Jesus Heals

via

 

I went to church today with my kids and we sat in the second row from the front (we love it up front).  Our pastor was reading from the bible in Mark chapter 2 verses 1-12 about the story of four friends who take their paralytic friend to see Jesus in hopes of healing him.  However the house where Jesus was speaking was too crowded to get inside from the doorway, so these four friends hoisted their buddy up on the roof, cut a hole in it, and lowered him inside.  Jesus goes on to forgive this man his sins, and heals him.  When I first heard this story I totally didn’t understand why Jesus would forgive his sins FIRST before healing him.  But then my pastor explained that Jesus could see this man needed his spiritual needs met first which were forgiveness, and then he moved on to his physical impairment.  How amazing huh?  After my pastor explained the passage, it gave me a whole new understanding of this story.  I just love going to church and getting taught the word of God, getting my weekly spiritual batteries recharged, and courage and confidence to face another week.

What I thought was really really neat was what my 12 year old said after the pastor read the fifth verse {And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."}.  My son said “that’s cool”.  Wow!  My son is getting it, and I was there to witness it.  That’s amazing stuff that God is working in my sons life too!

Mark 2:1-12

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. ³ And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” ¹² And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

5 Things Friday

Since I’ve been entirely too busy lately with school to blog anymore, I totally had to make time to squeak out my 5 blog-worthy things that happened this week.

This was how my Monday started out on the way to my Peds clinical.  Which was okay because eventually the skies cleared up long enough to get through our orientation to and from the hospital tour.  Sometimes you just gotta love a rainy day, and quickly after I got home, I changed into my pjs!

 This picture shows a golden and much loved coupon for a free value meal from McDs that I turned in on Tuesday because my son gave it to me and I was craving salt.  In all reality though, my son won two of these and he gave me one to pay off the $4.80 fine I paid on his account at the library.  Hey I'm no dummy, I believe in receiving McDs coupons for payment any day.

Here is the common look of my couch now-a-days, overwhelming, unmanageable, and purely disorganized.  I swear this semester is made up of 95% group work, slightly meaningless group meetings (where more complaining and less work gets done), and deadlines.  My head usually has no problem staying organized but not at the moment.  I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

 Thursday I finally opened the package and made a wrap with these tortillas.  Usually tortillas are 150 calories each but this brand (found at Walmart) were 100 calories each.  Nice, score!  I put 3 oz. of lunch meat and a low fat skim mozzarella string cheese to a tortilla to make a filling wrap for lunch all under 360 calories.  Ow ow!

Friday was a busy day because my daughter has a homecoming dance scheduled for Saturday night and I chose to hem up her dress right at the last minute.  This is fine because I LOVE TO SEW, but I don't like putting myself into such a time crunch.  Sewing is much less enjoyable that way, either way my daughter was pleased with my work and I was glad for the reprieve from school work.  

On to another weekend filled with work and back to the grind school on Monday.  

How was your week?

5 Things Friday (done on saturday)

5 Things Friday is where I post 5 things throughout the week that I liked the most, so here goes;

This was the view while sitting on the ground stretching after one of my runs this week. Aww I love fall.

This is one of my lunch meals, starting from top to bottom left to right I had watermelon, lettuce, fiber one bar, mini rice cakes, and turkey/string cheese wrap.  All for under 400 calories.

This is one of my note pages where our instructors love PowerPoint and I love printing 6 to a page on less compacted lecture days as opposed to densely covered days in which I'll print 3 to a page.  Don't forget to notice my purple water bottle, drinking water is important!

This is my dauther's choice for her homecoming dress this year and I just love the color gray and blue together.  I think it looks classy and can't wait to see her all done up!

 This is my attempt to curl my hair easier using a sock bun, and if you're interested in learning more on what I mean check this youtube video out.

What 5 things were your favorite this week?

