[RxForSanityeNews]

What valued possessions do you treasure? Are you ready for 'the next storm' in your life? Read about Dr. Raymond's experience with needing to choose life's special things, along with a Click for Breast Cancer, your chance to participate in a wonderful research study, humor and more!

** Feature Article: "The Next Storm"
** Sanity Tip **
** See Pat? See Pat Run! **
** A Reader Replies **
** Career Development Project Opportunity for Nurses!! **
** "Single, Simple Do-Able Thing" for Breast Cancer
** Crack U Up **
** WIN WIN WIN Free Stuff **
** Dr. Raymond Gets Around, Around, Around **

** Feature - 'The Next Storm" **

Almost a month ago today, we welcomed Hurricane Isabel to our Tidewater community. We are still awaiting a return to normalcy, as mountains of tree debris and sodden household goods are removed from our roadways; and our downtown tunnel, flooded with 44 million gallons of water, is pumped. Electricity, water and telephone have finally been restored, and have ceased being the primary focus of all conversation. For about two weeks, one cold tell the 'haves' from the 'have-nots' --by their hair!

Residents of Virginia and North Carolina had to make choices in preparing for Isabel's visit. A hurricane is a uniquely 'prep-able' natural disaster. Growing up in Oklahoma, I am familiar witi the literal "out of the blue" tornado, which unexpectedly lowers from the sky to wreak havoc. We all know of Isabel at least a week in advance.

Our household prepared with bathtubs, pots and pans full of potable water, bags of ice bursting the freezers, flashlights energized with fresh D batteries, and non-electric can opener for our cases of hash. We also, at least mentally, prepared a box or bag of hurricane treasures, with the irreplaceble treaures of our lives, to keep near if all else was destroyed.

We chose to evacuate* ...after all, I am a gastroenterologist and thus an expert in evacuation (just ask my patients). AND I packed a box. Think about it for a moment. What would you have put into your box?

All of us in Tidewater have unique stories of the storm and its aftermath to share, but all of us packed the same box. These are 'hurricane treasures'. Memories and mementos of wonderful times, of people loved, of honors received. Those whose homes were damaged by Isabel will tell you that was just stuff. Isabel sent us a reminder: it is people that matter.

Our storm is over, 'til the next one blows through. It is now time to prepare for your next storm, the time that you must select among your possessions, and determine what really matters. Sit for a moment with a pad and pen and jot down what you would choose to take, limit to suitcase size, if you need to leave your residence without assurance that any of your possessions will survive. How much of the stuff that clutters your life is truly irreplaceable? What stuff really matters?

Life is what matters. The saying goes, "We treat our lives as if we had a spare in the trunk." We don't. Identify your priceless "hurricane treasures" and cherish them.

*Upon our return from the mountains of Virginia, we had no water for 1 day; no power for 2; no telephone/cable for 12! We had a few trees down, a badly mangled dock from storm surge and garage flooding. We were fortunate indeed.

** Sanity Tip: Apocalypse Now? **

"HCPs tend towards self-reliance and competence. Yet they also tend to be overworked and over-utilized. Once you've restarted a human heart, it follows that you should oversee the office billing, do the transcription, and stop the leaky toilet. After all, competence flows from your fingers. And there goes another evening.

Be realistic - would the lights shut off, the sun stop, and the world end if you maybe delegated some of these tasks to others? Unless the outcome is "APOCALYPSE," you should be able to bounce back."

~ PLR, from "Don't Jettison Medicine", http://www.dontjettisonmedicine.com

*** See Pat? See Pat Run! ***

Want to see Patricia Raymond in a very different kind of action?
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_photo.asp?S=20&EventID=2769&ID=4957899 for the finish line photo of her second half-marathon!

*** A Reader's Advice ***

What advice would YOU give to someone just entering the healthcare profession? Reprinted below, an insightful answer on advice for nurses new to healthcare. The information is great for doctors, too, so no skipping around!

"Starting with prayer and trying to prepare yourself are a good thing.

