Poetry. Musings. Toilet thoughts.

Smart Ways To Improve Cat Plays








  1. Treat your cats like how you would treat yourself.














3. Happy tummy equals happy life.







Promotion for Petsmart shoppers like me:



If you have questions, let me know.



Do you have pets?


How To Post On Instagram From Your PC/Laptop



1. Go to your instagram profile.




In THAT order. Hold it until this comes up:





And do you see that little familiar thing in the middle?

Surprise, surprise!!!

4. You can now upload your photos.

Just a heads up:



Do you find this helpful?

Let me know if you do!

Dear Readers Of The World

Disclosure: This post contains sponsored links from Book Of The Month.


"The door to another world is just a book away."

It's 3am again. You stretch your arms and wiggle your toes while refocusing your blurry gaze. Your fingers fighting the urge to turn another page. You said you're going to stop after four chapters. But here you are - debating whether it is an option to close the door of the world you created in your head or just open your senses to the truth that is work day.

You drag your feet to the kitchen and aim for a cup of coffee. The aroma of fresh brew intensifies your inner villain.

Am I ready to face reality? You asked.

But it's not your work or school or any piled up chore that you are worried about. Those are for ordinary people. You are not ordinary, you tell yourself. You are afraid to see the words - the end. You don't want to, but you know you need to.

Here is the character you loved for a week or two and probably admire for the rest of your life. The place you familiarized with and imagined to explore. Here is the bad guy who made you understand why bad guys do what they do and why bad guys exist in all of us. Here are the questions that opened more bafflement and wonder, and here are the answers hiding between cynical phrases and sarcastic punctuation marks.

You go back to your pillow and fight the urge to finally know what ends it all. You reach for the book resting on your coffee-stained sheet.

Ok. You sighed.

You flip the page and the sound of it already breaks your heart. After falling in love with thoughts and new experiences, you realize that the author screwed you over. You just know that you'll never look at these personified paper people the same way. Whoever filled the characters' shoes, whatever their jobs are, however intolerable their attitude is, you know every detail gave you something valuable in the physical world.

In your make-believe story, the lesson is greater than tragedy. And THIS makes you ready. This makes you equipped with life lessons minus the cost of actually living each circumstance. Why is it always tragic anyway?

You console yourself and say, "Because it ends." 

Book hangover is a real thing.

One week after your last adventure, you browse Netflix but skip every show. Each time, you think nothing is capable of replacing that story that blew your mind away. You associate the characters with sales crew you greet at department stores. You find yourself casually using protagonist's remarkable phrases and sentences in real-life conversations.

You're stuck.

Your friend notices your lack of enthusiasm to listen to their gossips. You convince them otherwise by staring at their forehead and constantly nodding even though you can barely hear anything. The world is on mute, and you're okay. For now.

You compensate your loss with short reads - news and magazine articles related to the book and brief tweets from the author who wrote the book. You silently wish for a sequel or a surprise prequel, and honestly, anything that can prolong the idea of the story in your entity. You crave for the familiar feeling of being involved with the mysteries of every chapter.

This cycle goes on and on until you see somebody holding the very same book. You thought you moved on, but no, this is just the start of the trick. You approached the person and said, "Please tell me you're done reading."

You already imagine talking to him for hours. You visualize how he'd react when you spill a fanfiction you hypothesize to be true. You just know he'd drop his jaw and reread those pages you memorized by heart. And before you know it -

"Nah, I'm just bringing this to a friend."

Your world tears apart and you freeze. How can people carry the world in their hands and not be curious about it? All you wanted is to share your feelings and boxed emotions that book gave you. And before you know it, you're rereading the same book. You just can't let go.

Your sister sees you with the same book and drops a very unwanted comment.

"You read like a turtle."

Some days you just shrug it off but other times, you find yourself in word war against your tribe. It's not easy to be in a household where reading the same book for the nth time is just pretentious. They don't understand. You sighed.



Nobody understands you like a book lover does.


