Two More Days

Two more days.......

I saw my final from Theory last quarter. I received a 92%. So why, pray tell, did my overall grade go down instead of up? I had an 87.8% before the final. Final was supposed to be 20% of total grade. Report card grade=86%. I just have one thing to say...

WTF???

I feel irked. My one teacher said she'd check for me as she agreed it did not make logical sense. Because nursing school always make perfect sense........SNORT!!!

2, two, deux, dos more days. less than 48 hours from now I'll be FINI with theory.

I'll just take deep breaths until then.

Connections~negative/positive

Class today seemed like forever.

We spent the day going over the topic of cancer.

Teacher gave each student a term/topic to define/look up and then had us present the info at the correct point in the lesson.

One person also gave his/her opinion on every topic and then some. This has been going on since the very beginning of the year.

I get nailed for knowing too much, sharing too much, answering too many questions when no one else volunteers last October, hurting my feelings for like, hours; this killed off much self-confidence and my natural desire to think for myself.

The teacher actually asked this person to define extra topics. Now excuse me, but hey what happened to "groupthought"??????

I have refrained from whining about this on here, but today I was having visions of axes and beheadings. Seriously.

Person made my head hurt worse.

Last week I really enjoyed our new instructor speeding through the immense topic of mother/baby. She was great with controlling the class and getting all of them to shut the hell up. Most of my fellow students have a habit of gabbing with their neighbors whenever our usual teacher breaks for 30 seconds. She has no control of this. ARGH.

Last week we got excellent outlines to go with our readings. We got pertinent information, had excellent side bar ways of reinforcing the lectures. She went fast but I love fast. No one gabbed after she pointed out we could stay until 6p.m. cuz she was getting paid...

Worked like a charm. Grin.

I am there to learn. Not to cultivate personal friendships. Not to be cold, but hey, it's our last week of theory and I am freakin' tired of lectures that last 4 hours when it could be covered in one.

Many whine because they want to leave early or they did not feel like getting up so early today. Like I care. Give me what I need to know. No whining needed. We're almost DONE!!!

I'm not there for social reasons. Folks paired off and grouped in the beginning. Everyone sits in the same space as the first day but me. I moved further away from the chatty types. Besides moving one's seat really freaks folks out psychologically which is a fun game to play. ;)

Deep breathing. Three more days.

one.

two.

THREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

JUMP!

Blank Weekend

After 2 days of doing absolutely nothing, I'll admit it.

I don't have a coherent thought in my head.

Lots of little snippets about pregnancy and babies interspersed with how to train a puppy and throughout the pounding in my right front quadrant.

Life with headaches sucks.

BIGTIME.

After a busy week leading to another week of smashing info into the wrinkled corridors of my inner cranium, the pain wedged behind my right eye. Pounding. Never ending. Always there through sleep and pain killers and ice packs, pain.

I have no idea what triggers these headaches. I have had less headaches recently so this one caught me by surprise. I should be ok by tomorrow when I have to be in class by 8a.m.

How was your weekend?

How Can It Be?

Rest in Peace Mr. Jackson

We shall remember you for your music, your invention of new dance moves, your lyrics, and for the part you played in our culture for 40 years.

The legend will live on.

Stuffin' my Head Full of Obstetric Knowledge

Instead of making ya'll learn with me I thought you'd enjoy pictures of my boys and one of me as babies. Have a wonderful Wednesday and please pray I survive the week!!!!

HUGZ to ALL!!!!!!

Summer Memory 1978

Go visit many other Summer Memories at Heads or Tails . Thanks so much for stopping by!!!
In the summer of 1978 I went on a driving/camping vacation with a high school friend and her parents.

We started from just North of Detroit and drove over to Windsor,Ontario, Canada and then through Ontario to the Canadian side of Niagra Falls.

I was 16. Drunk on the power I had over boys, coming into a happy secure time, so I was outgoing, a huge flirt, a tad arrogant, snotty like teen girls could be though I tried very hard not to annoy Kathy's parents.

Niagra blew me away. The thrilling, rolling, tumbling, rush of the millions of gallons of water over the falls was intoxicating. I LOVE water and I could have watched the falls from the Canadian side all days long.


I began to realize nature was much more powerful that I, more beautiful as well. 30 years later and I still remember my first view of the Falls. (Amazing I could see outside myself to see the power of nature LOL)

We hit many more great sites but it's more fun one at a time. Happy HOT to all.

