MAD Unified Life

MAD UNIFIED - MAD Unified Instructors: Patrick Burns, Michael Wakeford What is MAD Unified? MAD Unified Dance Crew met January 10th, 2020 at our studio before COVID-19 turned our world Upside down. Some courageous humans showed up to Marilyn's Academy of Dance to build something new, UNITY. We found the best way to find UNITY is in DIVERSITY. These brave individuals embraced different and came together to create something bigger than ourselves. Every week for 1 hour Patrick and Michael taught 24 amazing people hip hop. MAD Unified was going to perform at the Arizona Special Olympics opening, our annual recital and dance competitions and then came COVID-19. COVID-19 caused us to stop in person classes at the studio, but we were able to continue dancing via ZOOM classes with people throughout the states and overseas. Thankfully we are back dancing at the studio and performing.

A Night at the Museum Recital 2025 Marilyn's Academy of Dance

Special Olympics Breakfast With Champions

Invocation for Breakfast of Champions 

What a beautiful morning. Excellent attendance, beautiful opening ceremonies and amazing speakers. A room full of joy! If you are looking for a meaningful way to spend your time that will be way to fun AND build others up this is your gig. Don’t walk but run to the website and see how you can be a part of this fantastic organization. 

Special Olympics Arizona

RSK Unified - I am WE 2022

Forgotten

We have seen 1000s of people step up or step in to help with the COVID healthcare crisis. Responding to the healthcare systems desperate pleas they have returned to the bedside, assisting with vaccines, developing (and redeveloping) tools and education, helping with testing and process development and so much more. They were welcomed into the executive war room, worked tremendous hours learning project expectations on the run. They gave their all, willingly, to be a part of the team. 

Then they were no longer needed, silently removed from meetings, folders, projects and teams. No fanfare, no thank you’s, no notice. They found themselves on the outside. 

Forgotten. 

Consider the value of that employee or department who went above and beyond for you and your customers during the pandemic. During any event. They were your Hur and Aaron, but now they are back to their homes or hidden in their cubicle, doing a great job, but you don’t remember who they are. You didn’t learn their names. It’s like they didn’t exist. 

Forgotten.

Can you name 5 (or 10) people who were there for you or your team who were not part of your usual workgroup? 

Do you know one personal thing you learned about them? 

Did you show them gratitude as the work was completed while in those executive team meetings? 

Did you acknowledge their part in the project while getting your award? 

It’s never too late. 

Show gratitude. An individual note to each one. 

Show respect. Prior to making their new identity vanish, give them the plan in a meeting. And thank them for the work. 

Show honor. Recognize you would not be in your seat of power without those loyal, hard working people who at a moments notice said yes!

Show humility. One day you too may be forgotten, your season of success wiped out in a single canceled calendar notice. 

GF Chocolate Mini Bundt Cake

GF Chocolate Cake

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time

Ingredients

* 2 cups Steve’s GF Cake Flour  

   Steves GF Cake Flour 

* 2 cups sugar

* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

* 2 teaspoons baking powder

* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1 teaspoon instant AfricaFe pure coffee   

    https://www.africafe.us/

* 1 cup milk or buttermilk

   The Saco Pantry Cultured Buttermilk

* 1/2 cup canola oil

* 2 large eggs

* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

* 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

* Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare 2-9” rounds, cupcakes or Bundt pan with baking spray then lightly flour.


For the chocolate cake:

* Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.

* Add buttermilk, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.

* Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 22-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.


* Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

* Frost cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or your favorite mix..

      

We B Gluten Free

 https://webglutenfree.blogspot.com

Some time ago I set up this blog to share about our Celiac and Gluten free journey. I find I am sharing this same information with new or seasoned GF friends. During the holidays hosts want to assure they have safe options for their guests. Thank you for that. 

I am going to start writing again. I will add to the recipes already here and share my tips and tricks. Thankfully there are tons of great options today! Even Gluten Free Oreos and a gluten free Oreo Double Stuff! 😍😍😍 Can you just imagine????? 

           Gluten Free Oreos

If you have any ideas or recipes to share I would love to include them. Have a great day!!

