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Nurse Red takes her first ambulance ride

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The summer of camps has come to an end. My first camp was JMU and would have been much better for me if I wasn’t on topamax for migraine prevention. It made me feel awful but I powered through with the other nurse.
By the time Wash U came around, I was weaning off the medicine. I’d rather have a headache every day of my life. It completely changed my personality and I had zero energy. It was so hot at camp, I spent a lot of time indoors.
My favorite camp was last. Every time I land in Maine and walk into the airport I feel like I’m back home. One of the best things I did in 2019 was throw caution to the wind, jump way out of my comfort zone and fly to Maine not knowing a single person.
Camp was small this year. After last minute cancellations we had sixteen campers. I enjoy small camps so I actually had almost everyone’s name down. The other nurse was from Canada but also works in Maine. She was super nice. It was a great week until the last night. I woke up at two in the morning and did not feel right. I puked, took zofran and thought I don’t have time for this and went back to sleep. I did not feel any better when I woke up but in true nurse form I pushed through and ignored it. After the last camper left I sat down and my chest pain was out of control. A counselor had me attempt box breathing but that made me super dizzy. After some discussion and involving the camp site director we called 911. Tink the MHP (mental health professional) had low dose aspirin on her so 911 had her give me 4 to chew. Ok gross but it did cause a flashback to when I was a kid and I chewed regular aspirin for headaches. Although tylenol was around we didn’t have any in our house. It seems like aspirin plus chicken pox causing rye syndrome in children under 18 started when I was in nursing school. Or perhaps first time I heard about it. Anyway, shortly after I sat straight up and said I’m going to puke. I then proceeded to puke on the ground right in front of three counselors from another Kesem chapter, Melody and the camp advisor twirl. They all were awesome. Bubby was pre med and did an excellent primary survey on me. The fire department showed up first. In true firefighter fashion they were cute. When they went to do the 12 lead EKG I said make sure you put the sticker in the right place and don’t miss a STEMI (a type of heart attack and the most serious). The look on their faces cracked me up. Shortly after the ambulance arrived. My heart rate was 120 but no arrhythmias and my blood pressure was elevated so they loaded me up in the ambulance. Melody planned to drop some of the counselors off at the airport and then come hang with me in the ER.

There was an EMT in training who asked me how long I have been a nurse. I immediately answered since Jesus was a small boy. This is how Theresa Sextro use to introduce me to patients. He and the paramedic cracked up. They ended up giving me zofran IV to which I said “I may never poop again.” After I arrived I was in the waiting room. They did an EKG and drew labs while I was waiting for a room.

The doc came in to tell me my troponin level was normal but I was still having chest pain. When he realized I had flown recently he ordered a d-dimer. Of course that came back elevated so I bought myself a CT scan with contrast. The results took like an hour and a half so I missed my flight home. The results were negative for a PE (blood clot in the lung) but showed something near my mediastinum in my lung that needs follow up. It was recommended a repeat CT or MRI of the chest.

I was discharged and told to follow up with primary. So I booked a hotel room and bought a flight out the next day. About half the counselors flights were cancelled and they couldn’t leave until Friday. Of course I was not one of them. Melody had the day off so she picked me, tomato, and firefly up and gave us a tour of Maine. Of course we drove by Steven Kings house and went to the same lobster place we’ve went every year. I always get the lobster grilled cheese which is so good.

The flight home was uneventful. I saw my primary and have a stress test tomorrow. Of course they chose MRI which I was told will take eighty minutes. As if I can sit still. Ha

Mole moral ~ It is way less stressful to send campers or counselors out for treatment than myself!

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My Major Award

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A little over two weeks ago I received a daisy nomination from my co-worker Ally for being a resource in endo and the care I have given to patients in the past by following up with them on the floor after procedures. That same day Kelly (she volunteers at Kesem Wash U with me as Nurse Needles) says to me, well I guess you didn’t get the Mission in Motion award. I looked at her very confused and she said I nominated you months ago for your involvement with Camp Kesem and I guess it’s all over with. Three days later Ally texted me to tell me I had won the award. I said oh please go to tell Kelly as I was off and I knew Kelly was working. Later on that afternoon Ally texted me to say Jodi wanted to know if I was working Monday so I said I better make sure my hair is in place for photos.

