Today was the wrap up of my first week back into my (RN) Nursing career.  The end is getting closer…

Things I learned this week and things that happened:

1)  Things are easier when you’ve been totally petrified and stressed, or at least your body has adapted.

2)  This semester is going to be CRAZY, I’m going to be all over the map and back ~ but it will be fun.

3)  Dollar Store pantyhose have NO SUPPORT at all, by the end of 8 hrs you have wrinkly ankles and can have six second tenting during a turgor test on the shin bone area ~ which proves dehydration. :)

4)  I was voted in as vice-president of my class!!  Working alongside EP and KP…it’s going to be a great experience.  AB is our faculty representative.

5)  It’s frowned upon when you spell Nursing as Nurseing on your binder cover.

Un-school related…

6)  I found out just how far a person can squat without actually sitting on the floor.

7)  Poo-Paper is not for everyone!  Support the Elephants, purchase poo-paper!!

We have some great teachers and I think this semester is going to be a good one…IF I can motivate my mind to get back into the books.  It’s amazing what a month will do to study skills and responsibilities.  I need to get motivated and fast, I have a test coming quick.

My brother went to the doctor today, they will possibly be changing his medications for the MS.  He started exercising about a month ago, and he had some improvement in his feet (Praise the Lord), now to just start working on the rest of him.  God’s a healer, I still believe that, but sometimes God’s time frame and method does not fit what our mortal minds think-up or desire.  We just have to continue trusting Him.

I started an exercise program this week made up for me by a local Personal Trainer, or one who has received his license and is helping me while I help him get training on how to train.  It’s a win, win.  The only losing I see going on is me and my eating habits.  One of the main things my trainer has pounded into my head is that you CANNOT OUT EXERCISE A BAD DIET.  Ok, maybe pounded is a harsh work…he’s spoken and emailed it to me about four times…but hey, for someone who likes her ice cream and cereal it felt like a pounding.  I can do really good for like three days then I have a CRASH day, and the recovery is hard.  My old motto used to be that I would work out so I could eat what I wanted…that’s also probably why I never saw any results.  I need a list of this is what you are eating today and nothing else type thing to get my stomach shrunk and a grasp on my whole weight control part of this training I’m doing.  I’m terrible.  My goal is to do better, we’ll see what happens.  The actual exercise is going well, I have muscles that I didn’t know existed.  If you properly perform squats, lunges, and push-ups…not to mention planks; a person can be sore.

It’s been a good week.  Now to just get going on everything and into the groove of study time and homework.

Until Later…

ERM

Yes, it’s that time again.  School starts on Tuesday (1/17), and I will be starting my second semester of RN school.  It seems unreal in one degree, and then on a totally different level I’m a little scared ~ what if I don’t make it, what if I mess up and don’t know my stuff?  But as my motto last semester was, ‘One day at a time’.  That’s the only way that I can make it, and it’s the only way to go.

I’ve been off school for about a month, there has been so much and so little that has happened.  I took a mini-vaca and went back to work full time; but other than that nothing went down this past month.  I was able to spend some time with friends and then realized that I don’t really have that many friends.  LOL.  During my first semester I thought that my study habits and full schedule of two jobs, school, and church kept me from having a full social schedule.  Apparently it’s that I don’t have anyone to be social with.  Everyone has either gotten married, had children, or started dating…leaving an older college student to drift.  But I’m making new friends and building relationships that will keep me sane.  One day at a time.

Things I was able to see/experience this month:  Sky lanterns: very cool ~ I was impressed with them.  Being a friend.  Finding out that a good family friend lost his son, who was my age, in a car accident.  There’s crazy diseases out there (i.e. Stevens-Johnson’s Syndrome) that happen to people you know.

