Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Singing the Praises of Cingular Wireless


The customer service people at the Cingular store were amazing and very good to me. I told them my phone was not working and I was pretty sure I had not signed up for the insurance plan. I didn't say at first why it was not working. They asked if maybe I dropped it into some water. I said yes. (Later I told about the washing machine.)

I asked if we could first try a new battery before looking at buying a new phone. She got one from the back room and put it in. My phone turned on. The display looks a little soggy, but it works. Isn't that amazing? lol. It went through a hot/cold wash cycle and was in the spin cycle when I found it, and it still works with only a change of batteries.

The story gets even better. They didn't charge me for the battery (purchase price over $40), and they said, "You can sign up for phone insurance now if you want to." So, I signed up for phone insurance on the spot ($4./month). It has a $50 deductible if I use it, but the phone costs $150 new (I got it almost free with a 2-year contract purchased a year ago).

So, I am one happy camper. When the phone worked, I said to the (probably shocked) customer service girl, "Thank you SO much!!! I LOVE you!!!" lol. She laughed. That was good.

I smiled and said, "Yippee!!!!" all the way home.

Monday, May 23, 2005

Remember Roseanne Roseannadanna???


"It just goes to show you, it's always something! If it's not one thing, it's another!"


Well, isn't that the truth?

I did something really .... I'll not say 'stupid', because I made a commitment to myself years ago not to insult myself for mistakes or inadequacies (in an effort to love myself rather than acting like I hate myself). What word would be appropriate? "Caused by exhaustion"? That probably fits.

I had been home a few hours from my 2nd day (in a row) of learning and laboring for free (on the ambulance). Yesterday, my 12-hour day on the ambulance stretched into 13.5 hours. Tonight, we finished after 12 hours, but I was still very tired.

Since I have only one set of EMT pants and one shirt, I'm washing my clothes every night after work. Tonight was no different. I came home, took off my boots at the door, and signed on to my email account to check mail.

After awhile, I began falling asleep, and I thought I'd better get my clothes into the washer before it was too late. I emptied out my pockets, taking care to check and double check to be sure everything was out. Then, I pulled off all my clothes and started a small load in hot water.

I'm hooked on the internet, so I came back to the computer and worked on my blog a little bit. Then, I looked in at a few other blogs. Before long, I was falling asleep again. The clothes were not finished washing, but I knew I could dry them in the morning.

I use my cell phone as my alarm clock, and I'd already set it for my wake up time. But, I wanted to be sure it was near me so I'd hear it ring. I started looking around, but I could not find it. Then, I got offline and used my home phone to dial my cell phone. That's how I find it when I've misplaced it.

It never rang. I dialed again and listened from the receiver this time. The cell phone went straight to voice mail. That could mean only one thing. It was turned off. But, I did not remember turning it off.

Then, it hit me. "What if my cell phone is still in the pocket of my EMT pants???" There was only one way to find out. I stopped the washer half way through the spin cycle, and reached in and pulled out my pants.

There was a lump in the back pocket where I keep the phone. The phone and my lip balm were both in the pocket of my pants, in the washer, near the end of a hot/cold wash cycle.

I took it out. Of course it was turned off, even though it was turned on when I started washing it. I was remarkably logical about it. I didn't start berating myself. I just reminded myself that some electronics will work again, after they've gotten moisture in them, if they can be dried first. I decided to try it.

I opened the back of the phone and took out the battery and the computer card (with a gazillion phone numbers). Then, I shook the phone in a slinging motion. Water flew out of it onto my bed sheets. I did the same thing with the battery. Water came out in streams of tiny drops.

This was not promising. But, there is nothing I can do about it tonight. And, it won't serve any purpose for me to call myself unfriendly names. I hung the phone in front of the air conditioner, sans battery and memory card, with a plan to leave it there until morning.

I don't know if morning will be long enough for the moisture to be gone. I may need to use a blow dryer. I even wondered, half joking to myself, if maybe I should have let the spin cycle sling more water from it, or if maybe the dryer might be a good place for it.

Most likely, I will be buying a new telephone in the morning, or some day soon. Until then, I will be without long distance, roadside assistance, and all the conveniences cell phones provide.

This is especially disconcerting since I signed up for a two-year contract with my cell phone company less than one year ago specifically to get this particular phone, and I have no reason to believe they will replace it for me just because I washed it in hot water when I was too tired to realize my mistake.