Monday came and nothing happened so I thought well I will make sure my hair looks good for Tuesday. On Tuesday the Chief Nursing Officer and two others showed up with a gorgeous Poinsettia and read to me what Kelly had said and that I had won this award. This is one of the highest honors a nurse can receive which honors employees who exemplify these values through their exceptional service and dedication to patients and their families both at work and in the community. Sadly, I do not have a copy of what she had written and of course it was months ago so she doesn’t exactly remember. However, it had to do with all the camps that I volunteer at and how much the kids love me. So the CNO then says to me, “you have your award right.” I was like no, so the charge nurse runs over to the managers office who it out sick and it is not there. I crack up laughing and say of course this always happens to me. I shared with them the story of it raining two inches the night before I was to visit Death Valley and the flood washed out roads and I didn’t get to see everything I had planned on seeing. So they assured me they would find it and give it to me.

At the end of the shift Sarah was checking her email and received a weird email so I said let me see if I received one too. Imagine my horror when I discovered the previous Friday was the brick ceremony and I received a brick with my name on it and was not there for it. I walked downstairs and found the brick and took photos. I then came back upstairs and was an emotional wreck. I also learned there was a luncheon that I also missed out on. The next day at work I emailed the CNO and the president of the hospital to let them know how upset I was that I missed that and that no one had told me about this. I heard back from the CNO a couple days later and then the president of the hospital called me personally a week later. When I looked at my caller ID and it said his name, my first thought OMG I’m in trouble. Then I said calm down and answered the phone. He was extremely apologetic and told me my award was sitting on the CNO’s desk. He offered to mail it to me but I said I am working tomorrow I can stop by and pick it up. He said that was fine and I said I would have to work up the nerve because administration is scary.

I told my co-workers all I wanted was a picture of me holding the brick. Clare and I had went down the next morning and discovered the bricks are not cemented in so taking it out would be very easy. I decided we should do this on a Monday when everyone is working including Kelly as I wanted her to share this joy with me.

Ally made a poster on Friday and on Monday she said she was hanging it up in the break room so it wouldn’t get messed up. I was like no one knows who Nurse Red is and she said “that’s ok, we will tell them.” I woke up at 4am as I was very excited and around 11:30 Kelly who was working in the room with me asked if it was ok for if she stepped out for five minutes to take care of something. I said sure but asked her what she was up to. She replied nothing and I said you are acting suspicious. As I was walking past the break room I noticed it smelled wonderful and thought anesthesia must have bought us food. Both rooms finished with morning cases at the same time so I said great let’s go do the brick. When they told me no let’s go to the break room first I became very suspicious. The food was for me and I had a cake and everything. The sneaky snakes I work with got together with the girls that get our patients ready and send home and planned a pot luck. Kelly had ordered pretzels which is why she needed to step out.

Dr. Cockerell joined us for lunch and went down to the bricks. The garden area where the bricks are located is just outside the cafeteria. So Ally is holding the sign she made and as we walked through the cafeteria and is yelling congratulations to our Mission in Motion winner. I like a little attention but this was over the top. I turned bright red but did indeed survive. We went outside and Dr. Cockerell took the brick out and handed it to me. It was so much fun.

No fear of destruction of property. And my favorite CRNA Matt is photo bombing us!
An awesome moment
Matt took the photo for us. I was so excited he could join us!
Ally who made the poster!
Matt, Clare and I
Me returning the brick as if nothing ever happened.

Somehow Nurse Needles did not see us leave so I demanded a photo with her because without her this would have never happened. As we walked back through the cafeteria rest assured Ally was still yelling congratulations to our award winner. I ignored the impulse to hide in the corner.

