Posts Tagged 'Kris Harty'

The In ‘N Outpatient by Kris Harty

Posted by kbuxman on June 7, 2011

“Did I read that right?”

I re-read the online invitation I received. It wasn’t an invitation anyone hopes to get. There was no ‘shhh’ finger-to-lips graphic, no indication of umbrella drinks, not even a hint of fun food.

There was, however, a beautiful photo of a radiant young woman with three little boys.

It seems a fundraiser is scheduled for someone I know, someone who is a colleague and friend. It has been a few months since we connected and this was the first I heard of her news.

My heart skipped a thump as my eyes re-scanned the text. The words took a moment to register in my unaccepting mind. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

A small business owner and active business leader throughout much of the state, she has needed to curtail her activities, for obvious reasons, thereby curtailing her income, too.

It must have hurt to cut back on the passion that drives her in business and her usual accompanying dizzying schedule. What must hurt more is knowing she has three young boys to raise alone, while looking into an uncertain future, financially or otherwise.

No one ever thinks someone else will get cancer. When that someone is young, vibrant and churns out whirlwind energy that leaves the rest of us panting several hundred paces behind, it shocks something in our soul.

My soul was most certainly shocked.

The invitation said something about us needing to help someone who routinely and unselfishly gives so much while helping all of us. Yes, yes, that’s what we need to do. Give back. Even though the monetary giving back seems paltry in comparison to how much we’d like to help in a more vital way.

But that’s not our role. We can only stand by the sidelines and watch while leaving that role to her healthcare team – nurses, doctors and everyone else it will take to battle the battle inside. We trust you to fight this battle for her in the way the rest of us can’t.

Coincidentally – or not – the email I opened immediately prior to the invitation was an interview outlining the importance of the oncology patient and provider relationship. I want to ask her if she’s happy with her healthcare team that is taking care of her. I want to know that she likes them, trusts them and respects them.

It’s none of my business, really, yet I want to be assured. I write this knowing it’s not my assurance that matters.

I think back to friends and family who have fought the battle. Many won. Some did not. I remember how most raved about their nurses and doctors and techs who traveled with them on their rollercoaster journeys.

What a difference they made. Not only to their patients, but to their patients’ friends and family, most of whom they never met. They left legacies, unawares.

In whose life will you leave a legacy today, whether or not you ever read it in print?

The Short Chick with the Walking Stick’s upcoming book celebrates professional caregivers as the StickSpirits they are. For four decades, they’ve helped Kris Harty Stick To It – No Matter What! She provides a patient’s perspective that is educational, inspirational, and insightful. Part memoir, part application, Kris helps student nurses, newer nurses and not-so-newer nurses remember why they joined their amazing profession in the first place. She shares how they positively impact patients’ lives, with minimal time and effort. Little things matter. Kris is the Thought Leader on People Helping People Persevere. She leads the conversation through writing, speaking, coaching, and small group discussions. A 40-year veteran of the medical industry – on the receiving end, Kris Harty is the Stickabilities Specialist at Strong Spirit Unlimited. If you’re looking for an effortless and meaningful way to lead your team toward continued quality caregiving, contact Kris. Call 877.711.STIC(K), email Infot@StrongSpiritUnlimited.com, or visit www.StrongSpiritUnlimited.com

Tags: Kris Harty, nurse speaker

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The In ‘N Outpatient by Kris Harty

Posted by kbuxman on May 31, 2011

“You’re such a non-compliant patient.”

Words I heard again at yet another medical appointment. I really should be fired sometimes.

The words were said with affection, from a nurse who has become a friend.

Nonetheless, though, she’s right. I am non-compliant. I comply when it suits me, and so often it doesn’t.

I recently saw my neurosurgeon for an annual re-check of a surgery he performed eight years ago. The symptoms that originally brought me to their office were similar to symptoms I once again found myself experiencing.

Numbness and weakness in my right hand were becoming all too constant.

Back then, the numbness was caused by a bone spur stealthily growing into my spinal cord. So the nasty little bugger was cut away and the numbness largely disappeared. Until this year.

I weighed my options: do I bring this symptom to my medical team’s attention and potentially deal with another surgery? I’m really not in the mood for an operation at this time. My calendar is full of plans; surgery is not one of them.