The Ride

 

During this gargantuan amount of stress and uncertainty I MUST remember that even though I don’t know the road set before me, that God does!  He is in control especially when I am out of control.  He makes a way through the muck and mire that is called nursing school, and HIS will for me will be done.

I never thought I was much of a micro-manger or control freak, but just shortly after the second week of school, I am faced with a situation that is out of my control – group work.  And I have no choice but to be okay with it and continue on this ride until I graduate. 

You have never changed.
Your love is endless and your mercy has remained.
Through all the ages You shine so bright.
Nothing can compare.
You made the heavens and Your glory fills the air.
Through all the ages You ride the ancient skies.

And you ride the ancient skies
You’re amazing
Creation cries
So will I
You’re amazing

Psalms 68:33-35 to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice.  Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies.  You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

 

Part of Why I Care

I’ve been sitting at my computer work area since 10am working on different assignments off and on all day.  I think it’s time to write a little post for my blog.

First off, let me tell you that this semester is heavy on the amount of readings that the instructors expect from us.  More so than normal and this is the first semester where I’m kind of worried of what to expect if I don’t attempt to look at most of this stuff.  Keep in mind most of these instructors assign a bunch of reading material as complementary resources, but I still feel obliged to read the chapters assigned from the text book. 

Let me just give one piece of advice, if your text book states they offer additional learning activities on their website, you should check it out.  More than likely your instructor has used this resource and incorporated a few questions in with their exam.  Plus there are activities such as flash cards, mini-quizzes, and even crosswords that help the student retain information in a different more creative way.

via

Anyway I went to work Friday in the OB dept., but was reallocated to a med/surg. floor to help out.  Now since I work on OB when I get reallocated from that department to other departments, they don’t utilize my abilities as an aide.  Instead I just do basic stuff like vitals, turns, helping feed but I’m not assigned any one patient or group of patients for total care.  So once I got onto the floor I was met with cries of help from a confused patient yelling from her open doorway.  I went into her room and found the patient trying to climb out of bed; she seemed agitated and annoyed as to why she was in the hospital.  So I went in and helped get her untangled from the blankets and we sat down together and talked.  I learned a little about her between her bouts of short-term memory loss.  All she wanted was to go for a walk, and since I wasn’t needed at that moment for anything else, I took her for one. 

When I got her back to her room, I excused myself and stepped out so I could get report from the other aides to see if there was anything else they needed help with.  When I got done helping a few of them with their work, instead of wandering aimlessly around the halls or sitting on a computer surfing the internet (that sometimes happens with other aides), I went back to the confused lady’s room.  I spent the rest of my four hour shift there chatting and walking around her room with her.  It was so humbling and enlightening to talk with this woman who was wise beyond her years and had quite the story to tell.  My time with her helped remind me why I care so deeply for others, we’ve all gone through a lot in our lives and we all have our own story to tell.  I look forward to more times like this in my future.  PS when my shift was over, the RN came and thanked me for my 1:1 care with this patient so she could get other work done.  I wondered why the patient hadn’t been evaluated for more 1:1 care or a sitter.  She definitely could use someone to look into that for her.

Syllabus Schnyllabus

I started back to school yesterday and I gotta say I really missed my classmates during summer break.  Knowing that we’ll be graduating in May kind of makes my eyes a little misty.  But thinking about my future swells my heart with excitement and pride.  Overall what I didn’t miss was all the high school baloney with cliques and popularity issues.  I just wanna enjoy the most out of each experience I have before I actually have a “real” job with “real” problems.

After getting done with back-to-back classes yesterday, and being that this is my first semester as a senior I’m still shocked that instructors can write their syllabi so sloppy and unorganized.  Some of our classes are hybrid (which means some of the time we would have spent in the classroom listening to lecture is spent outside of the classroom studying or working in groups) and the syllabus doesn’t clearly state which days are in class vs. which days our outside of class.  Also I really dislike it when the instructor talks about projects, and dates and what to expect but doesn’t have a syllabus posted for us to look at.  I think they’re trying to confuse us on purpose…ugh!