Ready Freddie? It's Monday!

It's not even 6am yet and I am wide awake. I hope I stay wide awake in obstetrics theory class.

We have 5 days of labor/delivery theory, 8 hours a day. WOOHOOOOO.

Can't ya'll just see me jumping up and down. Snerk. Now you know if I jumped up and down I'd hit myself in the face with the boobs. YEOUCH! That could smart.

Ready for the big news?



My 20 year old brought home a puppy Saturday.



um, yeah.

I wonder who's puppy this is really going to be. He's a sweet little teething pit bull mix who's back and white and kissable all over!!!

Since Geo isn't employed, he gets to babysit. hehehehehe. Can't wait to see what the house looks like when I get home.


Have a magnificent Monday all! HUGZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Things That Make You Go "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

In the past month or so many events have made feel like 1979 had appeared again. A humongous case of Deja Vue

This can be only slightly frightening like the return of the tube top, sun dresses and short shorts.

Or scary as in the "revolution" that seems to have a huge ground swell. In 1979, the ground swell ended quite badly in relation to the US. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

A News flash: Steven Jobs recovering from a liver transplant. They media kept this secret for two months, I did not know they had it in them, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Biggest waste of paparazzi time: Jon and Kate, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. :P~~~~

The swine flu has spread to 21,000 cases with 87 deaths in the country,hmmmmmmm :(

Anyone else watching "So You Think You Can Dance?" WOW! Hmmmmmmmmm :D

Oddly enough people I used to know back in 1979 have been contacting me after all this time. I don't know quite why, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm??

Eight more weeks until I am finished nursing school. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM(like a cat licking it's chops after eating cream).

What is going on in your worlds?

To All The Morons Who LOVE Fireworks

(Look at how Bill the Cat reacts to fireworks!)

In this state where rain reigns, the government doesn't get as concerned about fireworks as other states do.

We have several Native American reservations in the area that sell ILLEGAL fireworks. They are already selling them. In the area where I live, LEGAL fireworks are allowed to set off from 9AM-12AM July 4th only.

In the last 15 minutes the immigrants(Hey, I'm all for immigrants just as long as they follow our laws. after all, the laws are printed in 62 languages)behind us and over to left are setting off M80's and other noisy dangerous illegal fireworks.

Correct me if I'm mistaken but isn't today June 19th?

As an almost health care professional I worry about injuries.

As a homeowner I worry about fire.

As a wimp the noise gives me anxiety attacks.

Last year it was so bad I could swear I was reliving the Vietnam war in Washington State.

I wish folks would a)follow the law

b) set the fireworks off in rural areas only

c) have a pail of water and a hose nearby

d) police their own children so they will keep all 10 of the fingers.

Where I moved from almost 20 years ago fireworks were illegal except the huge shows over the water or held at parks.

These are the same people who drive w/o a valid license, go through red lights and hit the car my child is driving, don't carry insurance etc. because they are living in the Land of the Free.

How can we teach them Freedom isn't Free and freedom doesn't include blowing things up???

Recent Rules For My Life

1. Never forget a sense of the ridiculous.

2. Appreciate and adore your children when they are young. It may feel like they'll be toddlers forever, they do grow up and leave you behind.

3. Anything can happen at any time. Tell people you love them every day.

4. Most emotional freakouts aren't worth the grief they will cause you.

5. Be flexible. There are many potholes in the road of life.

6. Believe in yourself! Turn off the negative inner speak now!

7. Raspberry P~~~~~ anyone who tells you can't achieve any thing you want.

8. Hope through humor and faith will see you through.

9. If I can make it through nursing school in my 40's, you can too.

10. There is life after motherhood.

11. Watch Bugs Bunny every 3 months, it will remind you how silly the world is and make you laugh and laugh. What's up Doc?

12. Alcohol and drugs will not "cure" your life.

13. Only read "literature" if you enjoy it, not just to sound intelligent. In fact, I have NO idea why anyone reads Hemingway~I don't enjoy him. I also find Dan Brown as boring as hell.(Sacrilegious,aren't I?)WINK

14. Remember the world is much larger than a half mile circle around you.

15. Helping others will make you feel better than you imagine.

16. Eat chocolate when you need or want it!

17. YOU are one helluva incredible person!

Happy Wednesday From Seattle

How Long?