Or do I act the responsible patient and mention this numbness, knowing I might not like the answer I hear?

It seems to be a no-brainer, but it’s not so clear cut when your brain is the one involved.

After some deliberation with myself, the ‘responsible patient’ won the battle.

I hesitantly brought up my symptoms to one of my favorite doc / nurse teams.

We did an in-office exam, we did EMG / NCS testing, we did a follow up appointment.

My nerves were shot, but not from physical causes.

My nurse, Vicki, made the appointments as quickly as she could. And because of her seniority, connections and reputation, when she made requests, things got done. I was humbled and grateful.

Finally, at the followup, my neurosurgeron shared the great news. My nerves were fine!

The likely culprit is four decades of arthritis, causing musculoskeletal issues. Whew! Is that all? I can live with that, especially since my recently increased chiropractor appointments seemed to be lessening the symptoms.

I understand that hand surgery would probably make life easier, as my neurosurgeon suggested. But these old gnarled hands get me through normal daily activities just fine, thank you very much. If and when they no longer do, I’ll consider surgery.

At present, I have no desire to add to my eight-count and growing collection of surgeries. Some operations are non-negotiable: for example, spinal cord bone spurs and orthopedic surgeries needed for walking. Ones that are designed merely to make life easier? Pfft, they’ll have to take a number and wait.

Vicki asked if I planned to contact either of the referrals given to me. No, I’ve got my own calendar to get back to right now.

“You are so non-compliant, Kris. But it’s good. You know how all this works, and you think for yourself.”

Maybe so, maybe to my own detriment sometimes. But hey, as long as there’s options to weigh, I will.

The Short Chick with the Walking Stick’s upcoming book celebrates professional caregivers as the StickSpirits they are. For four decades, they’ve helped Kris Harty Stick to It – No Matter What! She provides a patient’s perspective that is educational, inspirational, and insightful. Part memoir, part application, Kris helps student nurses, newer nurses and not-so-newer nurses remember why they joined their amazing profession in the first place. She shares how they positively impact patients’ lives, with minimal time and effort. Little things matter. Kris is the Thought Leader on People Helping People Persevere. She leads the conversation through writing, speaking, coaching, and small group discussions. A 40-year veteran of the medical industry – on the receiving end, Kris Harty is the Stickabilities Specialist at Strong Spirit Unlimited. If you’re looking for an effortless and meaningful way to lead your team toward continued quality caregiving, contact Kris. Call 877.711.STIC(K), email StrongSpirit@StrongSpiritUnlimited.com, or visit www.StrongSpiritUnlimited.com.

Tags: humor and healing, Kris Harty, non-compliant patients, patient compliance

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The In ‘N Outpatient by Kris Harty

Posted by kbuxman on May 17, 2011

“Just add it to the bottomless list.”

Ever felt that way? As though the world and all its demands expects you to keep going until you’ve finished everything on your plate, so to speak. Including the Brussels sprouts.

It’s an image that reminds me of long-ago decades growing up in Fargo, North Dakota. The dinnertime rule was we had to eat at least a biteful of every food on our plate, even if we knew we didn’t like it. Logic said our taste buds might change as we grew accustomed to it.

The perennial battle of the Brussels sprouts absorbed my entire being. From the stench (as my nose remembers it) as they boiled on the stove, to glaring at them on the table, and then being scooped onto my plate. They silently waited to bring dismay and disorder to the rest of my night.

One bite would free me from the table, but my gag reflex was working overtime. I couldn’t make myself eat one microscopic bite of those dreaded, despicable, seemingly slimy Brussels sprouts.

While my mother finished washing the dishes, I waited patiently at the dining room table.

“Kristabelle, c’mon. Just one small bite. Then you can go play with your siblings.”

“No.”

She pleaded. I resisted. Eventually, I was let out of sprout prison.

With Brussels sprouts now making a seeming resurgence, I hear that their tastiness is all in the preparation.

I tried them recently, for the first time in decades. A friend hosted a potYuck, where each person brought their most unfavorite food. Not surprisingly, Brussels sprouts were among them. (By the way, what is one person’s food-trash is another person’s treasure. Test it with your own potYuck…)

The sprout was not as awful as I recalled. Yet I was glad to have it off my plate.

