Specs Becs?

For the last couple of months my migraines have been really bad. I take medication for them, and admittedly had been quite poor at remembering to take them. However, I got back on the bandwagon of taking them which helped but still found the recurrence of my migraines were a lot. I was probably getting 1-2 a week instead of 1-2 a month. I was miserable.

My Mum suggested I went and got my eyes tested again and in the post I was offered a free eye test at Specsavers. Think that was a huge hint to get my eyes tested yes?

I went last month and I'll admit I went in quite cocky. I have always felt that my eye sight is fine. Most of my family wear glasses or contacts but I had always considered myself lucky not to to require them. During the test my right sided vision was good and even the optometrist said it was almost too good. Almost like it was compensating...this didn't spell out good news.

I then had my left eye tested and I struggled big time! I could barely read any of the letters on the letter board and when she gave me a book to read I was squinting so hard. No surprise my migraines are always on my left side since my eye sight is so bad out of it.

Safe to say I need glasses. I wear them just for work at the moment and even though in the beginning I wasn't really a glasses fan. I am starting to rather like them now.

Do you like my specs?

Wizarding Hodgepodge.

Welcome to another week of random fun. You'll find this week's answers for the Wednesday Hodgepodge posted below...answer on your own blog then hop over to Joyce's to share your answers. Enjoy Hodgepodgers!

1. May is National Blood Pressure Month...what sends yours soaring, either literally or figuratively? What calms you down? When did you last have your bp checked?

When things do not get done. I think this really makes my blood boil and creeps my BP up a little! There's no such thing as 'procrastination' in my dictionary. I think what calms me down is removing myself from a situation or doing it myself. I check my blood pressure weekly, luckily I work in a hospital so the machines are already around for my use.

2. You just found $1-what do you spend it on? How about 10$ or $100?

If it was £1 then I would put it in my pound jar to collect. I never spend change, it goes straight back in my coin jar to build up until counted. If it was £10 then I probably would use it towards a food shop or petrol. If I found £100 then it would go into my bank account. In saying that, I once found a £20 note outside a charity shop and I took that as a sign to give it to them. I just couldn't keep it when stood outside the hospice shop! I have some heart.

3. Mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food has been proposed, but not enacted in the US. How much attention do you give food labels before you buy? Are you in favor of labeling if it means an increase in food prices? Is this an issue you've been following and feel strongly about, or is this the first you've heard of the controversy?

This is the first I have heard about it but in general I do pay some notice to food labels in terms of what's in the product. I care about salt, sugar and fat levels in food and would much rather pay a little more for a healthier product.

4. May 15th marks the birthdate of Frank Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz. At this point in time, are you more in need of brains, courage, heart, or a trip back home? Explain.

I think lately it would be courage. I have felt so tired and burnt out from work lately that I have found it hard to make it through an entire day without a nap. I need the courage to motivate myself a little to make the most out of my waking hours and days off! But then I can be so ditzy at times that maybe a little more brains too would be useful!

5. "There's no place like home" is an often repeated line from Baum's book. When was the last time you felt the truth of that statement?

I LOVE holidays and visiting new places. The longer I can be away the better! However, whenever I return home and sitting in the airport I do feel a little nostalgic for home comforts. Take Australia for example, I was away for 3 weeks and did not think of home a lot of the time. I was too busy enjoying myself! But when I was sat on the plane home I did have this feeling of 'there's no place like home'. As much as I love exploring this world, home certainly is where my heart is!

6.  Steak...yes please or no thank you? What cut do you prefer and how do you like yours cooked? Sauce or no sauce? Besides your own kitchen, where's a place you like to go to get a great steak? 

I do not mind steak so I can take it or leave it. I hate steaks like rump or T-bone. I only really like sirloin and well done at that. No blood thank you!

7. When was the last time you were in a genuine hurry?

The other week my friend Becca and I went on a spa day. Our treatments started at 14.30 and still at 14.15 we weren't even in the district!!! I hate being late and because of traffic and my friend's need to drive in the slow lane it made us a little late.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Yesterday Simon and I went to Leavsdon where Warner Brothers studio is based. From 2001 to 2011 the Harry Potter movies were filmed there. It was SO GOOD!!! We saw some of the sets like the Gryffindor common room, Dumbledore's office, The Burrow and the green room where they filmed Quidditch scenes. As well as seeing the props, scenery, interviews, walk the great hall and try butter beer! I loved every minute!!!

