Saturday, November 23, 2013

sincerity

Today I had a great day at work.  And it has me thinking about all the wonderful opportunities I have by working in health care.  Opportunities that are not a stable job and benefits, but the actual many human unique human interactions I have had.  With so many patients that change all the time it is hard to remember individuals and individual situations, but some patients would be hard to forget.  I am grateful for there optimism, hope and all around good attitudes.  Of course this is not every patient and there have been plenty of people who are not shy at expressing/complaining about what they area going through, which is totally understandable.

But tonight for some reason I was thinking about the recreational therapist at the Rehab Hospital I used to work with and the fun and creative activities she used to do with patients and their families.  Its Saturday night and she is probably there playing music, bingo and make virgin margaritas for the patients able to sit in a wheelchair.  Maybe this doesn't seem like a huge deal but, many of these people are in recovery from life altering strokes, brain injuries or surgeries.  Just some music can bring such a better mood and more hope into their daily routines of nurses, medicine and trying to get back to a minimum functional routine. In fact my writing is terrible and cannot give the full picture or express my feelings. But, these are people who have been in the hospital for months, maybe they have lost their continence, and have to call a nurse to be turned in bed or changed, many can't properly swallow their food, have tubes in several parts of their bodies, can no longer speak properly, may never walk again and the list goes on...and some have all of these.  And so to simply be able to sit at a table (strapped into a wheelchair) and just not think about what is wrong is a pretty big deal.  I am grateful for the perspective it gives me as a caregiver and as a human, and for all the sincerity that comes with an event of such magnitude.

                                                 This is what is on my mind tonight

Thursday, November 21, 2013

3 weeks from tomorrow is Paul's last final, and then we start Christmas Break!  I will be working still, but when I am off we get to spend time together without homework hanging in the background.  Christmas Break is us at our best, our fun trips and experiences always seem to happen during that month where Gainesville sits silent and everyone else leaves.  Its a little bit depressing at first like we are being left behind and are orphaned here and then wonderful because this is our family and its almost giddy, like being left here unsupervised...I can't wait!

ok! we are yet to get a Christmas tree, this was at a wedding we went to, but I also make some decorations, whatever I can come up with for free/cheap...so we'll see what this year brings

I am not sure why but, this week has been tough for me, and somehow my days off have been harder on me than my days working...not that I am ready to go back to work.

I had a Dr.'s appt today, everything is good, and moving along, I am still small but, not out of proportion to my frame and nothing to worry about.

Paul officially did NOT get hired by either firm in Atlanta which is definitely a disappointment for both of us, but there is nothing we can do but keep trying.  To squeeze some lemon into the wound a girl that he told about the interviews and who just got off academic probation did get several offers...doesn't seem very fair considering how diligent Paul has been with school, but we are choosing to have faith that there is a reason and we ARE meant to go SOMEWHERE and hopefully that will work out at some point, even if it means staying in Gainesville an extra year....aaaaand paying another year of tuition ...sigh.

This also bring up the question that if we do stay for the LLM year that we will have to make a decision about if I am going to work or not during that year.  Baby will already be here so I would be working with a baby, on the one hand I want to say that my role is as a mother and I should just prioritize what is important and stay home with my daughter.  But, also my role as a mother is to take care of my family, and that includes their physical needs.  I don't think pioneer women or my own ancestors would have considered the only way to take care of a child is by staying home with her, but by being willing to go out and face the world to provide for my family, so if necessary I am willing to work, but also hoping that the LLM will not be necessary and we will be able to have me stay home.

Despite the set backs of not receiving an offer we have so much to be grateful for.  Especially health, we have been so blessed to have a healthy pregnancy, and that I was able to get insurance, and already well into the pregnancy, and that I am able to work now.  Also outside of health we have been blessed in our church service, and Paul has been blessed with admirable (admired by me) perseverance to continue to study hard and try to get interviews despite many set backs.

I know it seems like I write about this subject all the time, but what else do I really have to write about, this is our life and this is where we are at right now.


Saturday, November 9, 2013

SNOOZE FEST 2O13

Today is my day off, so basically I am moving as little as possible, because after a few 12 hour shifts I am kaput!  Its nice because Paul quietly does his homework/studying next to me and I can peacefully ponder life.  I would imagine it is also good for my vascular system to be off my feet.  Now for pictures of Paul (he asked for it).  Also we are now seriously considering Paulette as a baby name.  In celebration of a little Paul, lets see some Paul the original.