Nurse Needles and Nurse Red

I have the most amazing co-workers! They knew how devastated that I was for missing the actual award ceremony and created something one thousand times better! I actually love Camp Kesem and all of the kids. I do not do what I do for awards or recognition. I actually do this for the kids. If they do not have a nurse, camp cannot happen. It is also a great excuse to act as a kid as I participate in song circles, scream sing and do the hand motions. It is a nice throw back to when my kids were young and my church put on Kid Stuf. Yes, I would go without them because I enjoyed it so much. I had a really rough time after camp was over this year because someone I thought was a friend had lied to me about everything. I fully believe God inspired Nurse Needles to nominate me to remind me of why I do these camps in the first place.

Mole Moral ~ Good things come to those who wait.

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An Amazing Halloween at Work

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Halloween use to be my favorite holiday and then the kids grew up and Brian’s and mines parents stop coming over. Our neighborhood aged and we stopped getting trick or treaters so it was just another day of the year until three years ago. The kids I work with (I call them kids because they are the same ages as my kids) changed it all three years ago. This was the best Halloween I’ve had in a long time.

Three weeks ago they decided we should dress up as SpongeBob characters. We all picked out who we wanted to be. We decided to up our backdrop game from last year and Clare announced she was going to make SpongeBob, Squidward, and Patrick’s houses. I informed her she needed to do the Krusty Krab in which she glared at me. So I said ok I’ll do it. Later it was decided we also needed the Chum Bucket. So I added that to my list. Last weekend I spent quite a few hours on my stuff and they turned out great. Clare worked hard on hers and they were amazing.

Clare and I arrived early to set everything up.

The day before Halloween Emily said we needed Karen since she’s Planktons wife. Emily’s excitement about Halloween prompted Dr. Heavey to agree to be Plankton. We ordered him a headband and told him to wear a green shirt. I also made the eyes and nose for Sarah’s squidwards costume and Dr. Aymerich’s eyes for Mr Krabs. I forgot to get a photo of myself in my costume so I took one this morning.

Not Mr Krabs. I was Larry the Lobster

I got many compliments on my abs. I told everyone this is the only time in my life I’ve had abs. I was doing the computer that day so if the patient was of SpongeBob age I’d say “Hi I’m Larry the Lobster, I’m taking you over to Bikini Bottom for your colonoscopy”. I think the patients thought I was insane. Hahaha

Around noon the hospital judging people came by to take our photo. I looked straight at Kyle our president and said if we don’t win, I’m bringing the Krusty Krab to your house and burning it on your front lawn. He said I’m not judging she is and she looked at me and said I live in Ditmar. I then said so, I live in Arnold. Last year we were pirates and got beat out by Fruit of the Loom fruit! As of this post, I am not sure who won.

Dr. Aymerich just cracks me up. After the photo he wore the hat the rest of the afternoon and the patients loved it. We made Dr. Heavey put his arm around Karen which is actually the monitor we use for bedside procedures. It is pure joy to work with so many fun people!

Mole Moral ~ If you do not have fun at work perhaps it’s time for a new job!

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Do you wanna buy a duck?

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Summer camps are finally over and I’m exhausted and need to consider my age before I attempt to do this much next year. It ended with my favorite in Maine. Every year when my plane lands in Bangor I feel like I’m back home. I just love it up there.

I brought about one hundred ducks with me to camp. I asked Melody to loan me a pillow so I would have room in my suitcase for all of them. This year we gave medicine to campers in the cafeteria. Normally they come to the nurses cabin but due to circumstances beyond our control I did not feel this was a safe option. Anyway at breakfast the first day I brought them with me. Icy and Swiftie asked for one. I said not yet but if you two want to set them on up on the table for me that would be great. That had a lot of fun arranging them for me.

All the kids picked one out and eventually Bambi asked if he could have one. He’s one of the guy counselors who has been there for three years. He’s the one whom all the kids love and pick on non stop. So needless to say most of the counselors have one too. This idea came from Dr. Pickles who brought them to JMU camp and they were a huge hit.

