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Abode Hospice & Home Health is celebrating nurses during the month of May! Meet Shirley and learn about her passion when it comes to nursing as she shares her “why.” Why nursing? I firmly believe it is my calling. I went back to school as an adult who was working in finance, a Registered Investment Advisor with a Series 7 commodities license. Once I started working in healthcare, I no longer felt like a square peg in a round hole and truly felt I had found what I was hardwired to do. Having worked in multiple areas of Nursing, I am so grateful to have made my way to the very special service of Hospice. It is remarkably fulfilling to assist patients and families during a very sacred time. I feel so blessed to love my work.

Wellness Matters!

Wellness written with wooden letters, fresh chamomile flowers on rustic surface We all know it can be difficult to maintain a healthy (or even healthy-ish) lifestyle, but here is one employee who believes: “Always focus on doing the right thing”. Christal Ransom has been with Abode Hospice and Home Health in Colorado Springs since day one; she serves as Director of Public Relations and Community Liaison. Before joining the Abode team, Christal worked in outpatient orthopedics, sports medicine, and social work, where she found her passion for hospice. Christal has deep roots in the sport Judo that instilled many values she holds true today in her career like “perseverance, work ethic, and integrity” and “wanting to be the best and have the best team” she says. In 2000, Christal moved out to Colorado Springs to train at the Olympic Center. She also competed for the U.S. National team for 12 years. In 2008, she won the Olympic trials but unfortunately was unable to go to the Olympics because her weight division wasn’t qualified. For the 2012 Olympics, “I trained to make the London team but was unable to qualify and got selected to attend the Olympics as a training partner” she says. After London in 2012, Christal retired and was elected to join the Board of Directors for U.S.A. Judo which she currently serves on today. It’s easy to see how such an intense sport can really instill such values and characteristics that have carried over into Christal’s life today. An average day for Christal is going to the gym every morning about 6:30 AM, “I usually begin taking calls there and I’m out and about driving around all day” she says. Among other things, “I work with patients, families, and facilities in order to help coordinate admissions and patient care”. But for those who don’t have a complete background in Judo or any sport for that matter Christal has some sound advice for living a healthy lifestyle.
Christal Ransom second from the left attending a last wish event!

Christal Ransom – second from the left attending a last wish event!

Often our jobs are sometimes stressful, what might be the best way to combat that?

If your immune system is beat down and you are stressed the best thing you can do is to eat right and take care of your body so you can recover, so you aren’t sick for weeks.  

On that note, what foods can you not live without?

Chicken. Chicken three times. Or chicken, coconut oil, and espresso. Coconut oil is also key!!  

What might be the best advice to find the right eating and working out schedule?

My suggestion to people who do what we do would be to bring your lunch – meal prep that way you have healthy snacks. Since I am always on the go, I have a little icebox in my car that I pack my lunch in; chicken and avocado! Other clean food like nuts or protein bars, healthy but quick to eat. That way when you have no time to stop and eat you at least have something healthy on the go that’s going to fuel your body. Oh and no smoking!!  

Are you reading any interesting books, blogs, magazines that have health tips in it?

Nothing too particular or specific to health but I was reading about coconut oil – coconut oil helps boost your immune system.  

Cold and flu season are around the corner, do you have any tips that might help to combat that?

Yes, I can be quite germ-a-phoab! Wash your hands, all too often we rely on hand sanitizer – you have got to wash your hands! Also, don’t wear your shoes in the house, I feel like you track in a lot of dirt and nasty germs from the hospital or wherever in your home. Leave your shoes at the door! A couple of other helpful tips are zinc and vitamin C – they also help boost your immune system. I’d say if you do not take supplements regularly, you should at least take something that is boosting your immune system during the flu season. Lastly, wipe your phones down with antibacterial wipes. Our phones are considered one of our dirtiest possessions. People don’t realize but your phone is your nastiest piece of equipment – use antibacterial wipes! For those of you always on the go, here are some helpful tips and advice from one of our own that can hopefully help you jump start and maintain your health! Wellness in all forms matter and taking the right small steps can make a huge difference in your day-to-day lifestyle.

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