What’s on your plate that you keep putting off because there are so many other urgent, take-care-of-it-now issues that need your attention? What is the nagging issue that never leaves the bottom spot on your to-do list, that keeps getting pushed further down, waiting for you to tackle it?

Maybe it’s more schooling. Or preparing yourself to advance in your career. Or perhaps it’s a conversation you need to approach with a colleague – or a spouse.

We’ll never finish all that’s on our plate, at work or at home, no matter how much the world pushes for it. But sometimes the action we most put off, is what most weighs us down.

Whatever your Brussels sprout is, go after it. Move it to the top and check it off your to-do list. It may be the biggest sense of accomplishment you’ve had for some time. Take a first step toward it. First steps lead to second steps, and they eventually lead to walking off the to-do list entirely.

Don’t let the bad taste of it deter you. C’mon, you’ve got this one licked.

P.S. Oh, if you’ve got an irresistable Brussels sprout recipe, send it my way…

JNJ’s own fabulous Karyn Buxman has this to say about my book: “Kris Harty has the delightful ability to pull you into her world – make you laugh, bring a tear to your eye – and then deftly show you how her experience applies to your life’s work. A real shot in the arm to combat fatigue and restore your connection with why you got into this work in the first place.” Part memoir, part application, and hot off the press for Nurses Day in May: “A Shot in the Arm and A Strong Spirit: How Professional Health Care Givers Help Patients Persevere.” A perfect read on breaks or in staff meetings, contact me for ideas to get every nugget from it, including video conferencing for book clubs or speaking at your event. Pre-order or purchase in bulk for greater savings. Contact me: call 877.711.STIC(K), email StrongSpirit@StrongSpiritUnlimited.com, or visit www.StrongSpiritUnlimited.com.

Tags: brussel sprouts, Kris Harty

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The In ‘N Outpatient By Kris Harty

Posted by kbuxman on May 10, 2011

“Perseverance is a long word followed by a short attention span.”

While I wrote that quote for a recent weekly business column, it applies universally, especially so for patients.

If you’ve been in nursing for awhile, maybe you’ve observed what I’ve experienced firsthand – a decrease in the time patients, myself included, are willing to be patients. Attention spans for self-care shorten as our recoveries drag on from illness or surgery. Our society doesn’t do patienthood well anymore.

We want popcorn-ready recovery. Click a button, and presto – we’re done.

We live in an Instant Everything world. “Three seconds for a Web site to load??? Sheesh!” How that mentality affects recovery is a subject I touch on in my upcoming book, too.

As I note in the introduction (the ‘Check In’) to my book:

“We live in an Instant Gratification, Instant Everything world. Consequently, as patients, we might not have the skills needed to persevere while healing and recovery take their own sweet time. Perseverance is a dying art. The good news is we can regain those skills, especially when you lead the way.”

An excerpt from another chapter (complete with comment and question at end) recalls a time when I struggled with the patience to persevere. I underwent two record-book total hip revisions, six months apart. The non-weight-bearing walker I used for six months following each surgery allowed my bone grafts to heal.

“With the gracious help of lots of friends, family, and coworkers, I made it through the tumultuous post-surgical year of limited mobility. It was a trying time, even for someone ordinarily blessed with loads of patience.

The support and positive comments I received from [my surgeon] and his team at my periodic follow-up appointments encouraged me to keep going. Other patients made it through similar extended recovery times. I would, too.

I never thought I’d long to have my Walking Stick back. We don’t always know how good we have it until we don’t.

I knew I was feeling better a few months post-op when my patience with the walker was kaput. I could move so much quicker without it! It got in my way and slowed me down, and I had things to do.

While having been given strict orders to use my walker 100% of the time, and knowing the risks if I didn’t heal completely, I decided to compromise.

Using the walker in the traditional manner was too slow 100% of the time. So when I felt the need for speed, I began dragging the walker behind me. It was still with me. I was still using it.

We can justify anything, can’t we? In retrospect, it was a ridiculous move. But being the person living it at the time, it seemed a safe bet. I healed fully, in spite of myself. There are times this patient really should be fired.