Via

Today was one of our community clinical days and because it was our first day we spent the entire seven hours inside the skills lab.  We learned about effective listening and being present with ourselves.  We practiced hand and foot massages on each other (which by the way felt amazing and I gladly accepted all the rubs I could get after my busy summer and what looks to be a busy fall).  We tried different meditation techniques including deep breathing and taking a walking journey.  I was most excited today to learn different coping mechanisms for the craziness of hospital nursing and the added stress that comes with the job.  Overall, I feel more relaxed and have a few more tools to add to my foundational skills tool bag.

Friday is promised to be a busy day of planning group projects and time slots to meet.  We also have two medication quizzes (one that’s a take home and the other an online quiz).  Even though I work both Friday and Saturday my shifts are only four hours each.  My excellent hubby once again budgeted flawlessly so this fall on average I only have to put in between four to eight hours of work each week.  That’s such a load off my shoulders to worry about especially since I have 15 credits to get through, thanks honey, and I love you!!

Vacation

I think I wasn't the only one who went on vacation this past weekend.  Details coming soon...

Nail Challenge Update

Okay so I know the two week challenge isn't over until this Saturday but I'm writing to tell you that my nails didn't last. However, I think, it was my fault and I'll explain.

Here is the after picture:

Pros
I liked the finish smooth and shiny
I liked how when I used hand sanitizer the gel finish on my nails didn't get gooey or "eaten" off
I liked how long they DID last (at least 3-4 days)
I liked how strong my nails were
I liked the manageability

Cons
I didn't like how precise you have to be when applying the gel
I didn't like how in order to "cap off" the edge of the nail you should have slightly longer nails
I didn't like how you buy the expensive starter kit and only have one color included
I didn't like how a new color costs approximately $10 give or take a few bucks

Ultimately I'm a "picker".  I love to pick at my nails and hangnails subconsciously and this challenge was no exception.  If the gel isn't applied exactly on the nail and some of it gets on your cuticle then you can peel it off but then you risk peeling too far into the nail bed.  Hence you risk taking off more than you expected and the nail finish is weakened.

I would love to continue using this product because overall I loved the way my nails looked, but does it hold up for the advertised two weeks...no.  In my experience no, this product doesn't last that long.

Trivia ?

Does anyone know what this is used for regarding nursing usually located in the med room?

Sweet 16 / Sunday School Craziness

I have had a pretty busy weekend because our family hosted a “Sweet Sixteen” birthday party for my daughter on Saturday.  I just can’t get over how old she is getting, and ready to have some freedom!  She officially turns 16 next week but we’ll be out of town on a much much needed vacation, so we had the party a little early.  

It looks like someone threw up decorations in our garage

One of her “big” gifts was a chunk of money from her dad and I that will go towards a car for when she’s ready to buy one.  She was so thrilled that she was pretty much speechless and pleased.  She takes her driving test at the end of next month and I’m praying all goes well.  I’m sure she’ll do just fine; I just want her to feel good about herself and do the best job that she can.  I know it’s not easy being a teenager growing up in our micromanaged household, so a little freedom in the form of a driver’s license is the perfect thing for her.  That and a J-O-B!  That should come in a few weeks because we’ve already got her a pre-interview and a promise to be hired after all the college kids go back to school at a fast-food joint.

Then on Sunday (yesterday) our church held it's first service in their new building and my hubby and I helped tag-team teach the Sunday school service for 4-5-and 6 year olds.  The first service we only had 10-12 kids and things went pretty smoothly, we were able to follow a lesson plan about the story of Esther, sang and danced, and ended with a snack before parents came to pick up their kids.

