I’m laying here in my customary pose of late, wide awake knowing I need to sleep yet can’t due to all the stuff going through my head.  So I stare at the computer screen and watch moving pictures go by, which eventually lull me to sleep, or I pass out to wake up and start the process all over again the next morning.  I’m hoping in a few days the ‘At Risk for Disturbed Sleep Patterns’, becomes non existent; we can change it to ‘Readiness for Improved Sleep Patterns’…even if it takes NyQuil or my prescribed Zanaflex to do the trick.

As I was sitting and doing my homework tonight, I was reflecting on my last day of ‘in the field training’ and a thought popped into my head, scary I know.  Hold your seats folks, all five of you that read this, this is going to blow your socks off.  J/K, but to my sleep starved and over information loaded mind…it was pretty profound.

We’re expected to be on top of our game, know all the in/outs of what is happening, and to pull off our ‘training’ days without a hitch.  Though I’ve yet to accomplish that, I have had the opportunity to come into contact with someone that boosted my flagging self-esteem, and told me that I was doing great and to keep up the good work.  It was a good experience, and was great to have someone say ‘good luck, you’re doing good, keep it up’.

So many of these experiences that we have the opportunity to come into contact with, have been through the ringer, and yet they are open to helping us learn.  They know that we have to be trained, and we may not get it right, but they are willing to be our opportunities at success.  Sometimes it’s failure.  But still we had the opportunity.

Here’s the light bulb information that blew me away.  We’ve been in school for nine months, the gestational period of a fetus.  On Monday, after our final, we will start our second phase of growth as second year students at the end of our initial nine months…babies.  Babies are born with innate knowledge (cry, pee, poop, smile, sleep), and then they grow.  We’ve been giving our foundations, our gestational period, some of it was given to us carefully laid out…the majority of it was learned by self (becoming innate knowledge).  We’re still going to be growing and hopefully will receive some great nutrition the next two semesters…because then we’ll be a full blown child, expected to walk and talk on our own.  They’ll send us out into the crazy, wild world to accomplish things on our own.

But for now…now I’m just a baby.  Scared spit-less that I missed something that could mean life/death.  Worried that I may not remember all the information that is required.  Stressed.  But still, I must remember…I’m just a baby.  Nine months in the making…and the babies were born.

ERM ~ RN 2013 (Lord Willing)

Today I took one of my final three test for the semester, looking forward to being able to say that about the whole program.  Yet that’s a ways in the future…a good three semesters and a whole year ~ just a little time.  I passed my test, still made a B…I don’t think I’ll ever make an A, but all I can do is continue trying.  If I keep a B, things will be good.  I know that C’s get degrees, I still don’t want one.

The weather finally broke today.  It was 80 degrees in November, kinda crazy, and very humid.  But tonight it rained and the weather is supposed to cool down…we may actually have Thanksgiving weather for Thanksgiving…which will be good.  I’m tired of not knowing what season of clothing to wear – winter vs. summer.

Christmas at Our House is two weeks from this Friday.  Opening night is Friday, December 2.  Not sure how ready or prepared that we’ll be, we have yet to actually start practicing the play (with accents, actions, and anecdotes); oh well, God willing everything will come together.  If not, we’ll fall on our faces and the drama department will eventually understand the importance of practice and focus. :)

Need to run…plenty of reading yet to do.  Almost done…three more chapters to read, though one of them is about 80 pages long. :-(

Later,

ERM

I’ve made it.  I want to shout from the roof top that I have succeeded in making it through six whole weeks of school.  I currently have twelve weeks left, but some of that is going to be broken up with fall break, thanksgiving break, and a few other days off due to testing the school does.  I can handle it.  The next four weeks will be CRAZY with a test every Monday and a Journal entry that I will have to actually make my brain focus on; but hey…I CAN DO THIS!!  I received test scores back from test I took on Monday (9/19), they had back to back test in our two Monday classes, I passed them.  Barely.  We have to keep a 78% or higher (which 78% is considered a “C”) in order not to have to go speak to our teachers about our grades.  My teeth hurt from the skimming they took.  MUST DO BETTER!!

I spend a lot of time with my books, and nothing else.  After October 10, we will be down to only Foundations class and the reading won’t be as heavy (we’ll be reading for only two classes instead of three).  I’m looking forward to the small break. :)

Last night I fell asleep while reading, not good.  There may be some things that I will need to go back over. :)  Also the other morning I had a ‘must take a break’ moment, I pulled up to the gym and hit my garage door opener (for my house) trying to get the gym to open for me.  I had a good laugh and went in and did some extra running on the treadmill trying to get some of the stress and stuff out of my body.  It felt good!!

Christmas at Our House preparations are starting…woot!!  It will take place the week before finals.  I’m supposed to be in it, but I’m not sure if they will let me or not. We’ll see.  I have things to do and places to be…hope everyone is doing well.  Enjoy the awesome weather we’re having and kick back and relax.  I will try to take my own advice.

ERM

I made it.  I seriously made it through my third week of nursing school.  I can almost breath.  The first week of school I felt like it was the first day of swimming lessons and I was thrown into the deep end without my floaties.  I was floundering around and sinking fast.  The second week, I had started a good dog paddle and was keeping my nose above the water.  Today (Thursday, which I deemed ‘cry night’ in the previous post — I made it through the evening without crying), I feel like I’ve taken a couple of breast strokes and I could start to tread water a little bit.