                                                     Taking pics for applications

                                                      going to church

Sunday, November 3, 2013

pregnancy hair

pregnancy has done fabulous things for my hair.....


....just thought I should let someone know!
Some recent cards I have made.  I love making cards because its not as high stakes as a real painting and you can give it away when your done.  I have a book about calligraphy and so I just imitate what I see in the book....so don't judge my very amateur attempts.  The fruit I like to just grab whatever is the fridge and paint what I see.








a traveling man

Paul has had a lot of interview recently this is great, because hopefully it means he'll get a job for after graduation!  This is not so great because it means he been on the road a lot, which is why tonight he had to go to Tallahassee for an interview early tomorrow morning.  Thankfully we have a generous friend that allowed Paul to stay with his parents nearby.  So now on this Sunday night (paul's night to not do homework)  I am home alone, and I have to try and make myself go to bed at a reasonable hour (since I am working tomorrow).  Although I wish Paul was here.  I am also enjoying the serenity....cool weather, warm bed, and this warm (color wise) apartment.   I love our life here, I feel very safe and very satisfied.



Thursday, October 31, 2013

Finding out our baby's gender

Since, I didn't have health insurance until I got a job I didn't actually have any prenatal appts. until around 20 weeks.  It was fine with me I know the rules of what to eat and what to expect (plus the internet is very useful), and thankfully I did not have any complications.  But somewhere around 20 weeks I was finally able to go in and see a Dr.  they were of course surprised that I had not been in previously and although everything was fine they were able to get me in for a ultrasound the next day.

Well, all along I suspected that I would be having a girl.  Actually even before I was married, I had a dream on my mission while in KL that I would have a daughter first.  Now I have a lot of weird dreams and this one was no exception but, something about it really stuck with me, so I just assumed that is what it would be.  Then I had really bad morning sickness, then I craved/crave everything sweet or at least NOT protein....so for me it all added up to GIRL!  So I have been talking incessantly  about girl names for several months and Paul liked to check me with some boy names since I didn't know that it would be a girl.

But it turns out I was right,  I have looked at lots of ultrasounds before and have some general anatomy knowledge and so I could follow where we were on the ultrasound pretty well, and I knew before the tech even said it that indeed it is really a girl.  Paul had to agree that I was right all along.  We are both happy with this although, girl names are really hard (there's so many!)

Since we have been pregnant we sing a hymn to the baby every night and that night Paul insisted we sing "as sisters in zion" to prepare our future "sister".  In any case we are both very excited and ....really taking name suggestions!
                                                                  baby
                                                            baby with umbilical cord
as sisters in zion
                                                           or from a favorite movie

I'm back

At least for now, sooo obviously a lot has happened since last time I wrote.
I finished nursing school!
I passed the NCLEX
I got a job working as a nurse on a med-surg floor in a nearby hospital.
and.............I am 22 weeks pregnant with a baby girl (that is the best news we've got).

Paul has started his last year of law school,
had lots of interviews,
has a lot more to come,
and is a very busy ward mission leader for our wards 6 missionaries (they're great!)

Actually I just sent Paul off in the car to catch a flight to Atlanta (where the players play) for another interview, so we are both praying that it goes well, but of course its still too early to say what life will bring us next.

now for some pregnancy pictures.
                                                                            22 weeks
                                                                      20 weeks
                                                                     20 weeks
                                                                     17 weeks

Thursday, June 20, 2013

2 nephi 28

line up line, precept upon precept.  That is how the Lord gives his word to his people, therefore if he adds more to the truth that he has already given, we should not freak out
he tells us right there

feeling close to the other side

Paul in JAX

Paul is in Jacksonville for the summer!
Seems bad right?  I know, but there is mostly on gratitude in our hearts...let me tell you why.
1st -paul is getting paid this summer, yes, that is right real money for his labor!
2nd-  Paul is getting free rent (maybe you can tell money plays a big part in our decisions), yes, we were ever so blessed to have a friend's mother offer to allow paul to live in her house without charging him anything.  What a kind women, what a blessing for us.
3rd-  Many of our other friends are also gone for the summer thus forcing a similar situation but they are generally much farther away.  In fact Jacksonville is closest reasonably sized legal market to where we are now...so basically this is the best geographical solution out there
4th- Paul comes home every week end and does not leave until monday morning
5th- Paul can get here is he needs to, say if I think I am ovulating he come down after work and go back in the morning.
6th- I don't keep paul up staying up late.
7th-seriously we skype every night :)

music in the car

Remember when we bought that old honda for $1,400, well after that we stopped using our truck for several months.  Well, one minor detail about the honda, is that it has no music...no radio, no cd player...nothing!  or it has a broken tape deck/radio.  It is nice in some ways, because I sing or ponder.  But now with Paul in Jacksonville I am driving the truck again which means MUSIC in the car!  I am having a music renaissance.  It also means NPR!