UpShot:

Patients like me must be wearing for professionals like you. All the work you do to make sure I have the best chance to fully heal, and I risk it because I’m impatient. I’ve heard of doctors firing patients for not conforming to orders. I’m grateful my [health care givers] stick with me through my own occasional self-sabotaging efforts.

Stickabilities:

Stick Together ~ Who sticks by you when your actions suggest that their efforts might be better spent elsewhere?”

You provide the necessary reminders for your patients to persevere through a full and proper recovery. Your patients will short-change themselves; we look to you for the encouragement our perseverance-depleted selves crave.

Tags: instant recovery, Kris Harty, patient behavior, perserverance

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The In ‘N Outpatient by Kris Harty

Posted by kbuxman on April 12, 2011

“A what scan?”

A scanner connoisseur, this week’s appointment added a new one to my list.

The oral surgeon’s office has a newfangled scanner called a CBCT: Cone Beam Computed Tomography. I’ve had MRIs, CTs, tomography (um, regular??) and now CBCT.

It rocks.

The CBCT scanner is quick, easy and tunnel-free. It provides standing room only. The best part, it only outputs about 1/100^th of the radiation of a traditional CT scan.

“Put your chin up against this small cupped rail, stand still, and the two scanner parts will circle around your head. It’ll take about two minutes.”

The images pulled up immediately afterward. How weird to see what looked like a hologram of my lil’ ol’ skeletal head. Freaky, but cool.

My dentist recommended I see the oral surgeon and have him take x-rays of my jaw joint. You might recall a few columns ago when my left jaw bone seemed to crack, crumble and then – OUCH – get stuck, on and off, for a week or two.

Taking no chances, my dentist wanted to make sure all was mechanically ok and I wouldn’t be unexpectedly experiencing a frozen jaw anytime soon.

And for once, I heard really great news at a surgeon’s office. In fact, he went so far as to say that my jaw bones, both sides, looked really, really good. Well, ok, really, really good for someone who has had Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis for four decades.

I’ll take it.

“Wow, now that’s something I seldom hear: ‘Kris, you have really good bones.’ Woo hoo!” The surgeon chuckled.

“I’m happy to say there’s no need for surgery and you should be just fine. And keep up the singing lessons. They probably are helping.”

Whaddaya know. Another payoff for my newfound fun.

I started taking singing lessons a year ago. I’ve never sung in my life, not even in a choir. But it’s been tugging at me the last few years, so I decided to give in and see if there is anything there that wouldn’t scare human or animal.

Apparently, there is – I mean, there is some ability there. Anyway, my instructor keeps after me to relax my jaw.

Four decades of arthritis taught my body to remain tense to protect it from pain. While constant pain is long gone, my body didn’t get that part of the message. So tense it remains.

Forcing my jaw muscles to relax is challenging. It’s what caused the cracking and crumbling recently. Then it went into spasm (locking and unlocking my jaw) for a few weeks while it figured out what to do with its newfound state of relaxation.

My dentist noted that I could open my jaw wider than in the last decade he’s seen me. I notice it, too. And my singing instructor happily notices more movement for singing.

I’ve found singing is good for the soul. Who knew it was good for jaw muscles, too?

Oh yea, and for opening doors to new scanners, as well. Woo hoo.

——————————————————————————————————————-

Another Woo Hoo! Want a unique and meaningful way to celebrate National Nurses Day in May? I created a thank you book for you and your staff. As a forty-year patient, I see the need to give back to professional health care givers who give so much, while receiving little in return. Those you generously give to aren’t especially up to showing gratitude. My book speaks for silently grateful patients everywhere. Hot off the press for Nurses Day, “A Shot in the Arm and A Strong Spirit: How Professional Health Care Givers Help Patients Persevere” is part memoir, part application. It’s a perfect read on breaks or for discussion points in staff meetings. Other options are additionally available: video conferencing in for group book discussions or speaking at your event. Pre-order or purchase in bulk for greater savings. Contact me, Kris Harty, by calling 877.711.STIC(K), email StrongSpirit@StrongSpiritUnlimited.com, or visit www.StrongSpiritUnlimited.com.

Tags: dentist, Kris Harty, singing lessons

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