New Year New Me (or Old Me)

I embarked on an effort to improve my weight and my physical fitness January 2nd. I started a fad diet (I know fad diets don't work) however I have never actually been on a diet before. All the times I have lost weight I just cleaned up my eating habits and exercised more. Now that I am over 40 (at least what I think is the problem) my weight won't budge no matter what I try. I injured myself at a martial arts class and consequently had to take a month off from any exercise including walking. I went back to running after a month, but the pain from the injury came back so I had to stop exercising again. I have been pain free for a month now and have joined the gym where I can use the commercial grade ellipticals, treadmill and weights. I have also shed 5 pounds and at least an inch (my jeans are too big).

I have 15 more pounds to go. The diet is called the "Dukan Diet". It's a three stage diet and it seems to be working so far. It's easy for me to follow although a little monotonous in the second stage but you only follow the second stage until you lose to your true weight. There is a website that you can go to that will help you find a realistic and true weight, and how long you will need to follow the stages (dukandiet.com). A friend and I are following the diet together and that helps a lot. The diet is a low carb, low fat, high protein diet.

We are going to Disney World in April. I want to be at my goal before then. I think I should be able to do it. I am happy to say that I look forward to going to the gym everyday. I even went after work yesterday (that is a big feat if you ask me especially after a twelve-and-a-half hour shift). Wish me luck I will be posting my progress and am going blog more about living with and homeschooling an AD/HD child.

TTYL

Abby Chapter IV

My newest chapter in the Abby thriller. Click on the highlight here: Abby Chapter IV

The Nurses' Hands

The Nurses' Hands

Blinis and a List of Demands

Blinis and a List of Demands

Apple Muffin Sandwiches and the Food Police

Apple Muffin Sandwiches and the Food Police

Lateral Violence in Nursing and a Blurb About Google+

Have you ever heard of lateral violence? I've heard of it and never really paid it much attention or delved into the dynamics of the phenomenon. It's just another term for bullying really. Funny thing is I have been witness to and a victim of this particular form of bullying many (many) times. I can even recount times in nursing school when I was bullied by classmates and nurses during clinical and classes. Is this type of behavior acceptable amongst nurses? If not then why has it happened to me and others countless times in my career (I include nursing school) which now spans over two decades?

In an article that was shared by the website Nurse Together written by Kathleen Bartholomew (who has written a book Nurse to Nurse Hostility) there are actual statistics that accompany this statement. Also factoring in to this phenomenon is the fact that this problem causes mistakes and poor treatment of patients when the nurse is constantly being exposed to lateral violence. This issue also applies to those who just witness incidences.

Just what constitutes lateral violence you might ask? There are several forms and several ways that this abuse plays out. Behaviors from peers are referred to as horizontal or lateral hostility and are defined as: "Consistent patterns of behavior designed to control, diminish or devalue a peer (or group) which creates a risk to health or safety" (Farrell, 2005). Overtly consisting of but not limited to name calling, bickering, shouting, blaming, put-downs, intimidation, and gossip. Covertly consisting of but not limited to unfair assignments, refusing to help someone, ignoring, refusing to only work with certain people or not work with others, sabotage, whining, and exclusion.

I wish that I could say that I never witness these things. But every day that I work I am a victim of and witness to ignoring, refusing to work with certain others, whining, ignoring, gossip, put downs, raised eye brows, exclusion, fault finding, criticism, and raised voices. It is tiresome to say the least and really has made my workplace rather toxic. I am part of the problem because I just passively let people do these things to others and myself, so I think I can shoulder some of the blame. I am definitely going to try to become part of the solution not part of the problem. Now I must go and try to find Kathleen Bartholomew's book.

Just updated my new Google+ account (thanks for the invite Natalie). I don't know if it's just me or if it really is easier to navigate this new social networking site. I am sure there are always ways they can make it as difficult to navigate as Facebook has managed to do. Time will tell.

Clarion Ledger Article

Home-schooling numbers rise in Miss. This article is on the front page of our local newspaper today.