They can take the arm, but I'll never give them the leg!

Today I had to go get my senior picture taken for school. This place is a total rip off! They are charging way too much for a sitting fee that lasts all of 5 minutes. It would last 2 if the guy didn't talk and reposition you so much. The whole process took less than 15 minutes. I drove longer than that to get there! Ugh, oh well. I'm in the class portrait now.
Something to say "eww" about.... When the guy positioned me on the stool he pulled out this compact. I thought he was going to show me my hair and let me fix it or something. Oh no! Instead he grabs the GROSS pad and dabs powder all over my face!! MY FACE!! This dirty compact had touched who knows how many people's faces before mine. EWW! I literally pulled back when he started coming at me with it. It all happened so fast that I was just a little stunned when he was done. Now, I am not a horrible germaphobe, but that was just gross. *Shudder* I think I snapped out of my daze right about the time he stuck me with the pin he was putting on my top. It didn't have a backing, so the point was sharp against my skin. I tried hard not to move once it was on.
He took like 12 different pictures, and 6 of them were awful. He had the guy in the other room pull them up on the computer and right when I walked in the room I said "Oh, I'm definitely a pale girl!" I looked totally washed out in the first picture. He said, "Oh we can fix that, don't worry" Really? Can you make me look like I just got back from a tropical vacation? So, when I'm sitting down to view my picture he says, "Now we can get rid of all those blemishes and dark circles and bags under your eyes." Excuse me?! I think I have all of two zits on my face today and I realize that my eyes are a little tired, but he didn't need to tell me that...to my face! I think I muttered a reply similar to "Yea, those are nursing student eyes. I don't get much sleep nowadays."
So he goes and gets the next person and I'm sitting there with this new guy who's showing me my pictures. He says, "Just focus on your face when you look at these." Ok, easy enough. Except it wasn't! My hair looked different in almost every picture. For whatever reason my hair color was light, dark, red, redder... in almost every picture. So of course that factored into my decision as well. I think he was frustrated that I couldn't just pick one right away. Hey buddy, I paid to sit here and choose my pictures, so deal with it! I felt like I was at the eye doctor. "Which one is better, the left, or the right?" He would pull a new picture up and he would comment on some of them, "Well that one is better obviously." or "Definitely not this one." Umm, excuse me, who is choosing this picture, me or you?" I ended up with a decent one and I think mom will be pleased.

Well, that's basically what I've been up to today. All is well on the school front so far. A's in all classes, so I can't complain (too much). Now I'm off to do some online work. Another week starts tomorrow. That's my last day on my first clinical rotation. Goodbye 5100, I will miss you!

Until...........................

Overwhelmed.. Now that's an understatement!

I don't even know where to begin...

This week was my first week back to school and all I want to do is crawl under a rock. I have never had so many projects/papers/assignments in one semester before. I'm trying to "work ahead" but even that seems difficult. It's pretty much a well known fact that in nursing school you are behind before you even start. When you go to class they want to go over class expectations and the entire semester overview in an hour and then dive into material. How does that work if you are supposed to read assigned chapters beforehand? We only just started!

One thing that comes along with being in my last semester is an unfathomable amount of Online questions. We are expected to do 250 practice NCLEX questions in addition to almost as many or more online questions every month. That's approximately 500 questions a month (every 4 weeks to be exact) in addition to clinical paperwork, studying for exams, doing projects, writing papers... the list goes on. In all actuality this probably will not be as horrendous as it all first sounds. I will get my little self organized, work ahead as much as possible, and take things one day at a time. I will survive. I will pass. I will not freak out!

In addition to all of this school drama I am in the middle of the application process for RN positions. In nursing you apply for positions before you even graduate. I am roughly 4 months away from graduation and they already want us applying. I have applied and have my interview set up for next Friday. It's that quick! I have some small adjustments to make to my resume/cover letter and then I will be ready to go. Pray that this process goes well for me. I'm kind of getting used to it, with all the ones I've done previously, but this is the BIG one.

I'm trying to put these last 16 weeks of school into perspective. I keep setting time frames up in my head. When Halloween gets here I will be over halfway done. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around I will only have one week left of school! By Christmas I will be out of school and preparing for NCLEX (AHHH!). ... If I can make it to week 12 I think I will be doing good. That's 3/4 of the way done. I have projects and papers due pretty close together and if I can just make it to that point I will be nearly home free.

Well, I am off to do more online questions.

Until...................

Coming soon....