Daniels Best Friend ~ A+ For this Paper: The Legend of Dano

Ryan has a way with words! He has captured everything from the day they met to the day he said goodbye to my nephew. But even more he has shared a bit about Providence, the impact of events and people that change the course of your life. This ‘essay’ has brought tears and smiles as it tells the story of their friendship. Thank you Ryan. I know Jackson will learn a lot about his namesake from stories l ike this. Big hugs from Aunt Doodley! Love you! https://medium.com/@ryanclements_11431/the-legend-of-dano-df84d7a2fc44

GF Keto Chocolate Covered No Bake PB Bombs

Ingredients

• PB Bombs
• 2 cups smooth peanut butter 
• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup Walden’s Pancake Syrup (zero carbs, zero calories, zero everything!) Walden’s Syrups 

• Chocolate Dip
•  8 T cocoa, 5 T coconut oil, 7 T stevia
•  Blend together 
• *You can melt chocolate chips or sugar free chips instead of the cocoa, stevia and coconut oil. But the you need to be better at buying groceries then me! Lol*

Instructions

• Line a large plate or tray with parchment paper and set aside.
  
• In a mixing bowl, combine PB, Walden’s Pancake Syrup and Coconut Flour. Mix until fully combined. If the batter is too thick and crumbly, add some liquid (water or milk) slowly until a thick, formable batter remains. 
  
• Using your hands or a scoop to form into small balls then place on the lined plate or tray. 
• Freeze for 10 minutes.
  
• While the peanut butter balls are firming up, mix your chocolate dip. 
• Remove the peanut butter protein balls from the freezer and place each ball in the chocolate dip until completely covered.
• Place back on the plate or tray.
• Repeat until all the balls are covered in chocolate.
  
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the chocolate coating has firmed up. 
• Enjoy!

They need to be refrigerated and are better cold ! They freeze well:-) 

Time Stands Still

There is nothing that explains why an event that happened 10 years ago feels like yesterday. 

The moment it happens, your mind plays reels of memories and suddenly, time stands still. 

No one ages, no one changes, we notice our own changes less as we are living in yesterday. 

Sounds, smells, songs, jokes, people, places they will all take you to that last moment. 

It seems surreal.

At the last moment you are together, that is where the memories begin fade, filtering out the darkness. 

You lose site of the bad days, sadness, anger, pain or harsh words and you focus on the joy. 

All of your life you struggle to forget the negative and in death you only remember the beauty. 

The thing is, even though they haven't lived a long life, they have definitely lived!  

That life is our gift. 

That life will be with you always. No matter how old you get they remain in your presence.  

You will reach for a phone to call them almost every day, or be reminded of a good story.  

You will miss them at the table, but you will be reminded of the smile, laughs or tears shared there.  

You will cheer on their teams, exchange tales with their friends and you will live on.  

And you will be ok.

jlg9.11.20

Anise

Keeping Your Patient Informed

Keeping Your Patient Informed

​The rapid pace of healthcare can often have 15-20 people in a patients room in the span of a few hours. They are anxious, vulnerable, perhaps alone, confused or medicated. They aren’t sure what is said, who is saying it or what it all means. It can lead to poor patient experiences and possibly poor outcomes.

​Many institutions have taken to using communication boards or white boards to put pertinent data on for the patient and family. When filled out they are marvelous, when outdated or blank they are not only worthless but may further lead to confusion. And in addition surveys elicited that compliance with use and engagement of the team members made keeping them up to date and accurate the greatest challenge.

​Depending on the practice at your facility, being committed to the process can make the difference between a safe, positive experience and and high risk, disappointing one. Safety is a focus of CMS, tJC and NDNQI to name a few. Reducing falls, hospital acquired injuries or illness and errors can be reduced or eliminated when patients, family and care providers are all on the same page.

​A few key pieces of information shared at the beginning of shift and refreshed throughout the day include:

1. Introductions - Who will the nurse, nursing assistant, provider or other team members be providing care. Check the arm band.

2. Daily Plan - Review what will be going on for the morning; tests, therapies, treatments, bathing, etc

3. Meals and Meds - When will meals be delivered? What meds will they be taking, why and what will they experience. Check the arm band.