I don't know why I'm not more upset about this. It could be that I'm just too tired to do any more than try to stay awake while I write this post. But, maybe it's because even with the expense I will most likely incur when I replace the phone, it's small in the greater scheme of things.

Today (yesterday on the ambulance), I saw a man with no legs, a woman who was found dead by a family member, and a methamphetamine addict who claimed to have been clean for over a year whose muscles were twitching so hard I couldn't keep my fingers on the pulse point.

Today the temperatures were in the 90s F. A little boy was concerned about a stranger he saw fall in the park near his home. He took the man a glass of water while his mom called 911. He stayed with the stranger until we arrived, and he told us everything that had happened up to that point. He gave a very good report.

I also talked with some children who asked me, "Is she going to be okay?" We are not supposed to answer questions like that, since we cannot tell the future, and we do not know what will happen. I asked, "Are you worried about your grandmother?" They said, "Yes." I told them she was doing better than she had been when we arrived, but she was going to go to the hospital so the doctors could check her out and make sure she was okay.

"Grandmothers are really special," I said, trying to affirm their love and concern for their grandmother. I tried to speak to them in a way that might provide some comfort without making promises that she would definitely be okay (although I believed she would be fine).

And the miracle I saw today was a mother and child who walked away unharmed from an incredible motor vehicle crash on the highway. The EMT-Basic said the EMT-Paramedic was "still looking for feathers" (from the angels that were protecting the mother and child). Other emergency people on scene said the same thing. It looked like a miracle that anyone came out of that car alive.

In light of my day 'at work', ruining my cell phone by washing it in my work pants was in the 'small stuff' category.

I'll be using a wind-up alarm clock to wake me in time for day 3 on the ambulance.

Sunday, May 22, 2005

Lights, Sirens, and High Speed Travel

I did my second twelve-hour EMS (on the ambulance) clinical yesterday. It ended up being 13.5 hours, because we got a late call for a very sick woman. I was wondering on the way to the hospital if she would die before the night was out.

The paramedics (EMS and firefighters) and all the others helping (EMS and Firefighter EMT-Basics/Intermediates/First Responders) had done all that could be done pre-hospital. We transported her to the hospital and kept a close watch on her breathing and heart rhythms and level of consciousness.

On the way to the hospital, I was thinking about how she was someone's mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, and aunt. Maybe she was still a wife and a daughter and a niece. I'm sure she was someone's friend and neighbor.

I was thought about how frightening it is for families when a loved one goes to the hospital and they don't know if they'll ever see them (alive) again. I wondered if her family would see her again. She was breathing, and her heart was beating. But, sometimes things change quickly, and the heart rhythms become irregular to the point that the heart can't pump the blood efficiently, or it stops completely.

When everything goes wrong, you hope the best of the best are with your loved one doing all the right things at all the right times. But, even with all the 'correct' interventions, when a person has no pulse and is not breathing, most times (from what I've been told) the person does not begin breathing again and the heart does not start beating again.

It is always a joy for pre-hospital emergency people when they can 'bring someone back'. The worst times are when the person dies right in front of them and nothing will bring them back. Those calls haunt EMS workers in much the same way that suicides haunt the survivors of those who commit suicide. They always wonder if there was one more thing they could have done to save the person.

Fortunately for this woman, her heart kept pumping and she kept breathing. We left her in the care of the emergency department at a local hospital.

After we left, I asked the medics I was riding with, "Is she going to die?"

The answer was brief.

"Not tonight."

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Saving My Life Two More Ways


Yesterday, I did three things that were calculated to (potentially) extend my life or at least to prevent my life from ending sooner than necessary.

1) I had my yearly mammogram. I don't generally publish such things on the internet, but this should be standard once-a-year behavior for all women over the age of forty. If you have not been for your mammogram this year, make your appointment now.

2) I got my first of three Hep A + Hep B vaccinations. Check my post yesterday for this story.

3) I went to a police supply store to inquire about purchasing protective wear. They will not sell to me without proper authorization. But, it looks like I will be able to get the certification needed to allow me to purchase the body armor I want to wear when I work on an ambulance (or do 'third rider' clinical rides as a student). I asked another police officer if she thinks it is necessary. She said, "Yes, probably so." Pray for us all.

