9.29.2008

Too Many Fouls



In the religion I belong to, we believe that the Bible is correct as far as it is translated correctly. Now I am certainly not a Bible scholar, and I don't mean to pass judgment, but I have noticed a scripture passage in Mathew that may have had a translation error of omission. I have reinserted the phrase that I am hoping was missed.

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if you forgive not men their trespasses, excepting it be a soccer referee, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Math 6:14-15

9.27.2008

Busy Signal


Photo credit: www.scrutinyhooligans.us/.../2008/04/busy.jpg

Sometimes I have so much to do that I am paralyzed to do anything. So I do nothing and then feeling nothing but something of a stressful feeling for doing nothing except something that really won't get me anywhere but feeling as though I'm a nothing.

Now that is really something! And it's not anything I wish for anyone.

9.26.2008

Money Saving Ideas

I'm just doing my part to be helpful. Here are some of my best tips for saving money.

1.
Don't go shopping. If you go shopping, you'll buy something: because you'll find "bargains".

2. Avoid using coupons. They are an evil scam to get you to purchase things that sane human beings would never ever consider under normal conditions, such as Pringles fat-free potato chips , Lil' Debbie snack cakes and Peeps Easter candy.

3. Make a list and stick to it. If you find you must shop, never go shopping without a list. At the bottom of every list write "etc." That way if you do find a bargain, you can purchase it and hold your head up high without any guilt, knowing that you stuck to your list!

9.23.2008

Fat kids

Here is a pearl for pediatric obesity prevention that I am going to promote in my practitioner practice and at home:

5-2-1-0. Kids should eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day; have 2 hours or less of screen time per day; 1 or more hour of physical activity per day; and 0 servings of sweetened beverages.


Photo credit: Campshane.com

9.22.2008

Loud Laughter

Brother Meldon asked me a question on Sunday and I don't know the answer. He wanted to know if, in terms of sinning, "loud laughter" and "loud giggling" are the same thing. I'll have to ask the Stake President. From Bishop Higgins blog.

Chest Pain

So this is the kind of thing I am up against at my job.
Hey NP students.......sounds like our Standardized Patient!

Dr: “Hello, so you’re having some chest pain?”

Patient: “It just hurts.”

Dr: “When did it start?”

Patient: “It just hurts.”

Dr: “Where on your chest?”

Patient: “It just hurts.”

Dr: “Anything make it worse?”

Patient: “It just hurts.”

Dr: “Ever had this before?”

Patient: “It just hurts.”

Dr: “Fine, enough, I’ll just order a bunch of tests.”

————————————————————————————–

Nurse: “Your chest pain patient wants to know what’s taking so long.”

Patient: “So how come my chest hurts?”

Dr: “Gee sir it’s kind of hard to say since you answered none of my questions.”

Patient: “Is it stress?”

Dr: “No, that’s my chest pain, thanks.”

From 10 out of 10: My experiences as an ER Doc

9.21.2008

Clinic Begins




September 8, 2008

This was my first day of Fall Semester clinical rotations. Going to work at the Hurricane Valley Family Practice Clinic. Had to keep with tradition and take the front porch picture! Complete with a honkin' huge cold sore...herpes simplex to be exact!

9.20.2008

Princess





Janessa went on her first date today. They went miniature golfing and out to eat. She tasted sushi for the first time. And she told me she ate all her vegetables: "I ate mushrooms and those white things that make you cry."

Tonight I spent a couple of hours doing her hair for the Homecoming Dance. Let me just say that creating sweeping, beautiful up-do's are harder than they look. Putting in an IV: easy. Doing my daughter's hair: dang hard. I don't think her hair turned out exactly what she envisioned, but I hope she felt beautiful. She surely looked it!!

Janessa was over at a friend's house having her make-up done when her date came to pick her up. OOPS. I told her date he may as well get used to waiting for women.

Fun times. Can't wait for her to get home and give a full report.


Tools of the trade


Janessa and Ryan Stephens


I wish I had a better camera. Or knew how to use mine.

Tough Enough to Wear Pink

This weekend was the 73rd Annual Dixie Lion's Club Round-up. I love the rodeo. I love the tough cowboys, their big belt buckles, the smell of the horses, the smooth voice of the announcer, and the thrill of the competition, intensified with the threat of bodily harm hanging heavily in the air.

I attended on Friday night, which is "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" night. The Lion's Club donates $1 from each ticket sale to our breast cancer program at DRMC. Last year, this resulted in a $12,000 gift.

Pink night is the by far the best night at the rodeo. The addition of PINK into an environment normally known for its ruggedness is a compelling juxtaposition. And gosh almighty, men look good in pink shirts! Especially men in cowboy boots and Wranglers!!

