One Year of Blogging, Mike is on HIStalk

Happy Birthday to my blog. :) I can't believe it has been one whole year. I was thinking back to when I first starting writing on here, and I was laughing at how much I had to learn about blogging. Once I learned how to post pictures from my phone, I was all over it. :) Then, after getting my EEE pc, it is even easier to upload from there. I have added widgets, blog lists, polls, RSS feeds, etc. It has been a lot of fun. I have especially enjoyed the stop smoking counter that shows how many cigarettes I have not smoked and how much I have saved by not smoking them. I have really enjoyed it. :) Here's to another year of nonsense. :)

My mom has been here this week, so it has been great to have her here. I miss getting to hang and chat with her. Morgan is busy getting spoiled by her this week. :)

My loving husband is a guest writer on HIStalk today. I think he did a fantastic job of explaining some of the reasons that docs don't implement EMRs in the small practices. I especially love the "I have people for that" reason. We get a lot of that. Some doctors don't even try to use it but instead have scribes follow them around and input their information. They claim that they see more patients, have more accurate documentation, and can provide better care because they are not worrying about all of the documentation. I am not sure I agree with that, but I do love the name "I have people for that" and will use it now. Now, if we could just get Mike to spend some of those words on his own blog...:) hint, hint... :)

Monday, Monday, Change of State

This is Morgan copying her parents money shot (it is monopoly money). Morgan and Grams played Monopoly for over 9 hours today. Amazing. I was surprised until I arrived at Uncle Mark's to see that Morgan had a pile of money, houses and hotels galore, and she was LOVING it. I have a feeling it would have been much shorter if Grams had been the one with the pile of money. I got to play banker when I got there. It was fun to watch them play. I remember many long hours of Monopoly and us accusing each other of cheating. :)

I stayed up late last night writing a use case for the EHRVA Lab Summit. I had Michael Pose helping me and editing last night after midnight. He is a machine. I knew he would be around, and he is always so nice to help with anything you need. THANKS MICHAEL! I think I forgot to write about the Lab Summit in Chicago. It was a meeting with many of the different stakeholders involved in lab orders and results to discuss ways to speed up adoption and to achieve at least a piece of interoperability earlier. If you have been on either side of a lab interface, I think you should get a medal. There are so many challenges in the process, and it was kind of scary to hear them all out in the open in a 2 day process. It is one thing to know that the bones are buried, but it is quite another to hear it all out loud and discussed in such a group. I did leave pretty hopeful that progress might be made. I also was unware that LOINC could not be used for ordering tests very effectively because there needs to be a parent level of test for many of the LOINC codes. For example, the LOINC code is actually for results and the LOINC code is specific to the methodology used to perform the lab test. When a provider orders a test, he wants to select the test in most cases, such as CBC, glucose, HBA1C, etc. The provider usually does not care which methodology the laboratory uses, but there are some cases where the provider does want to place an order for a specific methodology. I think if we could address this issue, it would go a very long way toward making lab interfaces much easier to develop and install. Right now, each lab has their own proprietary codes as their orderable tests, and each lab company may even have different orderable test codes based on different regions in the country. In other words, the labs haven't even created a standard code internally. So, it would be an amazing feat to get this standard code, but it would be fantastic. Of course, there are many other details to work out, but I think this one and having a standard payor code (like NPI for insurance) would be the items that could really speed adoption the fastest.

Travis always says that you go through change of state when you return to work after a weekend or a vacation. I agree with this concept. Your body resists the change until it is forced to go along. I definitely felt change of state today.

I got gas today, and it was $3.87 a gallon. WOO HOO! (Did I just say that about gas that is almost $4???). I had paid over $4 twice, and it just seemed like it was over the top to me. I read an article in the NY Times that said that people just notice the gas increase more because they stare at the numbers while it adds the fuel into your car. The idea of the article was that people buy many gallons of gas at a time where they typically buy one carton of eggs or one gallon of milk. So, when you buy many gallons at a time AND stare at the dollar amount for several minutes, the effect is more prominent. Regardless of whether it is more prominent, the gas prices have been out of control and have made a huge difference in my spending. I drive 26 miles to work each way, and I have to fill up twice a week. It now costs twice what it did when I moved here 3 years ago to drive to work each week. That is a big deal regardless of whether milk or eggs have also increased.

