*Nick did well with his cytoreduction, the WBC has fallen to 277 and is expected to continue dropping over the next 5-7 days.
*A medication called Dopamine was started (it is an IV infusion), which at low doses helps the perfusion to the kidneys, in order to keep all the bad stuff flushing out of his kidneys and bladder
*Nick got his first transfusion of PRBC's (packed red blood cells) today and his hematocrit has improved from a low of 10 to 15. (Normal is 35-40) He will most likely receive quite a few more of these (as he is able to tolerate) over the next few days; with the goal being getting the Hct. up closer to a normal range.
*Nick had a fever last PM which is being attributed to lysis of the WBC's and inflammatory response to said lysis. Blood cultures are always drawn when the fever hits a certain threshold, with the concern being the ever present "infection" monster. There is no concern at the moment that infection is why he had the fever.
*Nick let the doctors know in morning rounds that today was to be a "resting day." He told them he didn't want any surprises and he needed time to process what has gone on to date.
*None of us (Nick, Kate & I) has gotten much sleep the past two days. Nick seemed tired to me today (as I was myself) and I know Kate was too. So hopefully we will all get some much needed sleep. Although, Nick is finding is hard to sleep in this new environment that will be his home for the next few weeks. Inpatient hospitalization and good sleep is an equation that NEVER adds up! Between phone calls, medical treatment and even just a few visitors, it seemed there was nary a moment for the blessed release of sleep. So we will all have to work harder on that in the future. Sleep deprivation is not a good thing!

At this time, the nurse's have told us that Nick can have visitors as long as he feels up to it and that it is good for him to have visitors to keep boredom at bay. Finding a balance is the key and I know we will all figure it out together.

Funny How Things Can Change

Ok, so one minute the sky's the limit, I am happy, things lookin' up, soldier's coming home, it's all good...then life rears it's ugly head and gives you the old gut check, the big round house Krav Maga kick to the head, the tap out choke hold of all choke holds.

Today, around noon, my son and I got in the car to go to see an eye doctor. About one hour and one grim phone call later, he was hospitalized with a diagnosis of leukemia. How's that for some real ass kickin'? And now for the rest of the story....

Nick was admitted to John's Hopkins Hospital's, Weinberg Cancer Center. On a general note, anything with the word "cancer" in it...not good. We park the car, take the elevator to the fifth floor, cheery desk person greets us, "Oh you're here!" They basically "swoop and scoop" and Nick is in a room in like five minutes. That is world record kind of time for hospital admitting procedure. We just basically by-passed all that, you know, do not pass go, do not collect $200 dollars being that his WBC's (that's white blood cell count) was hovering somewhere around 380 instead of the normal 4.3 to 10.8. His Hgb was 6 about half what it should have been. No sooner are we in the door, when the lights dim and the latest version of CirqDeSoleil erupts. There begins a parade of residents, fellows, attendings, nurses, clin specs and a host of other performers to take blood, sign papers, ask questions, obtain permissions, start IV's, take out IV's, ask more questions, go to CT scan, put in central line, CXR of said line (to check placement), hook up to monitors, take VS, ask more questions, order round 1 of chemotherapy (called cytoreduction) and to top it all off (for your reading enjoyment) some spiffy pamphlets explaining what the hell is going on and how to deal with it.

The cytoreduction process is basically getting Nick's WBC count down to something lower ASAP!
According to the doctors, this was imperative as such a high WBC can cause lots of problems and we don't want to go there. After this dose of medicine (which he received on night of admission), Nick will have to chill for a while in the hospital while they follow his "counts" (RBC, WBC, and platelets). He will have to receive transfussions of various blood products as needed based on set guidelines. Most likely, he will feel a lot better after he gets his first blood transfusion. They could not give that transfusion until they got his WBC's down. His CT scan was clear which was a good thing. He will have blood drawn at minimum 2x/day for a while. The good thing is he won't have to get stuck because they can take the blood off the central line. Bad thing about central lines is they can get infected, so they need to be watched carefully and pulled out at the first sign of any evil-doing.

