Just Dance, Gonna Be Okay!

So, I know what you're thinking... That Chad, he sure is a slacker at updating his blog. And, you're right. I apologize for my negligence. However, I must say that I've been super busy, which is a great thing. I've been traveling, jump roping, and working like crazy... I abso-freakin-lutely love it! Usually, I try to be insightful with my post, but this post is strictly an update. Perhaps, you'll still be able to take something from it and apply it to your everyday life. 

Update:
First and foremost, I just turned 26 years old--rounding up, that's 30 years old--dog years that 100+ years... Holy moly! Where has the time gone? It feels like I just turned 21 yesterday. I suppose it's a good thing that I still feel as healthy as I did when I was 21 years old. I've been told that after 25 your body takes a u-turn. Lets hope y'all are wrong. "Just look at it this way, you're half of 52," wise words from my dad's mouth. At first, I felt weird hearing that, but the more I thought about it... 52 years old... I see a lot of very healthy individuals well past the age of 52 years old. Life. Age. It really is just a number.

Being a registered nurse, I see the good, the bad, and the ugly. I've come to realize that life is what you make of it. Honestly! I feel there are so many people worrying about what's next that they are not taking the time to enjoy what's now. 26 years old... I'm still "young, and wild, and free!" I have a whole life ahead of me. Yes, I could worry about my life being cut short by some illness or an accident [God forbid]--things happen... But, right now, in the moment, I'm still living. You're still living.

WHAT THE HECK!? This is suppose to be an update... Haha. Well, to continue... This past weekend, I traveled to Louisiana for Mother's Day and my birthday. My mom had no clue I was coming in. I told her I wasn't going to be able to fly down because of work. She was soooooo surprised when I showed up [video below].

Gosh, I love my family! 

I feel there is so much to update you on; I really need to do better. 

Lets see... I jumped in my first Tournament of Champions hosted by Hot Dog USA. I had a blast. I competed on only two hours of sleep [I worked the night before] and L.J. had a broke leg, but we still placed first in double dutch single freestyle. Granted, it was a very small competition and we water down our routine, but we only had one miss. I think it was an accomplishment for all of us. Not for the first place, but because we were able to overcome all obstacles--literally. Brain's knee and wrist hurt, Robbie was sore from running a marathon of some sort, Jesse's ankle was hurt from soccer, my hamstring was acting up, and L.J.'s broke foot. Of course Garrett was himself and Nick, well, he's just supernatural... With all odds against us, we still continued to put on a pretty darn good show during and at the end of the competition. Now, being a nurse, I most certainly would not recommend or advise anyone to do what we did. You risk hurting yourself worst, which could result in permanent complications. However, it sure did feel good at the end when everyone yelled and clapped extremely loud. 

Something special that really stood out from that day was when a parent stopped me in my tracks and said the following:

"Chad, you're a great role model for my kid, thank you."

Short and sweet but very effective... That statement meant everything to me. That statement made everything worth it all. That statement, ladies and gentlemen, is why I do what I do. #JumpRope #Appreciation

Goodness, this is starting to get long... So, I'm going to wrap it up with my award winning story from Nurse's Week. Placing 3rd, the following story was published in Overlake Medical Center's paper: 

My "best day as a nurse at Overlake" can be described with the following two words: Lady Gaga.

By: Chad Rankin, RN; West 4

I recently moved to Washington from a small town in Louisiana. Being a new nurse at Overlake, still learning my way around the unit, I imagine myself looking like a chicken with its head cut off. As I wandered into my first patient's room, a lovely 92 year old lady, I introduced myself and began to update the whiteboard. She asked me, "Do you like Lady Gaga?" Come again, I thought… Making sure she was fully with it and not just making "goo goo gaga" sounds, I assessed her orientation (she was 92). To my surprise, she was oriented times three. I replied with, "Yes, I really like her song Born This Way." Excitedly, she agreed, "Me too! She makes me want to dance." Joking I said, "Don't you go dancing around the room without calling for assistance." 

Instantly, in that moment, I realized patient’s can surprise and delight us. Early the next morning there was a beautiful sunrise I was able to watch with my 92 year old Lady Gaga fan. So, when times get rough, I think of Lady Gaga's lyrics, "just dance, gonna be okay." :-)

Six Months

"You have six months to live..." The words linger in the doctor's month. 
"No, take that back; this has to be a dream." The patient pinched himself. Nothing. The words punch him in the chest, knocking him to the ground in tears as reality sinks in.

It's hard to do, but close your eyes and imagine yourself in that situation... Now open them, and continue reading--pretty please.

Overlake Hospital's Street Sign

You can really learn a lot from someone who is very ill or dying. I'm starting to think that nursing is not about caring or healing the patient as much as it is about just being there for them... Learning about life... Changing the way we think. And, it's about teaching other who are still living the things we've learned from the dying. I feel rather selfish because I teach my patients so much everyday, but I think my job has taught me so much more about life and living. Don't get me wrong... I do heal my patients, making sure their care is the best enhancement for their quality of life. But, some patients are terminal--they cannot be healed [physically]. I find this is where my job takes a turn... I'm no longer the teacher. I'm no longer the caregiver. I'm not a nurse. But... I'm a friend. A listener. The learner.