In addition to three ways to save my life, I also stopped by a Hospice where I was in the process of completing an application for employment. They told me several months ago that they can probably hire me to work 'ecb' (emergency call back) when their regular employees call in sick. They'll have me do home health visits or continuous care (sitting with a dying person during the last hours of life).

When we talked about continuous care a few months ago, they told me I'll need to have a different thought process in this job. Instead of wanting to jump in and try to save the person's life, I will need to sit with the patient during the process of dying without doing anything to try to prolong life. It is the complete opposite of pre-hospital emergency care.

I wonder how it would be to work on an ambulance one day and do all I can to bring someone back, and sit with a dying person the next day to be there as a companion in the last hours and a witness to their death. I do not know if I will have the opportunity to do either job, or both jobs, but I think each will broaden my perspective. I hope working in both jobs will help me provide better patient care to patients whatever the situation.

Monday, May 16, 2005

Cancer Vaccine (What I Learned at the Health Department Today)


Today, I learned that there is a vaccine for cancer. I had never heard that before, so you can imagine my surprise.

Today, I learned that Hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer. I did not know that.

The Hep B vaccination series prevents Hep B from developing in a person's body. By preventing Hep B from developing, the vaccine also prevents liver cancer from developing (in most cases).

Wow! That was a surprising bit of information. I told the nurse, "I need to tell everyone to get the Hep B vaccine."

They had a photo of a man who has liver cancer. The man looked horribly uncomfortable. His abdomen was swollen as large as two full-term pregnancies (all in one belly) and it was filled with large dark veins just beneath the surface. I don't know what stage his cancer was, but the cancer information says that liver cancer is almost always fatal.

It also says that Hepatitis B is the cause of liver cancer in 80% of the cases. So, the Hep B vaccine won't prevent it for everyone, but if the numbers are right, it could have prevented 8 of every 10 of the cases that are already active.

That's reason enough for me to get the vaccine. But, I didn't know that until I was already there for the vaccine.

I'm getting the vaccine a little late in the game. It's been about a year since I did my EMT-Basic ambulance rides and about eight months since I began my hospital clinicals for the EMT-P program.


Two years ago, I began work at a group home working with adults who have developmental disabilities. I was offered the vaccinations then. But, I was afraid of it.

I thought there might be some way I could get hepatitis from the vaccine. I knew that was probably irrational (and untrue), and it was, but that prevented me from getting the vaccinations two years ago. Now, I'm finally doing it.

Fortunately, I've not had any needle sticks. So, even though I drew blood from an addict once ("Try this vein. It's usually pretty good. The others don't work anymore."), I don't have the disease. So, it's not too late.

Here's what the Hepatitis B Foundation has to say about Hepatitis B and liver cancer. It's enough to convince me that we all need the vaccine, not just those of us who work in healthcare.

Did you know that hepatitis B is the primary cause of liver cancer? 80% of primary liver cancer worldwide is caused by chronic hepatitis B infections.

In other words, if you do not have hepatitis B, your risk for liver cancer is low. Since hepatitis B is a vaccine preventable disease, the hepatitis B vaccine was dubbed the first "anti-cancer vaccine" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

ps- I found the photo of the swollen belly. Maybe it isn't as big as TWO full-term pregnancies, but it's pretty big. And, it looks like it would hurt terribly. Look at the photo, and start your Hep B series tomorrow!

The Hepatitis B series involves three shots in the arm over a period of six months. I'm doing mine at the Tulsa County Health Department's immunization clinic at 15th and Yale, next to the Driller's stadium and the Tulsa County fair grounds.

My employer is paying for the series of shots. (THANK YOU!) If they were not, it would cost $50 per shot. I am paying an extra $5 each time in order to get a combined Hep A + Hep B vaccine. It costs less if you combine the shots.

I added the Hep A series in with the Hep B series, because it's more affordable that way. I added the Hep A vaccine at all, so it can help me avoid being one of the ones who has to go to the hospital after an outbreak of Hepatitis A at a local restaurant when an infected worker hasn't washed his or her hands well enough after a trip to the bathroom.

Oh, one more creepy medical fact, as if all of this (including that photo) is not enough to convince you that you need to get the Hepatitis B vaccination series. Hep B lives in body fluids. It can be transmitted sexually, and it should be feared as much as HIV/AIDS, because it can kill you.

