I am so excited (and a pitch to friends in the UK)

This is the most recent photo I can find of myself looking happy (I’m often happy but people rarely take my picture) so even though Im no longer in Paris, lets go with this

In my line of work, normally sadness is heaped upon sadness; really “good” things don’t happen often and not normally in a row – so lets share in this (likely) momentary bliss to take account of blessings…

Here are some of the cool things that have happened recently and a wish list (because I have learned that you are not likely to get what you want unless you ask).

I’m firming up a date to host a Japanese colleague to come for a site visit at my hospital to see how Perinatal Bereavement care is done in the US. She is an RN, PhD & Midwife and when I told her she is smarter than me, she blushed. That is so cute…she IS smarter than me but that doesn’t mean I have nothing to offer.  It will be cool to have her visit…its not everyday that someone comes from Tokyo to see how you do stuff. She will also be visiting my friend colleague Mary (hospital about 100 miles north of me) …only trouble is Mary and I think alike and our programs are somewhat similar. I hope our similarities don’t make the visit dull. I think Mary was pivotal in this whole visit happening, she rocks.

Folks who read this blog from Australia and New Zealand have reprinted a few posts in parent newsletters…knowing that my words resonate with parents in other parts the world is really encouraging.

I’m super stoked that I will soon be doing a presentation at OB Grand rounds for Resident Physicians (captive audience of my dreams) the big city to my south on the topic of “Communicating with Newly Bereaved Families” (Imagine the pain and misery I can prevent if I can teach them a few helpful things !!)

I was interviewed for Catholic Sistas and I feared that people who don’t understand Perinatal Hospice would give me a hard time, but my fears were  needless, the readers were really gracious.

http://www.catholicsistas.com/2012/08/21/infant-death-and-sacred-parenting-an-interview/     (Some smart person please teach me how to create links I tried 3 times and failed)

I have a new boss so I was undoubtedly concerned that leadership would rethink my whole program, but in our first meeting she said that numerous Physicians have told her the program is appreciated , so my leadership is still behind me (woot woot!!)

One of my ladies is pregnant again and even though the pregnancy is precarious, the little person is holding on. I check in daily…I hope I’m not needed professionally until the day she needs me to take “first cry” photos at her C section. Another lady who was pregnant with a subsequent baby was in a terrible car crash, her baby was unharmed and was born pink and screaming last week. (Thank you God)

I got a very nice vote of confidence from the big-city (to the north) Childrens’ Hospital last week. They don’t deliver there and when they diagnosed a lady in need, they told her to come to my hospital that we would take good care of her (which we did).

Me and one of my favorite people will be working this week on a presentation for a cool local conference…she is one of “my moms” but more, she is a really good friend. They wanted us to present so badly, they didn’t even make us submit an abstract.

So what do I hope will happen?

23 years of mothering are winding down to my last 2 years and I really hope to take Julia to the UK in April for Spring Break. We have never been there before …we hope to go to London & Dublin where she would do some friendly stalking of the hometowns of her  boy-band celebrity crushes and I would eat pastries and drink tea.

At this minute I don’t have the cash to do this, but I’m making it a personal goal and I will work towards it. If I can find side jobs to pay for it, I will happily do them, but I would love to get a speaking invitation in the UK that would put a dent in my travel costs.  Dear Lord, if it is your will.. I would love to teach a class in the UK and have Julia run into One Direction (amen).

Sometimes I think that I would love to speak at Christian Womens’ Conferences or other similar gatherings…I’m an extrovert and would love to share my story in settings like that…I don’t know if I would want to speak on helping women heal from loss or finding your vocation…but I don’t have to decide since  no one has asked me. I think God is working on my humility with this…my normal audience is Nurses and Nursing students and its an honor to teach them. If I never step outside this teaching setting, I intend to remain appreciative of these opportunities.

I hope my proposals for the International Conference on Perinatal and Infant Death get accepted…one of my ideas is really simple (primitive almost) to welcome newer practitioners to this sub specialty and help get them started in the right direction and feel welcome. Even if I don’t get to present, I will be happy to interact with my colleagues there. Perinatal Loss Nurses (& Social Workers & Chaplains) are  some of the most decent people I have ever met. As in any group, there is always a nut here or there but they are the extreme exception.

Lastly, on the topic of who I hope to speak to, I would love to speak at the graduation of our local Nursing School. When I graduated the speaker was horrid (she spoke about cost containment…at a GRADUATION)  I could surely be more amusing that her. I have met nearly all the students at some point during their course of study, so it would be fitting.

While Im at it, I also hope my 10 year old car lasts at least 3 more years and my oldest son gets a job.

Thanks for letting me share.

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