The specific type of leukemia is still unknown, but, we should find out soon. This information will then determine what his treatment will be. Regardless, it is going to be a long process. The doctors and nurses tell us to be prepared for a 4-6 week stay at minimum.

I do not have his address right now, but, I will post it so people can send cards or notes. Just FYI, he cannot have any live flowers or plants. (Infection risk) I am sure most of Nick's friends will be able to communicate via myspace, facebook or email. He has internet access in his room, which is great. He really should not have a lot of visitors right now, due to the risk of infection. Nick's body cannot fight infection normally right now because the WBC's he has are not mature and cannot do their job. That's why we are firing all those bastards right now! Oh yeah, by the way, if you can't take the cursing, don 't read the blog. I have been unduly influenced by reading my soldier's milblogs and apparently cursing is something soldiers love to do regularly. And if you haven't figured it out, I am currently enamored of all things soldier due to the fact that they are over in Iraq putting themselves in harm's way to save all of our sorry butts. Sorry, got off on a tangent there for a minute.

Nick has been a trooper. The "most painful thing" award for today goes to getting the central line. Not a pleasant experience. Nick came through with flying colors. The most frustrating thing was getting bombarded with so much information. Being a nurse, I got most of it. But Nick does not have that advantage and his chemical engineer brain was trying to take it all in, but, that fastball was coming in high and tight at 98 mph; and nobody was cathcin' up with that thing today!! The medical people basically said, we can't wait for your brain to catch up with what is going on with your body right now. This is the first strike in a new kind of "shock and awe!" And while the doc's and nurse's were moving like a well-oiled machine, we were left standing in the dust with our mouths agape.

I know Nick is in shock right now, just like all of us. I don't think any of us have really processed this...I can't think about it too hard right now, day by day, is all I can do. And I know there are going to be some rough days ahead. When I think too much I cry and Nick doesn't want any "sappiness", at least for the moment. We have already brought him creature comforts from home, like his pillow, blankets, stuff to wear besides those fashion forward gowns, some of his favorite pictures that Sara painted and books. Right now he says "Emerson is going to be his bible." Now if I can only get him to use some deodorant!

Well it is 3AM...I need to go to bed. I don't think I will be able to sleep. Thank you to the teachers at RES who helped G get through this afternoon. And yes, he has already baked the nurse's cookies. Thank you to all Nick's nurses today - Iko, Heather, Whitney and Karen. You helped make the most horrible day of my life to date bearable. Thank you to everyone who has called and special props to everyone at the studio who is pitching in to help cover my classes and help Disco Babs until I can get back on board with things there. Thank you Jill, Sarah K., Sarah C. and all my apprentices! Keep on dancin'! And please keep your prayers and good thoughts coming Nick's way...peace.

P.S. - The picture is for Nick, I thought he would like it.
P.S.S. - Oh yeah, it's gonna be a fight and we ain't tappin' out!

There's No Place Like Home

Well it is official as it gets...the 4/2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team has started the long trek home after serving 15 months in Iraq. Even now they may be uncomfortably strapped into those ridiculous seats (if you could call those things seats) in the belly of a C130. I hear that ride can be very cold, so I hope they are enjoying the A/C after all the triple digit days in sector. I hope they are all so exhausted that they are sleeping like babies for the 30+ hours it will take them to get back to McChord Air Force Base. I wish I could be there to greet them, give them all really big hugs, help them with their bag draggin', and buy them some good food. Alas, I am stuck here on the wrong coast, so those of you who will be there at Fort Lewis...give the guys some extra hugs for me. Suspect, you know I will be thinking of you and I wish I could be there to see your feet touch down on American ground. I cannot wait to hear all your travel stories and how it feels to be back home, both good and bad. Have a care and keep a low profile for a while, being back home is like getting on a ship, it takes a while to get your sea legs. God(s) bless every one of you! Hope you all enjoy the homecoming tunes. Rock on with your bad selves!