Bambi

At some point during the week Bambi realized how easy it is to pick on me and get me all worked up. I’m pretty sure I told him he was exactly like my husband. He came over when kids were not around and told me that I called him the hard R word. I said absolutely not, my girls banned me from using that word a long time ago. Nurse Pooh (from Texas camp this summer who I recruited to do this one with me) joins in and they attempt to punk me. I said wrong answer I called you gay. That shut him up because he has been dating Moose (the awesome girl who has ran camp the past three years) for probably that long. I said and by the way in my generation gay means stupid. For crying out loud don’t mess with Nurse Red. He teased and tormented me until I threatened to take his duck back.

The night before the talent show Swiftie asked if she could use the rest of the ducks for the talent show. I said yes of course. She is the sweetest and most kind hearted kid I have ever met. She even wrote me a warm and fuzzy and said she enjoyed watching me make friendship bracelets. So the talent show comes and she brings Bambi, Yoshi and Icy up on stage with her. I can’t really hear what they are saying but the next thing I know Swiftie and Icy are throwing ducks at Bambi and Yoshi. Yoshi is another incredible male counselor. He is currently working on his masters in something that is so foreign to me (obviously not medical) that I couldn’t even say what it was. He is planning to get his PhD. He is actually part of a different Kesem but has come to Maine for three years to help fill guy counselor spots. He is wearing his Yoshi costume which is so cute. Anyway the next thing I know everyone is throwing ducks around. The audience is throwing them at the four of them and they are throwing them back. It was controlled chaos and since no one was hurt and nothing was broken it didn’t happen.

Yoshi in his Yoshi costume which the kids love!!

Paper plate awards are one of my favorite part of camp. Everyone gets one and the ones for the kids are usually spot on. As usual so was mine.

I cracked up laughing and will remember it forever.

Some of the camps do this thing that goes

Do you want to buy a duck?

A what?

A duck.

Does it quack?

Yes.

This gets repeated down the line like telephone. I can’t remember exactly how it ends but the kids love it. I find it to be totally obnoxious but if they enjoy it, then I willingly participate.

I’m glad the summer is over. It was a hard one for me but out of difficulty growth occurs. I’m not sure I needed this but maybe in the future it will become clear.

Mole Moral ~ When kindness shows up, great things happen.

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Camp Kesem at JMU

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After what it took to get to camp, I had a feeling it was going to be special and boy it didn’t disappoint!

James Madison University campus was really cool.

I instantly liked all the college kids on admin team and all of the counselors. Reflecting a week later it was just like my very first camp with Washington University.

One of the counselors, Joker was a nurse. He had just taken the MCAT to go to medical school. He shared a lot with me. He didn’t do well in high school but pulled it together in college. He did extremely well and decided he could indeed be a doctor. He then shared he wanted to be a surgeon. I said the exact same thing to him I said to Beaker at that first camp. Nope you are way too nice to be a surgeon. All surgeons are assholes. He smiled and then I told him the story of Beaker. One of the little girls flushed a small bottle of body wash down the toilet. Beaker ran in stuck his hand down into the hole and pulled it out. I told Beaker he’d be a great OB/GYN. I made Joker a friendship bracelet with a note that said put this somewhere that when med school is hard and you want to quit to remember Nurse Red believes in you and you got this. Whether he listened to me or not, I know he will succeed.

I have never sat in on cabin chat. It happens at end of every night and the kids talk about highlights of the day and answer questions. I could attend if I wanted but I felt the kids wouldn’t want some old grandma there. The way this camp did meds, I and Dr. pickles delivered night meds. So I heard some answers to questions. The kids were asked to describe Kesem in one word. Here are some of the answers

Amazing

Powerful

Safe

Magic

Love

Inspiring

Home

Magical

The last evening we delivered meds to the fifteen and up during their cabin chat. I was listening to all they had to say and then I asked if I could say something. They were all like yes. So I said I have multiple people ask me why I volunteer for camp and why I don’t get paid. And because of all that they shared, I finally know the answer. Without nurses, camp cannot happen. These camps need to happen I see how much they mean to all of you. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to be a nurse for these kids. So it was time for group hug. One of the counselors said Nurse Red get over here and then they all started chanting Nurse Red just like my very first year.