Here's the creepy part. The Hep B virus can live outside the body. The nurse at the health department told me it can live outside the body for up to thirty days. This means, you can get Hep B from something as simple as using someone else's razor or toothbrush or tweezers (assuming there was blood on it from an infected person and it was not properly sterilized first).

Most people who have Hep B do not know they have it until many years later. Many have no idea how they acquired it. These people pass it along to others without either being aware.

Protect yourself. Make safe choices. And, get the Hep B series of vaccinations.

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Google From Here


Hey, guess what?

You can scroll down to the bottom of this page, and type any ol' thing into the little box marked 'Google', and you can do your searches from here.

I'm not sure how it works except that I signed up with Google so they could put their little search box into my web log. The idea is that if some huge number of searches are done from my blog, they'll send me some money! lol. I had to give them my information and put their code into this blogger web site in order to have their little google search bar at the bottom of this page.

Since the amount they pay per search is probably less than a penny, and since they don't pay anything until a balance of $50 has accrued, I'm sure I'll never actually get a check from them. But, all your searching will make my stats go up, and it will feel good when I read the numbers for 'length of visit' and 'page views' on sitemeter.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Your Group Keeps 50% of the Sale Price

Do you have a group that needs to raise money?

Your group can keep 50% of the sale price of Country Bunny Bath and Body fundraising items.

Visit my online store, and send me a note. I'll write back with details.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

"I survived 'Nam. I'll survive Tulsa."


That's what my paramedic preceptor said when I asked if he wears body armor. He just scoffed at the idea. But, he did say offhandedly that those who work the night shift wear it.

Later in the shift, we had the occasion to stand around with some police officers while waiting for a decision to be made (by a patient) about whether or not we would be the ones transporting the patient.

I asked the police officers about body armor. They told me there is no law that says I can't purchase body armor. They said, "You can buy it and wear it around all the time if you want to." But, they said, I'll just have to find someone to sell it to me.

They told me where NOT to go. They said I should not go to the store that is owned by former police officers, because they get really upset when any non-police person wants to buy such items. One of the guys said he was in there the other day, and the man (former police officer) became very angry and almost threw a man out of his store after the man asked to buy body armor.

They were cool about it all. They told me who might sell to me. And, they told me what level of protection is provided with the various 'levels'. They told me what I can expect to get for what price.

So, I feel better about the body armor situation. I'll check again with the other store and see if I can buy from them. I've been planning all along to spend whatever it would take to purchase it. Now, I'll just need to find out who I can buy from.

About the ride? It felt like an easy day. We got 10 calls in 12 hours. But, five of those calls were canceled before we arrived. We transported the other five. Of those, none were terrible trauma situations. There were no guns or knives or cars causing injury to humans. No one was badly hurt. No one died. That was good. I'm sure there will be plenty of time for those calls if I stay with this particular kind of medicine (pre-hospital emergency).

My preceptor, the paramedic, enjoys teaching. So, he spent time between most of the calls talking to me about various things. I practiced preparing some of the meds. He told me things and asked questions to see if I understood.

He tried to get calls for us, so I could get the most possible experience. He requested that we be stationed at one of the busiest posts in the city. We did get pretty many calls. We just didn't get to complete but half of them.

We (students) are not allowed to lift or move patients on the cots, for insurance reasons, but we are allowed to do anything else we feel comfortable with. I checked blood pressure and pulse, listened to breath sounds and heart beats, connected 4-lead and 12-lead electrodes for the cardiac monitors, and started IVs.

I needed help with the IVs, because some patients were a little dehydrated and some had fragile veins. I'm better at that in the hospital than in the back of the truck. But, it's fun working out of the truck.

The day/night 12 hours ended without incident. He gave me all SAs (strongly agree) for the various areas he was to evaluate me. (I like it when that happens. It doesn't happen every time.)

In the comments section, he wrote, "Excellent assessment skills. Great patient interaction." That's always nice to hear, too! :)

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and Ambulances


Yesterday I spent twelve hours in CICU. I was there as a paramedic student. I was there to learn and to do whatever I was allowed to do. I helped with patient care and med administration. I'll probably be back on that same unit next fall as a nursing student.