Because The Soldier Made Our Country Free

Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek was born on July 17, 1990. Mattie had a disability called dysautonomic mitochondrial myopathy. Despite the challenges of his disability, Mattie found a way to meet them head on without ever losing his ability to find the joy and beauty in each day of his life. Mattie was so young when he began writing and yet, he was wise beyond his years. He was a prolific writer, poet and storyteller. Mattie passed away on the morning of June 22, 2004. Mattie wanted to be remembered as "a poet, a peacemaker and a philosopher who played."

Today on Memorial Day, I want to leave you with a poem that was written by Mattie about Memorial Day and what it meant to him. He was only three years old when he wrote this poem.
This poem is posted to honor Mattie's memory and those of the soldiers who have given their lives for this country.

Memorial Day

This is a holiday
That means we are free.
We can run and play.
We can have food and friends,
Because the soldier
Made our country free.
I like living in
The United States of America,
And in Maryland.
And because this is a holiday,
That means we are free
And should go to the donut store.

by Mattie J.T. Stepanek
(Used with permission from Celebrate Through Heartsongs, Hyperion, 2002)
To learn more about Mattie, please visit his website at mattieonline.com

Staff Sgt. Darrell R. Griffin Jr.

Darrell R. Griffin Jr. was born on March 13, 1971. He was a Staff Sergeant in
the United States Army. Staff Sgt. Griffin was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Styker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. He was killed by small arms fire while patrolling in Sadr City on March 21, 2007.
He was 36 years old.

The following quotes are taken from Associated Press articles written to honor Staff Sgt. Griffin.

“Griff was the type of man you want to have by your side in a fight,” Maj. Brent Clemmer, his former company commander, wrote from Iraq. "He was the type of squad leader every young soldier wants to have."

“He was a really patriotic young man,” said his father, Darrell Griffin Sr., who lives in Van Nuys. “He said that the people there really needed us and he felt it was the right place to be. He wished we didn’t have to have wars, but since that’s the way mankind is, he felt he was contributing an important part to his country.”

May you rest in peace Staff Sgt. Griffin knowing that you have done your duty and served your country with honor and courage.

Captain Jonathan D. Grassbaugh

Jonathan D. Grassbaugh was born on August 18, 1981. He was a Captain in the United States Army. Captain Grassbaugh was an Army Ranger who was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq and was assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He was killed by an improvised explosive device in Zaganiyah, Iraq on April 7, 2007. He was 25 years old.

The following quotes were taken from Captain Grassbaugh's page on the Arlington National Cemetery website.

Major Townley Hedrick, the squadron's executive officer said,
"Professionally, he was the smartest and most competent guy that I've had a chance to work with in 15 years in the Army," Hedrick said yesterday. "On a personal level, out of all the other captains on the staff, he was kind of the center of gravity." There was no one else to call to get the job done as well as Grassbaugh could do it, Hedrick said, and when it came for a little morale boosting, it was Grassbaugh who came up with the best ideas -- like having pizza delivered in the middle of a war zone.

"He was just in tune with what all the guys needed," Hedrick said. "He had the perfect mix of a sense of urgency and a sense of humor, which is so important to have in the Army."

"He laid down his life for us and for his country, and we are grateful," said the Rev. Frederick Pennett during the funeral Mass at St. Anne's Catholic Church. "For there is no greater love than this. Jonathan's story and his memory will go on forever."

May you rest in peace Captain Grassbaugh knowing that you have done your duty and served your country with honor and courage.

Captain Maria I. Ortiz

Maria Ines Ortiz was born on April 24, 1967. She was a Captain in the United States Army. Captain Ortiz was a registered nurse who was serving with the 28th Combat Support Hospital, 3rd Medical Command. Prior to deploying to Iraq, she was assigned to the Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, where she was the chief nurse of general medicine for 18 months. She was killed by enemy mortar fire inside the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq on July 10, 2007. She was 40 years old.