stealing home

That's right on Saturday Paul and I fly home to California, this is after almost two years of not going back and not seeing my parents since the after I got married
cant wait :)

today was fun!

Today was my last day of nursing school class :)  i woke up at the same time as the final started (woops)  partly because my alarm didnt go off because it was in the car right now I am house sitting at the self's house from our ward...i love it. Sometimes the dog (cozette) can get a little crazy, but the cat mango is nice, and its so wonderful.  hot tub, shower, food, piano, and general decorating and vice of the house is just relaxing.  So I rushed to school made it in time to rush through the test and still didn't do bad at all.  Nursing school has been so crazy and I am so glad it is ALMOST finished.  Although of course passing the nclex is going to be no small task.
So what was fun about today was that our class had a big party at one of our class members houses, it was a pool party and it was just so fun and laid back everyone is sort of able to take a breath because we are the ones that made it.
Even though this group of course has its faults, ahem they drink and party alot, they have different standard when it comes to dress, but in some ways I am going to miss them.  They are definitely people that I would never otherwise have crossed paths with.

so heres to a great year and a half of helping each other and making it through




Thursday, April 25, 2013

donuts from heaven

I was craving donuts all week....and then there were donuts at a class I went to and then there were donuts for friday seminar...my prayers are heard!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

a quote to live by

no misfortune is so bad that whining about it won’t make it worse

-Jeffrey R. Holland

I wish some my classmates would consider this, and also consider the harsh and vulgar language they use.


back to that weekend

After more than a year and half I got to see one of my brothers and father.
 a year and a half, seems like no big deal, but it was preceded by another year and a half....which all together equals a long time without seeing family.

They were only here for a few hours, but we got to walk around together...my favorite pastime.
We got to eat with them, talk with them, show them our life here, hear their testimonies, feel their love, and remember that there are people very very similar to ourselves out there.
people who look the same,
act the same,
and see us in the same context as we see ourselves.
people that we want to be with forever,
people that we pray for every night.

I hope I don't have to wait quite so long to see my family again. I love it here, but I just wish my they were a little closer by.



so thanks for driving all those extra hours to come visit.

sometimes....

When I know I will be waking up early every single day this summer, I start to looong for California.

Golden Hills, family, hikes in lime ridge, going over the bridges at night, sunday night walks after dinner, laying on the grass in the backyard, late night grocery store trips, siblings, parents, my history.

If I go, I might have a hard time making it back.

and sorry I know this is an old song

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

I had the best weekend ever! ( will wrte more soon)

for the record

I will not bother, get mad at, ask for favors from, or distract Paul until finals are over.
He does so much, and studies so hard...its only fair...and law school is hard.
I love him so much!

on the bus

Sometimes I take the bus from our apt to the college of nursing...mostly when I am seriously late, because I prefer to walk.

Even though its mostly students on campus there are always some mentally handicapped people (at least it seems this way)

Embarrassing for my sometimes I avoid talking to them...because its awkward to have a conversation on the bus with a bunch of people listening, and they always seem to ask the most personal questions.

I have been trying to get over this, be more Christ like.

They want human interaction, just like I do, and they likely get less of it.

I have been getting better and better at this, and now I often intentionally choose to sit next to the mentally handicapped person (that seat is usually open anyway)

Today, I felt like I had a meaningful conversation with a mentally handicapped man, he seemed to really enjoy talking to me, well talking to anyone (as he struck up a conversation as soon as I sat down).

Probably more than he enjoying talking, I felt good about it too.

Little things make a big difference for people, and they know when they are being ignored, avoided or talked down too.  Nursing school has made me more aware of this, Christ's example has taught me how important this is and I hope I can make it a priority to be kind to those around me, especially since so many have been kind to me.

I am writing this not to brag about how awesome I am at this, but because its something I want to develop in myself, something that is important, and to show I am grateful for these opportunities to become better being loving to those around me.