How long am I going to believe in happily ever after?

How long am I going to pray to the Lord that my marriage will get better?

How long am I just going to exist?

How long am I going to allow myself to underappreciated?

How stupid am I for wanting to be loved for who I am? Not who someone expects me to be?

I have enough issues with low self esteem and now I feel like it's my fault, that I expect too much from him.

When do I smarten up and believe I deserve to be loved and respected?

I deserve to be hugged more than just when I ask?

How long do I stay when I don't even get told when he leaves for errands, let alone expect a good bye kiss?

What does God expect from me here?

Does anyone know, cuz I don't any more.

Nothing Makes My Day...

me^^^^?

...more fabulous than my spouse telling me he's completely unattracted to me physically because of my looks but even more because I don't act the way he wants me to.

I told him if he wanted a perfect wife he should have married a Stepford wife.....

By Now

I thought by now, age 47, I'd know what I'd want from life.

Guess again Grasshopper.

I am still not sure where my place in this world is.

When my parents were my age I thought they had it all together. They didn't I found out later. From the perspective of a 17yo it looked like they did.

I know I want to be a nurse.

I know I feel fulfilled when I help people.

I know I will fall in love with many of my patients, just like I did with my first patient winter quarter.

How far I go in my education is still up in the air.

Where I'll end up is hidden from me.

Being a grown up was supposed to be easier, more fun, more sure. I think Walter Cronkite pained a false picture of adulthood simply with his presence.

I also thought zits went away by age 21. HA!!! Was I ever deluded!

So many factors involved when it comes to my future, so many unknowns.

Am I the only adult who still feels like I'm 26?

Inside Thoughts~old favorite

My viewpoint as I walk in house at 3:15p.m. today~BBB was lying on the couch acting lethargic with MTV blaring.

BBB thinking~So nice to lie on couch w/o mom around. Darn. They're home. Maybe if I pretend I don't see them or answer them, they will not notice me.

My thoughts~get off my couch you brat. He's using selective hearing again. I detest when he does that. Get your freaking size 11 feet off my leather couch!

BBB~HA! It's worked. I can see Mom's lips moving but I cannot hear anything. Oh wait, Dad just said to get my feet off the couch.

Me~Grrrrrrr. Rolling my eyes towards heaven knowing, just knowing, my mom's up there laughing her ass off. So not funny right now mom! I know I deserve it, but not now!

BBB~la la la la. I'm just lying on the couch listening to bad music and watching the MTV dance off. tra lal la.

Me~If I go push the 70 inch kid off the couch will he make a dent and will he scream?

BBB~snicker. The mom looks annoyed. I like that. Here I am on her couch, drinking her coke, watching her tv........I think it's time to go upstairs.

He gets up, doesn't say a word and walks upstairs.

Me~maybe I should take 10 xanax and I won't even know who is in the room or what they are watching. There's a plan.............oh my couch is open. I'm good

Fall Seven Times and Stand Up Eight

Vixen tagged me

THE RULES: Mention who tagged you. Complete the list of 8’s. Tag 8 other people.

8 THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO:

A week with nothing urgent to do
Doing Mother/Baby in school. I just adore newborns
Gradiating from the PN program in August
Starting to bike around this week (of course I'll be wearing a helmet!!!!)
Sleeping in every day until June 23
Catching up on my favorite blogs
Call my cousin Karen to chat and chat and chat
??

8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY:

Took Nursing 110 final
Helped Riley get oriented at the same CC I am currently attending
Fed my anoles crickets~MUNCH!
Spouse got his car back so my Honda, Hanzu, is all mine again. :)
Dug out more shorts to wear.
Watched the movie "Gran Torino"
Skipped the official graduation, just didn't feel right
Read newspaper

8 THINGS I WISH I COULD DO:

I want world peace...
Work with Medecins San Frontiers
Spend time on a real beach not like the fake beaches here
Go to medical school
Do Volunteer work as a nurse
Get straight A's
Stand on the feet all day w/o them hurting
Have the body I had @ 24 back :P


8 SHOWS I WATCH:

NCIS
Criminal Minds
CSI
Grey's Anatomy
House
So You Think You Can Dance?
Discovery Health's Trauma Center
Royal Pains

8 FAVORITE FOODS:

Rainier Cherries
Blueberries
Carrots
Celery
grilled marinated flank steak
shrimp
PIZZA
homemade omelets with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and swiss cheese
8 PLACES I’D LIKE TO TRAVEL:

Ireland
England
France
Egypt
Auschwitz to honor those who died under tyranny and hate
New Zealand cuz Australia has too many poisonous bugs, snakes, jellyfish
Back to Nova Scotia
Totonto to visit family



8 PEOPLE I’VE TAGGED:

Whoever Feels like doing this!!!