I have finally chosen a new blog layout!!! The sad part is I can't put it up until the poll is over (*EDIT: I changed the poll so it will end this Saturday at 8p. Six days is too long for me to wait :)*), because if I put it up now the poll will be lost and six of you have already voted!! Thanks guys! There are 2 "accidents" but otherwise you people know me. :) So, stay tuned for a new look... new music.... it'll be fun!

Today was my last day of class for this semester!!!! Now I just need to study for finals and I am good to go. The only bummer about this summer is that I have to do an online discussion for the class portion of my extern. It shouldn't be too difficult, but it will still be a pain. I've been going to school for almost 4 years straight (no free summers). That is just not right!

Well, just wanted to say hello! I went shopping with my mom tonight and got a few things. Still no shoes. :( I'll keep looking, and hopefully I will find something in the next week (since that's all I'll have before vacation). I found some adorable brown shoes while on a brief shopping stint with my bud Callie after lunch. I'll go back and get them when I have a coupon though. :) I'm cheap like that. Haha! But the search continues on for black shoes....

Until......................

Survival and Side Effects....

Oh my...I am so glad this week is almost over. I have completed my second to last clinical day on Ortho. Hal-le-lujah! Bones are definitely not my forte. Today was a wild and crazy day and I am so glad it is over. I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say I was the energizer bunny today (and I think my batteries are in need of replacement).
Only 2 more weeks (well only one if you don't count finals) and then I am off for the summer. VACATION!!!!!! I'm so excited. Even though I'll be working 3 twelve hour shifts I'll still have some time off, and I won't have to study. Bonus!!! If I can just survive a couple more clinicals and lectures I'll be home free. Oh yea, and the finals....can't forget those.
The good news is that I don't have to be to my community clinical until 10 tomorrow, so I get to sleep in a little. I'll need it... I'm running on small amounts of sleep this week....which leads me into my next topic.....

Sunday night was AWFUL!!!! Small Group was great, as usual, but when I got home I was getting some stuff done and neglected to eat a little something when I took my medicine at 8:45. I've never had any of the side effects on that long list of "things to know" when they give you a medicine at the pharmacy before (Except for Codeine when I got my wisdom teeth out. That drug did some wicked things to me.) Anyway....so I didn't eat anything and when I got into bed at 11:15-ish I was feeling kind of Ick. I thought it was because I was tired. I always feel sick when I need to sleep. So I crawled under the covers and was ready to go to bed. Weeelllll.... that didn't happen. When the slip of paper the pharmacy gave me said "May cause sever GI distress...." they weren't a kiddin'! It was ridiculous! I lay in utter discomfort and agony for 30 minutes! When I was horizontal I felt like I was gonna vomit all over, so I rushed to the bathroom only to discover that being vertical helped with my nausea. Go figure.... well it wasn't that simple, but about 20 minutes later I was propped up in my bed shivering like a leaf from the awful side effects that just upset my body. Needless to say I did not get very much sleep. It was just that one episode and then my body was able to relax and semi-sleep. Didn't really help me that I had a test Monday either. No siree! Today I woke up feeling kind of ick (and I rarely eat much on clinical days anyway...not sure why) so I opted to just skip my AM dose so I wouldn't be forced to eat and feel even more sick. So far so good with the PM dose. I ate something with it, so I should be good to go.

Well, I know you are totally riveted by my storytelling of school and feeling ill, but I need to go to bed, because I'm exhausted. Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!! I'll be working on my paper again.... I know... you wish you were me. Don't be too jealous..............

Until..........................................

Monday's with Maia

Well... I'm finally done with my paperwork for the night. I was not expecting it to take that long since I didn't have to do all of the paperwork this week. Oh well.... it's over.

I got to see precious Maia in person today (and her Mama). She's so cute! Her Mama is so proud of her, and her Daddy too! You would think Deena has been a Mom for years instead of only 3 days the way she acts with Maia. She's a natural! Maia is recovering well from her surgery. She hasn't had any complications so far, so that is good news. Deena will be discharged tomorrow (probably late) and Maia will hopefully follow later on this week. Continue to pray she continues on the road of recovery, and pray for Deena as well. C-sections are not easy to recover from, plus she has a lot going on with school and the new baby. Here's a pic that Deena sent....

(Don't freak out... she has an IV in her head. Sometimes it's easier to get IV access on the head than in their small hands or arms.)

Not much else on this front.... I start teaching for my Community project this week. Pray I don't mess up with these kids! :) Ha, I'm kidding. I don't think I can mess up too bad with teaching them nutrition and wellness. I hate talking in front of people, even if they are 25 seven year olds.
Alright.... I better go. I want to do one more thing for school before I go to bed. Have a good night and a great week!

Until..................................