Monday, May 14, 2012

3 Days....1 Blog Post

It's been a crazy few weeks. Last week was packed with things to do, things to get done and just plain "things". I didn't have time to blog one day at a time so I decided to group this into a big 3 day blog event. Sorry! I'll start out with some Church news. Our little Branch of the church here in Ashland has always been small...well, sometimes we grew with move ins, but then we'd shrink down. After 35 years (for us anyway) of being a Branch the Church turned us into a Ward. How? They rearranged boundaries from a large Ward in Wadsworth, Ohio. They took the southern most part and put them into our boundaries. They have about a 30min. drive to Church now. Actually, not much different than they had going North to Wadsworth. So our membership here doubled overnight...our Branch President became a Bishop...the Relief Society where I serve as President just doubled..along with my work load! There are many issues to overcome with this change but I think in the long run it will all work out. So, to start out my 3 day blog event, here is the first Relief Society meeting with all the new Sister members.




Blog day #1: Our fearless leader who heads up these meetings...Ginger...took control and made a very successful and fun night. The craft was fun, the "getting to know you" questions were helpful and the food was great..all the makings of a good Relief Society meeting.
Good turnout with all the new Sisters from the Wadsworth Ward that now make up the Ashland Ward. It's going to take some getting used to calling Ashland a "Ward".
They all look like they are in an intense dialog..but do you see the candle in the middle of the table? The mosaic looking one? That's what we made. They really turned out very pretty.
This blog day #1 wouldn't be complete without a snapshot of the food! Relief Society wouldn't dare host an event without refreshments!
Blog day 2: Saturday our hospital...Samaritan Regional Health System...celebrated 100yrs. serving the Ashland community. It's a heritage that was started by one man's vision of the Good Samaritan and his desire to build a hospital to bring good health care to it's residents. It was not only a hospital but also a nursing school that ran for many years and closed in 1974. Most of the nurses that worked here were from that nursing school and a few still remain...like my boss! It's changed with the times and grown into an award winning facility. We were just ranked in the top 100 hospitals in the United States. Not bad!
This is a picture of the original hospital. I didn't take a pic of what it looks like today but it's changed dramatically. We have top notch equipment and the latest technology in all departments. We have a new OB dept. that would take your breath away and new operating rooms that rival anything the Cleveland Clinic would have. A hospital to be proud to work at and to go to for care.
The first part of the days events was held in an outdoor tent. The speakers were from the past and the present. As I looked over this crowd I noticed something that probably isn't coming through in the photo. I noticed a ton of white hair! Many former employees had a fun reunion with former co-workers or students from the nursing school that Samaritan had for many years. Some came with walkers, or canes or wheelchairs...but they came with pride and many years of service. They came to remember, cheer on, and support a community hospital that has survived in an age when many small hospitals haven't or they've been bought up by big businesses. We are lucky to have a wonderful hospital in our small town with good Doctors, great nurses and other professionals who serve and give a standard of good health care to the rich and poor alike...Living up to it's namesake...The Good Samaritan.
This display was interesting. The surgical tools here are old but we actually still use a few of them today. The sad part is I remember when most of them were in fashion! Dang I'm old!
Surgical tools? We use much smaller knives today! Lasers, staples, harmonic scapels, are just a few of the new tools of the trade.
All the employees were given these blankets that depicted the old Samaritan hospital and the new updated version. A nice keepsake.
Finally this is how nurses used to look. It was sure easy to tell who was a nurse. Now everyone wears scrubs and if you can read their name tag you might be able to see the RN displayed there. Plus there are many other workers in a hospital dressed the same that it makes it confusing when you're sick or on medication. It isn't easy to work with a cap on or a dress, but they did it with pride back then. The whole event was done very well and it was fun to take a step back 100yrs and feel proud to be a small part of it's history. Actually I've given over 30yrs. to its history so I do feel proud!
Mother's Day was the final day of this 3 day blog event. After Church we were visited by Phil, Amanda and the girls. They brought us the most delish pie..a Buckeye pie (for you non Ohio folk that is a chocolate/peanut butter cream delight!) It was yum...OH! My son Jack was working but that didn't stop a Mother's Day visit from his family. My daughter-in-law Stephanie and their kiddos came over and brought me this beautiful planter and plants to go in it..potting soil too! Here's Steph and our oldest Granddaughter Driana planting it for me. Thank you so much! It looks great on the deck. Jack called later to wish me a happy day and that made it all perfect!
Summer, you look like a Summer day!
Somebody found my camera and decided to take a few pics of each other. Anthony captured Cameron's popsickle face
Now it was Cameron's turn to click a pic...all I can say is, seriously Anthony, this is the best you could do?
Here's what my pics look like when I take them..take a lesson boys! My son Phil and his wife Amanda. I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day.