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

life is a flower at times

Thats ace of base for you....
the weather here is PERFECT right now...we are stuck inside studying but, with the windows open and hearts full of joy...plus I walk to school each day.  On top of that...I'm just really happy haha!
for some reason this reminds me of singapore, I think because I associate singapore with the 90s (odd because I was never there in the 90s) but that was when I first heard of it and sort of an overexcitement for modernity...or something not sure anyway that's it

Friday, April 5, 2013

I worked today, it was wonderful.  I was on the floor and the call lights were moving at just the right pace...and it was nothing I couldn't handle. Work is exhausting but I love that it gets me up and moving and gives me energy.  I also enjoyed the other nurses and techs company.  The nice thing about not being too busy was that there is more time for patient care, you can listen to patient's tell their stories without having to dash off to do something else,  you can also take the time to do nice things for patients like a gave a few foot and hand massages which I don't usually have time for and makes a difference for the patient.

We also had nursing research day, I only stayed for the morning (because I had to work) there were some interesting presentations and well a lot of nurses! of course I stayed for the free lunch and it was delish.  we had all sorts of free food events this week between Paul and I.  While I like the variety, I feel like I haven't been eating as healthy and feel like I need to refocus my eating (eat healthier).

Thursday, April 4, 2013

pain is wearing your retainer after you have made excuses for two months
Instead of a daily post it seems to be more of a weekly post, I think it has to do with that fact that I currently can't upload photos.
Today I took care of a prisoner in the hospital,  its pretty sad to see someone chained to a bed with three guards  watching over them.  I understand that this person has done some pretty bad things, but its hard to see someone in so much pain and with such injuries and not have your heart melt just a little.  Nursing really is a human profession and you felt your heart pained for so many people each day.

Sometimes its easy to separate yourself from problems and what someone is going through, but sometimes you realize hey that could be you.  We were talking about a certain medication that you have to have oxygen ready because people can easily develop respiratory issues when they first take this medication.  Yes, it rarely happens, but what if it were me?  I would want them to have everything ready, I wouldn't want to silently slip into respiratory depression helpless to tell anyone or too out of it.  So, I need to make sure I am thinking of these things and remember everyone feels that way about themselves.

Can't wait until general conference!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Still haven't found that card reader

So still cannot post any pictures of things I've made etc...

Anyway, on Sunday night  started feeling a hot spot on my lip, which got more irritated as time past, I haven't gotten a cold sore in a long time...so it was weird, but not so much of surprise as in general my body is just plain doing weird things recently.

Last night I stayed up all night writing a paper, and well, I don't do so well with 3 hours of sleep and had a melt down that resulted in me going to acupuncture today in a complete state of crying and histeria.  But acupuncture was quite wonderful, and seriously I think it helped a lot, then I came home and took a long nap.

I am not sure why but I just feel so worn out, I can barely handle walking to school!

Also for my own record Janai got her Mission Call to Brazil!!!


Sunday, March 24, 2013

karma

I sometimes wonder if it will come back and haunt me that I never leave feedback on ebay.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Starting fresh

Its already wednesday, and this week has not been an easy one.  But as I was reviewing my planner for the new week and seeing all the things I had to do, and all the ways I could do in advance to get things done I became grateful that each week we have a chance to start new. Just because last week I was barely keeping up doesn't mean that this week I won't use all my time wisely.

And each day is a chance to get make an improvement.

What a wonderful way to design the universe that allows so many chances to change and do better.


Saturday, March 16, 2013

builder not a basher

I decided the other night after a long day at clinicals that  should decide to like nursing school until it is over, I think that with the right attitude I CAN do that.

I don't know if this is everywhere or just in nursing school, but it seems like everyone around me just spends their time complaining.  Complain that the tests are hard, complain about professors, complain about clinicals, complain about graduation, complain about scheduling.  Everyone if complaining about everything!

I am no exception, I'd like to think that I am a little better than most, but I actually doubt it because that's sort of what people's conversations consist of and to talk to them and try and relate ....it probably smart to join in the complaining.

And while maybe we complain just to make conversation, hearing it all the time really starts to rub off on how you actually feel about things.

So, I am making a goal to stop complaining about nursing school.  To simply decide that I like it and like it.  This probably won't be that hard because as soon as I start looking at all the things that I am grateful for related to nursing school,  I will have a long list.