OK, truth time. You end up with this:

You read the same book. The book challenge you've been wanting to achieve for 2017 is a failure. 300 books before 30? Impossible. You meet someone who read a book you're unfamiliar with and you cringe at the thought of being ignorant to their world. You develop a serious case of FOMO: Fear of missing out. ON BOOKS. The very thing you're addicted of having. And you wonder how, HOW ON EARTH, CAN OTHERS achieve that?

What if I tell you that the search for your next read doesn't have to mean days of waiting for your go-to bookstore to update their shelves? What if I tell you that there is a way to ease your hangover by having a book line up, crafted according to your taste, and waiting for you right at your doorstep? And what if I tell you that there is a BIG COMMUNITY of readers out there that reads what you read AND hosts discussions about theories after theories and insights after insights of pages you keep going back to over and over?

That's what Book Of The Month club does for you. I wrote about them last month and I'm still talking about them. WHY? Because I am a fan! Here is my post last March if you want to know more about them.

So how does it work?




What you need to know:




Right now, on my instagram account, there is a giveaway going on!

And I can't wait for you to join as well!


Best of luck, guys!

Spring time with JORD | GIVEAWAY


jord watch




Nature meets function







jord watch

Nature meets design









jord watch

jord watch

jord watch



jord watch

jord watch






jord watch

jord watch

jord watch

jord watch

jord watch







✔️One lucky person will win, BUT


Good luck everyone!

#BeBoldForChange | Women up! 10 Ways To Accelerate Gender Parity

Every one of us has a story of transformation you wish you could tell to everybody. It may be about your experiences or about other people who somehow touched your life in an extraordinary way.


Art by Ruby Faber. High resolution art print discounted at $20. Click here for more info.

Here's a story that changed my perspective on some things:

I met someone who’s covered in tattoos, and whose face was accentuated by ear and nose rings. His hair warned me that nobody is allowed to touch it, or else you’d die of tetany or something more bloody. However, as we exchanged stories, I learned that he’s just like me. We both love how humans can be beautiful despite flaws and awkward idiosyncrasies.

I asked myself, “What is wrong with pieces of metals on one’s body?” 

I smiled and remembered my patients. I recalled how many cardiac patients have pacemakers installed inside their chest. I thought of titanium pieces that are used to sculpt destroyed faces after traumatic road accidents. I visualized how those weird-looking screws and silver sockets make up for an amputated foot or a broken arm. They are metals, too. They are body alterations, too. They may not be of personal intent or “just like it” rationale, but how sure are we that people with tattoos and piercings don’t need healing?

"Maybe they use those pieces to heal, too. Maybe the pain they gained from them represents the pain nobody knew they have." 


Out of many tattoos he has, a cool and detailed image of a doll on his wrist caught my attention. Quite intrigued and amazed, I asked, “Is that a Russian doll or a cartoon from somewhere I don’t know?”

He instantly answered with a Mexican pitch, “Ya, it’s a Russian doll. Matryoshka.”

I looked at him, then he added, “That’s the favorite toy of my daughter.”

A pause slowed his story.
“She died last year,” he gasped.

“This is hers, too,” he mentioned while pointing at a scarlet gem on his left ear. All at once I was out of words. I didn’t even have the courage to ask about his other stories— those tales of chains, and names, and faces beautifully crafted on his skin. I didn’t have to ask. He tells without saying.

As a nurse who deals with pain on a daily basis, pain unknown and untold always rings red.

And this is just one story.

So somehow this story changed my perspective on how I view people with different styles and preferences. Coming from a traditional family, going out of my comfort zone is not that encouraged. We were always told people with piercings and tattoos are "bad influence." Before you raise your eyebrow, THIS IS NO WAY MY THINKING ANYMORE. What made way? One encounter. One story.

 When I shared this story from last year, I omitted a very important detail. YES, I posted this exact story on my Facebook account way, way back. The story doesn't end there. The girl died from rape. I didn't disclose it before because it was a more sensitive topic to discuss than "tattoo preferences." BUT I am sharing this with you so YOU CAN TAKE ACTION ON THINGS THAT TRULY MATTER.

What if I tell you that your voice can CHANGE how society treats WOMEN?