The second service went differently, we ended up with 24 kids (and even though the room seemed big enough with the other class size it quickly became too small) and all four of my family members helping out.  Shortly after all the kids were checked in, we realized there wasn't going to be any structure.  We just tried to survive the hour long service.  My hubby sat and read bible story after bible story, my daughter was taking kid after kid to the bathroom and helping calm down upset kids.  My son was the snack hander-outer and he basically (with my approval) kept handing out animal crackers to keep kids happy, while I just helped keep the volume down and break up kids from fighting and kicking each other.

The room was small, but everyone survived

It was an experience and the kinks will need to be worked out for future Sunday's so it makes sense that I'll be helping out only every 8 weeks AND we've collectively as a family have decided to only help out during one service instead of both.   WOW!

Tuesday Thrift Store Finds

I don't thrift store shop as much as I'd like to, but I think I scored big today!  Check out my finds:

This bed linen reminds me of the show The Partridge Family, I so totally dig it!

I'm not one for lime green anything, but couldn't pass this beauty up

Did you happen to catch it's a Nine & Co. handbag?  Sweet...score!

I didn't mean to have a cleavage shot, but wanted to focus on the white necklace, it was screaming my name

Do any of you go thrift store shopping?  If so, what kind of deals do you usually find?  Usually I'm looking for clothes, but love when I stumble on great accessories too!

Tips For Healthy Nails

via

Thanks to one of my readers “K” for asking do you have any tips on how to keep nails healthy?! (ie: polishes, cream, oils?) Because I’m no nail guru I searched the internet and found an article from Reader’s Digest that suggests the following tips on how to keep your nails healthy.

The following information came from here, so read on and enjoy learning how to keep your nails looking their best!

Nails make it easier to pick up small things, clean a frying pan, and scratch an itch. They also provide an external sign of your health, with weak, brittle nails often signaling some nutritional deficiency. Ignore your nails and you could wind up with painful ingrown nails or annoying fungal infections.

Follow these 14 tips for not only well-groomed, but healthy nails on all 20 fingers and toes.

1. To keep your nails hydrated, rub a small amount of petroleum jelly into your cuticle and the skin surrounding your nails every evening before you go to bed or whenever your nails feel dry. Keep a jar in your purse, desk drawer, car — anywhere you might need it. Not a fan of petroleum jelly? Substitute castor oil. It’s thick and contains vitamin E, which is great for your cuticles. Or head to your kitchen cupboard and grab the olive oil — it also works to moisturize your nails.

2. Wear rubber gloves whenever you do housework or wash dishes. Most household chores, from gardening to scrubbing the bathroom to washing dishes, are murderous on your nails. To protect your digits from dirt and harsh cleaners, cover them with vinyl gloves whenever it’s chore time. And for extra hand softness, apply hand cream before you put on the rubber gloves.

3. When pushing back your cuticles (it is not necessary to cut them) come in at a 45-degree angle and be very gentle. Otherwise the cuticle will become damaged, weakening the entire nail, says Mariana Diaconescu, manicurist at the Pierre Michel Salon in New York City.

4. Trim your toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toenails. This is particularly important if you have diabetes.

5. Dry your hands for at least two minutes after doing the dishes, taking a bath/shower, etc. Also dry your toes thoroughly after swimming or showering. Leaving them damp increases your risk of fungal infection.

6. Air out your work boots and athletic shoes. Better yet, keep two pairs and switch between them so you’re never putting your feet into damp, sweaty shoes, which could lead to fungal infections.

7. Wear 100 percent cotton socks. They’re best for absorbing dampness, thus preventing fungal infections.

8. Stretch out the beauty of a manicure by applying a fresh top coat every day, says Susie Galvez, owner of Face Works Day Spa in Richmond, Virginia, and author of Hello Beautiful: 365 Ways to Be Even More Beautiful.

9. Make your nails as strong as a horse’s hooves, and take 300 micrograms of the B vitamin biotin four to six times a day. Long ago, veterinarians discovered that biotin strengthened horses’ hooves, which are made from keratin, the same substance in human nails. Swiss researchers found that people who took 2.5 milligrams of biotin a day for 5.5 months had firmer, harder nails. In a U.S. study, 63 percent of people taking biotin for brittle nails experienced an improvement.