4. What are they waiting for - Case management to plan discharge, surgery, doctor or follow up care

5. What is your plan - when will you be back in the room, what will you be doing with them or for them during the shift

6. What is the discharge plan - every day it helps to remind them what has been completed and what still needs to happen for them to go home

7. Make sure they are prepared for the day - Emergency light in hand, bed in low position, alarm on for those at risk, bedside table at hand and free of as much ‘junk’ as possible.

​Taking time to make sure they are informed will reduce anxiety, improve engagement and reduce risk of injury. The patient and family will also be more comfortable with the care they see. Communication received from the nurse and provider will greatly improve patient satisfaction.

Jlg5.9.18(c)

Communicating Together

Communicating Together

​Todays favorite communication is anything but face to face. Most people are using some form of digital technology; texting, social media, selfies, email. Few enjoy the art of writing letters, still a favorite of those from days gone by. Telephone calls are even less often selected in favor of call screening. Leave a voicemail, get one back. Or virtual calls which permit muting, blocking cameras, multitasking. You get the feeling people don’t really want to talk to each other.  They don’t want all the drama, transparency, time needed to invest.

​This can play a serious role in the ability to have meaningful conversations which are critical to the work place. While many nurses are cheery and able to have conversations, some nurses really struggle. They don't know how to deal with emotions in conversations and any confrontation is typically drama filled due to the lack of experience having hard conversations.

​What used to be a daily occurrence is now almost a lost art. The good news is that the skill can be learned and mastered, allowing for joyful and serious communications to occur without a major event. There are a few key points to mastering the art of conversation and confrontation.

1. Know yourself - There are some great tools to discern your personality type. They are great assessments that help you identify your personality, favorite style of interaction.

2. Know your team - These same principles apply to the team you work with. It helps to understand how each person scores so that you can understand more about what makes each person tick.

3. Acknowledge your emotions - It is normal in a day, whether at home or work, that you will have an assortment of emotions (anger, joy, playfulness, sadness, etc). It is OK to have any of these, or all of these. If something or someone has made you angry, own it.

4. Start all complaints with the person involved, not everyone else - gossip does not solve anything . It is gossip when you talk about the issue with the rest of your work mates. This causes division and emotions to build that can fracture the workplace and make it a drag to be there. 

5. Have your conversations in private - make them factual, not emotional. Use ‘I’ statements not ‘You’. And stay committed to get resolve. That may mean taking the high road, apologizing. Nurses are the most trusted profession so we need to start with each other. Honest, direct conversations.  

​If you are not comfortable speaking, talking in serious conversations or need to master skills for crucial conversations you may want to check these out:

a. Toast Masters www.toastmasters.org

b. Top 5 Leadership Personality Tests http://www.doseofleadership.com/top-5-leadership-personality-tests/   (your facility or organization probably has one of these tools)

c. Crucial Conversations and Crucial Confrontations - two great books that will tell you a lot about you and those you want to relate better with  

​While it may take some practice to master the art of communication, start by being sincere and don’t stop until you get it right. Lay your device down, sit relaxed, make eye contact, listen well and hear what they are saying.  You will learn much, grow more and become the best team member ever!

Jlg5.9.18(c)

It's Ok To Say 'I Don't Know’ - Nurse Grid

It's Ok To Say 'I Don't Know’

​Nurses are the most trusted profession on the planet according to Forbes (Niall McCarthy Jan. 4, 2018). In the article ‘America’s Most and Least Trusted Professions’ nurses are still number one! It actually recognizes them as the most honest and of high ethical standards. This is a testament to the trust patients put in nurses when they check into the hospital or care facility. They are vulnerable and do not have the expertise (in most cases) to know what is wrong, or understand much of what is said. They look the nurse straight in the eye and count on the sound, ethical and honest response they will get.

​It stands to reason that not all nurses are reliable, but they are fairly evident in the course of the day. Those are the staff that never answer the call lights, aren’t available to help and refuse to ask questions. You know this group. Fortunately this group is very small. It is important to hold them accountable, have direct conversation with them and if needed take those to the manager. 