Only 1 Final and A Graduation Ceremony Away

from my 10 days off until summer qrt!

My brain is crammed full if the renal system, neuro, ortho, GI, cardiovascular, therapeutic communication, death and dying, crises, and a gazillion other random pieces of medical info. Dang, I think some is trying to escape through my ear! (Clapping my hand over ear)

Obviously it's best for me to get to bed before all the wily factoids slither out my nose or down my spinal cord...........................

Lab Final

Folks, I'm off to take my lab final.


woohoo.



I cannot wait to see what surprises my instructors have places upon this test. Cuz this final is always interesting in content.

Lab final means it should contain info we used in our clinicals.

Bizarro teachers write questions that sometimes don't relate to lab at all.

It's a let play SURPRISE question test!

I like a good mystery.........

The Cops Know My Kids by Name

This is the car my son Riley drives except his is fire engine red.

On his way home just now, he was cruising down the road and chillin.

He looks in his rear view mirror and sees a sheriff. "Uh oh", he thinks.

The sheriff pulls up beside him, rolls down his window and asks my son,

"Do you mind if I call you Riles?" Officer Shirley laughed as he asked.

Riley gave him a look and shook his head because he knew the cop was yanking his chain.

We. his parents, found it quite amusing.

My 18 yo has been pulled over for speeding two times. The judge threw both tickets out.

Riley's and Keenan's cars have had several attempts to steal them. Sheriff has been out here 3-4 Friday early AM to check the damage the would be thieves caused.

18yo has also had 2 accidents in this area in the past year, neither of which were his fault.

Now the cops feel like they know Riley well enough to tease him.

My question: Is this a good or a bad thing?

Singing in The Rain

No it is not raining in Seattle. SURPRISE!

I am watching the classic movie "Singing in the Rain" with Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor. Incredible dancing and quick witted dialog, so unlike most movies being made today. I adore Gene Kelly. My mother used to enjoy Donald O'Connor and I thought she was crazy but I can see why now. :)

Last night I watched "Sideways" with Pail Giamatti, Sandra Oh, and Virginia Madsen from 2004. It had several layers of depth to it and tons of irony, metaphors related to wines, flavors, ingredients, and some very clever dialogue. Paul Giamatti can convey so much without speaking a word. He is one incredible actor. I love Sandra Oh as well. But I always enjoy her.

We caught the Tony Awards last night as well. It appears musicals are back and in a big way. Not that I ever go 3000 miles to Broadway. "Hair" is back and I remember all the words from the cast album my parents had. I was 7 or 8 when the original "Hair" debuted. I loved singing the songs even when I was clueless to the meanings.

My parents also had albums from "Jesus Christ Superstar", which is my all time fav; and "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Fanny Brice". I have never been to Broadway but when we lived in New Jersey my parents used to go there once or twice a year. I still adore the movie "Fiddler on the Roof".

Just Glancing at Job Openings

And it's giving me a headache. There are less than there used to be say~~6 months ago. This doesn't give me hope for many job choices in September.

Since the recession started being an LPN isn't as employable as it was before. Sigh.

The story of my life. Snort.

I still have 8 weeks of class after the next week so I'm not really applying for anything.

Sigh.

This past year has been sooooooooooooooooooooo endless. Let's hope the next 9 weeks fly by with excellent clinical experiences. Yes? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Have Some 'Splaining To Do

Relax my readers.

Nursing SIMs are just pretend and we've been well educated on the scope of our practice as LPNs.

In other words, we know when to refuse to do something that we are not qualified legally or experienced enough to do.

I do not plan on being a rogue ER crusader just yet. Snerk.

Today's test seemed easy but don't let that fool you. Until I get my grade I don't count in any specific grade.

