Obituary (assignment written in class today)

Lauren Taylor Shank Born April 18, 1987 – February 27, 2012

Lauren was born and raised in Rome, Georgia the first child of Dave and Susan Dickson. Her daddy raised her on great music and good food from the grill. He loved her giddy personality and cultivated an arduous and honest spirit in her little soul. Her Moma was also her best friend. Igniting the spit-fire, unabashing zest for life that was the very foundation for who she was and for what she is most clearly remembered. She is survived by her two siblings, Page & David for whom she was both fiercely loyal and joyfully proud. Lauren, most affectionately known to her hometown as “LD” was a local soccer star and vocal aficionado in her youth group at TUMC. LD’s spirit was truly personified on the soccer field as a “dominator”, “the wall”, and more clearly “the stopper” she worked to her very last breath defending her fellow teammates and the goal, a direct testament to how she lived every day of her life. Church members remember her best of the young woman who would return home from college and “fill the little chapel with her beautiful melodies and outrageous laughter.”

Lauren had recently become the wife of Jason Shank, whom she met rather humorously in the heat of the summer of 2007 wearing a mere chef’s coat and her trademark extra-large grin. Jason & Lauren were rather opposite and yet he completely complimented, accentuated, and made up all that was the very best of who she was. He was the other portion of her puzzled present and the missing face in all of her futures. He was to be the father of her future 6 children and the master of all of her “insanities”.

Lauren was truly, fully, and completely loved. And loved even more so in return.

the given.

and then life
in it's unexpected everpresent twist
turns and speaks
unwielding, straight into your space.
as if in some feeble attempt
offering himself completely
to you.
in a dead sprint, lungs burning
from the tears and the cool, crisp wind.
from the smoke billowing
out of her deep dark, limitless skies.
mountain peaks whisper to little hands clasped
in wonder, and inevitable wander speak
lengthy shadows both make.
to think life
with its twin hearts, scattered about like dandelion seeds
blown by the breaths of too many to name
tamely & twisted.
thunderous applause from the gawkers, the lookers, the seekers
the sook.
oh life

with his and her feet rooted
firm
sure
as the sun.
and the stars.
in every single knight's sky.
as she stared
as she waited
as she lived
lost
forgiven
forgot
remembered
the good
and life how it gave
completely given.

"Nemesis" - David Gray

inside/out

there are times when your heart seems to spill out of your head
scattering broken bits & sentences, as you try to speak
to complete a well structured thought, composure seeking, eyes dry
standing firm on the basis of a hope held inside.
there are times when your lips split and blood pours right out on the ground
from hours of sleeplessly searching the town
from minutes and moments you counted not lost
and those you kept dreaming, would awake in the frost.
there are times your steps trembled and muscles did ache
from hearts pounding, breathes bursting, barefoot & blistering
through the hills you went looking, all ye faithful careening
stumbled
tumbled
bumbled
so open.
so clear.
so free & yet so
contained.

"Faithful" - Me'shell Ndegeocello

created

God has given you the air,

so fly.

On freedom
and the proverbial journey of us taking flight
so easy it seems to get a little sidetracked, a little forgetful, just a little bit sinful every now and then.
Until suddenly something, as simple even as a missed breath or a flutter of the heart--how it displaces rather swiftly the very ease with which we piddle through our days.
How we realize just how fragile and final we all really are, without, it.
On freedom
and the choice we have to pick up our broken wings
and whether or when we choose to sing-if ever we even so much as dare to open our mouths
rather silently we idle....always moving and still forever standing, still.
I cannot explain for the life of me what it is I wish to say-- exactly, other than this constant nagging in your heart to be more, see more, do more, live more, want more. The want inside to do and be and see and live and love and give completely of yourself daily. Ever single inch of it. Is something so much more than a simple cell can explain.

don't let anyone don't let anything hold you back.

soldier

A man I never met.
Created me, somewhat inadvertently.
The father of my mother went to war and ill became.
Something of a distant memory, spoken of in passing--names and places oft the same.
Eery familiarity in the face of a man who never even knew my name, but loved me just the same.

Things I've Learned from Clinic: Week 1

1. I'm smarter than I thought.
2. Hand rub/wash is my new OCD/BFF.
3. Little old men love me.
4. I'm stronger than I knew (both mentally and physically).
5. I could not have picked a better profession.
6. My joy is instantly amplified 50x by working with real patients.
7. Hospitals aren't as scary as you think.
8. I still know at least half of Rome, GA.
9. I work best when a new challenge is sprung on my suddenly (when I don't have time to "stress out" about it)
10. There is no time to STRESS about this job when you have people's lives/well being in your direct control.
11. I love to read patient's charts.
12. I love to read patient's charts and actually understand most of what it says.
13. I love to ask questions, look up answers, and consult with collegues.
14. Its cheaper to eat in the hospital than it is to bring it from home, and the food isn't half bad.(so long as you stick to the salad bar ;))
15. I'm a pretty observant clinician.
16. Lines and wires are alot easier to be cognizant of when they are actually stuck into someone.
17. I am VERY good at reading people and accommodating myself to their individual needs.
18. I LOVE THIS JOB.
19. My life is pretty much going to consist of waking up, going to work, going to work out, eating, & sleeping...and I'm kind of okay with that.
20. I am a fast typer, a quick learner, & I write a pretty darn good eval.
21. On that note, I can recall a startling number of abbreviations considering what that class was like....
22. I dread returning to the class room, but I'm kind of excited to put this new confidence to work.
23. I am more confident in the real world then I am in the classroom, alls I need is someone who believes in me. :)
24. I can hoist alot of LBS, even with this gimp ol' knee.
25. The elderly say the darndest things, and I love every minute of it.
26. You never know who you'll meet or the stories they'll tell.
27. Listen to every word the patient's family tells you, even if it sounds like nonsense, there's bound to be some tid bit that's important or if not they'll atleast know that someone cares
28. Hold a hand if you need to.
29. Baby dolls = instant calm.
30. I am a witty little lady.
31. I hope to be half as spritely as these individuals in my 90's.
32. I am so thankful to have a loving husband and the future promise of many loving children.
33. My loud voice is one of my best assets.
34. I'll never bite my nails again.
35. Scrubs are also my new BFF.
36. I have never felt so sure of anything in my life as I am of this.
37. Pulling charts is like playing a game of hide and seek.
38. Patient's is a virtue.
39. Physical therapist treat EVERY sort of patient, and when we get an order to come see you, that's a GOOD SIGN.
40. Even incoherent patient's will let ya know when they're in pain.
41. Any hospital that has pellet ice and an espresso machine is alright with me.
42. I am more capable than I thought I was, can handle way more than I imagined, and am always a few steps ahead of each of my patients.

