Barbie's Magic Hospital

Many of you know my love for Barbies. Even if you met me as an adult, you are aware that as a 28 year old I have Barbies in my house. As a college student, I had them displayed in my hallway. Creepy? A little. I prefer to think of it as quirky and comical...and prepared for little visitors, like my neice! The point is, I have always loved them. And it wasn't just the doll that I loved as a child, it was the elaborate story lines that I could create. Apparently the lack of drama in my own life spurred me on to dreaming up all sorts of soap-opera-esque plot lines at the age of 8. For instance, when we got our dog Taffy, a yappy, toy-poodle who had a taste for all things plastic, she managed to chew a hand or foot off the odd Barbie doll. So, to explain their disfigurement I would give them diagnoses. Usually cancer, which lead to the obvious limb amputation. My 8 year old brain apparently only knew one big disease. In my 7 years of nursing, I have yet to meet someone who has lost a limb due to cancer...but at least I scored some points for creativity!

Not only would my Barbies have a history of critical illness, but they would often develop acute exacerbations of some rare lung disease causing them to be on oxygen in the hospital. I would fashion some string into a small loop that fit around their nose and ears, like the oxygen tubing I now use everyday. (prophetic? maybe. hahaha) Not only that, but I would make ventilator noises to go with it. Now, I loved my Barbie Magic Voyageur, but if Mattel had come up with the idea of Barbie's Magic Hospital...oh man, I would have been in love!!!

So, today, as I was assessing my intubated patient in CCU (coronary care unit...basically an ICU for hearts) with the sound of the ventilator in the room, I couldn't help but smile and think back to my Barbie-playing days, sitting in my room, while Dr. Ken worked tirelessly to save Barbie's life so that they could ride off into the sunset together in their Grey Corvette with pink accents. And it made me think of just how intricately we are created, and how the dreams and little personalities we have as children shape us into who we are now, as adults. It makes me wonder, as I watch my nephews and neice play and imagine, what little parts of their distinct personalities will drive them and direct them to become the people they have the potential to be...

*sniffle*

I'm sick. I'm not sure with what, which is odd, because I am a nurse, so you'd think of all people I would be able to tell...but I can't. It's a weird, sore throat, now stuffy nose, no energy, wanna lie on the couch all evening, kinda sick. And all I want to eat is popsicles, ginger ale and carbs (Thrifty's raisin scones have been doing the trick). The only thing I like about being sick is the excuse to watch numerous movies in a row. And usually they're movies I've seen a million times, so it's okay if I fall asleep for 1/2 of it. Now, I haven't been able to get started yet, as most of my day of sickness was spent at clinical (ugh) (side note: I'm doing a clinical rotation for my course right now in the Coronary Care Unit, which is like the ICU for hearts...good times!), or watching good tv tonight (America's Next Top Model and One Tree Hill...I love Wednesdays!!). But I have big movie plans for tomorrow if the sickness is lingering.

And these movie plans will include my Top Movies to Watch While Sick:

1. The Little Princess (the one made sometime during the 1990s...there are a few out there)
2. The Princess Bride
3. Ever After
4. Sense and Sensibility
5. Pride and Prejudice
6. Narnia (warning: the battle scenes are a little loud for napping)
7. You've Got Mail

So, I'm gonna go to bed now, and will probably put in Sense and Sensibility to fall asleep to, only because I leant the first 3 out to a friend while she was sick. So next time you are sick, friends, send your friends or boyfriends or husbands to go get you a few Sick Movies...it makes those hours on the couch a little more bearable than daytime television.