Today, I'll be doing the first in a series of ambulance rides. They, too, are 12 hour shifts. I'll be there as a paramedic student.

There is increasing concern in Tulsa about gangs and guns. So, many of the people who work for the local high-volume ambulance service wear body armor.

I would like to have the opportunity to protect MY life, too. But, when I called a store that sells body armor (bullet-proof vests), I was told they might not sell to someone who is not already employed. (I'll have the opportunity to make my case with the manager of that store when he returns to work tomorrow.)

I called the ambulance service and was told that I probably will not be allowed to purchase body armor since I am not already employed in the field. I asked if they have some I may wear while I'm doing my clinicals with them. He said no.

Why is it that I am in a training program where I am learning to work as a paramedic, a dangerous profession, so that I will know how to save the lives of people who are sick or seriously injured, yet no provisions are made for my safety?

My school does not provide protective body armor for me.

The ambulance company I'll be riding with does not provide protective body armor for me.

And, I am being told that I probably will not be allowed to purchase it since I am not yet employed in that field.

What's wrong with this picture?

Sunday, May 08, 2005

Party In My Driveway

When I returned home on Sunday evening, I could not park in my driveway beside my house. It was filled with cars, bumper to bumper, two 'lanes' about 4 or 5 deep. There were also cars on the street and there was a car in the front yard next door.

At first, I wanted them to move the cars from my driveway. (We share a drive. Half is mine. Half is for the house next door.) But then, I decided to just pull over as close to my house as possible and took my things into the house.

By that time, people were starting to move cars. I said, "It's okay," and "no problem." But, several trucks and cars were pulled out onto the street so I could get closer to my house. People were saying, "I'm sorry," and "I turn down music." I kept saying, "It's okay. No problem."


Fiesta por el dia de la madre! :) It was a party for my next door neighbor for Mother's Day. She is from El Salvador. It was cool that they said they party was in her honor. (The guys all drink beer in the front yard and listen to music from the car trunk stereo almost every weekend. But, this was a real party with the women and children, too, and with food on the grill.)

People here tend to call any Spanish-speaking person with slightly darker skin Mexicans. But, the people celebrating her day were young people from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatamela. She's the madre and the abuela. She's also the aunt and the pretend mom for a lot of those who were at the party. She was smiling a big, happy smile! :)

I took some of my lotion bars with me when I went to the party . I know she does not have enough money to ever buy anything from me. I opened up three of them. Peach Mango, Pearberry, and Oatmeal Milk and Honey. She smelled them all. She liked the Peach Mango, so I gave it to her. Then, she asked what everyone wants to know. What is it? What do you do with this? So, I showed her and explained. One of the young women who understands English translated for us.

Lots of the guys posed for pictures and asked for copies. It was after 9pm. 'Mexican' music was blaring from lighted speakers in the open trunk of a car. Guys were drinking longneck Budweisers. Little children were playing. A couple was sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck. Most of the women were inside with the little children and the babies.

One guy was alone with his head in his hands. When he saw me, he smiled a beautiful smile so I could take his picture. Then, he told me, "My mother is dead." His English was broken, but it was better than my Spanish. He told me his mother died last month in Honduras. He said he is 23 and came to the US when he was 14. He said he never went home again. So, he never saw his mother again. He said the people at the party were his friends, but they don't know his hurt. He kept saying, "but, it's okay," and trying to smile. I said, "You love your mother." He said, "Yes! I LOVE my mother!"

Friday, May 06, 2005

Some Articles of Interest to me


George Will on the powerful claiming persecution. (You'll need to sign in to read it, but you can visit the Washington Post site for free if you sign up.) This was his editorial printed in the Thursday, May 5, 2005 edition on page A25.

One of my classmates is the partner of the paramedic who was attacked May 2, 2005. A man who lived near the ambulance station wanted morphine and she refused to give him any. So, he tried to kill her.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

epinions.com says ...

Country Bunny Lotion Bar

Author's Product Rating: 5 Stars
Pros: It Really works.
Cons: Last too long. Guess that really isn't a Con.
The Bottom Line: Country Bunny Lotion Bar is easily transported and lives up to all of its claims.

Country Bunny Oatmeal Milk & Honey Bar Soap

Author's Product Rating: 4 Stars
Pros: Smells wonderful, helps with itchy skin, can be used for shaving, exfoliates.
Cons: Can only be purchased from a rep, can disappear quickly!
The Bottom Line: A great smelling bar soap that not only cleans, but also takes care of dry and/or itchy skin and replaces your shaving cream/gel!