The following quotes were taken from a Washington Post article,
written by Steve Vogel, about Captain Ortiz.

"Capt. Maria Ines Ortiz had a smile that lighted up the hallways in every hospital where she worked, from Aberdeen to Walter Reed to Iraq. When a patient needed extra care, the Army nurse would stay late. If a colleague was feeling blue, she was there," wrote Mr. Vogel.

"If there was such a thing as the jewel of the clinic, she was the jewel," said Renee Smith, who worked with Ortiz at an Army health clinic at Aberdeen Proving Ground. "Her work wasn't finished until everybody was cared for." "It really took everybody by surprise," Smith said. "God, it's a great loss."

May you rest in peace Captain Ortiz knowing that you have done your duty and served your country with honor and courage.

Sgt. Joseph M. Vanek

Joseph Michael Vanek was born on December 8, 1984. He was a Sergeant in the United States Army. He was serving his third tour of duty as a member of the 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Airborne Division. He was killed by small arms fire in Baghdad, Iraq on November 12, 2007. He was 22 years old.


The following quotes were taken from an Associated Press article written about Sgt. Vanek.

“Sgt. Vanek was an expert and professional at his job,” Spc. David Heath, a fellow paratrooper, said in a statement released by the unit. “He earned a great amount of respect from his men.”

“He lived every day to the fullest,” Spc. Jason Burrows, another fellow paratrooper, said in the division’s statement. “He knew when to have good time, and he knew when to focus for missions. I would follow him into combat any day.”

May you rest in peace Sergeant Joseph Vanek knowing that you have done your duty and served your country with honor and courage.

Fallen But Not Forgotten

To the families of the fallen...your warrior will always be my hero. Always remembered for the honor and courage with which they served and never forgotten for the sacrifice they made!

Specialist Ari D Brown-Weeks

Ari D. Brown-Weeks was born on August 9, 1984. He was a Specialist in the United States Army. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Division, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He was killed in Iraq on September 10, 2007. He was 23 years old.

The following quotes were taken from an article written about Spc. Brown-Weeks on "The Iraq Page."

"He always spoke of how this place was an insane adrenaline rush, but all he ever wanted to do was get his deployment over so he could return back home to his wife and see his family," said Army Spc. Michael Letourneau, a high school classmate also stationed in Iraq, via e-mail.

"Specialist Brown-Weeks was a true American hero," said Capt. Patrick Koucheravy, of the 82nd Airborne Division, in a prepared statement. "He will sorely be missed by anyone who had the honor to serve with him."

May you rest in peace Specialist Brown-Weeks knowing you have done your duty and served your country with honor and courage.

Sgt. John C. Osmolski

John Carl Osmolski was born on October 19, 1984. He was a Sergeant in the United States Army. He was a member of the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He was killed in Iraq during combat operations on February 5, 2008.
He was 23 years old.

An article written by Mark Berman of the Washington Post said the following:

"He was just doing his job," his brother, Daniel Osmolski, told the Orlando Sentinel last week. "His goal was always to go into the Army and serve his country."

"Osmolski was a paratrooper and combat engineer. His company commander called him "a premier young sapper, and an excellent engineer" in a statement released by the 82nd
Airborne Division. "

May you rest in peace Sgt. Osmolski knowing you have done your duty and served your country with honor and courage.

To Fallen Soldiers

There is a beautiful song that pays tribute to those who have fallen in battle. I discovered this song from the soundtrack of the movie, "We Were Soldiers." I am posting the lyrics and the song to pay my respects to the soldiers who have lost their lives serving our country so courageously and valiantly. For the rest of this week, my posts will be in honor of just a few of those fallen heroes. I do not know any of them personally; perhaps, I read a story about them, saw a picture of them, or they were part of my adopted soldiers "band of brothers." I see each one as a star in the heavens and I hold them close to my heart, their sacrifice never to be forgotten.