The parallel between my first camp and this one renewed and strengthened my love of Camp Kesem. I think this may be why everything that went wrong to get there was an attempt to get me to say nope and go home. My first two camps this summer were hard. Actually to the point I considered next summer only doing Wash U and Maine. However I have added James Madison to my must do camp list and if I have to bribe one of the docs to take vacation the week of this camp, I will.

Mole Moral ~ Great things happen when one shoves their fear of not knowing where they are going, what exactly is going to happen and not having every detailed planned.

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Nurse Red meets Schleprock

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Ten years ago Brian and I were celebrating our twenty-fifth anniversary and every crazy thing that could happen did. I’ll put the link to that blog at the end if anyone is interested in reading it. He gave me the nickname Schleprock which is a character on the Pebbles and BamBam show which was a spin off of the Flintstones. Schleprock always had a black cloud over his head and things always went wrong for him.

So today I left for Camp Kesem James Madison University in Virginia. I am pretty excited for this camp as it is smaller with almost fifty kids and I’ve never been to Virginia. The college is about a three hour drive from DC. I scheduled myself to fly into Reagan airport, take their metro link to the Mega Bus station and take the bus to campus and walk a half a mile to the hotel that is located on the edge of campus. I had a three hour lay over between the flight and the bus just in case I got on the metro going the wrong direction.

So I left the house at 3:30 this morning as my flight was scheduled to leave at 5:40. Just as I sat down on the bus to take me from the parking lot to the airport I received a text from Southwest saying my flight had been cancelled and they were working on rebooking. If I didn’t absolutely love Kesem and every single person I had ever met to date I would have said cancel and refund my money. However about thirty minutes later I was put on a direct flight with an hour to get to bus station that was ten minute by train. Oh and the flight didn’t leave until 8:40. So at 6:30 I decided I don’t care if I get sick and die, I’m laying on the floor and sleeping. I slept for about an hour.

No sooner than everyone boarded when the captain came on saying there was something wrong with the electrical system for the fueling cars and we needed fuel so we would be delayed. My first thought, “ what is it with me and fuel.” It took an hour to finally get fuel and take off so I knew there would be no way I would make it to the bus. I decided I would rent a car and drive the three hours to the hotel.

I land and there are no cars available at the airport. So I get on Apple Maps to see if I can take the metro over to Dulles airport to rent a car there. I go through Priceline and no cars are available. I’m now on the verge of tears but decide to change pick up time to 3pm. Yes Avis has cars available. I don’t even really pay attention to the price. I book the thing and then attempt public transportation. I do not see the metro stop anywhere on the outside of baggage claim. I realize I’m in terminal 2 so when I look to see how to get to terminal 1 the metro connection is over there. I walk forever but finally reach it. I know I look as confused as all get out because a nice worker asked me where I was going. Then told me I don’t even need a ticket I can use a tap to pay credit card. I finally get up to the train deck. The train comes and I get on it and think I really hope this is going in the right direction. Yes it was, finally a win.

It is now time to change from the blue line to silver. Just as I get on the escalator it stops moving. Half way down over the loud speaker I hear “There is an emergency in the train station. Please evacuate the station immediately.” I say out loud is this for real? Is this really happening? I look around and no one seems to care so I think F it and hop on the silver line. I made it to Dulles no problem and head to the rental car place via the shuttle.

As I am standing in line I look at my email and find this.

When my flight got cancelled I figured it was because the orginal plane was going to crash or something. I see this and I’m like it all makes sense now and the rest of the day will be uneventful. Little did I know what was heading my way.