The whole night, I was touched. Pink crossed all walks of life. I observed teenagers with chain necklaces, tattoos and spiked hair wearing pink shirts. I saw whole families in pink, and muscular men with pressed, pink oxfords. There were women in pink who were bald, probably going through chemo. The cement wall in the arena had been painted pink just for the night. The clowns and cowboys wore pink. The night was electric. It was an awesome display of support for a disease that has touched us all.

I can't wait for next year.


2008 Royalty. I interviewed with them on KONY radio Friday morning.





9.17.2008

Love Affair

I ran across this essay I wrote in March. It brought back all the feelings of a painful separation. And makes me ever grateful that right now things are running as smooth as a used piece of sandpaper.

I finally sought professional help because he has NO drive! And now as of Monday 3/10, we are officially separated. I am thankful to the professional "genius" who finally convinced me that parting with him was the only way to become whole again. I must admit, part of me is relishing the freedom of his absence. However, it is even more difficult than I thought it would be...actually a big chunk of my life walked away when we said our goodbyes. Strangely, not only do I miss the chance to chat, but I miss our nightly ritual and the physicality of his firm warmth pressed against my thighs.

I thank all of you for supporting me through this difficult time. Truthfully, I am looking forward to the UPS man visiting. He will cheer my days.
He will end the angst of abstinence.

Why? Because he will deliver
my newly repaired laptop with a brand new optical drive. I will then regain much of my life which is pathetically wrapped up in a hard drive and internet connection. And then I will have no more excuses to abstain from schoolwork! Alas....our reunion will be bittersweet. Just know that through it all, my love for him has never wavered.

I love my Mac!




9.13.2008

Rainboots

Christmas gift idea for little girls! So darling!!
Purchase them here.


Photo courtesy of Trumpette

9.11.2008

5-0 Monofilament

Today was my first day of clinic for Fall semester. I just followed my preceptor around. She makes doctoring look easy. But I know better.

It was a memorable day because I did my first ever punch biopsy and then put in 2 sutures to close the wound. On real flesh. Not pig gut like I learned on. My hands were shaking. I was slow and a bit clumsy. I need more practice. And an antispasmodic.

9.08.2008

Sunday of Mixed Emotions

On Sean's final Sunday at home before leaving off to college, he was ordained an Elder and received his patriarchal blessing. Grandpa and Grandma Hackworth are so supportive and shared this great day with us.

Sean requested I make scones for our Sunday dinner. He ate about 20 of them. I'll miss Sean terribly, but I am looking at the bright side. Cheaper food bill.


Sean, age 18, Allen and Loni Hackworth


August 25, 2008. And no. Sean didn't wear those jammy bottoms to his blessing.

First Day

We have a tradition started by my parents that we take a "first day of school" picture on the front porch. We are now the Terrific Three instead of the Fab Four.

(And yes, I know the first day was five weeks ago. Only five weeks behind?? I'm doing pretty well, then.)


August 12, 2008. Three is lonelier than four. (But three is still great!!)


To compare: August 15, 2007.




Looking forward to a bright future. Ok, cheesy I know!


Stockton, age 14. 9th grade


Landon, age 14. 9th grade


Janessa, age 15 (for 15 more days). 11th grade

Cast Art

My cousin's wife, Janean Gee, came to town. She paints. On anything she can.





Swim Meet

My camera is a point and shoot. Not a good one for fast action. If there is movement, I aim, shoot and hope for the best. Here is what I captured at Stock's first ever swim meet in August!

9.05.2008

Five Women, One Bathroom



In 2007,  I joined a gang. I decided not to keep it a secret and when I told my mother, she cried. Not because I become involved in a gang. But because I finally had friends.

This gang had some of the usual gang characteristics...we were forced to do things outside of our comfort zone, membership wasn't easily rescinded, and yes, there was even the occasional sharing of drugs. I'll admit, my gang activity became addicting and changed my life.

The name of the gang is called the FAB FIVE, cleverly named because there are five of us. And we're fabulous. And old as the Beatles. We came together by circumstance, not choice (in other words, we didn't pick each other). We each had a goal to get a nurse practitioner degree. So three years ago, we met when school started. Every three weeks, we carpooled from St. George to the University of Utah, and stayed together from Thursday through Saturday in a single motel room on campus. Five women. One bathroom. Two beds, one temperature control, and five different stages of menopause.

Just like with most groups of strong women, we occasionally disagreed.

Bridget, the eldest, kept our hotel room at a balmy 53 degrees F, unless of course, she was having a hot flash (which still comes more often than Bill Clinton). During a flash, Bridget would hop up faster than a cheetah on amphetamines, glide across the arctic tundra, her feet crunching the ice crystals I'm sure had formed on the carpet, and turned on the air conditioning. But the rest of us didn't mind. Mostly because we were no longer conscious...having long since lapsed into a hypothermic coma.

Amanda, the group's youngest, called her hubby about 22 times daily, unless she brought her cell phone. Then she tried to keep in touch a little more often.

