{dandelion}.... a wish to be a better pharmacist

It's been little over a year since I have started my career.... and I have began to contemplate whether this was the right profession for me?  Do I love being a pharmacist? Is it rewarding?

I won't lie, I have had my tough days where I had to put in numerous $5 into this jar....

The concept of the jar was to limit myself from venting about work for more than 5 minutes. Each time I went over 5 minutes, I had to put $5 into the jar.  If I got to a certain amount I had reconsider if I should continue with my job.  Well good thing, I never reached that amount :)  

To answer the questions, I don't regret becoming a pharmacist & it is truly rewarding. I do have to say it's not always easy and it comes with its challenges and frustrations.

Looking back, I got into the professions, because I wanted to help my grandmother out with her numerous amount of medications.  It was overwhelming for my parents & aunt/uncles, because English was a 2nd language, and thus Medical Lingo a 3rd language for them.  My grandmother passed away during my 2nd year of pharmacy school, before I was able to help her with  any of her medications.

Thus, I constantly find myself treating my patient as if they were my family members.  For instances, I will never forget a few patients that have taught me a few important lessons:

1) A retired pharmacist who passed away a year ago taught me {Humility}.  I remember I used to explain to her the drug drug interactions & dosing of her medications.  Later, I read in a palliative care notes, that she was a retired pharmacist.  I asked her why she didn't just tell me, she stated that she didn't mind & that she was helping me learn.  I smiled and thanked her. I still remember the day I read her death note and cried, just to quickly realized that she was no longer in pain.

2) A deaf patient who taught me {Patience}.   My usual 20 minute initial phone consult turned into a 90 minute in person consultation with an American Sign Language Interpreter.   On future office visits, he taught me patience as I attempted to use my medical sign language I learned for him along with writing certain items down.  At the end of one of the conversation, he signed to me "improved" & "thank you", which really made my day, because I knew I had made a difference.

3) A difficult to managed patient taught me {Compassion}.  I attempted to give her instructions over the phone like my other patients, but she never understood the instructions.  Lastly, I resorted to having her bring in a pill box for me to fill.   On her 2nd visit, she brought me these:

Two toy flashlights along with her pillboxes.  She said "Thank You" for helping her with her medications & that she wanted me to have it!   On the way out she gave me a hug and said "I appreciate you for all of your help".  I was kind of shocked and had no idea she was going to hug me, so I stood there like a deer in headlights before I realized to say "Your welcome"  

These are just some of the examples that have touched me during my year of practice.  

 So the title of this blog is Dandelions.  Why? I love dandelions, because I associate them with making a wish & having hope.  

So today, I wish to be a better pharmacist & that my patients get well soon :)

This is a card I made for one of my sick patients with a LIVESTRONG bracelet.

To many more years, memories, and lessons to come :)  

 [Humility] [Patience] & [Compassion] 

Juice Cleansing: Why Not?

WHY the Juice Cleanse ? 

1) the hype, of course: why not try a cleanse that suppose to be detoxify you & make you have better skin
2) feeling bleh & tired after my foodie trip to New York & Chicago ... i think the amount of food i ate was kind of grossed i gained 5lbs and it took me nearly 1 month to lose it all, so to boost my energy 
3) attending a bachelorette party with a possible party & being in a bridesmaid in a wedding i wanted to also look my best, so to lose a little weight 

Which company did I go with and why?  Punch Bowl

1) Cost: simply because it was cheaper than most company appx $60  ($50 with my neighbor discount yayee) for 5 bottle of juices + 1 booster (E3live, Spirulina, Raw Coconut water) + Aloe Vera + Almond Milk + Evening Primrose 
2) Convenience: they open at 730am & I work in a nearby hospital and my shift starts at 9am
3) Customizable: Christiana actually customize the juices to what i wanted to achieve out of the juice cleanse: detox, getting rid of being bloated from toxins, & wanting better skin 
3) Love the staff & juices: it's a normal a go to spot for me a few times a week 

Now to share my journey :)  

Day 1 

- So knowing that I was going to do the juice cleanse, I actually ate a little bit less the day before in anticipation, so that my body wouldn't be in shock when I did the juice cleanse which i would totally recommend doing!

- I picked up these goodies (All served in a glass container) each morning along with a 1 gallon glass jug of alkaline water 
- It's important if you are doing this during the weekday that you have a fridge to store all the cold pressed juices because you don't want it to go bad! 
- The first day for me was the easiest i didn't really feel that hungry.  In fact i didn't finish all the almond milk and only took a taste on #5.   
- Surprisingly with the amount of juices i was drinking i still was thirsty and ended up drinking a little bit more than a gallon of water that day! 
- I am seriously in <3 with their juices! My favorite were the Ardent Greens & Zeus Juice.  The Zeus Juice actually made me smile :D 
- Feeling:  great!  Slightly hungry & i actually missed chewing so i chewed on gum! 

Day 2 

-I woke up feeling great, I actually did have more energy & woke up earlier 
-Throughout the day, I do have to admit this was the hardest day for me, I thought of cheating multiple times, but forced myself not too
-I started getting headaches around 4pm b/c of hunger so I darted to the fridge for the almond milk which helped!  
-This was the day i realized that the juice cleansing was a little harder than I imagine & socially in the states things involved around meals so i had to cancel some dinner plans with my friends
- I had to take a nap after work because i felt a little drained, but after the nap i felt better! 
-Feeling:  HUNGRY with slight headache!  The hardest day of the juice cleanse!
-Weight loss: 2lb

Last day of the Juice Cleanse! 

Day 3  

-I woke up feeling okay, I think my body was starting to get adjusted to not eating 
-Drove to the juice spot & Christiana added some rice powder to the almond milk to provide me with some more protein & combat the hunger
-It was a lot easier I still felt hungry during some parts 
-I still got a headache at around 4pm, which i took a Tylenol (Acetaminophen) promptly which helped a lot & I wish i had done it on Day 2. 
-As I was describing to people why I was doing a juice cleanse I realized that i had  low self-esteem & that I would start working on just learning to love myself, my skin, & weight! 
-Feeling:  HAPPY b/c one more day till REAL food, but with more energy & clearer skin 
-Weight loss: 1lb 


After the Juice Cleanse 
1) I was extremely happy I was able to do it :)  Took some strong will power & avoiding some social events 
2) Clearer Skin & More energy & Flatter stomach & Detoxify  - goal accomplished 
3) Total Weight loss: 3.4lbs, but you do gain some of it back when you start eating 
4) Self-Accomplishment & realization made me a happier person 
5) My stomach did hurt a little bit when I started eating again, so i had to take it easy in adding solid food back into my diet 

Benefits 
-Clearer Skin, More Energy, Detoxify your body of all the thing we eat! 

Cons
-Headache which can be treated with Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 
-Flatulence some ppl may experience this & the aloe vera juice taken at night is meant to be a laxative/colon cleanser

Tips: 
-Plan on taking it easy while on the juice cleanse: no marathon training etc
-Handy Fridge while at work and home  
-Wean yourself of caffeine if your an avid drinker because you may get caffeine  
-Available bathroom because I did have to pee more often! 

Let me know if anyone has any specific questions or comments :)