This week was hands on; and due to HIPPA I won’t be able to share much…BUT it was GREAT!!

It’s been a good week.  We start vital signs next week, so this should be interesting.  I’m still waiting on the results of my first test we took this past Monday.  One day at a time!!  I sometimes feel like I’m stuck in the story about the little train that could…”I think I can, I think I can”.

Need to run…going to bed early to celebrate the end of week three and our three day weekend.

Later,

ERM

Well a lot has happened over the past weekend/week.

One.  I was able to retake my Sociology test (see  below for details on the first go round); I ended up making 51 out of 60, which is an 85.  Then the teacher gave a 10% curve…which brings my test up to a 93…an A!!  Totally excited!!  She also posted on blackboard today that we have an opportunity to do a paper for ten points that will be added to our lowest test score.  I am going to work on that tomorrow, so I will have some cushion for the final.  Lord help us!!

Two.  After work on Saturday I went to Jonesboro with my mom.  Our main goal was to go so I could pick out some scrub tops that my boss is purchasing for us (since I missed out on the week before trip).  It took me an HOUR…yes you read that correctly, an hour.  My body is shaped not to fit into the scrubs comfortably.  I found a couple of styles that were, as Goldilocks would say, ‘Just Right’…so I bought like all five of them in that style.  Just kidding, but not really, at least three of them are the same type shirt…and they are OH SO COMFORTABLE.  After doing that, we hit the mall and then mom took me out for my birthday (which was Monday 4/19).

Three.  Church was Sunday (of course)…and it rocked!  Sunday was a crazy day for me.  I had an amazing roller coaster ride emotionally, and I didn’t know weather to be happy or sad that my birthday was the coming up, and how I was going to deal with another situation that I was facing.  Then to top it all off I acted like a crazy lady in another situation…it’s a wonder I’ve not been committed to the funny farm yet.  Then Sunday night arrived and God moved in to our church service, and He reminded me of some things and let me know that He was there…regardless.  Topped the night off with chicken and dumplings and then friends over for Smallville.  A good day.

Four.  Monday.  My birthday.  April 19.  A day of many sad occasions that have transpired over the years.  The first was the beginning of the Revolutionary war, with the shot that was heard around the world.  Then there’s Waco, TX, and the Davidian compound incident.  Then you have the Oklahoma City Bombing.  Many of these things did not even get a bleep on the radar this year…of course with under water volcano’s erupting and disrupting flight in the Northern Hemisphere…well ya know.  Then this year, this past Monday, my aunt lost her mother.  I worked all day, skipped class and studied for my Psychology test this Thursday instead (two chapters to read and go over).  Relaxed.

It was a busy and somewhat crazy weekend…but hey, that’s life.  I’m looking forward to the end of the semester (four weeks away)…just so I can start again the next week.  Summer classes here I come!!  Hopefully I get into the nursing program and this all works out…testing in July! :)

That’s all for now.  Until later! ERM

Well, to all of you faithful blog readers who hasn’t given up hope that I would one day actually put something new up here…and catch you up on my life.  I’m here, it’s already February, and there has been all kinds of things that have happened since my last blog.  I’ll give some highlights…but mainly I’m just here to get reacquainted with everyone and I’ll do better to keep things current.

I’ve been working at the Farm for almost two months now.  I’m seeing things that I would never have thought possible…I guess people get to a point where they just think that everyone wants to see what they have.  I’ve learned to work on my gag reflex…sometimes it still gets the better of me when I just cannot handle the situation (I’m always able to step to the back for a minute to catch my breath and continue working).  For some reason I’m not allowed to use the method I used when I had to change a dirty diaper…something about having bounce dryer sheets hanging out my nose makes some feel uncomfortable.  I’m really enjoying the job, and I’m learning a lot.  The Farm has been ‘very’ good to me.  They are paying for my health insurance, and I received a raise last week after only being there for about a month and 1/2.  God is AWESOME and He gave me an opportunity that I am very thankful for.

I went to my cousin’s last high school play last weekend.  I had not been in STL since Thanksgiving, and that was a fast trip with my parents.  I drove this time and spent some time just hanging out.  I went downtown, the first time in FOREVER.  Well this will date it for you, I had not seen the new Busch Stadium and they won the World Series in it back in 06.  I love downtown STL, the Arch and everything.  There is so much history there.  I attempted to go to the Body Works at the Science Center, but they were sold out of tickets.

My brother and sister-in-law have about four months left here state side.  They will be leaving soon to be missionaries in Ireland.  I’m looking forward to getting to go visit them, not so much looking forward to them leaving.  They’re taking my little buddies with them.  But that’s four to five months in the future…so I have time.

My house goes off the market in March.  I haven’t had one single person look at it.  The house market is so slow right now.  I’m trying to get it sold so I can be more flexible in where I live.  Everyone that is reading this and believes in prayer…please pray that someone would want a nice new house where I live.

Well, I need to run.  I have many things to get done before 5:30 rolls around.

Until next time…ERM