​The challenge that may present for many nurses is the ability to acknowledge they need help or information before they can complete a task or provide care. When a nurse walks into the room to talk to a patient they are expected to give an honest, accurate answer. Patients count on that in order to feel safe, know they have the right information and feel confident with any decisions they need to make. Some nurses will try to answer based on assumptions or what they think they know. Some will just stare! But a trustworthy nurse will admit they may not have the answer but assure the patient they will go get it. They won’t lie, bluff or make it up as they go. 

​Jennifer was in a hurry to discharge an ER patient. Goals to meet, wanted a break, basically time for them to go. She had a new employee with her and the two of them opened the ER curtain and without introductions announced that Cody needed to eat crackers to assure they will stay down then he could go home. ‘Are those crackers?’ his mom asked. ‘Yes!’ ‘He has Celiac disease’, his mom replied. Staring straight back at mom, ‘Yeah!’ Mom knew already the nurse did not know where this conversation was going. ‘He can’t have gluten.’ ‘Yeah,’ still with the crackers stuck out to hand the boy. ‘Crackers are made with gluten.’ ‘Yeah!’ The mom sighed and provided the education ‘Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley. Those crackers are made with wheat. If he eats wheat he will become very sick and we will be going no where.’ Still staring, almost as in a contest, she finally said ‘You need to find something he can eat then so he can go home.’

​Do you see what opportunities were here? She had a number of opportunities to gain trust, build relationship and provide confidence that she was of high integrity having the patient as her first priority. Introductions are always critical, it shows the intention of having a relationship even if it is brief. Admitting you didn’t read the record, don’t know what Celiac disease is or don’t know what gluten is are all ok! As a nurse you don’t want to make a mistake, give a wrong medication or not do the correct assessment before completing a procedure. You can’t know everything and won’t as there are new discoveries everyday. Jennifer was not practicing that number one rated nursing practice. I am not saying she didn’t care, but perhaps didn’t want to admit she didn’t know.

​Always introduce yourself, it’s what kind people do. Never be afraid to say ‘I don’t know!’ It shows that you have the best interest in mind for your patient. Ask someone else for help if you can’t find the information you need or help in doing a procedure for the first time. You will have a great career knowing that in every situation you did what you could to build trust and provide the best care possible. ‘Hi I’m Susan. The doctor would like to see if Cody can eat something and keep it down. I see he has Celiac disease and has gluten listed as an allergy. Can he eat crackers?……..What can he eat? We have applesauce, jello and pudding. We might have popsicles. Would any of those work?’ There is one happy mom, looking at the nurse who took an extra minute to know her son and make sure he would go home safe and sound. 

Jlg5.18.18(c)

What Have You Done?

What Have You Done?

by Judy Gates - Friday, 28 September 2018, 11:25 PM

For the third time today she called me to come back to her apartment. She had 'unprogrammed' the television remote again and was angry, threatening to leave her assisted living facility. I came in, slammed the door and went straight to the tv. Frustrated, I picked up the oversized remote, punched the keys and laid it down by her chair. I turned around and plopped down on the sofa. The soft, plush fabric under my fingers was almost calming. I rubbed it while I tried to not sound as frustrated as I felt when I talked to her.

She cut me off before sound came out of my mouth and proceeded to tell me how she was angry I tricked her into moving, took away her car and now she was going to walk out the door. She was not making eye contact but staring at the door and grinding the bridgework in her mouth. 

I looked around the room. It was a beautiful apartment for which I had bought almost all new furniture. I was envious in some ways. I looked at the picture of my dad and silently wondered what he would tell me to do. I could smell the popcorn from the game room down the hall which permeated the building every afternoon. It was making me hungry. I was thinking I could grab some on the way out. 

We sat quietly for a bit and I finally decided I would go. She started at the beginning again, yelling about her life situation. 'What have you done to me?' She did not understand why she couldn't live alone, why I was locking her up. She stood up as if she was going to walk out the door behind me, lost her balance and nearly tripped over her shoes which she had taken off after the last time I had come back. She sat back down, wringing her hands, lips tight. She never took her eyes off the door. 

It was clear there would be no way to resolve this mood. I walked over to her tv, turned on the weather channel so she could hear the music, kissed her on the cheek and left. Guilt and failure followed me home. I was crying at the  overwhelming hostility and anger from her. I called to check on her about an hour after I got home. She was playing BINGO

JLG 9.28.18