I just have to provide an update and say that I still ADORE my Asus Eee PC. It can do pretty much anything I need it to do, and it doesn't make me lean to the left after carrying it. Plus, it is a great conversation piece. I just never get tired of telling people the cost. I have had so many people think it is a DVD player to be shocked when they realize it is a real laptop.

I have been using my upgraded version of Microsoft Word (2007 version). I was really frustrated when I first got it as I couldn't figure out what to click on after being so used to knowing exactly where to click in the previous version. I made myself suffer though because I felt it was a good exercise in what it is like for our users after an upgrade. Now, I really am starting to like some of the functions, and I am even getting used to the ribbon. In Excel, I adore the new Sum button that makes addition even easier than before.

Ok, signing off now. 35 more days until my Tennessee Vols take the field. Nothing better than college football. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. GO VOLS!

Waiting in line for sheikra

We are having a great time at Busch gardens, but it is very crowded

Rosanne, Ed, Melissa, Johnny, Haley, Ethan, and Morgan at universal

This is the crew. I forgot to mention Ethan and his toy gun that he got. He absolutely LOVED that gun, and he must have shot Uncle Mark 50 times at least. :)

Cast is OFF and Trip to Universal

What a great day. First, we got up at the crack of dawn to make an appointment at Shriner's for Morgan's wrist. We are the first patient there, and we are excited to go straight back. She gets her weight and height taken, they take off the cast, and then they do an x-ray. Then, we waited for a while for the doc and we chatted with our friend Fawn who works there. The x-ray was good, and she doesn't need a cast or brace or anything. WOO HOO!

So, we are off to Universal. We meet Uncle Mark at a Publix and then head over there. For some reason, I am just not having a good day driving. First, I missed the exit I was going to take to go to Shriner's (although I am not sure the new way wasn't faster). Then, I miss the turn to go into the parking lot and end up driving around the circle. Then, I miss the turn into the Publix parking lot (ok, this one was more because I didn't know where I was going but still). We go into Publix to see if they have anything to put on Morgan's face because her face is SOOOOO sunburnt. I cannot believe how burnt she is. Her entire face peeled. It was blistered on her nose and lips, and it just looked painful. So, I wanted her to use zinc oxide, but she wanted Faces 45. I decided that the 45 should be enough since it is in a small round container so that it can be carried around with us all day.

As we leave Publix. we see Uncle Mark walking in. Of course, we are across the parking lot froom where our car is (what is with my sense of direction today??) but we crack ourselves up calling his name as he can't figure out where it is coming from. He goes in and gets what he needs, and we are off!

We are having a great drive until I look down and see the gas light on. OOPS...I remembered at that moment that I was going to get gas before we left. BUMMER. We pull off and then there is no gas station for miles. We finally find one, and then we notice that there are bags on EVERY pump. We drive right down the street to another station. 16.4 gallons. My tank holds 17. Whew... We get back on the road heading toward the interstate, and I miss the interstate turn. Another U-turn. I really am wondering about my mental state at this point. We get to Universal and park in the valet spot at my cousin Melissa's suggestion (we called her Missy as a child but she grew up into a Melissa!).

Melissa's step-dad Ed was so very nice to get all of us passes to Universal Studios (he works there). It was fantastic to meet Melissa's daughter Hailey and her son Ethan and to see her husband Johnny. Hailey and Ethan are so adorable. Morgan and Hailey hit it off right away. I had not seen my Aunt Rosanne in years, and it was so good to see her too. They now live pretty close to us, and that is why Melissa and Johnny were visiting with the kids.