Every person - women, men and non-binary people - can play a part in helping drive better outcomes for women. Through meaningful celebration and targeted bold action, we can all be responsive and responsible leaders in creating a more gender inclusive world. The World Economic Forum predicts the gender gap won't close entirely until 2186. This is too long to wait. So around the world, March is celebrated as Women's History Month to provide an important opportunity for ground breaking action that can truly drive greater change for women.


So here's how YOU can help to shorten the wait:


1. Run your own #BeBoldForChange IWD campaign


  • CALL FOR ACTION: ask friends and colleagues what bold actions the're taking to help drive gender parity (e.g. take a junior woman to a client or sales meeting; challenge organizers of all-male speaking panels; launch a purposeful female-focused initiative; educate boys about stereotypes and violence against women; nominate women for senior jobs; donate time to a female-focused charity; mentor a woman; form a support network; etc)
  • DECLARE ACTION: ask friends and colleagues to declare bold action on the IWD website
  • DOWNLOAD SELFIE CARDS: use the #BeBoldForChange selfie cards for social media amplification
  • DOWNLOAD POSTERS: download the #BeBoldForChange posters and ask colleagues to write or add yellow sticky notes for their bold actions
  • EMBED WIDGET: embed the #BeBoldForChange widget on your own website or intranet and call for others to declare their bold action
  • THUNDERCLAP YOUR SUPPORT: lend your support via the #BeBoldForChange Thunderclap to help drive wider awareness about gender parity 
  • WATCH IWD VIDEOS: watch these purposeful videos or broadcast them at events to educate and inspire others

See examples of #BeboldForChange campaigns around the world.

2. Host a #BeBoldForChange IWD event

Coordinating an IWD event? Invite your speaker/s to articulate and explain that exact moment when they themselves took bold action to help improve or develop an aspect of their own livelihood, career or business - or that of another woman's, or women's status overall:

  • what was their bold moment?
  • how did they do it?
  • what motivated them?
  • what difference did they make?
  • how can others learn from this?

Host a proactive discussion regarding:

  • what constitutes "bold" action?
  • what conditions are necessary to enable "bold" action?
  • what are the consequences of "bold" action?
  • what are some examples of "bold" action already taken in your context?

Build a "Bold Actions" wall:

  • get colleagues to commit to action
  • post their actions on a "Bold Actions" wall
  • photograph the "Bold Actions" wall
  • share via social media

Ask the audience to declare bold action via their smart phones:

  • send your audience to the IWD "Bold Actions" declaration page
  • OR use the #BeBoldForChange widget to send the audience to your website's "Bold Actions" declaration page. Show and share results real-time, if desired.

Watch purposeful IWD videos at your event:

3. Social share your support

Social share your bold actions and support by downloading and printing the #BeBoldForChange selfie card. Co-branding is welcome. Promote your support for bold action via social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Youtube, etc) using the "hands in" visual concept.

4. Secure executive statements of support

Submit an approved and authorised #BeBoldForChange statement of support from your leaders (celebrities, corporate chairpersons and CEOs, government officials, charity heads, business and community leaders) - for possible promotion and amplification via the IWD website and social media channel. Statements are short declarations regarding bold action to actively support the advancement of women. Statements may be either straight text (with image), visual collateral, short videos, social media posts, etc). The deadline for Support Statements is ongoing, but received earliest any time from now is preferred. Ideally max. 150 - 200 words for text statements. See an example from Richard Branson's support from last year, or EY global chairman Mark Weinberger's support or Catalyst's president & CEO Deborah Gilles' statement or more here.

5. Download the IWD logo

Download the International Women's Day logo or icon for promoting positive IWD related activity.

6. Embed the #BeBoldForChange widget

Embed the #BeBoldForChange widget on your own website and/or intranet by accessing the embed code and calling for your friends and/or colleagues to declare their bold action.

7. Watch and show IWD videos

Many individuals, groups, companies and associations provide purposeful videos that push the gender agenda conversation further. View IWD's excellent range of video resources that are available to support your own IWD activity. You can also contribute an IWD video for potential inclusion on the IWD website.

