….MORE GOOD ADVICE FROM AUNT MARY

This week, Shayne is on assignment in Puerto Viagra, Mexico, where the beaches are full of warm white sand, the margaritas are flowing and just about now he’s putting up a table with a sign that reads “free blood pressure readings.” His dedication is inspiring.

Sitting in for Shayne is popular Bay Area health and fitness expert Joanie Greggains. Most of you in the San Francisco Bay Area know Joanie as the popular host of The Joanie Greggains Show on KGO Radio for 25 years, the #1 weekend health and fitness show. She is also known for her long-running TV exercise show, Morning Stretch. And now she is under Nurse Talk house arrest and does a weekly feature called “Fit Happens.”

Casey and Joanie visit with RN and CNA Presidents Council Member, Zenei Cortez about the “CNA Nursing Angels Family Fund” established by the California Nurses Association for the victims of the horrible limousine fire that occurred on the San Mateo Bridge here in Northern California. The news of the death of two RNs and three other caregivers in the tragic limousine fire brought deep sadness to everyone. Zenei will talk about the fund and how people can donate. For more information about this topic visit calnurses.org.

And Sherry Blackman is an internationally published writer, award-winning poet, and journalist whose work has taken her to 30 countries and has appeared in dozens of national and international publications. Read more…

This post is a compilation of writing about different days by Barbara and Melissa of their experiences watching each other navigate their intertwined lives. Side-by-side, they demonstrate great love, courage and the challenge of living with Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s as the diseases progress, both as a patient, and as a caregiver.

Barbara writes: “Spent most of the day at the hospital with Missy. I had a nice time. The people there were very nice and very concerned about taking care of me while she was being seen. Missy’s has been falling down a lot lately. I wish I could help her but I cannot. On the way home I asked if we could drive down by the river, we sat and ate our lunch in the car…it is a beautiful day. Before we ate, I said a prayer, to make Missy feel better and for me not to be so much of a burden. Her MS is getting worse. My Alzheimer’s is getting worse. I wondered as we sat looking at the river, how many more lunches we will get to eat here together? How many more times will I go to the hospital with her to hold her hand…will I remember it? If not, I have my memory of today, me and Missy, sitting in the car on a beautiful sunny day, watching the river barges, eating our lunch, and her holding my hand.”

Melissa writes: “My mothers Alzheimer’s is getting worse. She has very very good days, then a day or two of awful awful days. Read more…

Standing in the middle of the nurse’s station, I faxed a chart to Spring Harbor for our psych patient in room 11 and I watched the patient in room 3. Her twisted body was lying on the stretcher in a semi-sitting position. She was covered in a blanket and her feet were hanging out, uncovered. I chuckled to myself because that is how I lay as well—I hate my feet covered! She was talking to her husband. He was gently rubbing her crooked hand…they noticed me watching and both smiled at me, so I smiled back.

I finished faxing the chart and then went into room 3. “So how ya doin in here?” I asked her.
“Just fine.” She answered with a smile.
“Can I get you anything, or reposition you?”
“I would like to be turned.”

I grabbed our tech Paula to help me and we gently turned and repositioned her to the left side, propping pillows behind her and under her legs and between her knees. I gave her a back rub, applied some lotion and covered her with a warm blanket. She thanked us and then said “I’m so sorry to make so much work for you girls.”

“Please don’t say that…it is our pleasure to help you.” I answered with a smile, and I meant it.

This woman has MS and it has ravaged her body…she is not old…she fully has her mind and can breathe on her own but she has no use of her body whatsoever! Read more…

Nurse Talk joined the team Walk or Grow Wings last Saturday in Santa Rosa, California to walk for a cure for MS. Inspired by the people in our lives with Multiple Sclerosis, the team raised over $9000 under the enthusiastic and able leadership of Karen Krueger. Thank you to everyone who donated, walked or volunteered. If you are so moved, you can still donate. A shout out to Missy and Barbara Vaughan you were with us in spirit.

The team name Walk or Grow Wings was chosen as a tribute to  Kim McIlnay, a physician diagnosed in 2007 who inspired Karen for Walk MS Sacramento in 2010 with the original Team Walk or Grow Wings. Read more…

Sweetheart of the Nurse Talk staff, Austyn Leigh with team captain Karen Krueger

Nurse Talk joined the team Walk or Grow Wings last Saturday in Santa Rosa, California to walk for a cure for MS. Inspired by the people in our lives with Multiple Sclerosis, the team raised over $9000! Read more…

We have lots of great topics and discussions going on on our blog and Facebook pages. Stroke patient, Joyce Hoffman has been telling it like it is from the patient’s perspective. Do you know how your patients see you or what a lasting difference your care can make?

And, we’ve got current events from National Nurses United. Nurses, Robin Hood and the band of merry women and men, and scores of friends are strapping on their boots and preparing to head to Chicago for a protest Friday, May 18 during the Staff Nurse Assembly.

Must See Video: Our resident comedian Lynn Ruth Miller as she wows the judges (all but one?) on Britain’s Got Talent. See it here.

Due to the grave illness of host Casey’s father we were unable to tape our show this week. Please hang with us while we give you one more rerun. We thank and appreciate each and every one of our listeners, friends sponsors and others for making Nurse Talk possible. WE WILL be back next week with current issues, our fantastic new co-host Shayne Mason, and some wild and crazy entertainment.

ON this week’s Best of Nurse Talk Casey and Dan chat with Boston RN Karen Higgins. Karen is past president of Massachusetts Nurses Association and one of three co-presidents for National Nurses United. Karen shares her views on the continuing need for single payer health care in our country, the urgency regarding nurse-patient ratios and other important issues that affect all of us.

AND some great advice about taking care of your parents or other elderly loved ones. Kira Reginato joins us. Kira is the president of Living Ideas for Elders and is the host of her own radio show on KSRO, The Elder Care Show in Santa Rosa, California.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 53:43 — 49.2MB) | Embed

Joining Casey (Dan was excused to go to Chuck E. Cheese with seven 8-year olds) is RN Dorothy Ahmad. Dorothy is a CCU nurse at Stroger Hospital in Chicago. Recently registered nurses at Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center on Chicago’s South Side voted by 85 percent to join National Nurses United, the nation’s largest union and professional association of RNs. The Jackson Park RNs voted 94 to 16 to join NNU.

Casey then visits with Jennifer Gainza, the communications director for the Northern California chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. We asked Jennifer to come on the show and talk with us about MS, the signs the symptoms and current treatments. Read more…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 53:43 — 49.2MB) | Embed

Photo: Nurses from Chicago’s landslide vote to join NNU

Well, this week we continue with our little walk down memory lane. We’ll hear from a caller named Mary Ellen who by the end of the call was not very happy with us. She recently sent us an email telling us her legs still hurt and we are crackpots!

For more where this came from check out our Comedy Pharm at nursetalksite.com.

Joining Casey (Dan was excused to go to Chuck E. Cheese with seven 8-year olds) is RN Dorothy Ahmad. Dorothy is a CCU nurse at Stroger Hospital in Chicago. Recently registered nurses at Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center on Chicago’s South Side voted by 85 percent to join National Nurses United, the nation’s largest union and professional association of RNs. The Jackson Park RNs voted 94 to 16 to join NNU.

Casey then visits with Jennifer Gainza, the communications director for the Northern California chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. We asked Jennifer to come on the show and talk with us about MS, the signs the symptoms and current treatments.

We were recently prompted to inquire about Multiple Sclerosis when our Nurse Talk web producer Tonia McCallum’s 20-year-old niece Austyn was diagnosed. Nurse Talk is sponsoring her team. Read more…