Its a hard program and that's ok, but considering how hard it is and how strict they have to be, they try and accomodate you as much as is reasonable for the circumstances, which of course never seems to come up in conversation. wonder why?

Is it just human nature to complain? Do the people around you complain a lot?  How you deal with it?

also our card reader seems to have temporarily disappeared so until it turns up I will be using pictures via the library of congress






Tuesday, March 12, 2013

narcotics anonymous

No I am not addicted to narcotics, but for nursing school I was assigned to go to an AA or an NA meeting.  I finally (after weeks of procrastination) did that last night.  I did not really know what to expect maybe I bunch of people who were forced to be there who did not want to be, but I was impressed at what I found.

A group of people who were openly struggling with an addiction that they have accepted as ruining their life.  And there was a lot of love and understanding for them by those who have been (and are still going through) what they are now.

Immediately upon entering the room, I felt the love, I felt the spirit even, I felt that God loves each of these people and recognizes their attempts to get better.  I thought it was refreshing for these people to openly be able to take about how hard it is to recover from their addiction and refreshing to see people actively trying to make their lives better, and know they need help and strength to get through their trials...they come out of their free will.

I also thought of people in my life that I wish would have been there and could have survived the battle against their addictions.  

So, when I saw the assignment to go I was a little skeptical, but going definitely changed my perspective on the people there, resources available, and people involved.

I am grateful for the experience, and if you are someone who is dealing with addiction I would urge you to go.


Monday, March 11, 2013

Back from break

Well, its turns out it wasn't much of a break because i chose to work (good choice right?) and then after that Paul had a last minute interview in Ft. Lauderdale.  Poor Paul first he injured his back working out (still not better) then he had to sit on a ghetto greyhound bus for 6 hours each way...although he came back some interesting bus stories.  But this also meant that we couldn't go on walks which is what I was looking forward to for spring break most of all, non hurried walks together, but maybe this week?

So recently I have been sewing where I should be painting.  I have two started paintings that I wanted to work on over break, but instead decided to sew (I will post pictures soon).  I starting to think that I prefer sewing actually, mostly because you can wear what you make...you can't really wear a painting, in fact almost no one gets to see it.  So basically I am vain and materialistic ( although not so much in comparison to those around me) and I like clothes, so at least I am not spending money on them, except for just a little bit for fabric.

Tonight I am going to an AA meeting, I've never drank, but its required for nursing school as part of our mental health rotation...should be interesting.

Friday, March 1, 2013

This week made me wonder if I would make it through this semester.  It was seriously the longest week  of my life...it just seemed to never end,...clinicals finished...just kidding theres more and more and more and more...but thankfully last nights night shift means its officially spring break!  This weekend is still going to be crazy, but at least I don't have to wake up early on Monday morning and that is about all I need to keep me going right now.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

If I had a nickel

for every time I have been tempted to post on facebook about how beautiful the weather and surroundings are here in florida...I probably wouldn't be rich, but I want to do that all-the-time. Today was especially beautiful, it was a perfect mix of warm, sunny, calm, and can you tell I am not much of a writer it was basically perfection.  To top it off after we got in from our moonlit walk it decided to rain for a time...which makes the nights, that don't cool down even better.

Well despite all this perfection I had to stay in most of the day because I have a test ugggghh... on Monday.  Sometimes, when studying for these tests.  I just want to stomp my feet, scream and refuse to study any more (which is ironic because I study less than anyone I know in my class), because life is passing me by out there and I am wasting it by sitting on my computer procrastinating (yeah I am not even really studying most of the time) feeling guilty.  But then I just tell myself that in a few short months I will be working three twelve hour shifts, have money and (the best part) not have any homework on the weekends.  This will be fabulous and there will be a beautiful day just like this one that I can go on the longest walk ever in and enjoy it without feeling guilty at all.  and hopefully I will be pregnant or have a baby at that point to make the day even better

....to dream the impossible dream (except this will totally happen)

Those are my thoughts at 2:05am.




Thursday, February 21, 2013

3 *12

This is another reason why you want to be a nurse.  Many many nurses have the option of working a compressed schedule,  so basically they work three 12 hour shifts  and then that it.  That is full time.   So say you worked Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, well then you have the rest of the week off.  So if you don't want your life to revolve around that look at all those other days you have to do whatever else you want.  You can paint, sew, sleep, take a class, and pursue any other interest you might have.