11 comments:

acorn hollow said...

wow I am tired. You are busy. the kids pictures are fun. Happy mother's day a little late.
Cathy

Stacy said...

Whew! What a week. Hope some well needed rest comes soon!

Rosaria Williams said...

My goodness, you are a busy person! Glad your family was all around for Mother's Day. The children are most adorable; no wonder you tend to dote on them.
Hope your next blogging marathon is about you sleeping, being taken out to dinner, sleeping...
Thanks for sharing, and for educating some of us on the intricacies of becoming a ward. I know that there is a lot of getting to know and making people feel welcome activity going on, and you have just the personality and good spirit to carry it on.

Susan Anderson said...

What exciting changes for your (now) ward! And that's great news about the hospital, too!

Glad you had such a wonderful Mother's Day.

=)

Julia said...

Wow Cathy, you always do so much for your community. Happy 100th Anniversary to your hospital. You have every rights to be proud of the level of great care given to the patients. They sure are lucky to have you.

Buckeye pie sure sounds yummy. I wonder if my daughter ever heard of it. Now I'm curious and I'm going to look it up on the web.

Lucky you to get such a nice planter for Mother's Day. It looks so nice with all the plants. It will look spectacular once the plants start blooming. Thanks for sharing all the nice pictures.

Anthony reminds me of one of my grandson. He always makes face when someone is taking his picture.

It looks like you have your work cut out for you with the amalgamation of the two wards. I'm sure that you will do amazingly well.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs, JB

karen said...

That's great about the changes in your new ward! And so interesting to go back in time to see all of the changes in your hospital.
Love your Mother's Day, and I'm quite jealous of your new planted AND the buckeye pie! (Wow...that sounded so good!) I've been deprived of sweets for awhile and I might have planted my whole face in it. Good thing I wasn't there...

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

THAT is one heck of a post. You covered a lot of territory. I am not as involved in church activities...I sort of dropped out when I became ill and never worked up to speed again.
Looks like you all had a fun time.
Hugs,
Mona..

Kerri said...

How exciting to work for a hospital that is celebrating 100 years...and you've been a part of it for 30! It sounds like they take good care of their patients AND employees. My family always goes to your hospital...I'm sure you can understand why they choose not to go to Mansfield General!
Congrats on your small church becoming a ward. Growing up, I often attended my best friends church...she is Mormon. It was in Lexington...but I can't remember the name of it!
Your planter is really pretty...what a great mother's day gift!

Maria Gunn said...

This was such an interesting and inspiring post. Ashland Hospital looks amazing. I know you are a great nurse and will have helped countless people to get better. God has blessed you with a wonderful gift for kind words. You are so amazingly positive and very, very funny!.

I'm seriously envious of that lovely planter. AND you've got all summer ahead to enjoy it. Looks like your day was filled with love and laughter. Thanks for sharing it.

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

Honey u had a very busy but great week. I think your Relief Society will enjoy having the new ladies from your other Ward.
The food you had there has now made me want a snack. lol
Love you shared this about your hospital. To be ranked in the top 100 of hospitals is quite the honor and I am so happy you work there. That may just be why it is ranked so high. What do you think?
Love these Mother's Day photo's. Especially the one of your Anthony. lol
So glad you had a Happy Mother's Day. I really enjoyed my day too
Love ya
Maggie

Darlene said...

I must say, your three day blog was very interesting. I can so remember when Palm Springs Branch became Palm Springs Ward. We were such a small Branch but they made us a ward anyway. All of us had at least two jobs and I had three! It is quite a thrill to see how we all grew (if not in numbers, at least in spirit.) I can feel sorry for you though as R.S. president. I can't even imagine how it would be to have double the number of people to take care of. It must be lots harder to have to drive to visit one of those members. I hope you have some great counselors.

I am so very impressed that your hospital was among the top 100 hospitals in the country. Our Eisenhower Hospital made that list too. You do have a lot of dedicated people that have been there for a long time.

Your Mother's Day sounded delightful too. I would love to have had a piece of that Buckeye Pie. I also think it is wonderful that Stephanie and the kids brought you a plant, but what really made it really neat was that they planted it for you too!! It looks like they picked a very good place for it on your porch.

I loved all the pictures that the gang took of each other. That picture of Phil and Amanda is so nice. What a good looking couple!!

Hope you can now take a deap breath and get a little rest this week.