Bringing Healthcare Home

"Find something you love to do and you'll never have to work a day in your life."

-- Harvey MacKay

I have been blessed in my life to be fortunate enough to have a career and absolutely love what I do.  Upon graduating from undergrad school with a business degree, I admit , I felt lost.  I knew I wanted to incorporate health care into whatever I did, but how?  I focused on becoming a pharmaceutical sales rep, selling the latest and greatest Viagra or insulin pump.  And, I almost made it.  After six months of interviews and an offer from Johnson and Johnson, I was preparing to move to Milwaukee.  I was extremely excited, only to be let down a couple days later when the deal fell through.  It was at that point, that I made a drastic decision to go back to school to become a nurse.  Upon making this decision, a weight was lifted off my shoulders and it felt so right.  Not once, have I ever look back after making that decision.  

I enjoy people and I enjoy helping people even more.  I started my nursing journey with a 2 year stint in the hospital working on a medical/oncology floor, which I absolutely loved.  That being said, working in the hospital was hard, hard work.  I would wake up at 5:00am, leave my house by 6:00am to be at work by 6:30am and start my (likely 14hr) workday at 6:45am.  I loved that everyday I learned something new and I met some incredible people.  From the patients who captured my heart to those who made me cry.  The calmest of days where I actually sat down for lunch and more often those days that were backbreaking, exhausting and allowed barely enough time for me scarf down a taco and to use the restroom.  I remember one day, I only peed once in 14 hrs.  After two years working in the hospital setting, I was forced to resign due to my constant battle with the hospital bugs.  I was sick every month and required more antibiotics and steroids than ever before.  Unfortunately I seemed to always catch what my patients had, and I  knew something had to change.

So, after I myself got out of the hospital and took some time to recover, I started searching for a new job.  Insert, home health.  What an amazing field this is, so different but similar.  Challenging, yet relaxed.  It's one thing to see patients in a hospital, it's another thing to see them in their territory.  Not only do I see patients, but I see their husband's and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, children and grandchildren, housekeepers and neighbors.  Today, I had the pleasure of seeing an 80yr old (the patient) and held her 2 month old great-grandson.  You learn a lot about a patient when you enter their surroundings.  What kind of living conditions they live in, how clean or dirty their home is.  What kinds of pets they enjoy, and who helps take care of them.  The pieces of the pie come together with this type of nursing.  Many of my patients are elderly and I am often the "highlight" of their day, someone to simply talk to. I've learned about their family history and even some family secrets.  Often in the hospital, I would see a patient one day and they would be gone the next time I worked.  With home health, I have had a couple patients for almost 6 months.  I've had tea with patients and I have been offered martini's from some (one patient really enjoyed her dirty martini's!). I've helped shovel snow and fetched their mail.  I have arrived at my patients house with a growling stomach and left with a full belly.  

Today was one of those unexpected days.  My patient surprised me and had her cousin's famous homemade Puerto Rican tamales fresh and hot when I arrived.  After doing my assessment and duties, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch together.  She also sent me home with some, and Bob and I enjoyed them again for dinner!  It's simple moments like today where I see the joy a great-grandmother gets from holding her 2 month old great-grandson, and learning about how Puerto Rican tamales are made, that I am so thankful to have such a wonderful job.  

(The amazingly, yummy tamales!)

Sure, their are a few things I don't enjoy (massive amounts of paperwork), but what a wonderful thing to be able to bring health care to the patient.  To be lucky enough to be doing something I love is simply blissful. I hope you all find that happiness in whatever it is you do :)

What Would You Do???

Life is full of choices and decisions to be made.  Our life, is somewhat shaped by those decisions we make...what should I eat for breakfast?  Where to go on vacation?  What color shirt should I wear today?  What kind of work do I like?  What movie should I watch?  All of these decisions are what I like to call "funcisions", they are fun-decisions :)  Unfortunately, sometimes life throws you a curve ball and you have to partake in making some of those not-so-fun-decisions.  Everyone has their own definition of what those hard decisions might be, but we all have to make some at certain points of our life.

In particular, myself along with Bob and my family, have had some difficult decisions and likely will face more difficult decisions down the road.  For instance, a lung transplant is a very real possibility for me down the road.  How long down the road, we are not sure, could be a 10 years, could be one year (the point is no one knows).  Now, faced with this opportunity (and notice I call it an opportunity rather than a life-altering decision), should I take it and move forward with it when the time presents itself?  Do I risk my life for a second chance at life?  Do I risk trading in one severe medical problem for potentially many medical problems?  All for the chance to take that deep, clear, purely satisfying breath?

On a little bit lesser of a scale, I am faced with a decision to go forth with a lung biopsy or not.  Do I risk being put on a ventilator for the surgery knowing my lungs are performing at 35%, and knowing their is a chance that they might not want to work, off the ventilator? Do I take a chance at knowing the root cause of all of my breathing problems, for chest tubes and pain?  What would you do???