Now as a disclaimer, nursing jobs are very diverse and not all nursing jobs will have this option, but because the jobs are diverse so are the scheduling options, so if you want to work at night (that's what I plan on doing), on the weekend, get overtime, work shorter shifts more often etc... all of these are options.  Seems pretty awesome to me.

 So if you are not sure what you want to do, why not become a nurse and support yourself while you figure it out on the other 4 days of the week.


                                                                        litte bit of downtown abby inspiration image c/o

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Something sort of weird

about nursing school or people in it.

You know in nursing school we learn about all sorts of diseases and then memorize some of the medications that go with them.  So, health problems, we talk about them all day.  Some sort of weird phenomena exists in our class where people raise there hand to comment, and they just have to tell the whole class about their experience with such and such disease.  In essence it seems to me that people end up bragging about the medications they take, or the disease that runs in their family....and this is all sort of weird to me.
I'm not saying that you should hide your health problems, but using the fact that you can manage asthma, or that your grandfather takes such and such medication, seemingly for the purpose of getting positive feedback (the professor tells you to share your experience with the class) from the professor always makes me roll my eyes.
Oddly they are always the same people who's families seem to have EVERY disease we learn about...its drives me crazy.

So here's to being healthy, proud of it, and living life, praying and hoping that it stays that way and I may I never have health problems to share with the class (please please please!)


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Clinicals

Tomorrow is my first early morning clinicals....I'll be up before I want to mention and it will be painful. In other news  I am in the process of making an orange dress (university of florida)...its going mostly well.  Also here is a picture of my awesome new sewing machine cover that I made.  Lastly, I love chips.

Monday, February 18, 2013

fancy outfit today

I wore a fancy outfit today (and decidedly everyday these days) so I'm sharing it.


isn't florida beautiful!

  




gold and green

We went to a dance on Saturday.  I went to a lot of stake dances as a youth, and I loved all of it, and danced like crazy (literally).  But I really like how our stake here does dances...not so often but when they have them they are big.  Decorations, food, activities, people dress up.  Well annually they have a gold and green ball, and its for everyone 14 and up, so that includes the adults.  People were dressed up , there was endless fresh fruit and other snacks, and best of all there was a live band.  I guess I have never heard of a mormon stake hiring a band but the band were not members and the stake hired them,  although I didn't know all the songs that they played, Paul and I were pretty excited to dance to a live band and had a blast.  Also I should mention that Paul is getting perpetually better at dancing and I am grateful that he is willing to humor me and dance, because my life is infinitely better when he does :)  Although the dance was a few days after Valentines Day, it was the best valentines day gift he could have given me ...  I guess getting married doesn't mean your dancin' days are over :)
I also love every time Paul wears that velvet jacket

Friday, February 15, 2013

more about nursing...what do you expect

Not much is going on here today, I had a seminar, we talked about Diabetes.
Diabetes is seriously scary, so scary that I am taking a serious look at my sugar intake.
I feel like if people knew how CRAZY bad diabetes is they would probably do the same.
cake =sugar=diabetes=death

I cannot think of anything worth the side effects diabetes causes...every organ system in your body, every single one is affected....not.worth.it

Then clinical orientation...not much to say about that
Then career fair(more below)...
Then HIV counselor/tester training....ok not boring, but waaay too long, but now I can test you for HIV
Then home to Paul (yay!) best part of day!

Another big reason why nursing is a good choice is that nurses.........get jobs!
Today we had a career fair and you know what there were lots of hospitals/employers interested in hiring us.

It seems to from a lot of the blogs I read that people aren't really worried about getting jobs etc... but this is something I worry about, this was a huge part of picking nursing.

 I really like to know that is something serious happened to Paul and it was put on my shoulders to earn a living for our family that I could do it...of course there are plenty of potential disasters were that would not be helpful, but you get the point.

And with a big chunk of nurses on the verge of retirement and baby boomers aging, nursing has a positive job outlook.  read more

Well,  you don't love nursing? you can't stand bodily fluids? you hate hospitals?
In the future I will address why those are not absolutes if your working as a nurse...coming from a not very neat, non-perfectionist, considers-herself-to-be-somewhat-artistic-person

and that is it for today except I am wasting way to much time of the internet and should be doing hw.