After I checked into the hotel I walked around campus until Goose called and asked if I would mind dropping rental car off tonight and not deal with it in the morning. When she told me I didn’t need to be picked up until nine tomorrow morning I said “I love you people!” I was fine with dropping it off now. I told them I would have to stop and fill the car up. I just so happened to see a Buc-ee’s on the way and stopped there to also get dill pickle potato sticks. I’m not sure what happened but somehow I had to drive six miles to turn around on the highway. This would make me twenty minutes late which really upset me. Goose and Waves didn’t seem to mind but once again I found myself on the verge of tears. I see a rainbow to my left and I think this is all over.

The airport is tiny and closed but luckily they had a key return box and I dropped the key in it. I chat with the two of them back to my hotel. I instantly like them and know it’s going to be a great week. As I get on the elevator I realize I don’t have my phone. I go to my room and dump all my stuff out and no phone. I don’t know if I left it in the rental or Goose’s car. I am in full panic mode as I don’t know anyone’s number. I go to the front desk crying and the girl dials Emily’s number for me. I have her look to see if she can find Kesem’s hotline number and I know they could locate Goose for me. Emily finds the number and gives it to me. I ask the girl if there is a phone in my room. I go back upstairs to use it but do not have my room key. I go back downstairs she gives me a new key. I come back up and the phone won’t dial out. So I go back downstairs and she calls the Kesem number. No option for hotline so I remember I still have the emails from the girls so I call Emily back to hack into my email. Because we share locations she tells me the phone is in the girls car and they are running errands. I’m just glad it’s not in the rental.

So she goes to sign into my email which has two factor authentication. Luckily her phone number is a choice so she gets in and finds Waves number. I call and tell what happened. They are so sweet they swing back by hotel and give me my phone. So I tell Goose I am convinced Satan has been blocking me all day because something magical is going to happen. Will I see the hand of God? Maybe or maybe not. But if you have read The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom you will know what I mean when I say I could meet one of my five or even better be one of theirs.

I know in my heart this will be an amazing week. I’ve said it a million times there is just something about these college kids that give so much of their time to Kesem and the kids. It’s such an honor to be a part of it.

Mole Moral ~ The best way to survive being a Schleprock is knowing how to navigate crazy situations.

https://lifewithmoles.net/2015/10/24/my-new-nickname/

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Nurse Pooh’s Warm and Fuzzy

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Most of the camp Kesem’s I have attended have done warm and fuzzies for the entire camp. So instead of writing Nurse Pooh a small snippet on a piece of colored paper, I’m dedicating this blog to her.

Last winter Dr. Heavey gave his vacation dates and so I went on Kesem’s website to see what camps were available for the week. I stumbled across UT Austin so I applied thinking I was going to Utah. I then conned Ricochet into doing this camp with me. So he informs me we are going to Texas. I’m like it will be 120 in July but I will prepare for excessive heat.

Right before the start of camp they told us there would be a third nurse. Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t do well with last minute change. Her name was Nurse Pooh. Now as an endo nurse I could hardly keep a straight face even though I was positive it was in reference to Winnie the Pooh. Even my husband got a kick out of it and said she was number two. Everyone knows the Moles are real mature.

So Pooh is the same age as everyone else, mid twenties. Within thirty minutes I knew she was one of my peeps. She reminds me of the endo girls whom I love. She attended week one and it wasn’t long before she told us about that experience. I had total anxiety while she told Ricochet and I about it, and will probably have anxiety writing about it.

She was asked to do camp two days prior to the start of camp. There is pre camp training computer modules that are to be completed before camp starts. I did mine back in April and have done them for five years. She didn’t see any of this. She did not receive the packing list and basically went into a camp with 100+ campers blind. I have only done three camps with 75 or more kids and they are rough in that check in and check out is mass chaos. The other nurse she was working with was also in the same boat, had never done camp and received no training. Neither could get out of the nurses station all week because it was non stop campers needing to be seen. This is why week two had three nurses.