Simon and I - Week 2

This is the second post in my 'Simon and I' series where I focus on our relationship. I am following on from my blog friend Callie's series. Check her's out too!

Week 2 - Two things I love about my relationship with my spouse.

#1 Our date nights.

Every month Simon and I set time away to have a date night or a day date. I have a job that involves shift work and working weekends so Simon and I have to plan our time together around my roster. Sometimes we only get to see each other for an hour a day or some days not at all. So we both feel it's important to set apart a set day or evening where we just spend time with each other. The other week we went to the theatre, we go for a meal, to the cinema or just out for a walk. It's so important that we spend time as just us and I always look forward to them! Tomorrow we're going to the Harry Potter filming set/tour. Cannot wait.

#2 We don't agree on everything.

I really do love that our relationship is built on disagreement as well as agreeing with each other. Otherwise we both feel our conversations would be dull! I love that in our relationship Simon and I have difference of opinion and debate. We have totally different tastes in music, TV programmes, our careers and books. We are also different in our personalities. I am the typical type A planner and like to get things done. Whereas Simon is a lot more laid back and doesn't get as stressed as I do. This can lead to a few disagreements but I think we balance each other out which I really like.

Us on a bike ride on one of our day dates. April 2012.

See you next week for week 3!

Why I love being a nurse in honour of International Nurses Week.

This week is the annual international nurses week. A week to celebrate all things nursing and my employers are treating all nurses and healthcare assistants to a massage on Friday. How awesome is that?! I cannot wait.

However, that is a very minuscule perk in light all the amazing perks to nursing. I love my job. I love how it makes me feel. I love that I can do it for as long as I am allowed to live. I am beyond privileged and in celebration in honouring nursing and nurses, I wanted to share ten things I love about being a nurse.

I love being a nurse because________

1) I get to meet so many different people. I come on shift everyday not knowing who I will be caring for on the other side of the door. I get to meet funny people, worried people, enthusiastic people and also the pessimistic people too. It's so diverse and I love that.

2) I never know what's going to happen. I love that I go on shift thinking one thing and the shift goes into a totally different gear. I can have a patient that deteriorates, a patient who gets bad news or a patient who has a reaction to a medication. You have to be so on the ball.

3) There's never a dull moment. Everyday is different in it's own way. You have routine but it's hard to stick to with so many patients requiring different levels of care.

4) It's life long learning. I can honestly say I learn something new everyday whether it's to do with a patients lifestyle, the patho-physiology, a medication side effect, a new technique to a dressing, a consultants protocol. I know I will never get bored! There's always something to learn from or about.

5) The different professionals I work with. Everyday I work with a brilliant team of nurses and team assistants. But I also work with consultants, doctors, OT's, physiotherapists, SALT, community care teams and so many more. Without these teams a nurse's job would be impossible!

6) I appreciate the importance of living. As much as my job is about caring for surgical patients and getting them home safely post operatively. Some of my patients aren't lucky like that and I do deal with death at times. When a patient of mine passes away, receives bad news or has a operation that's totally unexpected. Then I do take a step back and appreciate how blessed I am to be healthy right now and to realise, although we expect the unexpected, to still appreciate living for now.

7) Nursing is a privilege. We have to deal with intimate areas, hear hard life stories and for a patient to let me into their realm and care for them is an honour.

8) It teaches me to be more accepting. Nurses still have opinion and it can be hard for it not to affect how you nurse. For example, I once had to look after a murderer (on prison guard) in hospital. I won't lie it was tough. I was trying to care for a man who did not care for someone else's life by killing them at some point. You have to build a barrier at times but it does make you more accepting of the diverse range of patients you care for, regardless of opinion.

9) For the amazing nurses education we have in the UK and worldwide. I loved my nurses training as a student and I love the training opportunities I have now to expand my learning. I am so grateful.

10) It's for life. Despite any hard day on shift. Despite any day where I work with people who may irritate me. Despite any shift where I feel rushed and pressured. I go home and still look forward to my next day of work. I refuse to be a person who does not appreciate what they do for a living.

This careers rocks and I am one of many nurses who hopefully feels the same way. I'll never forget on my first day of work as a qualified RGN a little 90 year old lady told me this, "I just want you to know, that everyday you touch a life. A life with touch yours."

So true.

Happy Nurses week everyone!