I find that what patients most value are the little things. You will be judged more effective providing excellent personal care and being a good listener by your patients and their families than for a million other technical things. Nursing will have other focuses thrown on top of that.

Wear comfortable shoes and take a pocket lunch and a hearty dose of patience to sustain you. No matter how hard you try, some days will wear and tear at you, but once in a while something really cool will happen whether it be a save or a smile or a personal sense of satisfaction.

Remember you are part of a team and that team is probably tired. I love it when people come to work on my hospital unit with enthusiasm, but it is so sad and predictable that the light in their eyes dims a bit over time. Some people get mad, get cynical or bitter or just get tired.

Take time and perspective before you judge and think at least twice as often as you speak.

And don't forget that taking care of yourself and your family is important because it makes you a better caregiver. Burnout is such a common thing in healthcare. Do the best you can, and don't kick youself too hard at the end of the day because sosme days that's what you will feel like doing.

Just some thoughts, I am rooting for you."

This amazing and practical advice is offered up by Sherry Gilles-Schouten of Indiana, and reprinted here with permission. If you feel moved, as I did, to share them, please make sure you give her authorship credit.

What advice would YOU give to someone just entering the healthcare profession? Share your advice and suggestions with me at
PLRaymond@RxForSanity.com and we'll reprint your wisdom here!

*** Unique Opportunity for Nurses -- Career Development Project ***

Marilyn Stoner, RN, PhD is developing a model for professional self-care development. She would like to test or use the model as a multifocal approach for nurses to plan for the career of a lifetime!

In four to six e-mail interview exchanges, Dr. Stoner will help you explore what you might like to do with your career and professional life. She will suggest some action plans for achieving your goals.

This is a wonderful, unique opportunity for you nurses out there! Please respond to Marilyn Stoner at nursestoner@aol.com. All your interviews will remain confidential and results will not be shared or published. The model will be used by HPNA when fully developed.

*** Breast Cancer Affects Everyone ***

Male, female, young or old, breast cancer has affected each and every one of us in some manner. Here's your opportunity to help in a most important way, and it IS a SSDT (Single Simple Do-able Thing)!

Visit http://www.thebreastcancersite.com and simply click on the Pink Window "Donate a Mammogram"! There, Simple, right? When this site reaches its daily quota of free clicks, it donates one free mammogram daily to an underprivileged woman.

Tell ten friends in your address book today! And many thanks.

*** Crack-U-Up for this Month ***

One weekend my friend Sally, a physician, was looking after her 6-year old nephew when he fell off a playground slide and hit his head. Worried that he might have a concussion, she checked him all night. Every hour, she'd gently shake him awake and ask, "What's your name?"

Soon he began moaning in protest each time she entered his room.

When Sally went in at 5:00 a.m., she found something white on his forehead.

Leaning close, she saw a crayon-scrawled message taped to his forehead. It read, "My name is Daniel."

*** Win, Win, Win ***

Win a free copy of Dr. Raymond's newest publication, "Don't Jettison Medicine: Resuscitate Your Passion For The Career You Loved". Send us a copy of your posting to a medical or nursing bulletin board or user group where you recommend readers to the RxForSanityeNews. Forward your posting to eNewsContest@rxforsanity.com We'll enter your name in a drawing for a free, autographed edition of the book. Enter as often as you like (for referrals to different bulletin boards only, please), and no purchase of anything is necessary!

** Around, Around **

Dr. Pat Raymond will be featured in the October issue of Physician's Practice, " Love Your Partner: Making Practice Relationships Work"
at www.physicianspractice.com.

She's on the go this fall, with presentations in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Kansas City, Missouri; and Tunica, Mississippi. In early 2004, she's speaking for the American Medical Women's Association Annual Meeting in San Diego, as well as talks in Crystal City, Maryland, and St. Louis, and Atlanta!

While these meetings are closed to the general public, if you are a Meeting Planner or Educational Committee Coordinator, we can arrange a personal invitation for you to hear Dr. Raymond up close and personal! Contact us at PLRaymond@RxForSanity.com for details.