I have a couple of friends being treated for cancer, they are both 30 years old.  Some of the decisions that have been laid in their path, are some others will never have to make.  It seems unfair that at such a young age those decisions before us weigh so heavily on our hearts and minds.  I like to think, it makes us that much more of a problem-solver and a critical thinker.  (Note, this is not to say that other people have not had or will not have tough decisions, but I am merely trying to make a point).  The point is this...

Relish the days that your toughest decision is what pair of socks to put on or what to make for dinner.  Yes, sometimes those little decisions can be a bit of an annoyance, but realize what a good thing you have going when those daily decisions are your toughest.  I embrace those little decisions with open arms.  I enjoy choices and would much rather live in a world with an abundance of choices of jars of ketchup and colors of shoes, than one without.  Think of all the things we might not get to enjoy in a life without choices.

So, what's for dinner???  ;)

Breathe Easy.

"When the Going Gets Tough...

When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Gets Going".  This is what I am trying to tell myself the past week.  Since our visit at the Dr about a week and a half ago, I am again reminded of just how challenging this disease can be.  If I make a slight change in my routine, or temper with my medications ever so slightly, this disease can be extremely unforgiving.  I am on a fairly regimented schedule with my medications, sleep, workouts, diet...and over the past few years, I have noticed just how strict I have to be.  For example, one night of less than desirable sleep (for me that is anything under 8 hours), and I feel extremely sluggish and worn down the next day.  If I skip a treatment for one reason or another, my lungs remind me promptly with tightness, wheezing and lots of coughing.  If I do not make a conscious effort to eat an adequate amount of calories, the pounds shed off effortlessly.  The considerable amount of time and adherence this disease commands is often exhausting and quite frankly annoying.  But, I have come to realize this and accept this as the new-normal, way of life.

As part of my current treatment plan, I am on two different inhaled antibiotics.  For one month I take TOBI and for the next month I take CAYSTON, both medications aim to fight the constant bacteria that live in my lungs and keep them from rearing their ugly heads. Only recently was I lucky enough to get Cayston, as it is fairly new to the market and the months that I take it, I generally feel very well.  I have been on and off ofTobi for a couple of years now, only since seeing my new Chicago doctor, have I been on it consistently every other month.  I tend to not feel as well while on Tobi, and the past couple of months on it, have presented some different challenges, aka.... feeling like I have a mild case of the flu. They aren't sure why my body is reacting this way, and I will be trying a third inhaled antibiotic GENTAMICIN, hopefully tonight (waiting on the medication to be delivered).  The docs are hoping this new antibiotic will prove to be a little easier on me and make me feel better during those months I am not on Cayston. Should this not help, we might be looking at a hospital stay.  I usually do not run fevers or feel like I have been, until it becomes "admit-time" :(  It has been just over a year now since my last hospital admission and I would like to keep that trend going for as long as possible.  In saying this, I also want to be cautious and not cause any more damage and subsequent decline in lung function by hesitating a hospital stay. It's a fine line between holding off on IV's and hoping that the inhaled ones work, and taking the plunge and being admitted.

In trying to remain positive, I am hoping that this new antibiotic will prove effective and keep me out of the big H.  This time of the year when flowers are blooming and skies are smiling with lots of sunshine my body is in overdrive fighting to remain healthy.  So, I keep reminding myself that ..."when the going gets tough, the tough gets going"...

Breathe Easy!

Slow and Steady

This past week, Bob and I had a follow up visit with my Pulmonary doctor and I am happy to report, all things considered, it went very well.  It's quite a mind game going into the appointment, b/c I often worry about a couple of things. 

First, what will my "numbers" be??  These numbers, show how well my lungs are functioning.  For those of you who aren't aware, my lung function numbers remain steady at a whopping 35%!!! (This means, that compared to someone my age who has bright and shiny healthy lungs, my lungs function at 35% while theirs operate at 100%).   So, Im basically running on less than half a "tank" compared to "normal" people.  While this obviously sounds very low, and is low, I have always operated on less than a full tank of "lung gas".  So, as my doctor says, if you stay the same (35%), consider it a win.  Of course, the competitiveness in me seeps out, and I want to correct her immediately and say "No, a win is an increase in numbers", but I resist the temptation and acknowledge that I am speaking to someone who I have complete trust in with my healthcare. 

Secondly, I always question my weight.  It is quite the challenge for me to keep my weight up, especially if I am not feeling great.  Well, considering my Doctor called me a "fatty" weighing in at 105lbs, I was a happy camper!  I love when I get called a fatty!

Finally, I am concerned with both how my doctor feels I look, how I sound and my lab work.  We will find out results of the lab work this week, just to make sure that an infection isnt brewing.  Thanks to the wonderful gift of my friend Jennie, I was able to stir in some humor to my usual visit.  How could one resist an ear to ear smile, when walking in and seeing this....

Thank Jennie for being able to bring humor into the doctors office!

So as we continue on with our lives, I want to thank those of you who tune into my blog, and I will try to be better about posting.  Things will be quite busy the next few months, but I hope to include you all as we venture into this next chapter! 

Breathe Easy,
Rebs