8. Access gender diversity resources from leading organizations

Access useful and informative gender diversity resources provided by leading, reputable organizations from across the world that work to advance women. Use these resources to guide your company's journey towards gender parity or submit resources for consideration.

9. Fundraising on IWD

Should you be looking for a registered global charity to donate your International Women's Day fundraising efforts to locally, then please consider IWD's long-term Charity of Choice - WAGGGS. WAGGGS has prepared a Fundraising in the Office activity pack for any employees or businesses which would like to hold a special event to mark IWD. It's full of fun ideas to engage with IWD and raise money for a great cause. Make a single donation to WAGGGS. Set up a fundraiser for WAGGGS at  Justgiving or Virgin Giving.

10. Submit coverage of your IWD activity

Submit engaging images, videos or articles that show the success of your IWD activity, with a view to possible promotion and amplification via the IWD website - in addition to your own social sharing of these items.



March is Women's History Month. And even if we're halfway through, our advocacy to reach more people and act with passion to encourage other women won't fade.


The MARCH is still ON.

Click the button below to sign the pledge!

Thank you for the support!

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. See Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions for more details.

Is book subscription a thing? HELL YEAH!


― Wyketha K Parkman




Why subscribe when you can just buy a book?


  1. Eliminate the sorting struggle.


2. Convenience. 


3. Options, options, options.


4. Exclusivity.


5. Great selections.


6. Ace that book challenge.


7. Your voice matters.


8. Never miss out on great books!



—Book of the Month Club founding statement, 1926


How does it work?




What you need to know:







Poems of the month

"Poetry sees, smells, hears, tastes, feels."


It's been six months since I launched my blog and I couldn't be more grateful for the support I received, new friends I met, and all the brands, marketing teams and social media agencies that collaborated with me and trusted in my pitching capabilities. Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. Working my way through, I focused my content on what I deemed was necessary to contribute to my platform's growth. I still couldn't believe that you guys supported the BIG SWITCH. In case you haven't followed me on instagram, a month ago, I changed my feed vibe. I told myself, if I won't be able to sustain that kind of feed for a month, screw it. I'm just going to go back to my old and random feed.

The thing about being new in the field is YOU STILL HAVE MANY ROOMS FOR IMPROVEMENTS and revise what you started. And that's what I did. From all the niches/contents I love, I narrowed them down to two (for instagram only, I still post food-related content and stuff under lifestyle category): TRAVEL CAREER and POETRY. I did this so I can introduce poetry while still posting photos of my travels. And, to push myself to write a short poem at least every three days.

I started it with so much enthusiasm and love for the craft. I even received a collaboration after my first post. I was surprised because it introduced me to the giving world. Not only was I able to gain funds for this little kid, I was also able to contribute to lives of others inside and outside hospital hallways. It is truly moving how God works wonders in our lives.

Poetry also introduced me to new books. I met new writers on instagram, too! And well, they're MANY! And I just love how amazing they are! 

Most of them are women who started writing because of a broken heart, or loss of somebody, or career move. Talk about writing as therapy, right? I realized, most of these writers started because of something. They gained a massive following after that. And as the community grew, I kept receiving DMs and personal emails that requested poems related to women. So I did!


A post shared by Gelli (@omgelli) on

And I made some more! It's fulfilling how one craft can empower women like you, in many ways you never thought you could.

Dear young girls ~G.D.

A post shared by Gelli (@omgelli) on

I participated in campaigns using hashtags. One of the social media campaign that I love is #justwrite. The campaign is simple: Help EPS spread awareness to write again. To encourage struggling students, including those with dyslexia and reading difficulties, and in the long run, build a social media presence. I pick campaigns that I believe in and not just a random fad just to gain likes and followers. I've always believed that in order for people to be successful in their career, they need to find purpose in what they do or else they'll be lost in the middle of nowhere (wait is that a song? lol) and not find what their hearts truly desire.

I wrote at least 5 poems last January, and that doesn't include other thoughts that I wrote in my little notebook. This round-up, to me, is a big achievement already. And gaining a following because of this craft makes it all better. I know some of you aren't fond of reading poems and writing cheesy stuff. But I'm sure you have a passion that you love. Maybe you're in love with photography, or with arts, or maybe you fancy numbers and all things science?