After Ricochet and I listened to this we both said you are going to every activity and do not need to be in this nurses station. The best part about camp is being out and about with the kids. She did state she has an anaphylactic allergy to ants so we then said stay out of the grass. The camp had a golf cart for her to ride in to avoid the ants.

I’m so glad she agreed to come back for the second week so that I could meet her. I would be thrilled to be co workers with her. She just moved and will be starting her next job soon. She will be a huge blessing to all of her patients. I had an absolutely amazing week and may just tell the endo doctors one of them will need to take vacation for UT Austin camp next year

Mole Moral ~ Last minute changes to the schedule can bring about huge blessings.

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The Flip Side 1 and 2

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The theme for Big Stuf this year is the flip side. Basically how you see yourself versus how others (God) sees you. The question was asked what are you known for? This has changed over the years.

When I was young I was known for having divorced parents and ruined for life. My parents divorced in 1972 when it was not cool or normal at all. I spent a good portion of my life proving everyone who said that wrong. My goal was to become a nurse, get a masters degree and rock life. Somehow I met this guy named Brian at the beginning of nursing school and ended up married with three kids and a bachelors degree instead. He will receive a jewel in his crown in Heaven for dealing with me for the past forty years. We will be married thirty-five years this October which made our girls unusual because their parents are still married.

Also in my younger years I was known for having a big chest. Back in 1978, the only person with breast implants was Dolly Parton and no one had a big chest. I was teased horribly throughout middle school. My dad had brought me a T-shirt back from his trip to Colorado which said Colorado on it. I was called Colorado mountains. Mount St Helens erupted during this time so I was called Mount St. Rachel’s. After my junior year in high school I had a breast reduction and to this day I cannot understand why anyone would want implants.

About eight years ago my boss introduced me to the new social worker for our floor. She said “this is Rachel and she’s high energy”. I looked at her as if she was insane and asked do you really think that? She was like yes for sure. I did finally embrace that description. It was surely evident two weeks ago at my first Kesem camp of the summer. The camp site had horrible hills and was totally spread out. I averaged about ten miles a day. The other nurse who was half of my age was dying by the second day. She had to lay down as her feet were killing her. I found myself running up and down the hills twice as much as the younger kids. I must agree with high energy.

Jesus can flip your story as evidenced by Mary Magdalene. She was known as being possessed by seven demons. I actually thought she was a prostitute. She became one of Jesus close followers and the first to see him after he came back from the dead. Of course she didn’t recognize him and thought he was the gardener. I could see myself thinking that as well. The name Magdalene was thought to mean tower of faith. Something I had never heard.

Mole Moral ~ How God sees us is one thousand times better than we see ourselves.

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Let’s talk trees part two

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After my nephew died in 2000 my sister in laws friends got together and had a tree planted in Andrew’s memory at Jefferson Barrack’s park. She actually drew me a map so I could find it. Except I had been banned from reading maps by Brian in 1991 for sending us in the wrong direction.

The first time I went, it was by myself. I followed Teresa’s map and could not find the tree. Brian’s parents had been there so I called them. Larry asked me where I was at and said turn around, go here, go there and I found the tree which I took this picture for his page in my family scrapbook.

I visited it a couple more times until my van was stolen and they took the map. After Pokémon Go was released I went to play over there and found the tree no problem. I actually thought it would be cool to make his tree a Pokémon stop but by the time I reached level forty I had stopped going to the park to play.

Fast forward to last year. I put Charlie in the car and say we are going to go to Jefferson Barracks and see Andrew’s tree. I walk the entire path and up, down, all the cross paths (it had changed a lot with little climbing stuff for kids added) but I swear I knew where it was. Four and a half miles later and I cannot find it. I’m convinced they either moved it, or it died. I didn’t like either option.

I saw my father in law a couple days later and asked him if it was still there. Why yes he and Judy had been not too long ago. He said you just get out of the car and walk a little bit and it’s right there. So my next day off I put Charlie in the car and we set off. Four miles later and I still haven’t found it. Just as I am about to get in the car and give up, I think I went left maybe I should go right. Sure enough just a little ways up and it was there. So I dropped a pin on Apple Maps so I wouldn’t have this issue again.

It’s amazing how much this tree has grown in twenty-four years. I didn’t realize it until I looked at the first picture.

A couple weeks ago I decide it’s time to go visit the tree. So I load Charlie up in the car. Somehow I end up in Sylvan Springs Park and cannot find my way over to the walking trail. So I’m like I’ll pull up the pin marking the tree. No pin. So I drive around and remembered the year the Washington Lutheran School picnic was at Sylvan Springs and I rode a spin ride with Kyle and Emily and then promptly threw up.

After driving for twenty minutes and getting nowhere I finally gave up and went to the sculpture park. That evening I remembered I have the all trails app so looked up Jefferson Barracks and got the name of the trail. I put that into the GPS and the next time Chuckie and I went we found it no problem. I also dropped another pin on the map.

If you know someone with no sense of direction be kind to them. It is a terrible way to live. I can manage to get lost even with gps. I think I need to visit the park every six months so I don’t lose the tree location.

Mole Moral ~ No matter how lost you are, eventually you will find your way.

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Let’s Talk Trees Part One

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My dad lived about five miles from me for the last twenty years of his life. After his passing I have found myself driving by his house three to four times a week. I have no rational explanation for this except maybe seeing his house makes me remember him.

He died in 2021 and his wife sold the house in 2022 and moved closer to her family. I would meet the new owner Bob within the year. He is a lovely man and I sent him a card afterwards telling him God had chosen the perfect person to own my dad’s house. In the fall of 2022 I drove by the house and noticed Bob had planted a tree in the front yard. I remember getting very excited and thinking this will be the unofficial, official John Carty memorial tree.

Spring arrived and the tree died. I’m not going to lie, I kind of smiled and immediately texted my best friend Meg to tell her. The fall of 2023 I drove by to find another tree in the front yard. I was like yes, an unofficial official John Carty memorial tree but again the the spring of 2024 the tree was dead and I was laughing my head off.

When I first moved into my house in 1990 my dad told me to never plant a tree in the front yard as they are nothing but a pain in the butt. Thinking back he never had a tree in any of his yards. I was sharing with my mother and she said she and my dad planted a tree in the front yard of my childhood home. So I drove by and took a photo of it and showed it to her.

Screenshot

She said that was not the tree but if she still had the photo of me sitting under the tree they planted it would be helpful.

Yes in the fall of 2024 Bob planted a third tree in the front yard. I had decided that if this one dies I would send him a card and tell him to give it up as my dad was blocking him from heaven. All last winter I drove by his house wondering if the tree was going to make it or not.

Around the beginning of April I saw leaves on the new tree. My first thought I was kind of sad it made it because it was fun to think my dad was up in heaven killing trees. However, two seconds later I was like finally an unofficial official John Carty memorial tree.

Last week I went to my hair girls house who just happens to live in same subdivision as my dad (and mom’s) first house. I decided to drive by it (see a pattern here) and I noticed the tree in the front yard had been cut down. I’m thinking it was the storm that blew through a month ago. So after my hair I decide to clean up my scrapbook room and found all the pictures of when I was a little girl. I have no memory of how they got there but I found the picture of my sister and I under the tree in the front yard.

Since the photo is taken from the house looking out into the street I just had to drive back over there to see if it’s the same tree. So I park my car around the corner and walk in front of the house where the stump is and view the street. It’s in the exact same location as the photo and same distance from the street so it has to be the same tree. Luckily I still had the photo of the tree on my phone and now have a picture of the tree my dad planted fifty-seven years ago.

What are the odds that a tree finally starts to grow at the last house my dad lived in and the first tree he planted in the first home he bought died at the same time? Is this a sign that I am totally crazy? Do not answer this question.

Mole Moral ~ Sometimes we do weird things we just can’t explain and then eventually tie them into our story.