Death:  it's a powerful teaching tool for life and living.

However, I don't know why it takes death and dying to show people things about life. Maybe it's because everything else become irrelevant--nothing matters anymore... But the time you have left with family and friends... But living... And love... It all boils down to love.

I can't even imagine how it must feel to know you are about to die--six months to live. Though, I imagine all other life's problems are much inferior. A lot of us, most of us, go about life all wrong... At least until it's too late.

Ryan Gosling

Who cares about the latest gossip column on Ryan Gosling? Who cares about the football game on Sunday? Who cares about the new Halo game... A shiny new car? The newest trends? The next iPhone [that is exactly the same as the previous model with the headphone jack on the opposite end].

We all do... But should we?

I can only express what I know and have learned. I know there is much more to life, but it is taken for granted. We tend to rob ourselves of happiness by not doing the things we love and care about the most. We put so much hard work towards the things that, in the end, don't matter at all. I think we can all agree that life is about living... Being with the people we care about... And loving. 

Why not do just that?

Today, I challenge you to sit down and to think about life. Write down what really matters to you--what you value and cannot live without. What keeps you living? What keeps you optimistic? Whatever that is... I challenge you to do everything you can today in order to do it. If it's your mom, call her; tell her you love her. If it's food, eat! Give up your diet for the day. Enjoy whatever it is while you still can. 

You just never know when you'll only have six months to live. Welp, that is unless you're a Mayan. According to them, we all have less than six months to live.

Might as well enjoy it!

Live. Love... While you still can.

__________________________________________________________________________

Update: 

Downtown Seattle:  Pike's Market, 1st Starbucks, Space Needle

Life is going really well in Washington. It rains more than every now and then, but I don't mind it one bit. The people here are really open-minded and receptive--like that a lot. I have met some new people, along with enjoying the time with my friends already here. The worst thing so far is having a full bladder and cold hands. Or, having a cold toilet seat and having to... Well, you know... Though, I have noticed an increase in suicidal and depression rates here. But, that is not me! I can't believe I have been in Washington for almost two months already. I miss my friends and family from back home a lot. I can't wait to visit home again. I was hoping to for the holidays, but I'm the lowest man on the totem pole at work again. Grrr... That's okay... Soon! My mom did come visit me, however. It was funny. I was joking with her on a Thursday to come visit for the weekend and before I knew it, I was buying her a plane ticket that flew to Seattle the following morning. Talk about spontaneous and living life (pictured above and below). I love her very much. 

Welp, I think that's all for now. I truly am bless to have a great job and a lot of great people in my life.

Rankin Out.

Snoqualmie Falls

Once Yellow, Now Blue...

A Zoey Martini

As I sit here in a half-cleaned room, I stare at my unpacked, unfolded clothes in the baby crib. For the past year, this once yellow, now blue room has been my home. I sit here shirtless with a pink, breast cancer scarf wrapped around my neck. I don't know why I'm wearing this scarf, but it comforts me at this particular moment in time. Music is softly playing from my computer, and Zoey is looking at me with her big, puppy dog eyes. Maybe she is also wondering why I'm shirtless with a pink scarf wrapped around my neck. Though, I can't take her serious with the "cone of shame" wrapped around her's. If dogs could talk, I'm pretty sure she would be "french" right now. Not for spaying her, forcing her to wear the "cone of shame", not for turning her into a martini and posting her picture for all of Facebook to see, not keeping her up way passed her bedtime, and not even for hitting her with the scarf that I'm now waving through the air. But cursing me because she knows I'm leaving her here for a little while. It's officially Saturday, which means tomorrow, TOMORROW at 3:30 pm I'll be on a plane to Seattle... to a new room I'll eventually call my home.

As I sit here in this once yellow, now blue room, I think about who I am today and what I'm doing with my life. The trending question of the week was, "Why do you want to move all the way to Seattle, where it's cold and rainy?" The honest truth is, I don't know! I don't know why I want to move; I just do. I know I want to explore all aspects of life, and I'm thankful to have a job where I can do so. I know if I stay here in Louisiana, I'll eventually regret not going. At least if I go to Washington and fail miserably, I can say I failed trying instead of giving up on what all life has to offer.

Like the blue walls, I too have changed tremendously over the past year, maturing mentally and emotionally as a nurse and a person. As I sit here today, I don't know where I'll be in ten years... I do not know who I'll be in ten years; however, I know I will be happy I done what I adventured to do. 

Maybe where I'll end up doesn't even matter.

But that's just it, you don't always have to know what you want to do with your life or even where you'll end up as long as you're doing something you want. It's not always about the outcome, but what matters is the journey and memories you make along the way. The love and memories shared between these walls matter most to me. The colors are irrelevant.

Happy Birthday, Sissy! Thanks for letting me live in your once yellow, now blue room for past year. I love you so very much!

In the words of a great nursing professor, "go forth and conquer."

Rankin Out