You can purchase these items at my online store, or call 1-877-662-8669 and tell them my name and Rep # 7733. Either way, you can pay with your credit card and have items shipped directly to your home.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

A Personal Letter to Siblings (an open letter to everyone else)

Mmmmmm. Almond. I love that smell. I finally found Jergens lotion in that fragrance about a year ago. I guess they just started making it again with that fragrance. It does bring back happy memories.

The Country Bunny Bath and Body fragrance that is the closest to that almond smell is probably the Oatmeal Milk and Honey. It has a yummy scent. You'll be able to try out all the products in that scent, b/c I ordered a Country Bunny Bath and Body Premium Product Set for Momma in that fragrance.

I really love this stuff! lol. So, I kind of went out on a limb and bought Mom the entire Country Bunny Bath and Body Premium Product Set. I'm hoping she's as excited about it as I am. (I'm sure she'll love all the products. I just wish I could have seen her before I ordered it, so she could have smelled all the fragrances and picked her favorite).

Yesterday when I called to order, I discussed with the Country Bunny Bath and Body customer service person which fragrance to choose. I wasn't sure which one to send.

She said a lot of people in our parents' generation like the Oatmeal Milk and Honey because it reminds them of the almond lotions they remember. I think that the positive reaction to the almond scent is not limited to only one generation. We all love that smell, too.

But, she's right about why it is popular. It brings back happy memories. (A neighbor and friend who smelled the Country Bunny Bath and Body Oatmeal Milk and Honey Lotion Bar last week said the same thing. It reminded her of happy childhood memories.)

Yesterday, two back-ordered items arrived. I didn't even know I was supposed to have them. They were items for my Country Bunny Bath and Body starter kit.

One of the items was the bonus buy Country Bunny Bath and Body Kiwi Cooler Suncare Tote. It is available for purchase for only $10 to any person who buys $35 of Country Bunny Bath and Body products. (That's easy to do! The hard part is deciding what NOT to buy!)

The other back-ordered item that arrived was the Country Bunny Bath and Body Satin Shea Body Butter in the Sugar Sweet Pea fragrance. I had not picked the Sugar Sweet Pea fragrance as one of my favorites when I'd smelled the little fragrance sample. But, when I put the Sugar Sweet Pea Satin Shea Body Butter on my hands, ohhhhhh! lol. It smelled wonderful.

I'm thinking of buying myself the entire Country Bunny Bath and Body Premium Product Set in the Sugar Sweet Pea fragrance. If I do, I'll bring it home when I visit and y'all can all try all of my Country Bunny Bath and Body Sugar Sweet Pea items, too (as well as trying all of Momma's Country Bunny Bath and Body Oatmeal Milk and Honey items).

The Country Bunny Bath and Body Premium Product Set has one of everything that comes in that fragrance. Now that I've tried almost all the different types of Country Bunny Bath and Body products, I WANT one of all of them! lol. Now that I've tried them all I want to USE them all. They're so neat.

I think I'm going to sell a lot of this stuff, because it's so wonderful. I like it so much I can't stop talking about it. I finally used the Country Bunny Bath and Body Salt Scrub for the first time today. I washed my hands with it. Now, I'm wanting to use it on my entire body once in awhile. (Oh, one suggested use for the Country Bunny Bath and Body Salt Scrub is to put a tiny bit under the running water when drawing a bath. It felt so good on my hands when I used it today. I bet it does feel good in a warm bath.)

I'm already planning to do the spa treatment with y'all when we see each other this summer! It's what you do at the start of a Country Bunny Bath and Body Spa Party (hostess party).

You have the guests wash their hands using the Country Bunny Bath and Body Shower Gel (1/4 gel to 3/4 water in the special dispenser bottle!), then wash their hands with the Country Bunny Bath and Body Salt Scrub. After that, pat one of the hands dry and barely pat dry the other.

With the still-moist hand, liberally rub in the Country Bunny Bath and Body Satin Shea Body Butter. Then, wrap that hand in a hot (wet and wrung out) paper towel and then in plastic wrap.

Leave it until the towel cools and remove the wrapping. Compare the two hands.