10. Add a glass of milk and a hard-boiled egg to your daily diet. Rich in zinc, they’ll do wonders for your nails, especially if your nails are spotted with white, a sign of low zinc intake.

11. File your nails correctly. To keep your nails at their strongest, avoid filing in a back-and-forth motion — only go in one direction. And never file just after you’ve gotten out of a shower or bath — wet nails break more easily.

12. Massage your nails to keep them extra strong and shiny. Nails buffing increases blood supply to the nail, which stimulates the matrix of the nail to grow, says Galvez.

13. Polish your nails, even if it’s just with a clear coat. It protects your nails, says manicurist Diaconescu. If you prefer color, use a base coat, two thin coats of color, and a top coat. Color should last at least seven days but should be removed after 10 days.

14. Avoid polish removers with acetone or formaldehyde. They’re terribly drying to nails, says Andrea Lynn Cambio, M.D., a New York City dermatologist. Use acetate-based removers instead.

Let me know if any of these tips/hints were helpful for you.

2 Week Nail Challenge

If you’re like me you probably cried inside knowing that once you got to nursing school you were told no.more.nail.polish.  I love to live on the wild side and express that through my nail polish choices.  I have a bag full of different colors and top coats that my daughter and I love to wear especially in the summer months.  But I was always wondering if there was a way I could still wear nail polish during my schooling without the color being too flamboyant or the finish not chipping off (and causing nasty microscopic bacteria to grow and fester spreading germs to others).

That all changed for me yesterday.  I found a nurse working alongside me in the OB department who ALWAYS has a manicure done to her nails.  I figured she just took her hard-earned money and went to the salon.   But as it turns out I was wrong.  I was just finishing complimenting her nails again when she told me she made a tiny mistake on one of her nails.  I looked closer and saw the mistake but asked if she did her nails herself and she said yes.  I have to pause the story people because her nails, I kid you not, looked salon quality including the gel overlay that looks so beautiful and shiny.  Anyway she said she uses a gel polish hardening kit at home including a light that cures the polish to the nail.  I was so intrigued I looked it up online and sure enough I found what she was talking about.

The product is called Nailene Sensationail and here is the picture and video.  Go ahead and watch, it's fun and I have plenty of time to wait until you're done but continue reading when you get back.

via

I purchased my kit right after I got off work yesterday from Walmart for about $50; I know that seems like a lot of money.  But if you like to have beautiful nails and can’t/don't want to afford salon prices this is the system for you.  My kit calls for enough nail product to last 10 manicures so if you do the math, in just a matter of two uses the investment will have been worth the upfront cost.  (This is not a paid advertisement for their company either, I just am impressed.)

It took me a while doing all the steps and sitting under the light, but by the end of my process here is my finished look.  

I didn’t want to cover the entire nail with the color because I love,love,love the French manicure look and in about two weeks we’ll see if this investment was worth it.  I’ll try to do a follow-up with a two week picture so you can see the results.  

Keep in mind I work in the medical field and every time I “foam in and foam out” using hand sanitizer from each patient’s room, in times past that stuff used to eat away my other nail polish, so I’m kinda worried but excited to see if this product can stand the test.

  If Nailene works well, I'll be using it during my schooling (keep that on the down-low and don't tell my instructors...hehe)

Either way for now I’m loving how shiny and strong my nails feel after just one use.  Thanks goes out to my friend from work who told me about Nailene.

Is This Normal?

I don’t know if it’s just me but does anyone else get the feeling of jealousy, when they start work and see a co-worker leaving from the shift before them looking excited to leave.  All the while you have a feeling of ‘oh great, another 8, 12 hours ahead of me’ quickly flashes through your mind before you start your shift?  Is this stinking thinking?  Will this pass?  Will I ever go to work excited to work?

