Juicing

Yesterday I bought my first juicer {this is the one I got}.

I also stopped at the book store, and picked up The Juicing Bible, which is AMAZING!!  It not only provides you with amazing juicing recipes, but the beginning of the book lists various "illnesses" {like insomnia, influenza, gout, hangovers, etc} and then directs you to recipes in the book that will help with those conditions.

As I've mentioned, I've been sick lately, so yesterday I made myself the "influenza" juice, and this morning I made a delicious Carrot Apple concoction.  They were both delicious!!

I think this afternoon, I'll be making the Apple Pear juice, which surprisingly includes a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, which will give the juice a nice little kick!  My apple pair is below...and it's super yummy!  Also, I found yesterday that after drinking my juice, I didn't even get hungry for lunch...I had a snack around 5, and then DELICIOUS pumpkin soup for dinner around 7:45. All in all, yesterday was a vegetable-filled day and it was FABULOUS! xo, Courtney

{Juicing book courtesy of Amazon.com, Juice photo by *me*}

Merci Beaucoup

I received this thank you note from a very good friend of mine late last week, and it was one of the nicest cards I had received in a while.  Most of that was concerning was was written inside, but it was a fabulously adorable card as well...and I wanted to share!

{Photo by Courtney, card by Sygamore Street Press}

Two girls, one room

I am absolutely in love with this idea for a shared room.  Two siblings, two separate identities, one room.  It's prefect - elegant and girly, without screaming PINK at you either!

{Photo from IKEA via Joanna Goddard}

Four Words

Mine words were: passionate, outspoken, thoughtful and lovely...not too shabby!

What are your words?

{via My Strong Medicine via bitsandpieces.us}

Weekend Health Roundup

This morning's, or I suppose the weekend edition of the NY Times has gotten me all riled up!!

The United States Preventative Services Task Force is now recommending that women only have pap smears to screen for cervical cancer every 3 years, AND they're recommending that women under age 21 not be screened at all, and they have the backing of the American Cancer Society...seriously?!  You can read the whole story here.  Just an aside, my cousin almost died of cervical cancer at 19.  A pap smear saved her life...just sayin'

And appropriately...VD is on the rise in women...they better get pap smears!

Three doctors in Brazil have been convicted for killing four patients by removing their organs for black market procurement.

Researchers in Denmark have concluded that there is no link between cell phone usage and brain tumors.

The Institute of Medicine has called for a new "star" rating system for grocery products, as an offensive to decrease the rate of obesity in this county.

The Obama Administration is backpedaling on aspects of healthcare reform that would allow hospitals to fill physician shortages with nurse practitioners and physician assistants (yay-maybe I will be able to find a job when I finish my FNP!!).

Nurses in Thailand are curing cervical cancer with vinegar.

Any other interesting stores you'd like to share?  Send them my way!! courtney (dot) onedayatatime (at) gmail (dot) com.

Sick!

Have I ever mentioned before how much I hate getting sick??

This recent bout with illness has proven frustrating though.  Today is day 4 of feeling like crap, but I can't quite place what is wrong with me.  Every day my symptoms change.  It started with right ear pain, and right throat pain, which then progressed into swollen lymph nodes and neck pain, which then migrated back up into my throat, and today has caused itchy eyes, a runny nose, and a cough.

8 weeks into my first semester of my family nurse practitioner, and I'm unable to draw a conclusion as to what I have - BECAUSE MY BODY CAN'T MAKE UP ITS MIND!!

...and therefore, I can't figure out how to treat it.  Sooo...I'm not.  I'm taking Aleve every 12 hours for the various moving pain, and hoping for the best.

Only problem is that a friend of mine is getting married tomorrow, and I want to be able to dance around and drink and have fun, when in reality, I was in bed at 7:15 tonight, and I wish I could just sleep through the whole weekend.  The 5 hours I spent in the car battling traffic on I95 didn't help either...but at least I made it to the greater Boston area in one piece

Well, off to bed now, hoping that tomorrow brings less annoying symptoms/relief (hopefully!!)...ah that king size bed is calling my name!!

What Happens on a Night Shift

A blog that I follow recently posted this graphic regarding what happens in a typical hospital during the night shift.  Being a new graduate RN, I'm sure that my first job in a hospital will be a night shift position. Since I'm a morning person, I already have a feeling that this is going to be a hard thing for me, but after reading this little graphic, I'm sort of terrified!! One problem at a time though -- I guess I have to find a job first!

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Courtesy of RN Central

DNP vs. MD

An interesting article appeared in yesterday's New York Times debating the issue of nurses completing their doctorate, and labeling themselves as "doctors."

I find this issue particularly interesting because, as I've mentioned before, I'm currently in a Family Nurse Practitioner program. With the federal mandate that in 2015 all NP programs be eliminated and transitioned to DNP (doctorate of nursing practice) programs, I know that eventually I will be going back to school for my doctorate, and then I'm in the same position as the nurses in the aforementioned article.

It's a really interesting topic, and I'm sure with all the changes that are coming in healthcare, it will be something we see debated for a long time to come.

What are your opinions?  Do you think that DNPs are going to "steal the market" from physicians?  Do you think it's fair for doctors to pass legislation preventing doctorally prepared nurses from advertising themselves as "doctors?"

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Photo courtesy of Josh Anderson for The New York Times