I have come to realize over this past month that sometimes we live life to the fullest, giving our all to the One who gave us life and going at it one-hundred percent.  Sometimes we live life on the outskirts, not giving it our all, wanting to be what we know we ought but not completely succeeding…but trying.  And then sometimes we do what we can to hasten the end that we know we all will face not caring what happens, still going about our daily lives but barely living.  Other times we hit the spectrum of all three options, going from one extreme to the other with pit stops along the way.  I want to be all that I can be, and mainly what God wants me to be.  Do I always succeed at this?  NO.  Do I give it my one-hundred percent?  NO.  Most of the time I fail miserably.  I do hope that I get it figured out eventually, and that I can be a friend worth having and someone that is willing to give of myself and my time to those who need it.  Being an example, shinning the Light of the One who created me and gave me life and salvation.  It’s a daily processes, I fail most of the time and other times I think I have it and then realize that I missed an important component.  But just as with nursing school…it’s one day at a time.  That’s the only way it can be.  I will succeed.  I will make it…one day at a time.

My goals for this year…to actually start eating more healthy ~ not just one or two days at a time; to read my Bible more often and pray ~ building a relationship (gasp) with the One I KNOW loves me regardless; to get into shape and keep my body as healthy as possible as this invisible disease (MS) attacks me from the inside out.  Life is worth it.  Relationships are worth it.  It’s just has to be taken…’one day at a time’.

ERM

Ah!  I love sitting down and knowing that I have nothing what-so-ever that I have to do at this moment.  The past month or so has been beyond crazy (CAOH practice, school, work…Nine-night run of CAOH, finals, work).  I had started grinding my teeth to the point that I had hamburger for cheeks in the mornings (Hello Night Guard!!), my arm and face were numb (due to the MS), and I was telling my-self ‘just a day at a time’.  That’s really all we can do, is take it a day at a time…if we succeed that day then we can mark the day off with pride.  If we mess up and make mistakes then we just have to say ‘tomorrow’s a new day’ and face it with all the determination to do it right.  Enough about all that, I’m on VACATION!! Or have joined the hermit-hood for five days.

My mini-vaca started with a day and a-half in St. Louis.  Thursday was a monumental day…I stepped into a store that was something other than Wal-Mart for the first time in four months.  I live in a part of the world that it’s a good two hours to get to any type of shopping; and every time that I attempted to get out of town for a day something came up…or more often than not my bed held more appeal to me than getting into a vehicle and driving for two hours.  I hit goodwill, Plato’s closet, TJMax…all the good stores that are easy on the pocket book but still have good deals.  I topped Thursday night off with dinner with Mel (we viewed pics from her trip to Vietnam and caught up) and then some quiet TV time.

Friday morning I went to see my neurologist, to see how things were going with my central nervous system.  He was happy with were I was, I passed the sobriety style test (touch nose with finger, then touch dr finger; walk a straight line heel to toe; muscle strength, etc.)…he wants me to keep up with the gym/exercise/and diet.  I just need to get committed and do this without delays.  Regardless, this is my life and health that I’m dealing with.

I left St. Louis and headed to Columbia.  More discount stores, goodwills, and consignment shops.  I have fallen in love with Columbia.  It’s a small-big city, with a lot of character.  I stepped into a mall for the first time today (Saturday) ~ CRAZY.  It was a little crowded.  I can’t imagine why, it’s only eight days before Christmas…but wow, I had forgotten how crazy it could be.  But a cool thing happened, I went to the food court to find some substance so I could continue on my way and I sat down to eat and a girl I went to college with at Gateway (who lives in Mexico, MO) came up and asked if I wanted to join her and her daughter.  We haven’t seen one another in awhile…it was cool, and great to catch up.  It’s a small world we live in!!

I ate Indian food for the first time on Friday night with Dust-Man.  We meet at the India House in COMO.  It’s not what I was expecting at all.  The appetizer we had was great (cheese stuffed bread, can’t go wrong there); but my actual food was a spinach/chicken dish…that basically looked like baby food with chunks in it.  It wasn’t very stove hot when it came out, so I was eating lukewarm baby food.  It was o.k., but maybe next time I’ll try something new with someone that knows what to order. :)  No more baby food!!

