Alright, I take that back. I have officially hit that part of my between-semester break where I am ready to get back. I've had enough of a break and just ready to get back to my semester-long rut. I am fully aware that this will only last a couple weeks at most and I'll be wishing for a break.
I imagine this next (and last!) semester will be even worse. On top of school and whatnot, I will be doing my capstone, preceptorship, whatever you call it. I'm pretty stoked for it, but *INCREDIBLY* nervous about it being PM shifts and daytime classes. I don't do so well without sleep. I get migraines. And bad. I don't know how well I'll do at switching my schedule around so often. So here's to hoping that won't happen! :)
:/
At least I get to have one last hoorah before school starts. I am off to Montana for the next four days and then immediately back to the grind. I drive back Monday in holiday traffic to pass off my ACLS Tuesday, Capstone Hospital orientation on Wednesday and class on Thursday.
Humph.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
It Happens Every Time..
I've worked at my place of employment for almost 15 months now and in that time, we have had our fair share of residents pass away and a fair share of those have happened on my shift. Some of them were near and dear to my heart from the first day I met them to the last day I cared for them and between putting on a brave face around the family while providing post-mortem care, I have had to sneak into a remote room, sit in the far corner and have a good cry for just a few seconds.
Others I have cared for, and for a while they may or may not have drove me up a wall (I can neither confirm nor deny that statement) but as their time came closer, I have tried to get over myself and take care of them as best as I am capable and something incredible happens:
You truly do develop a profound love for those in whom you serve.
And when it was their time to meet the Good Lord, I put on a brave face, offer assitance in any way I can, but all between sneaking into a remote room to have a good cry for a few seconds.
I am always impressed with the impact that they have on so many lives and I look forward to the day when I can meet them and truly know them for who they were in their prime and not as I cared for them. I will be eternally grateful for the opportunity I had to help them in their last days, but moreso will I be grateful to truly know them and to tell them thank you for everything they, and their families, have taught me over the last 15 months.
Others I have cared for, and for a while they may or may not have drove me up a wall (I can neither confirm nor deny that statement) but as their time came closer, I have tried to get over myself and take care of them as best as I am capable and something incredible happens:
You truly do develop a profound love for those in whom you serve.
And when it was their time to meet the Good Lord, I put on a brave face, offer assitance in any way I can, but all between sneaking into a remote room to have a good cry for a few seconds.
I am always impressed with the impact that they have on so many lives and I look forward to the day when I can meet them and truly know them for who they were in their prime and not as I cared for them. I will be eternally grateful for the opportunity I had to help them in their last days, but moreso will I be grateful to truly know them and to tell them thank you for everything they, and their families, have taught me over the last 15 months.
Friday, August 19, 2011
School's Out ... Kind Of.
So I'm officially done with Semester 4 of 5 of nursing school and I can give myself a little pat on the back for a job well done.
I wish I could say that I don't have a single book to crack or test to prepare for in the next two weeks, but alas, I am a glutton for punishment. I am currently training to receive my Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification. Ya know the guys that rush into a room when the Code Blue button has been pushed to swoop in and save the day? Yep, that's going to be me. I'm pretty stoked about it.
I was able to observe/mildly participate in some Mega Code simulations this morning with a group that is past all the book learning and actually passing off to become officially certified this morning. I learned quite a bit, but mostly, since I was the peon, I just came out with incredibly tired muscles from doing CPR on a dummy for a LONG time.
It's extremely exhilarating to have found my niche in emergency care. For a long time, I wanted to be Labor and Delivery and eventually a Midwife, and while I still want to do that, I think I want to save that for later on when I want to "retire." I have found that I like the prospect/challenge of anything coming through the door at any given minute and I have to rely on my know-how to treat this person.
Anyhow, time to put megacodes on hold and off to the fun and exciting life at work. :/ At least I'm not by myself.
I wish I could say that I don't have a single book to crack or test to prepare for in the next two weeks, but alas, I am a glutton for punishment. I am currently training to receive my Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification. Ya know the guys that rush into a room when the Code Blue button has been pushed to swoop in and save the day? Yep, that's going to be me. I'm pretty stoked about it.