Part of the problem is that sometimes as a nurse’s aide you’re not valued in the healthcare field, hence people can throw a lot of work your way or expectations of the “grunt” work.  Keep in mind the job isn’t glamorous or so difficult, but it is hard work!  Every time I go to work I fear my patient load will be too many, or that their acuity level will be too demanding for me to handle on my own.  I fear that I’ll have a handful of isolation patients that will require a lot of my time “gowning up” just to go in and out of their rooms.  Unfortunately other patients aren’t forgiving of the time spent helping all of my other patients.  I don’t like to have co-workers sit and complain or cuss and groan about their jobs because it brings the whole team down.  I don’t like nurses thinking that aide work is beneath them and that they can’t help bring a patient to the toilet.  I especially don’t like our floor being low-census and needing to be pulled to a completely different floor foreign to what I’m used to. 

I’m just wondering if I’ll have the same trials as a nurse, and if by taking out the responsibilities as an aide, will make my job as a nurse any easier or rewarding.  So many times on my way into work I smile at employees just getting off their shift or just coming on, and I’m met with a grunt or no acknowledgement at all.  I don’t want to be that kind of employee that doesn’t find favor in what I am doing.  I want to feel renewed, and refreshed and good inside through my shifts, but as time goes on I’m not sure that is even possible.

I am encouraged when I read the Word and it says in Philippians 4: 10-13, I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Also in Matthew 11: 28-30 where it is written, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Amen for God and his reassurances daily even in my discouragements.

95% Boooyaaahhh!

Ow Ow, just got my final grade for my summer class and it feels good!  Not a bad way to start the fall with a great summer grade!

Medical Monday

Hi everyone, welcome to Medical Mondays.

I'm linking up with Jane at From A Doctor's Wife to chat and get to know others in the medical field through our stories/writing.  I heard about this link up from Red at The One With the Red Stethoscope.  Check out both these blogs to learn more and I encourage anyone interested in the medical field to give it a try.

Now I'm going back to watching the women's 200 meters Olympic races.  Go USA!

Birthday Roll in the Mud

This past weekend was my birthday and what better way to usher in another year of life than to compete in a 5K.  Not just any 5K, but a girly, dirty, muddy 5K called The Dirty Girl Mud Run held in Welch MN at a ski resort this past Saturday August 4^th. 

The following pictures were taken by the ski resort employees who entered the race.  I, on the other hand, entered the race with a group of ladies from my church ready to get muddy.  I had been so busy days leading up to the race working but once we were there I thoroughly enjoyed myself catching up conversing with other women of faith.  My daughter ran by my side the entire time, urging me to get muddier at every turn, hill, and mud pile.  I obliged her of course and even slapped some mud on her back to show my enthusiastic side.  After the race the so-called showers were just a sprinkler system and hoses shooting out cold water that took my breath away as I tried to clean off.  Since we left right after the race to head home we didn't get completely clean until we got home.

source

Look how muddy these ladies got

source

This is one of four mud pits where you have to "army crawl" under the white ropes through the mud

This is a picture of my carload of ladies feet after the race not completely cleaned yet

I tried to soak our muddy clothes to loosen the dirt, but all I got was a tub full of mud 

Moving on, I’m thrilled to show you all a few gifts my hubby bought me for my birthday. 

From left to right my new insulated lunch box from the Rachael Ray series, a purple Nalgene water bottle (I just love the smaller spout so I don't spill all over my clothes), a fancy $25 backpack from Embark, and two necklace/earring sets that look so cute.  Besides clothes and supplies (notesbooks, pens, and pencils) I'm all ready for school to start.