I went to Devil’s Icebox today (Sat, Dec 17).  It’s part of the Rock Bridge Mark Twain National Forest Park.  It was pretty cool.  There are trails everywhere and they’ve built a board walk through the wood that you can follow, and you get miles and step climbing that made for a great work-out for the day.  I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t allowed down into where the cave was, but it was still pretty cool.  Want to come back when it’s a little warmer and I have a companion, so in-case I get turned around I won’t be alone, nor be lost for ever without anyone knowing. :)

I passed my first semester of RN school.  I came out with two B’s.  I’m a little bummed, but hey they are better than C’s and I will accept them at this point.  I just have to try harder next semester, and the fact that I get to continue is GREAT.  Looking forward to next semester, we’re going into Mental Health and Med Surge.

I have two days left of my vacation, i.e. hermit-hood.  One will be spent on travel.  It’s been a good weekend.  Good time off.  Now to buckle down and get as much work in as possible, save some money, and get ready to head back to school in three weeks.  Fill some scholarship forms out…and find a pot of gold!

Here’s to relaxation, vacation, old/new friends…it’s what life is all about sometimes!!  Now I need to go put all my receipts in my check-book and see where I stand financially! :)

ERM

It’s finally upon us…Christmas At Our House.  I cannot believe that we only have TWO days of practice left before opening night.  Are we ready…that makes me laugh right out loud.  We lost our Oswald last week, and obtained a new actor for the part this past Monday.  It’s been an interesting ride so far, getting ready for this massive family reunion we have the first week of December…but as always, it will be worth it.  I LOVE CAOH, and I’m really excited that I was able to be a part of it this year (on the stage).  Here’s to keeping sanity for the next two weeks! <clink, clink>

Now onto other subjects.  I have two test left of my first semester of RN school.  TWO TEST.  Of course I have to pass the test (and should actually be studying instead of making a blog post about it), but looking back over the past four months I’m in awe.  It has been a roller coaster ride that I wasn’t really prepared for, but I’ve learned a lot and I have a lot more to learn.  I’m comfortable in what I’ve done so far, but still scared spit-less to some degree when I think about it all.  I have three semesters left, more than likely filled with as much stress as I had this past one…but it will be worth it and I’m looking forward to walking across the stage (Lord willing) and being ‘pinned’ with my nursing pin.

I have TWO weeks before I take a mini-vacation to parts unknown.  Well possible not ‘unknown’ just foreign to me since school started.  I get to go to STL, with a side trip to COMO!!  I’m more than excited.  I haven’t seen a mall in four months.  I haven’t been able to people watch or relax. Of course my vacation is kickin’ off with a visit to my neurologist, but as long as I can walk a straight line and touch my nose…things should be good. :)  I’m looking forward to this…and excited to be able to see some friends.

Need to wrap this up and get going on some homework…then work…then practice…then work again.  I have Count Dracula from Sesame Street in my head; he says we have TWO days (ah, ah, ah), TWO TEST (ah, ah, ah), TWO weeks (ah, ah, ah)…we have TWO. :)

Later,

ERM

I am about to start a strenuous program at school, that will leave me with very little time and with the desire for more energy.  I was looking for a supplement program that would give me what I needed.  A friend of mine started a program called Advocare, and I thought I would try it out.  They are all natural products, it offers meal replacement drinks (so you can ‘eat’ on the go); two different energy supplements (b-12 in a bottle ~ both of which I have used and receive the needed boost in the middle of the day when I was lagging; and at night when I had to study for a test and needed to focus).  They also offer a body cleansing package, weight management, and vitamins…their list of products is very extensive and has what anyone would need.  You can pick and choose.

 The best part is that it’s cheap to start out ($79.00), they send you $50 in free product, there is no auto-ship (nothing that you do not want comes monthly), and you can get an automatic 20% discount when signing up.  You make the choice if you sell to others or enjoy the 20% discount.  The more product you purchase the bigger discount you receive. 