I was able to observe/mildly participate in some Mega Code simulations this morning with a group that is past all the book learning and actually passing off to become officially certified this morning. I learned quite a bit, but mostly, since I was the peon, I just came out with incredibly tired muscles from doing CPR on a dummy for a LONG time.
It's extremely exhilarating to have found my niche in emergency care. For a long time, I wanted to be Labor and Delivery and eventually a Midwife, and while I still want to do that, I think I want to save that for later on when I want to "retire." I have found that I like the prospect/challenge of anything coming through the door at any given minute and I have to rely on my know-how to treat this person.
Anyhow, time to put megacodes on hold and off to the fun and exciting life at work. :/ At least I'm not by myself.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Today I Decided Life Will Forever and Always Be Insane
So to fill you in on the last 18 months of my life:
We moved from Florida in February, 2010.
May 24, 2010 I started nursing school.
Two days later, I started working as a CNA.
Five days later, my husband and I were rear-ended by a young, teenaged girl who was doing something on her phone. Myself and the kids were fine, but due to the position in which my husband was, he sustained nerve damage in his lower back.
And since then, life has been insane. Thomas stays at home and watches the kids while I work and go to school and try to squeeze in enough time with the family so that I don't fall asleep with exhaustion and guilt plaguing me on a daily basis.
School is fantastic. I am doing extremely well, many thanks to my Heavenly Father. On a continual basis, generally when I get emotionally drained, I have to remind myself that I have done what I thought was impossible and can hold on for another [ ] months. (Only four more months... only four more months..)
I am eternally grateful for my husband who has supported me and given me the strength and encouragement that I have needed when I am on the verge of losing it, and if I do get to the point of "lost it", he knows how to pick me back up.
Then comes some perspective. I think my life is hard, and it's easy to get down on myself and try to make people pity my situation and it seems that when I am on the search for someone to take pity upon me, I find something else entirely. I find a dear friend who is going through the same school process 300 miles from her husband. I find an old high school acquaintance who has a young child with health problems. I find single parents that are trying to do the best for their children while pursuing an education. I find someone who is trying to better their life and, due to a momentary lapse of judgement, needs to put their life on hold for the time being. I find a loving and doting husband of decades, visiting his sick wife on a daily basis, knowing that days are limited.
And they are holding up far better than I think I could. They are holding up admirally.
So life may always be insane in one way or another but I have found within the past few months, I am capable of so much more than I ever thought possible and if/when I begin to lax in that thinking, I have the most incredible people around me to lift me up and support me.
P.S. Today I also decided that I will blog more often. We'll see how that goes.
We moved from Florida in February, 2010.
May 24, 2010 I started nursing school.
Two days later, I started working as a CNA.
Five days later, my husband and I were rear-ended by a young, teenaged girl who was doing something on her phone. Myself and the kids were fine, but due to the position in which my husband was, he sustained nerve damage in his lower back.
And since then, life has been insane. Thomas stays at home and watches the kids while I work and go to school and try to squeeze in enough time with the family so that I don't fall asleep with exhaustion and guilt plaguing me on a daily basis.
School is fantastic. I am doing extremely well, many thanks to my Heavenly Father. On a continual basis, generally when I get emotionally drained, I have to remind myself that I have done what I thought was impossible and can hold on for another [ ] months. (Only four more months... only four more months..)
I am eternally grateful for my husband who has supported me and given me the strength and encouragement that I have needed when I am on the verge of losing it, and if I do get to the point of "lost it", he knows how to pick me back up.
Then comes some perspective. I think my life is hard, and it's easy to get down on myself and try to make people pity my situation and it seems that when I am on the search for someone to take pity upon me, I find something else entirely. I find a dear friend who is going through the same school process 300 miles from her husband. I find an old high school acquaintance who has a young child with health problems. I find single parents that are trying to do the best for their children while pursuing an education. I find someone who is trying to better their life and, due to a momentary lapse of judgement, needs to put their life on hold for the time being. I find a loving and doting husband of decades, visiting his sick wife on a daily basis, knowing that days are limited.
And they are holding up far better than I think I could. They are holding up admirally.
So life may always be insane in one way or another but I have found within the past few months, I am capable of so much more than I ever thought possible and if/when I begin to lax in that thinking, I have the most incredible people around me to lift me up and support me.
P.S. Today I also decided that I will blog more often. We'll see how that goes.
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