The Final Semester!

I am now officially knee-deep in my last semester of nursing school! I am so excited! I am taking High Acuity, Community Healthcare, Pediatrics, and Critical Synthesis. Let's start with High Acuity. I really enjoy this class. My favorite part about it is the clinical. I am doing my clinical in the Shock Trauma ICU in downtown Houston. I have done a total of two night shifts and I really enjoy it. It is really hard to stay awake all night but I think I am getting used to it to some extent. It is really hard without caffeine.
Community Healthcare is interesting. I am not too fond of it, but hopefully it will get interesting. We are doing this huge project for a small school district in north Houston. We are making a presentation for a group of preschool teachers about health and exercise. So, that should be fun.
I am really apprehensive about my Pediatric clinical. Our orientation starts Saturday. From then on, every Saturday I will be at one of the Children's Hospitals downtown. I am not quite sure how I am going to feel working with really sick children. I think that it might be hard for me.
Critical Synthesis is a breeze. Basically, we just have to take a giant test at the end of the semester in order to pass nursing school.
I am so freaking excited to graduate! Right now I am trying to find a job for once school ends. I never realized how hard it is for nursing school graduates. But God is good, and He will provide. Oh, and Brett and I are really looking forward to the newest member of our family!! Take a look!

It's been awhile....

I know I haven't posted much this semester. It has gone by quickly. I feel like I just began this semester, and yet it is already almost over. I have one more final to go on the 16. This semester has been really rough. September wasn't too bad. Our Gerontology class ended then and our Psychiatric Nursing class started. This was very interesting. We had clinicals every Friday at a Psych hospital. Honestly, I was terrified. I was unsure of how the patients would act. My first couple clinicals consisted of being on the adolescent unit. This just hurt my heart. In talking with some of these kids, I realized that they were going through some of the same things that I went through as a teenager. I kept wondering, what is so different that they ended up here? I realized that coping skills had a lot to do with it. These teenagers had no idea how to cope with life, so they turned to running away or cutting themselves. I think that part of the reason some teenagers didn't know how to cope was because of their lack of good parents. A lot of these kids came from broken homes and such. It was tough. The other weeks of Pysch clinicals got more and more interesting. But, overall, I feel that it was a good experience. And my clinical instructor ROCKED!
October was very hectic. I was at clinicals 3-4 times a week. This was such a stressful month. Care II was ending the end of October and OB began the middle of October. This month brought a lot of stress and tears, but I got through it. I loved my Care II clinicals. I had the best preceptor. I got to do so many things. I knew I was going to love being a nurse. Once OB clinicals started, I feel in love again. Despite my clinical instructor, I love OB clinicals. It is such a happy place. Labor and Delivery is so much fun. I LOVE seeing the joy on parents faces as they become parents and see their child for the first time. I cry every time. I forgot just how much I loved seeing that back from my days at CMC L&D. My last OB clinical is tomorrow. I am sad about that, but I am looking forward to my break. My psych class ended on November 30. So, now all I have is OB. It is a very tough class. But, overall, I enjoy it. Break is just 8 days away now. In 10 days, I head to Charlotte, NC for Christmas. I am more excited than I can express in words. I am really looking forward to the time with my family. That is something I really need.
God is doing some great things in my life. Once I realized that I am doing all of this for Him and not for anyone else, my confidence came back. God has been so good to me. He has blessed me. I was too full of doubt. Once I got rid of my doubt, my weight was lifted. God will see me through this rough year of school. I have already come so far. I have 5 months until I graduate. He will see me through!

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. ~Galatians 1:10

I have found my passion!

I am now in the full swing of my second semester of nursing school and loving every minute of it! I have truly found my passion in life. Right now I am in the middle of 2 out of my 4 classes, Adult Care 2 and Gerontology. We just had our first test today in Care 2, and I did great! I am absolutely loving learning everything that we are now! I have learned how to read ABGs, start an IV, give injections, take blood, and all sorts of other things. I start clinicals this week in the Woodlands on a Med-Surg floor. I cannot wait to try out my awesome IV starting skills on a real person! I also am doing a service learning day at an assisted living home. I should have some great stories coming up soon! More to come!

Vacation, all I ever wanted! Vacation, have to get away!

I had full intentions of posting quite a bit during my break, but I guess time just got away from me. I can't believe my break is basically over.

My finals days were very stressful. 6 tests in 2 days is not ideal at all. But with God's help, I got through it. After finding out that I passed all my classes, I really knew that being in this program is really what God wanted me to do. For that, I am truly blessed.

Brett and I have been quite the travelers. Early last Wednesday morning we left to go to Harrisburg, PA for a week. We had not been back to Brett's parents house since a month or two before our wedding. Our time there was way overdue. We did a lot of visiting with many family members. We even helped take Brett's sister up to college. Tuesday, we went with Brett's parents to NYC. Oh, how I have missed the city! We went to the Central Park Zoo, ate pizza in Little Italy, went shopping, saw the new Highline Park, and ventured into Times Square. I loved it! On Wednesday night our flight was delayed out of Harrisburg. By the time we reached Charlotte, NC, we had missed our connection flight to Houston that night. Charlotte was the best place to be stuck in overnight! The only thing that bummed me out was that my parents weren't even at their house! They have been overseas for the past couple weeks! But one of my best friends, Candice, came to pick us up to take us to my parent's house. It was so good to be able to visit with her a little bit. We slept at my parent's house that night and my wonderful neighbors took us to the airport early the next morning. It was so great to see them too! We sure do miss all our friends in Charlotte! We finally got back to Houston Thursday morning around 930. We jetted over to the apartment, pick up a few things, and we were off! We headed 5 1/2 hours south to Mission, TX to visit my cousin Adrienne and her family for the weekend. Today, we went over into Mexico and had the best tacos I have had, probably ever. It was fun! Tomorrow the plans are to go to South Padre Island for a little bit to soak up the last part of my "summer vacation."