Comment below what you like doing! Or if you have a blog talking about topics that you love, feel free to discuss it. I'd love to share ideas with you. Don't forget to hit the "heart" button in the bottom right corner of your screen and subscribe to this blog. Thank you!

On travel nursing: How traveling as a couple builds stronger relationships


"I followed my love."



I don't want this to be a trend. I don't want this to be a fad. I want to breathe every day knowing I chose the lifestyle I want. I chose to wander. I want to look back one day and say, "I served my purpose."


To others, this could be just another millennial dream. To eat in a local restaurant and try weekly chef's specialty. To mingle with strangers and pet their dogs. To feel the sand between your toes and let your feet sink into ground's cushions. To turn your back... away from all the things that caused you drama. To be yourself and make a mark in a world full of turbulence and doubts. To play a song while driving on unfamiliar streets and forgetting that problems, wars, and societal division exist. To live in your little bubble and call it paradise. To smile because all while it's loud outside and roads are rocky sometimes, you have a choice whether to stop the journey or to get going and move to your next destination.

"Is it worth it?"


I asked myself after paying two sets of electric bills, rent, and car loan. I'm not going to lie; paying double for everything is stressful to my budget and pocket. Why double, you ask? As a travel nurse here in the US, we receive pay packages that are different compared to those with permanent staff positions. Travel agents offer us nontaxable travel benefits which include housing stipends, meals, and incidentals. Say they give us 1000 USD for housing and 500 USD for meals biweekly, we're able to keep it to ourselves. No tax! And that doesn't include our hourly rate yet. However, to receive nontaxable travel benefits, we must have 1) a permanent tax home (which is my apartment in McAllen) and 2) my travel assignment must not be within commuting distance of my permanent tax home, and each travel assignment, including extensions and other assignments cannot be expected to keep me in the same general area for more than one year.

So you get why I need to keep my original apartment, right? You might think that the end result is the same- getting paid more while spending twice the amount of what you used to give away. And that it doesn't make sense at all if the salary barely changed. No, not really. I travel with my boyfriend so somehow we manage to cut the expenses in half. And I have a roommate in Mcallen so she pays half the rent as well. It's all good actually. I have saved more in three months than what I used to when I was still a permanent staff in my previous job. It's quite confusing I know, but to keep it simple, this travel nurse life works for me and my needs.

The question didn't sprout from money. It's from something else.


I was lying on bed when I saw Luis playing his video games. I suddenly thought of the important things he needed to give up just to be with me in this journey. He didn't want this life at first. He imagined his career to be close to his family, in the comfort of the town he grew up in, secured that everything he needs are just within reach. He can even close his eyes and drive to my place if he wanted to. He doesn't need GPS; he knows the roads by heart. I can only imagine all the things he'd do if we stayed in our previous jobs. It will look like this:

His mom will cook tostada for breakfast. He'll wash his face and brush his teeth in front of a big mirror with ceramic sink. His toothbrush, razors, towels, and creams will be at the same corner; he can do his routine without minding that another person will use the bathroom because it is his bathroom. And nobody will sigh whenever he forgets to flush the toilet. He will go to their dining area with plates already lined up, with food waiting for him, his mom ironing clothes and telling him random stuff. Then his siblings will walk across the room, or his dad, and it will be another day of going to work or church or someplace else. He will play his video games using his large screen. Oh, how he loves his Xbox! He will try to choose a game among his mountain of collections  and he'll end up playing Fallout or Resident Evil. He will do this for hours and days and weeks and he won't bother that any of his routine will change.

And then one day, I told him about my plans of finally doing travel nursing. I was excited. I would tell him about this travel nurse working in our unit and convincing me to do the same. I would research about travel communities and blogging world and he'd just nod. I was into it. I was thrilled by the idea of it, but he was sad and hesitant. It came to that point when I told him I can go. Alone. Solo. And that would mean us breaking up. I know the idea is horrendous but traveling around every three months? With new people, new cultures, I mean all these changes are going to happen, and we both know we will be different people after.