We had so much fun at Universal. We went on the new Simpsons ride, and we went on most of the others. Men in Black and the Mummy were my favorites. After the day at the park, Rosanne and Ed were gracious to have us all to their house for dinner. Hailey rode with us, and she and Morgan shared headphones and sang the whole way. The kids had a blast playing in the pool, and it was nice to get to talk to everyone a little more. Thanks again Rosanne and Ed for such a great day!!!

Mark, Morgan, and I drove back just in time to go to bed after midnight. What a perfect day with family.

10,000 Hits...wow

It has been about a year since I started this blog. I just crossed 10,000 hits. I think that is incredible. I have been good about blogging at times and not so great at others, but I have LOVED having a blog. I have ranted about things annoying me, praised things and people who impress me, shared stories that are good and bad, and generally had a great time sharing my thoughts and life with mainly friends and family. I had no idea what I was doing when I started the first blog entry, and I don't know that I really have advanced much in the last year. :) I am continually amazed at the statcounter that tracks the hits.

It is absolutely fascinating to see how how people find my blog. I hope that people have found some information, humor, or some type of satisfaction by knowing that someone else has also been there. For example, kidney stones. I get so many hits on kidney stones and stents. I also get a lot of hits on Orville Redenbacher Natural Pepper popcorn. :) Of course, I get hits on Bond (and now MediNotes) and some one Misys and Allscripts. I think that we should do a reality TV show on people going through a merger/acquisition. With me going through the Bond/MediNotes aquisition and Mike going through the A4 and then now the Misys/Allscripts one, I certiainly have learned a lot.

I have also gotten quite a few hits on cheerleading, Tennessee football, divorce, quitting smoking, and for some reason I get hits on online teeth games. :) I think my family thinks I am crazy for blogging, and my brother Mark is always talking about how the stories about him are "never right." HA HA HA. :)

All in all, I love blogging. For one thing, this last year is definitely the most documented of any year of mine or Morgan's life. I have stories, pictures, random thoughts, and comments from my friends. What more could you want? :)

Thanks to those of you who have read with me. Leave me a comment if you have time!

Horns on a car. Only in texas

When "Easy" Procedures Go Badly

My best friend from Nashville's mother went into the hospital a couple of weeks ago for a routine OUTPATIENT hernia repair. 17 days later, she died. I am struggling with this whole turn of events. How can something like this happen? Her bowel was knicked during the surgery, and the doctors missed it for a few days. By then, she was septic. Apparently, she lived 15 days after she was so badly infected that her skin turned necrotic (black). Please keep Heather and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Crazy Times

Wow, I have to say that the last few months have absolutely been the busiest of my life. I feel like I never get a chance to just relax for more than a few hours. I am so thankful that I got to go to camp and to Hilton Head because those were the least busy and most relaxing.



While in Hilton Head, Morgan broke her wrist. You can see pictures below in previous posts if desired (bright pink cast). Of course, I was mortified as she proceeded to tell the ER doc and the Ortho that she had "never had a short cast before." Of course, that lead to the "oh, you have had a cast before?" question which was answered, "this is my third." Lovely. Mom and Dad, I get it. I really do. Now that Morgan has come out of the shyness bit, I get how embarrased you were when I was a child. I really apologize for all of the embarrassment. Really. Ugh, this Karma thing stinks...:)



Even with the bum wrist (she was just doing back handsprings on the beach when she landed funny and fractured her wrist), we had a great time on vacation. I have to hand it to Dry Pro as they really saved the trip. She used the dry pro cast cover and could swim in the pool, go in the ocean, build sand castles, play ladder ball, go on the boat, and even shower. She didn't have to worry about getting it wet as it vacuum seals her arm in it. I am so impressed as it has now worked for almost 2 weeks without fail. THANK YOU DRY PRO!