(For our family spa party, we will do both hands! The one-handed spa treatment, something they call 'the lobster claw' is to let people compare one hand with the other and see how wonderful the treated hand feels.The treated hand comes out so much softer than the other hand people ask, "Will you do my other hand, too?")

To finish, use the Country Bunny Bath and Body Lotion Bar to seal in the moisture (with beeswax, plant oils and vitamin e).

That's why I want ALL the products in my favorite fragrances. :) And, I didn't even mention the spritzer or the body silk. The Country Bunny Bath and Body Linen and Body Spritzer is for body or sheets. It's light and provides a light fragrance. The Country Bunny Bath and Body Body Silk Lotion is very thin and light. Just a tiny bit can cover an entire arm or leg. It is as thin and light as the Country Bunny Bath and Body Satin Shea Body Butter is thick and creamy.

After you try all these things, you'll be like grandparents who greet the grandchildren first or children who ask "What did you bring me?" when a parent returns from a business trip. And after you try all these things, from then on, you'll be looking to see what new Country Bunny Bath and Body items I've brought you this time! :)

And, that will be just fine with me!

See you soon.

Monday, May 02, 2005

Chain e-Mail, Quotations, and a Job Offer


Chain Letter

Someone sent me one of those chain-letter emails to forward to other people in hopes that a wish will come true. I don't like things like that. But, I did like the prayer she sent. So, here it is:

St. Theresa's Prayer:

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.

*****

This ties into some quotes I've been wanting to blog:

1. I spoke with a friend on Sunday whose family has had a number of physical and financial setbacks during the past year. This includes multiple injuries and surgeries, mistreatment by employers and colleagues, a small business going under, and a significant drop in income.

I asked how they are doing (emotionally). I asked if there is any resentment about these difficult times.

Her reply was one I should have expected. She has an excellent sense of balance in her life. And, she chooses to take life as it comes, the good and the bad. She does not blame others for setbacks. She just looks at what she can do to change her world, and she keep working.

My friend has very good mental and emotional health. To the degree that we are able to contribute to our own mental health, her attitude is the equivalent of eating all the right foods, drinking enough water, avoiding substances that are harmful to the body, getting enough sleep and exercise, and managing stress.

She said, "I don't have any resentment. I thank God for everything, the good and the bad."

She said that to me. And, I believe her.

2. On Sunday, yesterday, I looked at the Careers section in the local newspaper, Tulsa World. It was part of a story they picked up from the Chicago Tribune written by columnist Carol Kleiman. There was a quote that rang true for me, so I wanted to share it with you. Maybe it applies to many of us. It was from an article about a woman who started her own business. She said,

"I have a strong personality, desire and drive, and there are very, very few companies that embrace these kinds of characteristics. Most companies look for the 'yes' person -- and that is not who I am. I've had so many doors slammed in my face that I've decided the only way I'm going to be happy is to have my own business."

*****

This brings me to the Job Offer section of this post.

I was hooked on the Country Bunny Bath and Body Peach Mango Lotion Bar within moments of seeing it, smelling it, touching it, feeling it, and using it. And, only a few minutes later, I was asking, "What do I need to do to sign up?" I liked it that much.

I still like it that much.

The cost to sign up with Country Bunny Bath and Body is $89. As soon as your information is in their computer, they'll ship you a bag (over the shoulder briefcase style) with products worth at least the amount of the sign up fee. They also include training materials and an online-store free for the first year you are with the company.

I really like the Country Bunny Bath and Body products.

The products are wonderful, so I've been telling anyone and everyone I can tell. People are beginning to say, "I'll have a party for you" and "I'm selling your products for you. I'm telling everyone about it." That's great, because they'll get free and half-price products based on the sales at their parties.

I'm also excited about the new change in the EARNINGS FOR FUND RAISING GROUPS. It's impressive. AS OF TODAY, a fundraising group can sell the special HOP, Inc (Help Other People) line of fund raising products by Country Bunny Bath and Body, and they can KEEP 50%.

That sounds good to me.

I'm already talking to groups about the possibility of using these products to earn money. Contact me if you'd like to disuss this possibility.

If you would like more information about Country Bunny Bath and Body products, click the link to visit my online store. Then, click 'email me' and send me a note. I'd love to tell you more about Country Bunny Bath and Body.