Melissa, our home and school preparedness specialist, made sure our hotel room was well stocked with supplies (because of our remote location and all). Not really sure if the U was as progressive as the Y, Melissa brought a computer printer, three hole punch, stapler, spare light bulbs, and little packets of mayonnaise. We had a good laugh when she pulled out air freshener for the one and only bathroom. But we sure didn't laugh (aka tease) when she treated us for allergies, headaches or cramps from her traveling pharmacy that would make Rite-Aid jealous. (Remember the drug-sharing?)

Heide secretly (or not so secretly) wanted to be Danica Patrick and, despite the permanent fingernail impressions we clawed into her leather seats from hanging on, she diligently practiced high speed lane changes reserved only for people like James Bond or OJ Simpson. Whenever it was Heide's turn to drive, the rest of us took out extra life insurance and pre-medicated with mega doses of Benadryl.... (which incidentally, may have had something to do with lapsing into a coma).

I was the Apple Nazi, trying every trip to convince the group to convert to using a MAC. I was like a neutered rabbit on hormones: relentless yet completely ineffective.

Truly, it was our differences that made us treasure our similarities even more. With five contrasting personalities, our friendship was like a salted caramel. Each distinct component, both pungent and sweet, makes the whole flavor better when together.

We were [and still are] like girlfriends in a movie. I dubbed us the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Not because we shared magical jeans, but because we hauled our luggage up two flights of stairs, panting all the way. Besides the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, we were the Sisterhood of the Traveling Rants.  We became experts at ranting. We shared dreams and goals, giggled like schoolgirls on the playground, philosophized about people and politics, and ranted about our families and the future. These simple moments of sharing sustained and baricaded us while the complexities of life swirled around outside our hotel room, impatiently waiting to get in. Our little group became the eye of one anothers' storms. 

Panting and ranting together for three years, we formed a fortress of trusted friendship built by layering tolerance first, then acceptance, and ultimately a celebration of our differences, relying on each other's strengths to fill in the gaps where each was weak. Our school journey wasn't easy (or warm). We each had personal and professional disappointments and joy, challenges and successes along the way. But it was these ups and downs which gave us the opportunity to find stability among five women unlikely to be friends under different circumstances.

Through this,  I've learned that when you work so hard to grab hold of something special, you work even harder to not let go. I never want to leave the fab five gang.

In one hotel room with one bathroom, five women shared a hundred laughs, solved a thousand problems and made a million memories.

Now I understand why my mother cried.

9.03.2008

The Owl

A couple of months ago, our family took a hike up Three Falls with the Spendloves and Leavitts. When we reached the third "fall" (the end of the line), the kids found an injured baby barn owl, a beautiful puff-ball of soft white down. We gently carried the owl out of the canyon and Leavitts took it to a local man who is one of the few people licensed in Utah to rehabilitate wild animals.

Not long ago, Debbie Leavitt gave me this update: Just found out that Justin Neighbors rehabilitated the baby owl, taught it how to hunt, and made sure it could fly. He just released it yesterday. He took it up on the cliff and found 5 other young owls and two parents. Awesome!

9.01.2008

Peach Days



Peach Days proved delicious. On Saturday, we watched a parade, local entertainment, and the rodeo. Partook of Navajo tacos, Polynesian chicken, homemade rootbeer, peach cobbler, and dutch oven potatoes. The day was topped off with girl-time. Janessa, Jenna Worwood and I sat on the grass, ate food, watched fireworks and listened to Leanne Worwood's entertaining love story as she recounted the courtship and marriage to the man she has loved since 9th grade. A grand love story - with fireworks both in Leanne's eyes and literally exploding in the sky before us!! Eat your heart out Stephanie Meyer.

A peachy ending to a fun celebration!

Come See Our Valley



This article was written by my dear mom--my biggest [and almost only] fan:

This bulletin just in:

In a little-known obscure off-Broadway (Way off) production, theatre goers are raving about the performance of new comer, Jenni Hackworth-Fisher, reprising a role she created two years ago. She wowed local audiences for two nights in the delightful production of "Come See Our Valley." Hackworth-Fisher starred in the musical as the local school teacher as she explains to her young students the tremendous challenges faced by the early residents in trying to get water to the valley. The story is a remarkable story of sacrifice, hard work, faith, and sheer determination. Written by a local bishop ( lay ecclesiastical leader), it tells the story of how the early Mormons loved the Hurricane valley, but each year the crops were flooded by the river, so they needed to dig a canal through the steep, rocky terrain. What started out as a four year project ended up taking over 8 years.

Hackworth-Fisher sang with a strong voice and her acting kept the audience engaged as she had some lengthy speeches to explain the history. It also came to the attention of this critic that she was working with an additional handicap as she had a cold.

But, in true actor fashion, she declared that the show must go on. Great job by all, and in this writer's opinion, she's a shoe-in for Best Actress in a leading role!

Loni Gee reporting for Mellowwood Group

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