One class Monday and then two finals. Official Grad Ceremony Friday at 7:00P.M.
Yes, I am walking. I was coerced by a friend. Doubt my kids or spouse will show. Whatev. I went to school for me not them. :P

LPN grad ceremony Aug 14 I believe.

Things have cooled down here which makes me oh so much more comfy.

No special plans for weekend. Study for lab final I suppose. Yahoo.

Nursing SIMs

Once a week we have a computer class. Fall qrt it was about trying to figure the programs out~the teacher. Me, I read e-mail.

Winter qrt. we did nursing scenarios. They were ok. Nothing special.

Spring or this qrt. we have been during nursing SIMs. Stuff we'd never ever do as LPNs!

The SIM program is quirky one must always put on O2 whether it was indicated or not. One also must call in the Emergency Team...even if they NEVER show up to help.

Today the assignment was a guy with heart pain 4 6 hours brought in by daughter. I had to do him 4 times before I passed.

What ER would let ME put in an ET tube? Give atropine? Assess the EKG by myself?
The pretend ER that's who!!!!

I had this guy on O2 in 30 seconds after he told me his symptoms. I then call the Emergency Response Team. Next EKG wires, BP monitor, Sats monitor, CO2 monitor, heart monitor and IV access.

Dude goes into V-fib(no rhythm, heart just quivers and isn't pumping blood). I put AED wires on and wait for AED assessment.

Told to shock pt. I shock him and get heart rhythm back. Next I set IV saline to full bore and add quinidine(an anti-arrythmic).

BP is very low. I elevate man's legs and adminster atropine. BP goes up slightly.

Guy then stopped breathing! Dang dude stop crashing!

I begin ventilation at 10 per minute and at 6L 02. After a minute, dude is breathing. I add nasal cannula on 4L 02.

I immediately send him upstairs to ICU before he crashes again. Phew.

I killed him on my third try. I gave him succs and killed him deader than dead. Where is the ERT? They never show.

Scores: 33%, 33%, 11%, 82%. The SIM has all the bells, beeps and buzzers set very loud so I can hear mine and the 5 students around me as well.

So silly. I'd never work ER. Cetainly would never use most interventions w/o a doc's orders.

Big question: Why do we do this? Dunno........do you?

I Think There's A Rock in My Knee

Silly, I know.

I can feel a small roundish object on the distal side of my left knee. It feels like a bb or a small gravel rock.

I can move it around and it doesn't hurt.

I'm pretty sure it is a rock. I was riding a bike back when I was 15 and was hit by a car. My left knee was scraped and road rashed. I broke two metatarsals when my right foot hit the pedal and I literally flew off the bike and hit the pavement.

Lucky for me I did not hit my head too hard. Meaning my brain was NOT turned into jello,it just bounced back and forth like a bowl of jello for 15 seconds after impact at the back of my head. Road rash under my hair of all places!

The skin on 4 of my lumbar vertebrae was scraped off to the bone. No bleeding cuz all the little blood vessels were gone as well. No scars tho.

I had one hell of a headache and my foot throbbed like a witch.

Welcome to summer. This happened in the early days of the summer break between 9th and 10th grade.

Anyhoo, I believe the movable bump in my knee is some gravel that was never retrieved.

Weird, huh?

If You Could Read My Mind.............

what a tale my thoughts would tell........

School: Aggravating. Looking at practice NCLEX questions and realizing my education is somewhat lacking.

Program: What is up with director? It's like she's abdicating, hence the knowledge gap. I may not like her but she KNOWS enerything about nursing.

Clinical: Whoa nelly! Working hard. 14 hours last Wednesday. Got to observe angiogram. WAAAAAAY COOL! Saw a complication that taught me tons! Also saw the terrible toll alcohol can take. Not pleasant.

18yo: He's okay. Lucky. Mercedes has huge dent passenger side, midway between front and back.

Spouse: Cranky, snappish, irritable~typical in times of unemployment.

Moi: Happy the AC is up. Only 88 degrees today. BLECH!!! It's Seattle, WHERE'S my rain?

UW Women's Softball: Rocking the World Series. In Championship round. Chomp the Gators!!!!

Random: How does a plane just disappear from the sky with 222 aboard? Octomom on tv...:::::::::hurl::::::::. Jon and Kate are soooooooooo last week!

YOU: How is everyone? Let me know. Hard to catch all blogs with my schedule for next 2-3 weeks. HUGZ to all!