It has been a busy vacation but a much needed one. I am very anxious to start back on Monday! Up next for this semester is Adult Healthcare II, Maternal/Newborn, Gerontology, and Mental Health Nursing. Every class has some sort of clinical! Can't wait!!!

Here are a few pictures from our trip:

Just about done...

I am in the mist of finals. I had one last Tuesday. Next, I have 4 on Monday and 2 on Tuesday. Then, that is it. I am done with my first semester! The past 12 weeks have really flown by. As I am studying for my finals, I realize how much I really have learned and how much I have grown through this experience. I still love the idea of being a nurse. However, there are some nursing floors that are not for me. Med-Surg floors are what I am talking about. I do not want to do that!

The next couple of days are going to be really tough. I can see the end in sight, yet I am finding it hard to focus on the task at hand. Pharmacology, Health Assessment, Professional Practice & Leadership, and Pathophysiology are the only things holding me back from my much needed vacation. These are the thoughts that are consuming my mind each day, hour, and minute. I actually think I had a dream about one of these subjects last night. I think it was Patho...I think there is a reason for that.

Pray for me as I study and take these last finals. They are going to be mentally draining. But Wednesday at 6am we will be on our way to Pennsylvania!

The New Me

The past few weeks have really been a turning point for me. I was so stressed and just so broken that I could barely remember what I was doing this for. Everything really turned around the beginning of last week. After a talk with my parents, some really great encouraging friends, and a little support from my teacher, I felt I was coming around. After the last little talk with my teacher, I began walking toward my car. At this point, it began to rain. It was the kind of rain that washed away all the bad things and gave me time to think. This was the point when I decided that it was me that was tearing myself down. From that point on, I feel like I am a different person. Well, actually, it's just me coming back from a huge funk. I have been so much more positive, which has helped my stress level tremendously! God really has a way of bringing you back from your breaking point. I realized this past Sunday that it has really just been a lack of faith and trust on my part. I have not had enough faith and trust in what God is doing in my life. I was trying so hard to do it all on my own. Just so everyone knows out there, THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. Knowing that God is in control of my life and the day-to-day aspects of it is so refreshing. I can just focus on doing what He wants me to do and praising Him for it. God really is so good for showing this to me!

Meanwhile, I have done quite a few shifts at MD Anderson. It's pretty awesome learning how to be a nurse. It is so much better than my nursing assistant days. I am working on the Neuro/Rehab floor. I really enjoy it. I have had some amazing patients. It is so different for me because I have never really been around cancer patients in the hospital before. It is such an eye opening experience. I have to constantly remind myself that some of the actions of the patients are not a reflection of the patient himself, but rather the effect that the cancer is having on the patient. I am realizing how hard it can be for the patient to not be able to control his or her own body. Sometimes the cancer just takes over parts of the body. It is also making me aware that this is extremely difficult for the patient's family as well. It is actually very refreshing to hear more families get involved with care and ask more questions about the type of care their loved one is being given. I commend them for that.

Overall, I am learning so much in such a short amount of time. I praise God for every day that I make it through. I have 3 rough weeks left. Then, it's off to PA to see Brett's side of the family! I CANNOT WAIT! I am in such need of sun, fun, relaxation, and family! 3 weeks!!!!!!!

MD Anderson, Here I Come!

At this very moment, I am multi-tasking. I am currently listening to a Tegrity lecture on "pain." It is actually causing me pain listening to it. Not really, but I am learning lots about making sure that patients have their pain medicines. As a nurse, I am supposed to educate. So here it is; I am about to educate you... DO NOT take more than 4g of Tylenol a day or you could die. I just want everyone to be safe out there.

Any-who, I have had a lot going on, which I am sure you can imagine. I think it has been about 2 weeks since I have posted something new. I have had some really crazy tests in the last 2 weeks. I have had a total of 6 tests the past 2 weeks! CRAZY! I am really starting to get the hang of taking these tests and managing my time. I have actually managed to do quite well. I am proud of myself. I feel that I have come a long way since May 24. I actually just realized that I am halfway through my summer semester! HORRAY! August 18 here I come!

The past couple weeks have been full of change. Brett got a new job in a different department at Enterprise. He is now working in the Accounting Department as an Accounting Coordinator. He just started today, and he is really glad that he is not selling anymore. He also decided to go back to school. Come August 23, he will be a full time student and working full time. He is going back to Liberty University Online to get an Accounting degree. He is so excited about starting, but it will be crazy with 2 full time students. Needless to say, we had to get another computer. So I am now typing from our new iMac! We love it!

Tomorrow I start my clinical rotation. I am doing it at MD Anderson Cancer Center! I am so excited! I can't wait to get back into the hospital again and get my hands dirty! I am not sure yet exactly what floorI am on yet. I will find out at 630am tomorrow morning though.

Hopefully, I will be back soon to tell you about my clinical days!