"Mansions of The Lord"

To fallen soldiers let us sing,
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing,
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the Mansions of the Lord

No more weeping,
No more fight,
No friends bleeding through the night,
Just Devine embrace,
Eternal light,
In the Mansions of the Lord

Where no mothers cry
And no children weep,
We shall stand and guard
Though the angels sleep,
Oh, through the ages let us keep
The Mansions of the Lord

Rainy Days & Fridays

Well it is raining again...fits my mood today. Lots of BS going on at the studio, can't really deal right now! Watched Grey's Anatomy last night...
conversation between Dr. Gray and Dr. Yang:

Gray: "Are you in your dark place?"
Yang: (Dramatic pause) "Yes...."
Gray: (Screwed up face....pause) "Me too."
Well it's official "expletive deleted" I am in my dark place too!
So leave me the hell alone!

Save For Them A Place

As Memorial Day Weekend approaches my thoughts are not of holiday picnics and family gatherings, but, rather to the true purpose of the day; to honor those who have fallen in battle.
Living so close to Washington DC, I feel it is my duty to go and pay tribute whenever I can, not just on Memorial Day. It is daunting to walk the rows in Arlington and read the names of so many soldiers from so many wars. I found this poem in the book, "Dear America: Letters Home From Vietnam." It speaks to me and I hope to others who may stumble this way.

If you are able,
save for them a place
inside of you
and save one backward glance
when you are leaving
for the places they can
no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say
you loved them,
though you may
or may not have always.
Take what they have left
and what they have taught you
with their dying
and keep it with your own.
And in that time
when men decide and feel safe
to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes
you left behind.

-Major Michael Davis O'Donnell
1 January 1970
Dak To, Vietnam

The following is the information about Major O'Donnell that was listed with his poem.

Michael O'Donnell, from Springfield, Illinois, was a helicopter pilot assigned to the 52nd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade, based at Dak To and Pleiku. On 24 March 1970, attempting to rescue eight soldiers, his chopper was shot down. He and three crew members were declared missing in action. In 1977, he was posthumously promoted to major. A year later, he was officially declared killed in action. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

Rainy Days and Mondays

It has been COLD and rainy here for what seems like an eternity...it's actually only been a day or two, it just seems longer I guess. I doth protest too much. Reality check....weather in Iraq....HOT and freakin' more HOT!!!! Although, today it is only supposed to be 94 degrees, cool by usual standards.

I was reading a milblog the other day, a soldier talked about how he woke up one night to thunder! He was very excited about the thought of rain. Apparently, thunderstorms are a rare treat in Iraq. He wanted to get up and go run around in the rain, but, he decided not to for several reasons....1) discretion being the better part of valor - Army regulations against singing and dancing in the rain, 2) sleep, when you can get it, is even more important than feeding the soul, 3) streaking went out in the 70's and 4) it's hard to remember the steps to the "happy, happy, joy, joy" dance when you have been in the Army longer than three months.

Anyway, to all you guys and gals out there in a war zone, I will perk up and go out in the cold and wet and do the happy, happy joy dance in your honor. God bless you, every one! A special shout out to Suspect...this one's for you, you crazy expletive deleted.

P.S. All those who remember the Carpenter's song, "Rainy Days and Mondays" raise your hand.
"H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A. That's the anthem get-cha damn hands up!"

Angel Standing By

All through the night
I'll be watching over you
All through the night
I'll be standing over you
And through bad dreams
I'll be right there, baby,
Telling you everything is gonna be all right

And when you cry I'll be there baby
Telling you you were never nothing less than beautiful
So don't you worry
I'm your Angel standing by

Nurses Have Already Earned Their Wings

"The Combat Nurse"

Far from the sterile white hospitals
with immaculate white floors and crisp white sheets
The combat nurse contemplates the dirt floor of her ward

Her starched white uniform just another memory
Shelved in the back of her mind
As she stands in grime encrusted cammies,
with blood on her boots and dust in her hair...