We all know what happened next: He decided to come with me.

I used to have nightmares of him leaving in the middle of our contract and going back home. I was anxious that he might not like it because he'd miss his family so much. I was worried about our housing situation- how to find an apartment that will accept tenants on a short lease or how to function with limited furnitures. On top of this, it is a known fact in nursing community that couples and groups experience a little more difficulty finding jobs at the same hospitals or hospitals within a reasonable commute of one another. It's because some hospitals maintain a policy prohibiting couples from working at their facility at the same time. They cite problems that they’ve experienced with companies in the past as the reason. In addition, it’s always a little more difficult to land jobs for multiple people in any given location. That’s just the nature of the game.

My mind's exploding at the thought of him not being satisfied with our work environment. What if our new coworkers are mean? What if the place is chaotic and more toxic than where we were? How are we going to spend holidays away from home? What if the travel isn't worth it? What if I didn't make the right choice?

"What if he's not happy?"



I used to imagine his face with disappointment. I used to try so hard doing all things that would make him comfortable and not feel homesick. I look at him and I feel at home, but... what if he doesn't feel the same way?

Second week of February ended our travel assignment contract in Lufkin. This is it. The moment of truth. I finally had the courage to ask him what his thoughts are. If he still wants to go on, or just stop. There was tug of war inside my gut. I wanted him to say that he'd stay with me and travel some more but I don't want to be selfish. I just want him to be happy whether it's with me or not.

It's hard to gauge what a happy relationship means but in this lifestyle, I found out that having the same goals and plans is one way to start accommodating each other's needs. I still plan on doing this again and I don't see it ending soon. It taught me how to be a better nurse. It made me feel human again. I was high. It was amazing.

So when I asked him about his plans, he smiled and said he'll do it again in a heartbeat. I felt relieved.

What changed his mind?


At this point, I already made peace with myself knowing and finally believing that our relationship grew stronger than I could ever imagine. Maybe he got used to our arguments? By the way, when we're traveling, we argue a lot. A LOT. I posted a whole other article for that here and we never had a problem that we couldn't fix since that day. From simple details to complicated ones, somehow, our spirits are less stressed. We see a different view and that helps our perspective. We became better people than our past selves.

We never lived together under the same roof before our travel assignment. Yes, we'd go on week-long trips like during that time when we went on cruise but actually breathing the same air freshener (and farts, lol) and compromising each other's privacy? Traveling revealed a lot about us. We discovered our weaknesses and strengths. And what came out of it? We perfected adjusting to our limitations.

Doing our weekly groceries has played a great part on how we communicate, too! Who would have thought that weighing which meal to cook, what guilty pleasure to buy and whatnot could bring us closer? It is really true that as humans, the indelible treasure in our hearts and minds when experiencing something new together can be everlasting. It is reassuring to know that there is somebody with me to share adventures with. Somebody was there when it was fun and when it was scary.

Judging from our past conversation, our sense of humor became more in sync. There are times when situations don't go as planned and things just go horribly wrong and you just laugh about it. It could be the disgusting food from the cheap hotel you booked online, or from nasty comments made by a stranger who didn't have anything to do with you. At the end of the day, no matter how terrible the day went by, both of you gained one more golden story to laugh about in the future.

After our first travel nursing assignment, YES, WE CAME OUT ALIVE! And OUR RELATIONSHIP IS STRONGER THAN EVER.


Related topic


My experience may vary from other travel nurse couples out there because Luis and I are both nurses who only accept same hospital contracts. If you're a travel nurse couple but with different set up, read on.

Retired spouse or significant other of a travel nurse


If your spouse or significant other is retired, then the challenge is greatly reduced. Most people have thought about what they will do when they are retired (like travel) so now is the time for your spouse or significant other to look into those interests and hobbies that have always been on hold. This is also a great opportunity to travel in locations close to the kids and grandkids. If they are retired and bringing in extra income is not a huge priority, then a retired spouse or significant other is in a great position to take care of the issues like taxes, finances, your house back in your hometown and you (hey you’re the one still working so make sure they take care of everything at home so you can relax).

