The Real Me...

Hey everyone! I must admit that I am really excited about this weeks blog topic. I'm not going to lie, I thought it would be really easy at first, but the more I thought about it, I became absolutely terrified! Who am I? Who is the real me? I immediately found myself falling right back into those same self-doubt filled emotions. I'm not anyone special, I'm just some plain old girl that's not really good for anything. So I gave myself a swift kick in the rear and picked up those broken pieces and put them back into my personal little puzzle.

So Who am I exactly?

Well, I guess we can start on the surface and dig down as we go. I'm Kira. I am what some would call an extreme example of the stereotypical female. My favorite color is pink, I like sparkly things, puppies, and getting my nails done. It is impossible for me to make it from point A to point B without getting lost, as a matter of fact I'm not exactly sure how people ever drove anywhere before the GPS was invented. I have an undeniable type A personality, which basically means I'm ambitious, I usually take on more than I can handle, I'm proactive, and I can be considered a workaholic (good thing I love my job). It also means that I am sometimes impatient, overly sensitive to the silliest things, and highly competitive. (Hey, we all have our downfalls right?) I have outrageous organizational skills and attention to detail. Bad grammar makes me feel like I'm bleeding from my ears and has the ability to make me irrationally irritated. I'm nearly a 100% extrovert, meaning I'm not shy in the least bit. I love meeting new people and making new friends.

I love my job, I'm a respiratory therapist, I work in a critical care setting (ICU) which means I take care of patients (and their families) when things are looking the worst. I love helping people heal and see them get back to their normal lives. As part of my job, I'm the one responsible for "pulling the plug", it's something that I struggle with daily, it's never easy and I'd be lying if I said that it didn't take an emotional toll on me. I often struggle with the feeling that I'm not doing the right thing or that I could have done more. As you could imagine this part is also hardest for the families. To provide comfort for them while single handedly removing their loved one from the only thing keeping them alive is stressful and emotionally exhausting. I experience joy and pain on every single shift. I feel what they feel, and I do my best to offer as much comfort and help as I possibly can, I only pray that it is enough. 

I volunteer my time every year to a children's summer camp for kids suffering from asthma and other pulmonary issues. I lead an educational group, help kids discover their triggers and monitor their symptoms. It's so rewarding to see them come back year after year, having fun, learning, growing into young men and women. Of course it does not hurt my feelings to spend the week at an amazing christian camp and conference center. :)

My strengths... well, they are also sometimes my weaknesses. I have a strong attention to detail, which sometimes means that I over analyze even the smallest things. I'm a critical thinker, but sometimes tend to over think and complicate even the simplest of tasks. I have a great ear, I listen well and I'm the usual outlet for the fears and thoughts of my family and friends. I usually offer great advise, although I rarely follow it myself. I have the ability to see both sides of an argument, it sometimes gets frustrating when it comes down to 'picking a side' during debates and arguments, because I normally see right and wrong in both instances.

I am strong and fiercely independent. I am a sister, a daughter, a friend, a counselor, a teacher, a healer, and I am a child of God.