After receiving all of these gifts it would be hard not to organize and ready up my bookcase and study zone for the looming school semester to start in 29 days.  Woohoo, second to my last semester of school is starting before I know it.  Lately I’ve been going over NCLEX questions and reviewing areas of my studies that are weaknesses for me.  I’m most super thrilled because my hubby has (once again) budgeted our family's finances successfully enough to allow me to work only 4-6 hours per week after school starts again in the fall.  He’s my hero, and this should allow for optimal studying and taking ownership of a great semester academically holistically!!!

Scalp Burn / Brain Burn

Two days ago people… only two days ago, I burned my scalp during an all-day affair at the waterpark with my kiddos.  What sucks is when you have a career where you wear your hair in a high pony or bun and all day long you think you’re wearing your hair too tightly but in reality it’s that your head is actually burnt and your scalp is screaming for sweet relief.  Meanwhile I was so busy putting sun screen on my kids, in fact I forgot to rub the thick protectant on my own back, and since my kids left to go tearing across the park to the nearest slide I’m baking under the merciless sun unaware until two days later where I can’t find enough scratching posts to rub my back on because my co-workers can’t/don’t want to scratch my back.

Anyway, only 33 days until I go back to school, and guess what??  This is going to be my last fall season at this school.  Not going to lie, I’m kinda sadden by that fact, albeit only a little sad, not a lot sad.  Reality is sinking in that I’m going to be graduating in 9 short months and after a little social gathering with some of my nursing student friends last night, I don’t think I’m prepared to be a nurse.  I know same ‘ole story with me complaining that I don’t think I have what it takes to be a “real” nurse, so I’m sorry for airing my insecurities but I do have valid reasons to be concerned.  I’m not like my counterparts, things don’t stick in my mind, they slip and slide around in my brain but I can’t just grab facts and pull them out when I need them.  Take yesterday for example when I told you about my social gathering and my friends are all talking up their summer nurse internships and what they are experiencing for example details such as medical open wounds that I just can’t remember.  Explicitly they were talking about a woman having a c-section and being sent home with a third degree open wound, then verbatim they went through all the different open wound stages and definitions and while some topics sounded familiar I didn’t recognize the details of what they were talking about.  YIKES, I just wanted to bury my head in the sand, instead I just shook my head and said uh huh, yup, right…all the while inside I was shaking my head thinking darn I should have memorized more or paid attention better.

I guess this is my cue to hit the books a little before school starts, practice some NCLEX questions, and do a lot of praying for my future (-;

Update: Fifty Shades of Grey

Just wanted to post an update to the book Fifty Shades of Grey, I ended up returning the book after my inner spiritual battle won out.  Also I was sent a private email from a dear trusted friend urging me to read the following blog post regarding why not to read Fifty Shades of Grey.  

I encourage you all to read this blog posting, because after reading the main points on why NOT to read this book I couldn’t have put pen to paper better than the author was able to, with explaining why I have no interest in this book. 

Thanks for all your comments either for or against the book and God bless your own spiritual journeys.

Housekeeper??

Last night I worked overnight, and boy was it busy.  I helped deliver two babies that were healthy and happy.  The downer to my job is when I work at night there isn’t any housekeeping on our unit.  So after each birth my job shifts to cleaning up the mess.  Blood, puke, amniotic fluid spills, you name it I’m either wiping or mopping it all up.  Top to bottom, left to right, including the bathroom.  Sometimes the nursing staff helps but not often. 

Last week one of the nurses made a comment when she was helping me “I’m an expensive housekeeper”, she said.  Then she walked out of the room.  I literally was looking around left and right to see if she meant the comment towards me, or if she was just airing out her frustrations.  She must have just been frustrated because she didn’t come back to help me finish cleaning the room. 

Listen the last time I looked I wasn’t hired to be a housekeeper either but you have to do what you have to do to get the job done.  If you leave a mess until housekeeping comes in the morning, you lose out on admissions coming to your floor, not ideal if you want to stay busy working all night.  If that means you spend a little time cleaning than by all means get a rag and put some elbow grease to action. 

In her defense, she did have a lot of charting to do but still why say something like that and then walk out of the room?