No sophisticated equipment is at hand for her
No well-stocked central supply
No CT scans, no MRIs
No fresh-faced anxious young interns, anxious to make their first diagnosis...

There is no overhead music or soft voiced operators,
Just the distant sound of small arms fire,
The constant roar of incoming dust off choppers
and the moans of her patients.

No orderly progression of patients sent upstairs from the ER
No scheduled admits or planned work-ups...
Just the cacophony of chaotic off loading,
as the helicopters disgorge
yet another load of bloodied teenagers
onto the dusty ground

But...as she stands in the opening of the tented ward,
She remembers why she is there...
Because nursing is caring, and she cares deeply
For these fresh faced children in soldiers' uniforms

The faces of her patients will haunt her for the rest of her days
Their grateful smiles and dying cries
There is courage in her caring,
for in her gentle touch she comforts her patients
while she tears yet another hole in her heart.

by Diana E. Anderson RN

In honor of all those nurses currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
National Nurse's Week (May 6th-May 12th 2008)
Poem used with permission of author.

---

Fly Me To The Moon

Did you know that you can send your name to the moon? That's right, your name can become part of space immortality aboard NASA's new- fangled thingymawhatsit...the lunar reconnaissance orbiter. Here is some info from their website: "NASA invites people of all ages to join the lunar exploration journey with an opportunity to send their names to the moon aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, spacecraft.

The Send Your Name to the Moon Web site enables everyone to participate in the lunar adventure and place their names in orbit around the moon for years to come. Participants can submit their information at http://lro.jhuapl.edu/NameToMoon/, print a certificate and have their name entered into a database. The database will be placed on a microchip that will be integrated onto the spacecraft. The deadline for submitting names is June 27, 2008.

The LRO mission is the first step in NASA's plans to return humans to the moon by 2020, and your name can reach there first. How cool is that?"

Well I think that is pretty darn cool, so my name will soon be "Lost In Space" which is a metaphor for my life sometimes. And while we are sending our names, I think we should send some songs that will play on the LRO as it orbits, like Tony Bennett's, "Fly Me To The Moon." Definitely an old school selection, but, ya gotta be down with Tony B!

On that note, it is time for me to go to the sleep pod. Peace my lunar friends.

Bell Hops Rock!

Here are three of my little bell hops at the studio for rehearsal. Today they all went onstage and gave another wonderful performance of "Ring Them Bells." The dance scored 97 out of 100 from each of the three judges! The girls received a "Diamond" award (the highest level you can get at this competition) for their crisp, clean and precise execution of their bell dance. A great way to finish our competition season. On to Tremaine Nationals in July. You go girls...you rock my socks!

Bells Will Be Ringing

This weekend I will be back in my "dark cocoon" for another competition with my Gems dancers. Here is a picture of their award winning dance, "Ring Them Bells." The dancers are all dressed as hotel bell hops and they each have a suitcase with a bell attached and their bell hop hats have bells! The bells create a rhythmic cacophony of sound, that compliments the dancers movements as they spin, pirouette and leap over, around and through their bell adorned luggage. The dance is choreographed in the Rockette precision style and it actually takes quite a bit of practice and coordination to keep all the bells in time. Whenever you have a dance with a prop or two...things can go south really fast if everyone is not on their game. The dancers routinely freak me out in rehearsal by losing all concept of rhythm and timing just before going onstage. Somehow they manage to pull it off when it counts. This dance has been a big crowd pleaser and we will be taking this dance to Tremaine Nationals in Florida this July. This will be our last competition before Nationals. Spending the weekend with this group of smiling, happy, healthy dancers beats working any day. Hopefully, they will go out there and rock it like I know they can and bring another win home for the gipper. Break a leg girls!

Hercules...."Fighting For The Right"

That's what I am talkin' about...especially the "iron in his thighs" part and the "with the strength of ten ordinary men" part too! LOL! Damn I am getting good at this technology stuff. Gotz to go, it is way late. Why am I always up at this unholy hour (0346)?