                                                                                          image from here

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentines Day

Actually I did the night shift last night and even though it seemed to stretch into eternity, it was really calm, nice and not nearly as hard as it could have been.
I will skip the nursing post today to write about Valentines Day.
We made each other tenderly written cards
hung out,
ate,
 watched a movie (after I slept off the night shift that is)
...nothing huge, nothing grand,
 but with the limited time that Paul and I have together these days, it was nice to just say, HEY its Valentine's  Day lets not feel guilty about not doing homework
 and just spend some time together
and for me that resulted in the best day ever.
  I love Paul so much.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The first reason

The first reason is of course the most important (and after this the rest will be more practical)  but nursing is about caring, nurses spend time with there patients, nurses are always there, they are there in the hospital when almost everyone else has gone home.  They watch the patients at night, the address concerns, they have daily opportunities to serve and uplift there patients.  Of course many many times it is not so wonderful or touchy-feely, but it can be.
Nurses give essential care and can really do good for humanity.
if this is not enough for that is ok too (keep reading there will be more reasons), but caring is the basis of the profession and there are always people to help.
I will soon revise this to be more descriptive, but for now, you at least understand the reason in raw



Also speaking of relationships, things are heating up between me and the sewing machine, well more like it seems to be out and used enough that I decided that it should no longer be naked and exposed to dust, so today I sewed a quick cover.  I did so with just quick measures and rough estimates, but it turned out to fit the machine perfectly.  I used the left over fabric from our chairs so it even matches our apartment (I will post pictures of it soon)...it was a really fast project but, now I know my machine is safe from dust.

artwork 

Monday, February 11, 2013

Why I am so glad I am in nursing school.

When I first went to college I had no idea what I wanted to do. I liked art, and history, but I knew I was going to need something more practical as well, some people can make amazing careers out of those things, but I am not one of them.  I tried architecture for  few semesters and well, I made some good friends but pretty quickly realized that I am not a perfectionists, not even a little bit, which is a requirement for architecture.  So, I worked hard and instead finished a bachelors degree in history ASAP, and left on a mission a week before I turned 21.
 During my final semester I began to look at my options to see what else I could do.  If there is one thing that I learned at Berkeley is that I did not want to get a PhD in history, or really go to grad school at all....way too many horror stories.

My mom who is a teacher always wanted me to be a nurse, probably because a good friend of hers is a nurse and she is aware of how much more it makes than a teacher with more benefits.

When I was 18 I would rather die than be a nurse, nursing was for practical people and I considered myself more complex and artistic than to do something that ahem..made sense.

Well,  I thought about it on my mission, I did research, I took pre-reqs,  I saw a lot of people suffering from health issues on my mission and somehow ended up in an accelerated bachelors of nursing program.  Even though nursing school is quite hard, sometimes seems pretty stupid and frustrating.  I am definitely glad that I chose to be a nurse (just a few more months until I graduate), and I find myself trying to convince others who are unsure of what to do (career wise) to seriously consider nursing.

So every day (or every time I write in my blog) I am going to share a reason I am happy to be heading down this path, and something that is positive about nursing as a career.


This will keep me motivated to study hard and maybe it will give the idea to someone else as well.

Friday, February 8, 2013

Lack of sleep

Really I could write about this every single day, because I swear I never get enough but this week it has been poignant.

I had my big test on Tuesday, and I did ok, but it took the life out of me and I only got one hour of sleep that night, it also made me decide that I don't really need to become a nurse practitioner right away, in other words I am not interested in grad school for at least a few years after I graduate.  I am ok with 3 twelves, no homework and money, yes definitely ok with that.

Then the next day after that I worked the night shift, still not caught up on sleep and it.was.brutal. but I made it and thought I did pretty good as well.

Last night, I was feeling the need to do something fun, so I tailored this shirt I bought for $2, it took about an hour and a half,  but now I have a shirt that fits me perfectly, just in time for the nursing school career fair next week.

On a related note, I think I have been pretty crabby because I sense myself getting upset with Paul frequently which is because I am being crazy.

Unfortunately not much else has been going on except for a walk today in the beautiful weather, and I have another test coming up on monday in..."health promotion in the advanced practice role"yes, names of nursing courses are silly and they all are related to health promotion disease prevention, which is why when Paul asks me what class I don't even really know what classes I am in.

anyway, it is my goal to stop writing about sleep and writing about something else.

For example I am getting certified as a HIV tester and have to attend a looong class for it, or that my clinicals got moved back so they area no longer earrly in the morning...best thing ever! basically being in nursing school makes me want to post about bodily functions which is probably not a good thing.