Spouse or significant other who is also a travel nurse


This is the easiest situation, but does present some of its own challenges as far as finding assignments in the same city if not same hospital at the same time. This will require a great recruiter and travel nursing company and a lot of pre-planning on your part. Another challenge of this is to make sure that you try to get your schedules as closely synced as possible so you don’t miss out on the chance to enjoy your travel location together. You don’t just want to transfer a life where you don’t see each other to a new locale; you want to enjoy all the benefits of a travel nursing job. So make sure you work with your recruiter and nurse manager to see how often you can work the same schedules or at least coordinate one or two days off together a week. And hopefully you can avoid a situation where one of you is working the night shift and the other the day.

Another option here is to take turns working the travel nursing jobs. Instead of you both working during one 13 week stretch you could alternate. And another option is to both work a ton for 2-3 assignments a year and have 3 months off together. By then you should have seen enough of each other enough that going back to work sounds like a vacation.

Non traveler spouse or significant other of a travel nurse


The challenges of having a spouse or significant other who is not retired or a traveler while you are a travel nurse is really keeping them busy and productive away from home. If you have already made the decision for them to leave their job or career behind while you use travel nursing to make extra money and see the country then hopefully the two of you have thought through what they will do while you are at work. But if you haven’t or you have realized that you need or want them to supplement the household income then are some cool job options for spouse or significant others of travel nurses.

Some other options are working with a temporary staffing agency. Many industries rely on staffing agencies just like nursing does so be sure to check out that option. It is a great way for them to gain new skills and broaden their career network while you travel. 

Some websites to get started with are Kelly ServicesManpowerKforce and TrueBlue.

Another option for them is to go back to college online. There are tons of great online university degree programs all you need is an Internet connection, time and motivation. Just search for online colleges and you will find tons of resources.

A few other rewarding options I have seen spouse or significant others of travel nurses take:

  • Blogging
  • Substitute teaching
  • Volunteering

Links for spouse or significant others of travel nurses


My travel agency is Medical Solutions. If you've been wanting to join the gypsy nurse life and don't know where to start, feel free to message me for referrals. 🙂 If you have questions about Travel Nursing in general, you are welcome to join our Travel Nurse Group on Facebook! Have a good day everyone! 




Ann's Photo

By Ann Leghorn


My sister’s life was forever changed during the winter of 2011, when she and her husband went for a regularly scheduled ultrasound while pregnant with their first-born child and was told their baby was critically ill and would need multiple lifesaving procedures. This was the first of unending life altering news in their new family’s life. On July 1st, 2011, Asher Levy-Dahl, was born at 8:48 PM in Maria Ferrari Children’s Hospital in Westchester, NY. As soon as he was born, the medical adventures began.

Although Asher’s family knew he would have some surgical needs after the fetal echocardiogram showed he had several congenital heart defects and complex Heterotaxy Syndrome, they never expected the insurmountable medical obstacles he now faces. The birth defects were just the beginning of what is now an ongoing battle with several rare chronic illnesses, including Congenital Heart Disease, Heterotaxy Syndrome, Hydrocephalus, and Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

Initially, the fetal echocardiogram showed Asher’s tiny heart contained eight congenital heart defects. The cardiologist told Asher’s family he had 4 holes, 2 ASD’s, 2 VSD’s, coarctation of the aorta, partial anomalous pulmonary venus return in which 2 of his pulmonary veins are draining to his coronary sinus, interrupted inferior vena cava, and an unroofed coronary sinus. These congenital heart defects resulted in a massive 17-hour surgery on his little walnut sized heart when he was just 2 weeks old. As he healed in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), his family sat by his bed side watching his tiny heart fight for its life while he was in a medically induced coma with his chest cavity still open due to swelling. Five days after the initial open heart surgery he underwent another surgery to close the chest cavity.

