Thursday, October 22, 2009

ode to my future ~

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As I go through the day, I think about my hands constantly. It has become a nervous habit, rubbing my sore knuckles. I still pop and snap them all day long, but the affected area has nothing to do with cracking knuckles. It’s age. It’s use. It’s arthritis.

I wouldn’t call it vanity. It is just they way people try not to show their “short comings”. Everyone has something ~ something they are hiding. My list is long, but not different than yours. It may be something permanent like the scars I have from a car accident. Or it could be the scratch across my nose from the cat biting me in the night. We are all trying to cover up and hide those imperfections.

When my hands are painful like they are tonight, I think of Olivia. Faded photographs of hands, painful hands. Olivia was my great-great aunt…my great-grandfather’s brother’s wife, and I only know her from the collection of images I have tucked away.

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You can’t help but notice that Olivia hid her hands. They were always tucked under in a way to not show the arthritis that had settled in her joints.

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In most posed photos she has her hand hidden from view.

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It is apparent that her right hand gave her the most trouble and insecurity.

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The unmistakable knots and twisting of her fingers.

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8Even in the nursing home, photos show dear Olivia holding her hands in a manner to not display what arthritis had done to them.

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My grandmother, Mabel, had arthritis too. She always said she hated her hands, and then pluck at the loose skin on her knuckles. But I loved her hands. Those hands, like Olivia’s, tended the garden, crocheted and knitted, mended and cooked, patted and consoled, they supported the entire family.

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Olivia Saude born 1865 Norway, died 1960 Rugby, North Dakota

tweet ~

i just realized i don't have a headache, my sinuses aren't burning and my hormones aren't wacked out. well hell, you'd think i was 32 again.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

to knit or not to knit ~

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I keep thinking that I want to knit a new sweater or vest...but then I think again. If I could only lose 40 pounds it would take so much less wool. Damn those skinny knitters!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

headed toward accreditation ~

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Today the college nursing program I work for learned that it was going to receive its recommendation for National accreditation.

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Only four years ago the first group of nurses began the two-year journey to prepare for a nursing career. It is really great to see the faculty and students work so hard to make the Whatcom Community College Nursing Program a success ~ Kudos to them all!

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Although a majority of the students are women, there are more and more men moving into the profession. I was excited to find the photo above ~ do you think he was graduating as a nurse too?

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Although I’ve hardly been working for the program for more than four months, it was nice to learn that I helped make a contribution to the program’s move toward accreditation. Although I really feel like I was just along for the ride ~ they have all put in four years of hard work to get the program where it is so quickly.

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So make sure you respect those nurses out there! Even if they are sticking you with a needle ~ that flu shot is going to keep you well this winter season.