We got back from Hilton Head on Saturday night, and I had to fly to New Jersey on Monday morning. We had to give a demo in Long Island, and we didn't have a lot of time. Jack went to get us McDonald's while we waited on our luggage. Once we got his suitcase, we followed Jack to the demo. After 45 min or so, Jack pulls over and lets us know that we have been going the wrong way and the demo is actually in Long Island instead of NJ where we were headed. LOVELY. Travis drove us to the meeting, and we got the royal one finger salute from some New Yorkers in front of us (we almost hit them). I had to take Travis' phone away because he kept emailing while driving. Then, Tony had to point out the Statue of Liberty. Travis was much too interested and was not watching the road. Nothing like walking into a client demo an hour and a half late. As you can imagine, it was kind of tough after that. We survived, but it was rough.



The navigator in my phone lead us through Manhattan during rush hour to go to our hotel in NJ for the rest of our meetings. Travis was driving, and we had a blast. We laughed as she took us down 34th past park avenue and other well known streets. We laughed so hard. Travis said that there were more people in one block there than people who lived in his whole neighborhood. Tony kept saying that we were in the land that only cabs went. We even got a hot dog and pretzel from a street vendor, and we drove through 2 tunnels during the adventure. The whole thing only took 20 minutes longer than it took Jack who went the sensible, non-navigator route. :) I think it was worth it!



We had additional meetings in NJ at Ocean Shore Resort. I haven't ever spent time at the NJ beach, and it was interesting to be there. The view was nice, and the beach was nice. I didn't see any people in the water, but we were only outside in the evening. We walked to Sawa Japanese and to a Avenue restaurant. The Sawa place was very good. Avenue had us wait for a long time even with a reservation and then the food was only so so.



Our flight was cancelled leaving NJ. Fun, Fun, Fun. The next flight wasn't until 9:15. We get to the airport, have dinner and a quick drink, and head to the gate. We find out that it is now delayed until 11:45. Man, this trip is just full of fun. Finally, we board a little after midnight. As we are sitting there, the pilot announces that the plane is broken (he used some fancy words to describe it but my very tired brain does not remember them). I just kept thinking that the maintenance crew cannot be very fresh at midnight, and I am hopeful that they are paying attention. They must have fixed it because next thing I know we are in the air and the flight attendant is saying that we anticipate landing at 2am. WHAT????? That is crazy. I bet Travis that the rental car place will be closed, but it is actually OPEN!!! WHOA...I think that was our one good travel Karma. :) We arrive at the Holiday Inn Express in London, OH. It is actually a pretty nice place even though Krishan always gets the nicest TVs and I always get the old ones. :) It is just after 3 when I get to my room, and we have to be at the hospital at 8. WHOA...that stinks. :)

We somehow survive the day, and it is actually quite productive. Amazing. We meet Dr. A for dinner, but he is called away for an emergency. So, we eat and go back to the hotel. I talk to Morgan, talk to Mike, check email, and pass out. We are supposed to leave at 7am, but for some reason, I set my alarm to wake up at 7. OOPS. I actually wake up at 6:45 and get in the shower. Travis knocks on my door at 7, and I am all grumpy and yell that i am in the shower and will be down later. I realize at that moment that I am late. OOPS. I rush to get ready and call Travis. He is laughing and laughing and laughing. He says that Krishan isn't ready and Dr. A is still at home. He is actually waiting on us for a change. How hysterical. We are all scared to leave the hotel as the world cannot be right for this to happen. Thankfully, it changed as Travis returned to normal and made us wait every step of the rest of the day. :)

By some miracle, we finish and get to take an earlier flight. We went through Nashville (I cannot believe there is a Tootsie's in the Nashville Airport now). I miss Nashville, and I enjoyed even being in the airport. :) I got home around 9:30 and was attacked by Morgan. It sure does feel good to get home and have your daughter be so happy to see you. :)

Today, Mike, Mark, Morgan, and one of Morgan's friends went out on the boat. We had a blast even though it was somewhat overcast. Mike, Mark and I went to eat mexican (ok, ok, we really went for the Margaritas), and it was a very nice day. I fly to Chicago tomorrow for an EHRVA meeting and will return Tuesday night.

The dry pro at work (the greatest intention ever)

The boys

Waiting for fireworks

Morgan and katie in patriotic hats

Kids on papa's boat

Morgan broke her wrist tumbling on the beach