Yep, I am cautiously optimistic that this just might be what God put me on this Earth to do (this and being a mother of course :)).

about me :]

As I am currently mixing a rather lovely musical compilation dedicated to my PT school best friend I decided to pass the time it takes to upload the songs by telling whoever out there happens to read this a little about my self from A-Z.


A. Age: 23 (soon to be 24 in 15 days...) I can scarcely believe I've almost lived a fourth of my life, because yes I do believe I will live to be exactly 100.

B. Bed Size: We have a full (that I've had since my third year of college) but I dream of the days when we can one day own a California King. I am like my very own internal heating blanket and I like to spreeeead outttt aka I NEED MO SPACE!

C. Chore you hate: I am no good at chores...I never was made to do them as a child and on those random occasions when my mom would try to randomly enforce "chores" I would pitch my Grade A fit and that would settle that...basically, I was a brat as a child. And I still loathe them to this day...but I am learning, the hard way, that they are a NECESSARY evil (except on those glorious days when my Moma comes to visit and it is just like old times). But yeah, I dislike them all except the dishes and dishwasher....for some reason I love those.

D. Dogs: We had a weiner dog growing up - Abby and I can still remember my siblings coming into my room one morning to tell me she had died :(. Now I have my, as I like to call it, step-dog Zero....my husband's pride and joy....and I have quickly come to realize I am not an indoor pet person, I like humans. 

E. Essential start to your day:  Coffee. All day, everyday. I'm not ashamed to admit my obsession.

F. Favorite Color: purple.

G. Gold or silver: silver (for jewelry), gold (for coloring, eye shadow, all other life aspects)

H. Height: 5'6"

I. Instruments you play: I have zero patience, therefore all instruments I have ever played/attempted to played have turned out to be utter and complete failures. Basically I played the clarinet/bass clarinet from 6th to 10th grade until I A) swapped to Colorguard for a majority of the band season B) QUIT - to run cross country (best decision ever). Regardless, my best instrument by far is my voice, it is ever present, multifaceted, and I've been playing it for 23 years, so you could say I'm a pro.

J. Job title: Full-time student (but in two years I'll be a Dr!)

K. Kids: 6 please.

L. Live: Cumming, GA 

M. Mom's name: Susan, but I call her Moma

N. Nicknames: LD, Ldeezal, Ldeezal tha Weezal, LoDix, Sister Lotus, Lawren, Da Best, and now that i'm married --> Shank

O. Overnight hospital stays: ACL surgery in 2005 and I think I had pneumonia when I was a lot younger.

P. Pet Peeve: It changes from day to day but mostly: people that kiss butt, people that call working out on the elliptical "running", girls that come into the gym fully done up with their make up and horribly short shorts, sororities, pot heads, people my age who still think its necessary and cool to get drunk and make a ginormous fool of themselves.....there are plenty more.

Q. Quote from a movie: "I'm gonna be free. And I'm gonna be brave. I'm gonna live each day as if it were my last. Fantastically. Courageously. With grace. And in the dark of the night, and it does get dark. When I call a name, it'll be your name."

R. Right or left handed: LEFT of course :)

S. Siblings: 2 - Pagey Poo and David too (I always saying it like that in my head, Mickey Mouse club style)

T. Time you wake up: Depends on what time my class is at and how much homework I have to get done that morning before class. anywhere from 6 to 8:45

U. Underwear: yes.

V. Vegetables you dislike: raw onions (gag) and I DO NOT like coriander or nutmeg (which I know are herbs but I will REFUSE to eat anything with them in it)

W. What makes you run late: my husband (love you!) or if I don't want to be wherever it is i'm going

X. X-rays you've had: Kneetimes (and it was miserable)

Y. Yummy food you make: Spaghetti, chicken poppyseed casserole, chicken and rice, chicken fajitas/nachos/quesadillas, guacamole, COOKIES

Z. Zoo animal: I despise anywhere were I have to go, walk around, and pretend that I want to learn about something (ie. zoos, museums, etc....); plus zoos are depressing. But I do love penguins, alot. I kind of want one as a pet...but I guess that should've gone under P. dangit.

me and my rubber penguin :]