You can check out their website and products at:   https://www.advocare.com/110414713/

If you are interested, you can join by clicking on the become a distributor button.  I’ve been happy with the product, and it helps with working out at the gym, for busy life styles when you need just a little more ‘umph’.

No pressure, I think that decisions are personal to each individual.  If you decide to try it, good luck and I hope that it works as well for you as it has for me.

ERM

I got my letter from the college about two weeks ago…I was accepted into the RN program at TRCC.  Two years, four semesters, and I will be the proud owner of a new degree and be able to help people.  I attempted to go into civic service and work for the MO Highway Patrol, but they wouldn’t allow me to wear a skirt on the job (though I would only be doing a desk job); so I had to turn them down after receiving the job.  But it opened the door for me to take this next step in my life and go back to school.  Everything happens for a reason.  I’m excited and scared both, and hope that I get some of the scholarship money that I’m applying for; but everything will work out!!

Well, I’ve been at the gym for a month.  It’s coming off slowly, unfortunately it comes off a lot slower than it goes on.  One step at a time, one weight lift at a time…I’m still learning all the machines and it will all be worth it!!  It has helped a lot with some of the symptoms of my MS, which is always a bonus.  Here’s to a new month!!  I’ll weigh and measure this Monday, hopefully there will be some good progress.  I’ll fast tomorrow!! :)

That about wraps it up for now…until more exciting things happen in my life, I’m signing off for now.

ERM

Well, I went back to school in January and am taking only one class (A&P II); it’s been interesting.  I love learning, but some of the kids in my class really make me want to bang my head against the table.  They ask the most inane questions and want to know if every-other idea out of the teachers mouth is going to be on the test.  WHO CARES…you’ll have to know this eventually, why not get a good basis now rather than later. 

Another GRRR! is that they always try to get by with the least amount possible.  I’m a TERRIBLE speller, I have issues and always have.  Our teacher would allow us to re-write words that we misspelled on our lab exams to gain the point back. FOUR people did not take the time to look up their words and misspelled their misspell corrections…so therefore he took this option away.  I therefore spend hours upon hours of learning my words (I would usually maybe miss one, two at the most).  So on a recent test they were all asking if they could abbreviate a majority of the words because they were ‘hard to spell’.  HELLO, are we in junior high or college.  Buck up!!

I took my pre-entrance exam back in February for the RN program, we won’t know until the second week of April if we got in or not.  It’s been a long month of March.  I’m ready to find out what’s what and where I’m going to be going next semester.  I’m praying that everything works out like it should and I’m trying to find money.  It would be nice if it grew on trees. :)

I took the first weekend of Spring break off and took a mini vaca to STL and West Plains.  I woke up Monday morning to three inches of snow in STL, it was great.  Very pretty!!  On Sunday, I went to church and one of my professors from college totally did not recognize me, I got a really good laugh out of it.  He kept blaming the backlight from the window behind me, yadda-yadda.  He felt really bad and kept apologizing, I just got a good laugh out of it.  It was a great relaxing weekend, topped off with dinner and games at my friends house in West Plains on Monday night, and time with her on Tuesday. 

I’m the proud owner of a gym membership!!  I’ve always worked out at home via video or walked at the track or around town.  It was time to bump up some weight limits, and I didn’t really want to own a whole set of weights at this time in my life (no place to store them); so I went the next best route and joined our local gym.  I think it will work out nicely, if I can figure out all the machines…the owners don’t really have a show-n-tell session or know all the in/outs themselves. :)  Here’s to skinny clothes!! <clink, clink>

I’m going to wrap it with that…it’s already midnight and 6:00 am is going to come very early.  Not to mention I have a three chapter exam tomorrow night and lots of stuff to do tomorrow on lunch (other than study).  Live still moving forward…one day at a time!!

ERM