Another of Asher’s major lifelong illnesses is Heterotaxy Syndrome. There are 16 babies born a year in the United States with Heterotaxy Syndrome. Of those 16 babies, less than 15% make it to their 1st birthday. Asher is one of the fortunate 15%. Heterotaxy Syndrome occurs when the internal organs form in different areas than they normally do and results in a variety of medical issues. For Asher, this has created a malrotation of the intestines and bowel; right sided stomach; midline liver; and seven spleens, none of which function to the capabilities of an anatomically average spleen. This has resulted in a diminished immune system and constant bouts of illness during Asher’s 5 years. To address some of the issues that Heterotaxy created, Asher underwent an hours long LADS procedure when he was just 18 months old. The surgery fixed the malrotation and placed a permanent feeding tube in his stomach to provide nourishment and medicine.

Asher also faces the problems that come with Hydrocephalus, an illness in which the water around the brain cannot absorb or drain properly leading to pressure on the brain. As with all of Asher’s medical diagnoses, this diagnosis has come with many complications. Asher underwent an endoscopic third ventriculostomy while simultaneously placing an Ommaya reservoir in his brain in hopes to avoid the placement of a shunt. Unfortunately, two weeks later it completely failed and Asher needed emergency surgery to place a VP shunt in his brain. This was only the first of 8 more brain surgeries that were needed to fix numerous shunt malfunctions. Asher’s ninth brain surgery was just yesterday, January 6th, 2017, and he will need countless more brain surgeries as he continues to grow. Currently, there is no cure for Hydrocephalus and the only treatment requires invasive, life-threatening brain surgeries.

Asher’s other major disease is Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia, a progressive lung disease that causes an excess buildup of mucous in his lungs which leads to excessive respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and upper respiratory infections. This is exacerbated by his severe asthma. Because Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia affects all the cilia in the body, Asher also suffers from frequent and severe ear and sinus infections. Thus, he has had his tonsils and adenoids removed as well as four different sets of tubes put in to try to stop some of the ear infections.

In just 5 short years, Asher has faced unbelievable odds and continues to beat them all. Much to all his doctors’ surprise, he laughs and plays like any average child. Underneath his silly façade, lies a medically complex and fragile child who will need many more painful and life-threatening surgeries and procedures. None of Asher’s diagnoses currently have a cure and can only be maintained through further surgeries, medical procedures, and invasive intervention. Asher’s mother and father have been by his side every moment of his tumultuous journey and thus now need financial assistance. Because of all the therapy and doctor appointments, Asher’s mother is unable to maintain a full-time job and had to leave college, leaving only Asher’s father to earn money for their family, including Asher and their 19-month-old daughter, Quinn.

My sister and her family have spent the past 5 years battling alongside their son and have never asked anyone for help. Through all of this, they have strived to maintain normality for their family. Now I am asking you to donate to help them pay for some of the medical costs and life costs that come with being parents of a medically needy child. Asher’s parents will never be able to pay off all of Asher’s medical bills because they continually grow as Asher’s needs escalate and change, resulting in more surgeries and hospital stays. Any money you donate will help cover excessive medical costs, their apartment, necessary and expensive repairs for their minivan to ensure safe and reliable transportation, gas for the frequent trips to doctors, hospitals, and specialists, and give Asher and his little sister a chance to have a fulfilled life with their parents.

To donate, click >>here.<<<

This story is part of OMG I Got A Letter series curated by Gelli. Gelli partnered with Crowdrise to help raise funds for people/charity groups in need. Every month, we’ll feature at least one story that needs sharing. The writer nor the blog host gets commission from this. This is pure charity. Aside from monetary contribution, we also welcome letters of encouragement from people like you. Let us know in the comments section what you want to tell Asher and his family. We’ll make sure he reads this! Thank you for your help.

Hello, January!




OK here goes the long list:

Emerging trends in Health and Wellness








Movies, TV shows to Watch


Leaving 1/6/17
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest

Leaving 1/29/17
Stephen King’s A Good Marriage









Books to Read


Difficult Women by Roxane Gay


Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh


Collected Stories by E.L. Doctorow


4321 by Paul Auster


Human Acts by Han Kang


Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran


Enigma Variations by André Aciman


Transit by Rachel Cusk


Hope you guys enjoyed this list!

Let's rock 2017!


Get the latest posts delivered to your mailbox: